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Childhood food allergies are on the rise, with about 3 million kids being affected.  Experts point out that it may be because parents are more  aware and more proactive on having their children checked earlier in life.

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 1 in 26 children were affected by food allergies last year.  These diagnoses are up 18% since 1997.

Unfortunately, now one is sure what is causing this increase.  Some experts point to the doubling of peanut allergies as one factor. It also seems that children are also taking longer to outgrow allergies such as eggs and milk than they did previously.  They are also pointing out that doctors and parents who are more likely to consider food as a trigger for an allergic symptom such as; breathing problems, vomiting, and rashes.  In past years people often dismissed children who were constantly sick as “having a weak stomach,” or “sickly.”

The CDC derived their results from an in-person survey conducted in 2007.  They went door-to-door to 9,500 households with children under 18 years of age.  Researchers inquired if any of the children had experienced any kind of allergic reactions to food in the past year and about 4% said yes.  Caregivers were not asked if the child had been diagnosed by a doctor and no medical records were checked.  It is possible that some of the results may be inaccurate due to the parents not understanding the difference between digestive disorders and immune response.

 Well it is cold season again and as always we can expect ourselves and those around us to get the “sniffles”.  Many of us are rushing off to get our flu shots and to stock up on cold and allergy medications.  However, many of us may have overlooked a very helpful solution to the common cold, saline solution.

Regular usage of nasal saline solution can help to ease allergies, congestion, and sinus problems.

In contrast to popular belief, nasal congestion is not caused by a buildup of mucus.  The common cold as well as many allergens cause the blood vessels in the nasal passages to swell, which causes congestion due to the air passages being blocked.

Studies released by the University of Wisconsin concluded that irrigating the nasal passages left the volunteers with little need for sinus medications afterwards.  By irrigating the nasal passages with saline, it removes the accumulation of bad bacteria that can cause congestion and lead to infection.

There are two main ways to irrigate your nasal passages:

• using a neti-pot
• using a nasal spray

Saline nasal sprays are very common and can often be found at any major drug store or the cold treatment section of your local grocer.  However, be wary of any saline sprays that contain preservatives as they can  cause harm to your nose over time.  It is best to look for a natural nasal spray that contains natural sea water rinse with minerals.  These sprays often come in a squirt bottle or as a nasal injection that can be used daily to prevent or relieve the symptoms of the common cold and allergies.

The neti pot is an alternative approach.  It is often used in Ayurvedic medicine as a way of cleaning the sinuses.  Neti pots are filled with salt water and is slowly poured into the nasal cavities to flush out any foreign intruders.  Neti pots are available in different sizes and styles, many are narrow and are similar to a travel-sized tea pot with a spout like a watering can.  They are often constructed of metal, ceramic, or plastic.  Neti pots can be found at many health food and drug stores and cost anywhere from $10 to $30.  Some neti pots even come with pre-packaged saline solutions and others will recommend you use non-iodized salt and water.

After filling your pot with the solution, stand over a sink or a tub and tilt your head.  Then position the  spout just inside your nostril and pour the solution up one nostril and out the other for approximately 30 seconds on each side.  Daily practice of this will help to keep your sinuses clear and prevent buildup of harmful materials.

However, if you have chronic nosebleeds, have a deviated septum, or already have a sinus infection or other nasal condition, it is best to consult your doctor before  starting any at-home treatments.

 Melatonin - What is it?

Have you ever wondered why you get tired at night and wake up when it becomes light outside?  The reason has to do with melatonin.  Melatonin is a hormone that is made by the pineal gland in the brain using the amino acid, tryptophan.  Melatonin’s synthesis and release is facilitatated and stimulated by darkness and is suppressed by light.  So basically it regulates the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

You can obtain synthetic melatonin supplements basically from anywhere that carries vitamins and supplements.  Melatonin supplements have been used for many years to treat various medical conditions, especially those where the natural sleep-wake cycle has been altered such as; jet lag, delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), sleep disorders that occur in blind people, and sleep disorders in children and those with neuro-psychiatric disorders.  Melatonin is also used to treat sleep enhancement in healthy individuals.
Melatonin that is found in dietary supplements is often made synthetically but is chemically identical to the melatonin that is naturally produced in the body.  Supplements are required to list their ingredient sources, however if it is not listed it is assumed that it is synthetic.

The FDA does not regulate melatonin supplements for quality assurance.  This lead to ConsumerLab.com conducting their own tests on melatonin supplements.  Their aim was to determine if the lables met their claims, to ensure that they digest properly, and to ensure that they do not contain unacceptable levels of lead.   ConsumerLab.com tested 17 supplements; ten of which they selected and the other 7 were tested at the request of their manufacturer or distributor.

ConsumerLab.com determined that all 17 supplements contained their claimed amounts of melatonin, ranging from 750mcg to to 5,000 mcg (1,000 mcg=1 mg).  In addition all of the supplements tested disentegrated properly and passed all lead contamination tests.

In my search for interesting articles I came upon an interesting service offered by Google.  Google Health is a great way to keep track of all of your medical records in one convenient online facility.  You can enter information about yourself such as: Date of Birth, Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Blood Type, Weight, and Height.  You can also enter medical information such as: current and past health conditions, medications, allergies, procedures, test results, and immunizations.  In addition you can also import medical records from: Allscripts ePrescribe, Beth Israel Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic, Longs Drug Store, Medco, Minute Clinic from CVS Caremark, Quest Diagnostics, Rx America, and Wallgreens.  You can also receive notices from your health care providers and have them send your medical records.  Also, when you add medications to your profile you can view a list of drug interactions.  There is also a search engine designed to help you locate a doctor.

https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=health&nui=1&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&rm=hide#utm_source=us-et-more&utm_medium=et&utm_campaign=health

Many health professionals adhere to the BMI (Body Mass Index), which is a ratio between height and weight.  It is often used to determine if a person is underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or  clinically obese.

Unfortunately it seems that many health professionals rely on this as the only means of determining a person’s health risks.

BMI calculations do not take muscle mass or skeletal structure into consideration, which can result in a misleading diagnosis.

Often many large people feel let down by this calculation.  We are often made to feel like  our efforts toward being healthy are discounted due  to our outward appearance matched with our BMI.

While, it is true that carrying excess weight can put you at a higher risk for developing life altering conditions or diseases.  Conditions such as diabetes and heart disease often progress due to increased fat on the body.

However, other factors should be measured to properly access a person’s risk of developing health conditions.  Other means of determing a person’s level of health are: age,blood pressure, cholesterol levels, family history, waist measurement, fitness level, and diet.

Here is how BMI is calculated:

Weight in lbs./ height in inches squared X 703.

example: 150lbs/ 5′5″ squared (66″ squared) multiplied by 703 = 24.96

Here is the standard chart for determining BMI

Below 18.5                               Underweight

18.5 - 24.9                                Normal

25.0 - 29.9                                Overweight

30.0 - above                             Obese

Age: 45 or older = increased risk of diabetes, women age 55 = increased risk for heart disease, and the risk of cancer also increases with age.

A healthy blood pressure reading should be about 110/70.

Hypertension begins at 120/80 - 139/89.

Total Cholesterol above 200mg/dl, HDL of 40mg/dl or more,  or triglyceride levels of  150mg or more increases the risk of disease.

Family History Factors:

Heart Disease: First degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children) if they have it…your risk increases.

Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes - first degree relatives - your risk increases by 5-10 times, regardless of weight.

Cancer: 5-10% of cancers are inherited, most cancers are caused by gene mutation caused by age, lifestyle, and environmental factors.  The environmental factors include: inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to radiation or carcinogenic materials.  However, a recent study found that 5% of cancer in post menopausal women is related to carrying excess body weight.

Waist Measurement:

Women: 35″ or more = increased risk of heart disease, and 31.5″ = increased risk of some cancers.

Fitness: Walking briskly for 30 minutes 5 days a week is enough to protect you from disease regardless of your diet.

Diet:  A well-balanced diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can dramatically effect your chance of developing diseases or conditions.

So the question is….is it possible to have a high BMI and still be healthy.  The answer is yes.  However, it depends on other health assessment factors to determine your overall risk of developing diseases or conditions.

Anyone who suffers from a medical condition is alway searching for a miracle cure.  We must remember that if if sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Weight-Loss Miracle Cures

The simple truth about weight-loss formulas is that often, they do not work and can even be dangerous to some people.  Recently the National Institute of Health warned against taking any drug combinations without FDA approval, this even includes herbal concoctions.  The main issue here is that many weight-loss formulas contain stimulants and these may be dangerous for those with underlying heart disease, high blood pressure, or other illnesses they may not be aware of.

Arthritis Cures

There are so many products on the market that promise to alleviate or cure arthritis, it ridiculous to think that any of them work.  There are copper bracelets, magnets, and numerous pills and drinks all promising to cure arthritis.  There is in fact, no cure for arthritis.  Often the only thing that helps is rest, exercise, heat therapy, and drugs that may be recommended by your doctor.

Colon Cleansers

These “miracle cures” have been said to do all sorts of things including remove toxins from the body and even cure cancer.  Alas, they only do what your digestive system does naturally.  These drugs and treatments can be expensive and even dangerous.  Long-term cleansing can even lead to anemia, malnutrition, infection, intestinal damage, and heart failure.

Alzheimer’s Cures

Currently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s and reputable drugs to slow memory loss are only in their development stages.  Once your brain tissue dies, it can not be revived with any medications.  So,there is no need to remove your silver fillings, take over-the-counter meds, or zap your brain with electricity.

    A recent study from Boston University found that people diagnosed with IBS, Irritable Bowel syndrome were 40% more likely to have depression issues than those without IBS.  This is a common disorder, affecting mostly women.

IBS does not cause depression and depression does not cause IBS, however the two conditions often are seen together. Scientist think that stress hormones may play a role in causing and aggrevating IBS.

Your best bets to beat IBS are to keep a mood and symptom diary and talking to your doctor.   Keeping track of your moods and symptoms for about a week or two.  Be sure to note any relationship between stressful event, mood swings, and your symptoms.

If you think you may be depressed, talk to your doctor.  Be sure to tell them of any other symptoms you may be experiencing like headaches, pain, and fatigue.  Boston University also found that IBS seems to be linked to migraines and fibromyalgia, a syndrome causing people to feel extremely achy and tired.

Your doctor may suggest starting an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication.  These seem to relieve symptoms of IBS, especially stomach pain.  Which is a relief to many IBS sufferers.  Often this condition goes undiagnosed because people pass it off as something they can’t get rid of.  This doesn’t have to be the case.

    You may use honey every day without ever knowing that it is nature’s little wonder medicine.  This sweet treat, which is commonly added to foods and beverages can also help cure some common ailments.   Honey can be used for hangovers, to heal cuts, to sooth sore throats, and to make you skin smooth.

If you drank a bit too much last night at the party, spoon a few tablespoons of honey onto a piece of toast for a fast recovery.  Honey is filled with fructose, a fruit sugar.  This sugar helps to speed up the metabolism of alcohol, helping you to rid your body of the alcohol faster.

Next time you get a minor scrape, cut, or burn grab some honey.  Honey has natural antibacterial properties that have been proven to speed up healing.  Apply honey twice a day to the affected area, for a speedy recovery.

The next time you catch a cold with a nasty cough, leave the cough drops on the shelf and grab some honey instead.  Swallowing 2 teaspoons of honey helps to coat the throat and thin the mucus, making your throat feel better.  Please remember that honey is not appropriate for children under 1 year of age.

So you want soft, smooth skin?  Honey can be used to make a natural ex foliating scrub.  Just mix 1/4 cup of honey with 3/4 cup  raw sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil.  Rub the mixture onto wet skin in circular patterns then rinse off.  You can even keep this mix in a container in your refrigerator.

It’s that time of year again. The flowers start to bloom and the bees are buzzing, but so is your head. It’s also time for spring time allergies, namely hayfever. Every year millions of people are affected by seasonal allergies and dutifully drive to their pharmacy or retail outlet and purchase anti-histamines to hault their allergy symptoms.

Many people are unaware that you can actually reduce or stop allergies using natural, alternative methods. There are two great ways to reduce allergy symptoms; nasal rinses and nasal creams. A nasal rinse is usually a solution made up of salt, water, and a sprinkle of baking soda. Using the rinse 2 0r 3 times a day helps to rinse the excess mucus and allergens out of the nasal passage. The salt in the solution works much like a nasal decongestant to shrink the inflamed blood vessels in the nose.

Nasal creams are another great alternative to anti-histamines. These are usually a petroleum-based ointment that is applied to the inside of the nose. A recent study found that using a nasal cream reduced allergy symptoms by 60%. Nasal creams work by reducing inflammation and creating a barrier that allergens can’t get through. Nasal creams are not on the market yet, but if you dab a bit of petroleum jelly (vasaline) on the end of a Q-tip, it should work just as well.

Welcome to GetHealthy.today.com.  Here I will discuss traditional and non-traditional medicine, herbs, vitamins, exercise, eating healthy, as well as the newest health related news.