FitSugar

Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Sometimes it's the little things we do to keep on track for optimal health that make a difference. Thinking about the quality of air you breathe in your own home takes but a minute or two, but can have a profound effect on your daily life.

Poor indoor air quality can affect your general health, causing allergies and respiratory problems. Houses are much more energy efficient and airtight these days - meaning less outside air makes its way inside to freshen up your home. Constant air-conditioning use in the Summer months just makes the situation worse. Taking five minutes to walk around your home checking for mold, a common indoor air pollutant, is a simple way to take care of your lungs. Mold lurks, unsurprisingly, in bathrooms, so check the walls and shower curtain, but you should also wash your bathmats and towels once a week. Don't forget to check under the sink in your kitchen and the drip tray in your fridge. If your house has central air, you will also want to check the air filter to see if it needs to be replaced.

If you do find mold, clean it up with detergent and let the area dry completely. For more tips on dealing with mold check out the EPA Mold Cleanup Guidelines.

Source

How to Deal With Seasonal Allergies, Asthma and Exercise

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Tis the season for seasonal allergies – ragweed, mold (from soggy leaves) and dust mites galore! When you suffer from itchy eyes and throat, sneezing, runny nose, or allergy induced-asthma, exercising your body is far from top on your list. Here are some tips to help allergy sufferers still get in a workout.

As beautiful as it is outside, you're better off exercising inside. When you huff and puff while doing cardio outside, you're only inhaling the allergens that are bothering you. Join a gym or use your home treadmill or elliptical to keep up with your cardio.
Take your allergy medicine as directed. Even if you're not having symptoms, when taken daily, many of those prescriptions help to prevent attacks if and when your body does come in contact with enemy allergens. Those meds can control your symptoms before they start.

Want to hear the other tips? Then read more

I got this great tip from my allergist: If you have asthma, and you use a rescue inhaler like Albuterol, take a puff or two before you do any cardio. It'll allow you to take deeper breaths, and may prevent an asthma attack.
If you are prone to asthma attacks, keep your inhaler close by while you workout, just in case you need it.
Try to breath through your nose while exercising, since the nose hairs act as a natural filter. Is your nose is stuffed, take a steamy shower before working out, or try using a neti pot to clear out any mucus.
If your symptoms are really bad, do some light exercise inside like a fitness DVD, yoga, weight lifting, or walking on a treadmill.

Source

Pillow Talk

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Is your pillow over 2 years old? If yes, you might be sleeping with a veritable zoo of mold, bacteria and dust mites. Not exactly the kind of pillow talk you want to engage in, is it?

That fluffy bit of comfort on which you rest your head every night can be a hotbed for germs, and might contain even more germs than your bathroom. Yick! Pillows absorb germs from our skin and the air and since we rarely clean or replace our bedroom pillows, bacterias and molds are free to reproduce unhampered. This can become quite a problem if you have allergies to dust mites or mold since you are placing your head in the hot zone for 8 hours a night.

Experts suggest that you replace your pillow every 2 years. Since that can be a costly endeavor, you can try pillow protectors instead since they can prevent dust mites from breeding in your bedding.

Fit's Tip: One quick way to zap all those bacteria is to throw you pillows into the dryer for 20 minutes on high heat. Aim to do this at least once a month and at least once a week if you are experiencing severe allergy symptoms.

Sweet dreams....

Allergies and Humidity

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Allergies are the worst. You know what I'm talking about if you suffer from itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, and coughing.

Summer can be one of the worst times of the year because so many things are growing. It also gets really hot and humid, so I want to know...

Source

To Sprout or Not?

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:20:05 -0800

Anyone who eats raw sprouts, or lightly cooked mung bean sprouts, is at risk for exposure to E. coli or Salmonella bacteria. Seeds need a dark and moist environment to sprout, so the sprouting process provides ideal conditions for bacteria to grow.

It's a toss up because sprouts are really healthy for you though. They are a living food, so even after you refrigerate them, they will continue to grow slowly and their vitamin content will actually increase. Sprouts are one of the most complete and nutritional of all foods that exist - rich with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes.

If you buy them, choose crisp-looking sprouts with the buds attached - avoid musty-smelling, dark or slimy-looking sprouts. If you keep them in the fridge too long, because their roots stay moist, they can get moldy, so try to eat them right away.

Fit's Tips: Since you never know how old sprouts are when you buy them at the store, you could always grow your own. Buy your seeds and sprouters at sproutpeople.com. Unfortunately, this doesn't cut your risk because the seeds themselves could be contaminated.

Mold: WTF?

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 03:30:00 -0800

In most cases mold is just a nuisance. While most molds prefer warmer temperatures, they can grow in the colder range. Molds also tolerate salt and sugar better than most other food invaders, which is why you may find mold in refrigerated jams and jellies and on cured, salty meats - ham, bacon and salami.

Guidelines for mold:

If ANY food is covered with mold, throw it away.
Cheeses: For hard cheeses, cut off at least an inch around and below the mold spot. Make sure to re-wrap it with fresh plastic. It's probably not worth saving individual cheese slices, soft cheese, cottage cheese, cream, sour cream or yogurt. Keep in mind that some cheeses are made with mold, but you can easily notice mold that shouldn't be there.
Hard Salamis & Country Hams: Cut a small spot of mold off hard salamis and ham using the hard cheese rule. If the salami or ham is covered with brown or black mold, toss it.

Want more tips on dealing with food mold? Then read more

Bacon, Hotdogs, Sliced Lunch Meats, Meat Pies or Opened Canned Ham:Throw out any with signs of mold.
Smoked Turkey: Cut small mold spots off the surface using the hard cheese rule.
Chicken: Throw out moldy cooked chicken.
Jams, Jellies and Syrups: Discard any showing any mold growth because the mold toxins (if present) can spread through this soft material quite rapidly.
Fruits and Vegetables: Cut out small mold spots from the surface of firm fruits and vegetables but discard soft vegetables showing mold.
Potatoes: Cut away tissue that is blackened or discolored. It's preferable (and easier) to do this before cooking.
Breads, Cakes, Buns, Pastries, Corn-on-the-cob, Nuts, Flour, Whole Grains, Rice, Dried Peas and Beans and Peanut Butter: Discard any visibly moldy items.

Also be sure to watch for any food you've had that is organic or made without preservatives, they are more prone to mold growth.

Fit's Tip: When cutting the mold spots off, be sure to not touch your knife to the mold. Also, mold spores from affected food can build up in your refrigerator, shortening the life of other foods. Clean the inside of the refrigerator every few months with baking soda dissolved in water. Scrub visible mold on rubber casings with bleach diluted in water. A musty smell on rags and sponges means they're spreading mold. Discard items you can't clean or launder.

Allergy to mold - dander - dust

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:52:13 -0700

Illustrations

Allergy symptoms

Dust mite-proof pillow cover

HEPA air filter

Yeast and mold

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Allergy-related symptoms can occur after you are around mold, certain animals or animal hair, dust, and other substances. These substances are usually found indoors and do not cause symptoms for most people.

Alternative Names

Indoor allergies; Pet allergies

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Allergies are relatively common. They are caused by an over-sensitive immune response. The immune system normally protects the body against harmful substances such as bacteria and viruses. Allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to substances (allergens) that are generally harmless and, in most people, do not cause an immune response.

When a person with allergies breathes in an allergen, histamine and other chemicals are released as part of the immune response. This causes itching and swelling, mucus production, and in serious cases, hives and rashes, as well as other symptoms.

Symptoms vary in severity from person to person. Most environmental allergens contact the skin or eyes, or are inhaled. Therefore, most symptoms affect the skin, eyes, or the breathing passages.

You may develop an allergic reaction to particles in the indoor or outdoor environment that leads to hay fever-like symptoms. Common allergy triggers include:

Mold -- Mold spores are carried in the air and may be present all year long. Mold is most common indoors in damp locations such as basements, bathrooms, or washrooms. Fabrics, rugs, stuffed animals, books, or wallpaper can contain mold spores if they are frequently in contact with water or kept in a damp place. Outdoors, mold lives in the soil, on compost, and on damp vegetation.
Animals -- People who are allergic to certain animals are rarely allergic to the animals' fur or feathers. They are actually allergic to the small scales of skin (dander) that the animal sheds. Some people are allergic to the animal's saliva, particularly cats. Cats have saliva that contains a protein known to cause allergy. You can come into contact with animal saliva if the pet licks you, if you touched the pet after it has groomed itself, or if you touch an object that the animal has recently licked or chewed.
Dust -- House dust contains tiny particles of pollen, mold, fibers from clothing and fabrics, detergents, and microscopic insects (mites). Dust mites, including small fragments of dead mites, are the primary cause of dust allergy and are found in the highest numbers in bedding, mattresses, and box springs.

A few people develop allergy-like symptoms to other irritants in the environment, including smoke, fumes from industries or cleaning products, tobacco, powder, and laundry detergents.

Symptoms

Coughing
Difficulty breathing
Hives
Itching of the nose, eyes, throat, or skin
Rash
Redness in the eyes
Runny nose
Sinus pressure
Sneezing
Tearing eyes
Wheezing

Signs and tests

The doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your symptoms. The history of symptoms is important in diagnosing allergies, including whether the symptoms vary according to time of day or the season and possible exposures such as having a pet in the household.

Allergy testing is done to see identify the specific allergens that are causing your symptoms. Skin testing is the most common and useful method. This may include scratch, patch, or other tests.

If your doctor determines that you cannot undergo skin testing, a RAST blood test (to look for IgE antibodies to a specific allergen) may be helpful.

Having allergies may also alter the results of the following tests:

WBC count, particularly eosinophil count
Serum immunoelectrophoresis

Treatment

The goal of treating allergic rhinitis is to reduce allergy symptoms caused by the inflammation of affected tissues.

The best "treatment" is to avoid what causes the allergic symptoms in the first place. It may be impossible to completely avoid all allergens to which you are sensitive, but you can often take steps to reduce exposure.

Medication options include the following:

Short-acting antihistamines can relieve mild to moderate symptoms, but can cause drowsiness. Many may be bought without a prescription. A pediatrician should be consulted before using these medicines in children, as they may affect learning. Loratadine (Claritin) is now available over the counter. It does not tend to cause drowsiness or affect learning in children.
Longer-acting antihistamines are available by prescription. They cause less drowsiness and can work just as well. They usually do not interfere with learning. These medications include fexofenadine (Allegra), and cetirizine (Zyrtec).
Nasal corticosteroid sprays work very well for people with symptoms not relieved by antihistamines alone. These prescription medications include fluticasone (Flonase), mometasone (Nasonex), and triamcinolone (Nasacort).
Azelastine (Astelin) is a new, nasal antihistamine that is used to treat allergic rhinitis.
Decongestants may also be helpful in reducing symptoms such as nasal congestion, but should not be used for long periods.
Cromolyn sodium is available as a nasal spray (Nasalcrom) for treating hay fever. Eye drop versions of cromolyn sodium and antihistamines are available for itchy or bloodshot eyes.
The leukotriene inhibitor montelukast (Singulair) is a prescription medicine approved to help control asthma and to help relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies.

The most appropriate medication depends on the type and severity of symptoms. Specific illnesses that are caused by allergies (such as asthma and eczema) may require other treatments.

Allergy shots (immunotherapy) are occasionally recommended if the allergen cannot be avoided and symptoms are hard to control. Immunotherapy includes regular injections of the allergen, given in increasing doses (each dose is slightly larger than the previous dose) that may help the body adjust to the antigen. As mold, animal, and dust avoidance are more feasible than avoiding outdoor pollens, allergy shots are less commonly prescribed for these types of allergies.

Expectations (prognosis)

Most symptoms of allergies to mold, dander, and dust can be readily treated, and regular treatment can minimize the symptoms.

In some cases (particularly in children), people may outgrow an allergy as the immune system becomes less sensitive to the allergen. However, as a general rule, once a substance causes allergies for an individual, it can continue to affect the person long term.

The most severe cases of allergic rhinitis from these allergens may require immunotherapy (allergy shots) or removal of tissue in the nose or sinuses.

Complications

Frequent ear infections (otitis media) in children
Drowsiness and other side effects of antihistamines
Side effects of other medications (see the specific medication)
Sinusitis
Nasal polyps
Hives or other skin rashes
Anaphylaxis (a rare but severe allergic reaction)
Disruption of lifestyle

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if severe symptoms of allergy occur, if previously successful treatment has become ineffective, or if symptoms do not respond to treatment.

Prevention

There is no known way to prevent development of allergies, but recent research has given us clues.

Breastfeeding can be effective at preventing and decreasing allergies. There is also evidence that exposures to certain allergens in the first year of life may prevent some allergies. This is called the "hygiene hypothesis" and sprang from observations that infants on farms tend to have fewer allergies than those in environments that are more sterile. Once allergies have developed, avoiding known allergens may decrease symptoms and prevent other allergies.

Mold spores are everywhere. Minimize exposure by keeping rooms dry, using a dehumidifier if necessary. Discard moldy or mildewed articles (books, toys, shoes, and so on). Use synthetic fabrics for clothing and household furnishings whenever possible. Disinfect bathrooms, basement walls, and furniture with diluted bleach or other appropriate disinfectant solution.

Clean frequently to minimize dust. Vacuum frequently, preferably using a small-pore filter to capture dust mites. Damp-mop and dust often. Eliminate as many "dust catchers" as possible, including rugs, bed ruffles or canopies, and curtains. Bedding and mattresses harbor dust mites.

You can buy special covers for mattresses, box springs, and pillows to reduce dust mite allergens. Wash rugs, bedding, and furniture coverings weekly if possible. Central heating and air-conditioning systems may be helpful, particularly if they include special filters to capture dust.

People who are allergic to animals may need to avoid keeping pets. Frequent bathing and grooming of the pet (preferably by someone who is not allergic to the animal) may help. Allergy to animals may also include wool, which may contain tiny amounts of dander (skin).

Avoid other irritants whenever possible.

Review Date: 10/30/2006

Reviewed By: Donald Accetta, MD, MPH, President, Allergy & Asthma Care, PC, Taunton, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

adam.com

Source Doc: 1_000814

Newborn head molding

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:53:47 -0700

Overview

Definition
Alternative Names
Information

Illustrations

Skull of a newborn

Fetal head molding

Newborn head molding

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Newborn head molding is an abnormal head shape that results from pressure on the baby's head during childbirth.

Alternative Names

Newborn cranial deformation; Molding of the newborn's head

Information

The bones of a newborn baby's skull are soft and pliable with gaps between the plates of bone. These gaps close as the bones grow and the brain reaches its full size.

The spaces between the bony plates of the skull are called cranial sutures. There are two gaps that are particularly large, the anterior and posterior fontanelles. These are the soft spots you can feel when feeling the top of your baby's head.

During a head-first delivery, pressure on the head caused by the narrow birth canal (vagina) may mold the head into an oblong shape. Depending on the amount and duration of pressure, the skull bones may even overlap.

Fluid may also collect in the baby's scalp (caput succedaneum) or blood may collect beneath the scalp (cephalohematoma). This may further distort the shape and appearance of the head.
Fluid and blood collection in and around the scalp is a common occurrence during delivery and usually disappears after a few days.

If your baby is born breech (buttocks or feet first) or by cesarean section, the head is usually round and otherwise well shaped. Extreme abnormalities in head size are NOT related to molding. See:

Craniosynostosis
Macrocephaly (abnormally large head size)
Microcephaly (abnormally small head size)

Review Date: 10/23/2007

Reviewed By: Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP, Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 1_002270

Newborn head molding

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:40:55 -0700

Back

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

During a head first birth, pressure on the head caused by the tight birth canal may 'mold' the head into an oblong rather than round shape. Newborn head molding is a common occurrence that usually disappears after a few days.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 2_9696

Yeast and mold

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:34:59 -0700

Back

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Mold and yeast are two groups of plants in the fungus family. Both groups can cause allergic reactions. Fungal spores can circulate in the air and may cause allergic rhinitis when inhaled.

Review Date:
12/31/2007
Reviewed By:
Harvey Simon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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