May

18

A Bracelet Could Save Your Life

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medic_alert_braceletIf you suffer from a allergy a allergy alert bracelet like those available from Medic Alert could save your life in a emergency. Allergy alert bracelets can speak for you in a situation when you may be unable to. People with severe allergies can go into anaphylactic shock which in some situations may leave them paralyzed and unable to communicate valuable information about their medical condition.

I remember when i was a child  and a few kids wore allergy medic alert bracelets and jewelry. They use to be clunky large and somewhat unfashionable. As a result many children or kids did not like to wear them or hid them well under their clothes. Now times have changed and allergy alert bracelets and other alert jewelry have become more fashionable and are available in different styles , colors, and materials like leather, gold and silver. There are even fashionable medic alert watches for allergy sufferers.

Gone are the days when people had to hide their allergy alert jewelry, its become fashionable to wear a band around your wrist. Thanks to other fund raising efforts like cancer you can see many people wearing a variety of colored bands around their wrists.

Medic alert jewelry and other allergy alert bracelets are a must have for anyone prone to suffering a severe allergic reaction or any other medical condition which may cause a impairment to communicate their condition. Medic alert has been a long time leader in the industry and their website  http://www.medicalert.org/ is one of the best sources of information you may even want to  become a member.

May

17

Colorado Allergy Bill 226

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strawberryOn the heels of Westchester, New York’s move to raise allergy awareness by making restaurants list menu ingredients. Now in the spirit of FAAN food allergy week, governor Bill Ritter has signed senate Bill 226 to help deal with the states increasing number of children with food allergies.

Senate Bill 226 establishes the Colorado School Children’s Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Policy Act. The bill requires that the Colorado departments of health and eduction develop a policy to manage food allergies in public schools by January 1st 2010. School districts will be required to:

  • Notify parents annually about their policy regarding student food allergies.
  • Encourage parents to give schools detailed information about their child’s allergies.
  • Create strategies to reduce a students’ risk of exposure to allergens.
  • Identify staff that should be trained in responding to an allergic reaction.
  • Ensure staff will be able to access medicine should a child suffer anaphylaxis.

May

15

Cigarette Smoking and Allergies

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cigaretteLittle disclaimer about the link to the story I have posted below. While I certainly do not endorse cigarette smoking and think it is one of the stupidest things a person can waster their time and money on, I do like to cover all the news not just the things I agree with.

A new study done in the Netherlands about cigarette smoking and allergies is raising a few eyebrows though I am not sure how much ink it will get in the media given the anti-smoking forces and lobby that are out there.

Research at the Utrecht University in the Netherlands indicates that cigarette smoke may inhibit the reaction of mast sells which play a role in the allergy-immune response. Considering all the negatives that smoking does to the body and respiratory system, this is hardly a reason to take up smoking but a interesting study none the less. Below is a link from the Times of India about the study.

Cigarette Smoking Study

May

14

Beckaert Allergy Treatment

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allergy_free_beddingBeckaert textiles has been getting great reviews and winning awards for its new innovated line of allergy free bedding products which are designed for those with dust mite allergies. Beckaert has developed a completely new way to control dust mites in bedding material and improve overall bedding hygiene, improving sleep  quality for many.

Fighting Dust Mites Naturally

In the past most allergy free bedding has focused on sealing off dust mites from their food source. This was done by tightly weaving bedding materials on pillow cases, mattress covers and other bedding so dead skin and mites could not easily fit through the material. Beckaert treats its allergy free bedding mattress ticking with its patented Purotex which contains bacteria friendly micro organisms designed to fight dust mites, moisture and mold.

These micro organisms are released from the mattress by the friction of the sleeper at night. Once released the friendly bacteria eat up any dust mite excrement, dead skin and absorb moisture which dust mites and molds thrive on. When dust mites are denied a food source their population begins to dwindle as the conditions they like are no longer present. The friendly bacteria population is also self regulating and will also control bad odours. The technology is similar to nano technology which is expected to lead to a number of breakthroughs in the years ahead.

May

13

Westchester Passes Allergy Legislation

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wheat_free_pastaRecent years have seen a increase in government involvement on both local and national levels as to what restaurants serve and how they serve it. In a society where consumers are not deemed capable of making healthy decisions they must be legislated. New York city made national news when they banned trans fat and now seem to be targeting salt.

Now Westchester County, New York has passed legislation forcing restaurants to list calorie information and ingredients on the menu that may cause problems for those who have allergies. While this in itself is a positive as consumers should be able to know more about what they are eating. restaurants must also display a message to their customers saying, “If you have a food allergy, please speak to the owner, manager, chef or your food server.” Restaurants who fail to comply with the guidelines face fines up to $1,000 and the guideline will be enforced by inspectors. This would seem to put all responsibility on the restaurant. If you have a allergy it is also your responsibility to know and ask this in advance regardless, you should not just to blindly hope that your meal will not contain any allergens or think you can spot them in your food.

Legislation in itself is not a bad thing as more information is always helpful but putting all the responsibility on restaurants and away from the individual can be dangerous. After all if you have a allergy you should be much more knowledgeable about it than any restaurant.

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