M.D Spills The Beans; Common health issues
common Health issues, facts and unspoken realitiesArchive for May, 2007
Lets Talk Asthma…
Of 10 to 12 million Americans with asthma, 5,000 die each year…
If you dont know this by know you will learn it here;
Environmental interventions are a must for all people with asthma as they may result in massive and impressive reductions in symptoms and medication use/requirement. The first step in achieving long-term control of asthma is avoiding triggers.
I would like to stress on the fact that More than two thousand irritants are indoors, where we spend as much as 900 % of our time. To optimally protect yourself from getting exposed to indoor and outdoor irritants, you should keep your home clean, reduce pet dander, decontaminate decor, attach a filter to vacuums, use air conditioners, maintain adequate humidity, ensure clean air and do not wear contacts during pollen season.
Most cases of asthma are the result of a combination of allergic and/or nonallergic mechanisms and known Triggers include allergens-house dust mites, pollen, molds and dander from animals, especially cats.
Air pollutants and irritants like burning coal, gasoline and wood release nitrogen and sulfur dioxide into the air and can directly result in airway hypersensitivity leading to provocation of asthma symptoms. Even strong odors, such as household cleaners and cleansers, personal care products, perfumes, fabric softeners, laundry detergents and cooking fumes can trigger attacks in sensitive people.
Offcourse we all know that smoking irritates the airways. Children whose parents smoke have a documented increased risk and asthmatics can have attacks by breathing in second-hand tobacco smoke (passive smoking).
People may be unaware of this but, respiratory infections in asthmatics, where the airways are overly sensitive to viral infections such as a cold and especially if the illness progresses to infected airways or sinuses, will more than likely result in an asthma attack.
Also, exertion and cold weather, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest discomfort may develop during and after exercise and these symptomes can occur even if the asthmatic is receiving proper medication doses and frequency wise.
It is also important to note that medications such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as medications for high blood pressure, glaucoma, migraine or heart, thyroid or liver conditions also can aggravate mild asthma. Beta-blockers used for cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure may cause airway spasm and asthmatics are warned about these drugs. Also, sulfites which are added to some foods can cause hives, allergies and shortness of breath in people with asthma.
Finally, emotional stress like anxiety, depression, PTSD may aggravate asthma symptoms and although psychological factors alone do not seem to provoke attacks, therapy may be needed to adequately control the symptoms.
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Ref:(ASTHMA AND ITS PHARMACOLOGIC DRUGS IN TREATMENT)
Allergies And Asthma, An Ugly Can Of Worms!
There has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases over the last few decades which are now major public health problems and an enormous burden on health care resources.
Common manifestations of allergy include asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. Subjects with allergic diseases are usually atopic, and develop sensitization to common allergens.Having said that atopy is only one part of the oh so very complex allergy spectrum.
The disease course of asthma is influenced heavily by the home environment and the exposure to multiple potentially harmful compounds may begin prenatally and continue through childhood. Observational studies have suggested that an intense exposure to a particular allergen, during pregnancy could increase the risk of offspring being sensitized to that allergen and having allergic asthma. It is now known that allergens can pass through the placenta and sensitize the fetus.
Solutions for these exposures are available and should be actively sought out by all. Knowledge gaps exist, in particular concerning the development of the complex nervous system of a child in the milieu of multiple exposures. Examples of harmful home exposures include lead, which can be a particularly harmful neurotoxin along with other neurotoxicants, such as pesticides, which work by poisoning household pests and affect similar metabolic pathways in children. The quality of air and the presence of mold, ETS, and pet
dander in the home contribute to or detract from the health of a child.
Homes contain a myriad of products, chemicals, and objects that offer exposure hazards to children. The five categories of substances most frequently involved in pediatric exposures are cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning substances, analgesics, foreign bodies, and topical agents. So as a parent you should
make a conscious effort in knowing what it is exactly you are bringing in to your home and making sure your child is safe.
A note should be made here about a common indoor work activity for youth across many industries which is
cleaning and use of cleaning products. Acute exposures to disinfectants and sanitizers usually involve inflammation, edema, and burns not to mention the development of respiratory problems and increasing chances of developing cancers.
Target your focus on primary prevention. So instead of filling your home with anti this and anti that medications (secondary preventions by treating the symptoms) simply avoid exposing yourself and loved ones to agents that are suspected or known to be harmful (primary prevention).
Remember brand loyalty kills and you do not need to be rich in order to be smart and stay healthy!
Hungry for more info?
Have You Converted Your Home Into A Toxic Waste Dump?
Hello all,
Health awarenes and establishing a healthy family and a healthy are some of my passions. Today I focus on indoor air quality and how it is directly affecting you and your loved ones.
Most people spend more than half of their lives indoors and studies have shown that cancer rates are increased in people who work at home or stay home. The significance of indoor air-quality, has become more important in recent years as a result of efforts to make our homes more energy efficient. As we tighten up our homes to prevent heat exchange, we also prevent air exchange and pollutants released into the home environment are trapped for long periods of time, the hazard of which are multiple and manifist slowly as the exposure to them is chronic.
Second-hand cigarette smoke, gas stoves, and wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are major sources of indoor air pollution. But home products like cleaning agents, aerosols, air fresheners,personal care products, toiletries and disinfectants also contribute to the problem in a major way. These products contain hidden cancer-causing ingredients and well know disease, allergy and respiratory problems associated agents… Here I provide some examples;
CLEANERS: Toxic Ingredient: Butyl Cellosolve, irritant, toxic to forming cells, neurotoxic, toxic to kidney and liver.
CLEANSERS: Bleach, Toxic Ingredient: Crystalline Silica – eye, skin and lung irritant and carcinogenic.
SPOT REMOVERS: Toxic Ingredient: Toxic Ingredient: Butyl Cellosolve.
DEODORANTS/FRESHENERS: Toxic Ingredient: Isopar (deodorized kerosene), manufacturer admits wide range of toxic effects.
So be smart and shop smart. Avoid these chemicals and look for the well provided oh so many chemical free alternatives. Also, make sure that rooms are well ventilated and that windows open. Good ventilation is crucial to maintaining low levels of indoor air pollution. and if you keep industrial solvents such as alcohol, toluene, degreasing materials, do not store them in the house or in an attached garage. An outside cabinet is the best location for such air pollutants that contain poisonus and dangerous compounds that kill.
I always Say…Brand Loyalty Kills…
