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Peanut Allergies: Progress Made

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 09:30:00 PST

About 1% of the U.S. population has a peanut allergy. The percentage may seem small, but since reactions can be fatal, finding a way to prevent it is becoming increasingly important. Many schools even ban peanut butter from children's bagged lunches.

That's why this news is so promising. Progress has been made in desensitizing children with peanut allergies using a form of immunotherapy - a common form is allergy shots.

For years, allergists have injected patients with tiny amounts of the allergens that bother them, be it bee stings or pollen, and their bodies have built up a tolerance for them. So when they come in contact with something they are allergic to in the future, their bodies recognize it, and their reaction is next to nothing.

Dr. Scott David Nash from Duke University conducted a study with his team. They decided to try Oral Peanut Immunotherapy. They gave 8 children with known peanut allergies, increasing doses of peanut protein in the form of a flour mixed with applesauce.

The entire test took about 2 years, beginning with trace amounts of peanuts, and working up to eating the equivalent of 1 peanut a day for the last 18 months.

At the end of the study, the 7 children (1 dropped out) who completed it were given a "food challenge" involving 8g of peanut flour, or about 13 peanuts. 5 of the 7 children passed the challenge. This study showed that their immune systems developed a growing tolerance to peanuts.

This is incredible news for people with peanut allergies. The fear they live with, worrying everyday whether or not they'll accidentally touch or eat something containing peanuts is way too agonizing. This gives them some much needed hope.

Sulfite Sensitivity

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:03:00 PST

Sulfites are sulfur based preservatives that are used to prevent or reduce discoloration of light-colored fruits and vegetables. They are also used to prevent black spots on shrimp and lobster. They are used to condition dough and maintain the stability and potency of certain medications.

Most (except for a few) wines contain sulfites. Yeast naturally produces sulfites during fermentation and most winemakers add sulfites to inhibit the growth of microorganisms. All wines made in the U.S. require a "sulfite" warning label. There are no such rules for wines made in other countries.

Why am I telling you all this? Because according to the FDA, 1 out of every 100 people has a sensitivity to sulfites. They lack the natural enzyme to break them down. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, chest tightness, nausea, hives or anaphylactic shock.

Sulfites can occur naturally in foods like wine and are added to certain foods as well. Some common foods that contain sulfites are baked goods, soup mixes, jams, pickled foods, bottled lemon and lime juice, maraschino cherries, and dried fruit.

Look at the ingredients and you may see:

sulfur dioxide
sodium sulfite
sodium bisulfite
potassium bisulfite
sodium metabisulfite
potassium metabisulfite

These are all sulfites, so if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may try avoiding sulfites to see if your symptoms go away. Or you can try sulfite free food and wine.

Home Improvement: Why Don't Men Notice Decorating Changes?

Stylelist Home — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:00:58 PST

I'm happy to present a post from Stylelist Home!

Turns out there's a slight difference when it comes to how women and men approach home improvements and decorating at home. According to a recent study by retailer TK Maxx - not to be confused with TJ Maxx - a poll of 2,000 women reported that men don't notice the decorating changes they make to the household more than 50 percent of the time. Worse yet, two-thirds of the women also said that they had to literally let their partners know what the actual changes in the home were.

While it may be said that this depends on the scale of decorating change that has been made, it appears that this is besides the point. The same group of women claim to have done projects as big as "painted a room and got no reaction from their husband at all" to switching out "curtains to wallpaper and even moved furniture without their partner noticing." On the contrary, mother-in-laws and friends are quick to pick up on home additions such as new cushions and color palettes.

We can definitely understand the argument posed by this study. But while it's often suggested that men are less likely to turn their attention to small details in the home as women do, is it really an indication that they don't care about their domestic environment? We're curious to know what you think. Let us know in comments below.

To read the full article, click here.

Source

Celebrities Remember Whitney Houston

Lauren Turner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:23:05 PST

The sad and shocking news of Whitney Houston's death this weekend prompted her friends and other stars to share their thoughts about the singer. Her good pal Mariah Carey gave condolences to Whitney's family while Christina Aguilera said, "We have lost another legend." The Recording Academy also released a statement saying, "Six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice."

Click through to read all the sentiments and take a look at Whitney's amazing life in pictures as we remember the star.

5 Strange Ways Chocolate Keeps You Healthy

Prevention — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:02:26 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

This sweet treat may also boost brainpower, help you relax, and more!
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

Show your heart some love this Valentine’s Day by nibbling a few chocolates - and making them a regular treat throughout the year. A recent study found that those consuming the highest levels of chocolate had a 37 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29 percent reduction in stroke compared to those with lower chocolate intakes.

Though experts are quick to clarify that we should stick to moderate consumption of high-calorie chocolates, it’s hard to deny the cold, hard facts that chocolate can be a healthy addition to our diets.

Seven Surprising Ways to Sharpen Your Mind

Hundreds of studies have shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants that promote heart health and may prevent many cardiovascular-related conditions, but we’ve dug up five more surprising health benefits. Read on for five new ways to justify your chocolate craving.

1. Chocolate May Help You With Math
Flavonols, compounds in chocolate with antioxidantlike properties, are thought to improve circulation, including blood flow to the brain. A 2009 study asked participants to count backward in groups of three from a number between 800 and 999. After drinking hot cocoa filled with flavonols, the participants were able to do calculations more quickly and accurately and were less likely to feel tired or mentally drained.

Learn a four more things chocolate can do for you after the break.

Geeky Proposals Caught on Film

Kelly Schwarze — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:05:05 PST

With Valentine's Day creeping around the corner, we're caught up in the season of love. If it's marriage we're talking, these days, to make a serious statement of your heart's intentions it's all about adding some geeky personality for an unforgettable proposal. We've seen dozens of these proposals memorialized on the web to send our hearts aflutter. The latest: the below video combines binary coding aptitude and Futurama fanaticism. Yes, that is a proposal spoken exclusively in binary.

Follow the break to watch our favorite geek-tinted proposals.

Fashion Week Makeup Gives Model Lindsey Wixson an Allergic Reaction

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:44:05 PST

Poor Lindsey Wixson. The 16-year-old Fashion Week staple has tweeted that instead of walking the rest of Paris Fashion Week, "I'm coming home tomorrow due to an allergic reaction to the make-up from the day before. :(" Here's wishing her a fast recovery, and many, less allergic Fashion Weeks in the years ahead.

I feel terrible for Lindsey, and her misfortune is a good reminder that makeup can cause serious allergic reactions, not just run-of-the-mill breakouts. Clearly, with FW's hectic schedule, there was likely little time for Lindsey to test all this stuff on herself, but for those of us with a little more free time, performing a patch test before you put new cosmetics on is always a good idea.

Announcing a Pregnancy: I'm Going to Be a Dad

LilSugar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:02:01 PST

When British photographer Tom Robinson found out he was going to be a father, he couldn't wait to share the news with friends and family. "It's generally a good idea to wait until the three-month scan before telling people you're going to have a baby, just to make sure everything is OK. I'm terrible at keeping secrets, so after only a few weeks I told my boss at work that I was going to be a dad and his reaction was so priceless, I instantly knew I had to capture the reactions of my close friends and family," Tom said. "We hadn't been trying for a baby and I was 29, which for London is fairly young to have a child, so I knew I'd get some good reactions." And thus "I'm Going to Be a Dad" was born.

Keep reading to see how Tom's family and friends reacted to the news!

Source: Tom Robinson Photography

Buzz Blabber: The Chuck Finale Divides Fans

BuzzSugar — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

Popular TV shows brought mixed emotions to commenters this week. From saying goodbye to Chuck to the new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and The Vampire Diaries, we pulled together some of your reactions to get the full scoop. It's time to get caught up on the talk of the town this week!

The end of Chuck brought mixed reviews

"I am satisfied with the episode in general, but as a finale not so much. Seems more like a season finale that begs for more. I think the producers left the door open for possible other projects with Chuck. I certainly hope so. Chuck was pretty much the few show I have been watching on NBC these days. Chuck is one of few bright spots in a sea of vampire shows and comedies." - txcheng
"Nope, it sucked as a finale. Very disappointed." - Miss Senorita
"I actually really liked the finale - the second half, at least. I feel like loose ends were tied up in a way that was not final (hopefully leaving it open for a movie/comic book series/web series/SOMETHING!) - Morgan and Alex together, Casey going after Gertrude (but not until he hugged Chuck like a brother!), Ellie and Awesome leaving to start the next chapter in their lives in Chicago, and Chuck and Sarah well on their way to being together again." - limelindsey

To see more buzzed-about topics, just

"Great episode, as usual! I hope the mother is worse than Klaus, it will bring more action to the show. He was like a little boy in front of her, a boy who just behaved and is waiting for punishment. And please dear writers, don't kill him now, I love Joseph Morgan." - shaimas

"I still think it's Tyler who's killing all those people. Didn't Klaus mention at one episode that he will kill everyone that Elena loves if he didn't get what he wanted? And he's mysteriously absent in this episode." - CiaoBella01

"I did not like the 'I forgive you' act, I hope there is more to the story regarding the original witch. Damon should have answered Elena's phone call in the woods scene. I love this show!" - fashionaza

Grey's Anatomy delights some fans but disappoints others in the alternate reality

"I wasn't expecting to like this episode as much as I did. I actually kinda loved it. I also loved the mentions of Preston Burke, Izzie and George. It was kinda implied that George still died, but was just the John Doe to everyone (since Alex said he failed the boards and then was never heard of again)." - dreamalittledream
"I was very disappointed. . ." -Brandy R.
"This episode was so trippy. That's the only thing I can think of! Cristina's hair was awful (straight hair and bangs on her face just does not look right!) Some of the pairings made sense, but Owen and Callie? That didn't make any sense to me. Bailey made sense as, if you remember, she had to learn how to speak up before Grey's started; Ellis was so strong when she was a doctor (from what we do know from flashbacks), so I imagine Bailey would have stayed the way she was (with the hair to boot.)" - ellenora

Photo courtesy of NBC

What's Yummy This Week

Camilla Salem — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:04:36 PST

Leonardo DiCaprio has entered the coffee business, and we're excited about it.
But we're also huge tea lovers, and here are the reasons why.
Don't skip out on Winter farmers markets - you might miss a lot of cold-weather goodies.
Jay Leno's reaction to the veggie pizza Michelle Obama convinced him to try had us laughing out loud.
Need another laugh? Check out the best food-filled Super Bowl ads.
It's not too early to bring on the aphrodisiacs. Oysters with champagne mignonette are divine.
Don't forget to play Who's the Better Chef!