Gluten Allergy - Celiac and Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder. Once thought to be a rare condition affecting only children, it is now known to be more common, affecting as many as two million Americans alone. It is a genetic disease and those with a close family member with a gluten allergy are at increased risk of it. For some individuals, the disease is latent until triggered by an event such as pregnancy, childbirth, surgery or extreme stress.

In a nutshell, individuals with this condition have a gluten intolerance. If they are exposed to gluten, it triggers an allergic reaction in which the body attacks itself, damaging and sometimes destroying the villi that line the small intestines.

Symptoms of a gluten allergy are much like those experienced with other food allergies, but can vary widely between individuals. Digestive problems are common with celiac disease, especially in infants and children. They may include abdominal pain and bloating, vomiting, constipation, chronic diarrhea or pale, fatty, or foul-smelling stools. Weight loss is common in children as a result of these symptoms. Gluten intolerance may also lead to defects in growth and development.

In adults, symptoms may be more varied. Many symptoms can be attributed to other conditions, which is why it may not be diagnosed right away. Symptoms may include bone and joint pain, arthritis, unexplained iron-deficient anemia, fatigue, bone loss or osteoporosis, seizures, tingling or numbness in the extremities, canker sores or dermatitis herpetaformis, an itchy skin rash. Women may also experience reproductive problems such as missed menstrual periods, miscarriages or infertility.

Left untreated, gluten intolerance can lead to more serious symptoms. Because the body's response to a gluten allergy is to attack the villi of the small intestine, the body has a decreased ability to absorb nutrients from food. This can lead to malnutrition. Liver diseases or digestive cancers can also result.

Many people with celiac disease have other conditions in which the body attacks itself. These may include Type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroid disease, autoimmune liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Addison's disease or Sjogren's syndrome. These conditions may bring additional symptoms.

Symptoms of these conditions may include frequent urination, vision disturbances or problems, slow healing time, weight loss or gain, jaundice, joint stiffness, muscle weakness or fatigue, irritability or increased occurrence of infections. Many of these conditions have similar symptoms to gluten intolerance, which may mask the underlying gluten allergy.

Because of the varied symptoms that come with celiac disease and the probability of more serious conditions also being present, you should talk to your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis. A food journal may be helpful in diagnosing the condition if you can link gluten with symptoms. Keep in mind that gluten, while generally found in food, is also sometimes found in places you might not expect, including vitamins, medicines and lip balms.

To confirm a diagnosis of a gluten allergy, your doctor may run blood tests or order an intestinal biopsy. The blood tests look for specific antibodies which elevate in patients with gluten intolerance. If blood tests indicate celiac disease, the biopsy is generally done to confirm the diagnosis. The doctor will remove small pieces from the small intestine to look for villi damage.

Gluten Allergy Symptoms

Gluten allergy makes allergic people miserable. Symptoms of Gluten allergy are like runny nose or itchy eyes, which troubles the person in day to day life. A person should be careful about the food which leads such allergy.

Some substances in food and the atmosphere can make the allergic patients go absolutely miserable. Many of these substances can not be seen by normal eyes but produce allergic reactions. Such substances may present in a small piece of bread or a beautiful flower or a comfortable bed. So people suffering from this allergy have to be very careful about things like what they are eating?

Gluten substance is an important ingredient and it is present in wheat, barley, rye and oats. It is very difficult for a person to avoid gluten allergy because these ingredients present into our daily food. However those affected by this allergy should avoid eating this kind of food on daily basis even if that is their favorite food.

Gluten Allergy Symptoms Can Be Mysterious

These allergy symptoms appear just after meal. Sometimes they suddenly appear within few minutes after eating food containing gluten.

Even if there is no black mold on bread, it may contain the gluten. Bread looks and tastes better even if it has a problem.

Intestinal cramps are one of the very painful symptoms of Gluten allergy. Its symptoms also include red eyes and difficulty in breathing. People with these symptoms will not be able to diagnose the problem without help of medical professionals.

They will probably need to have a series of tests to get to the root of the problem. After exact determination of the cause only the patient can get correct diagnosis.

Are You Allergic To Dogs?

Humans in general are not allergic to animals; however, some with hypersensitive immune system can become allergic to animals. Since most of us have cats or dogs in our homes, any allergy due to animals is most likely to be caused by a dog, or a cat.

Causes of dog allergies

People can be allergic to dog's dander, saliva, or urine. As most dogs urinate at outside places, the most common causes of allergies due to dog is saliva, or dander. Dander is the dead skin shed by dog. Many times, pollen that gets stuck to the coat of dogs can also cause allergies to pollen sensitive people.

Types of dog allergies caused

Allergy causing proteins (allergens) from dogs can cause sneezing, nasal congestion, running nose, coughing, and shortness of breath, wheezing, and serious asthma attack. Skin problems like, red skin rashes. You might experience headaches, or fatigue. If hands from dogs are directly touched to eyes, then it may also cause itchy and watery eyes. Different people may experience one or more type of these symptoms.

Some times, you may mistakenly consider an allergy to be caused by the dog. It is therefore important that you verify that the source of allergy. To do this, the simplest way is to keep the dog two to three months away from home. During this time, clean your home properly. Wash all the walls, floors, and steam clean the carpets. Clean all the furniture, and door and window covers. Allow air to pass through the house, so that the allergens that might be suspended in the air get removed. Cleaning the house of allergens might take more than three months. During this time, check the allergy symptoms. After 3 to 4 months, if you need bring the dog in the house, and compare the symptoms. This will give you an idea whether the allergy is due to pet or something else.

Prevention from dog allergies

1. Allergy from dogs is mostly caused by dander, and so controlling dander can help reducing the possibility of allergies from dogs. Here are few steps that can be taken so that allergy risks can be minimized

2. Bath your dog once or twice every week. It is better to have the dog accustomed to bath since young age, as the dog will later resist. It is better give the dog-medicated bath, or you can use a dog shampoo.

3. Take a proper bathe after bathing the dog, or cleaning dog cloths, beds, and other dog stuff.

4. Do not allow dogs to enter the bedrooms, and in no case allow them to get over the bed.

5. Spray anti-allergen powder at all the places where the dog lives.

6. At times when there is no pollen outside (some people are allergic to pollen), open the doors, and windows, to that the air passes through the house.

7. Put a sheet on the furniture, and car seat before allowing the dog to sit on them. Leather sheets are best.

9. Use HEPA room air cleaners, as they are best for people suffering from asthma, and other dog allergies.

10. Finally, provide your dog good multivitamin, and fatty acid diet. This will keep the dog free of diseases. Every body loves a good-looking healthy dog.

Symptom Assessment, Food Diary and Elimination Diet in Food Intolerance and Allergy - A Primer

Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, cow's milk protein sensitivity and other food intolerance may be associated with numerous digestive and non-digestive symptoms. Some of the most common non-digestive symptoms include fatigue or sense of being overly tired, headaches, bone, joint and/or muscle pain, mental fogginess or impaired attention, nerve pain (neuropathy), and painful or severely itchy skin rashes. The most common digestive symptoms include feeling of excess fullness with meals or afterwards, bloating or distended abdomen, diarrhea, excess or foul gas, constipation, heartburn, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Rating the severity and frequency of common symptoms, in particularly creating and tracking your own individual "Top Ten Symptoms" will be very helpful to you and your doctor, especially when combined with a detailed food-symptom diary. In addition to medical tests like blood work, stool samples, and endoscopic exams, assessing symptoms for severity and frequency before, during and after an elimination diet trial is critical. This helps determine if certain foods are causing or aggravating your symptoms.

The foundation of treating food intolerance usually includes an elimination diet. Prior to an elimination diet, a food diary is usually kept and reviewed for trends by a doctor. In the context of your medical history, symptoms, family history and medical evaluation a medical evaluation is usually recommended that may include blood and stool tests, skin testing for food allergens, and scope examinations of the upper and/or lower digestive tract. Your medical evaluation however could vary widely based your doctor's experience, specialty, biases about food allergies or intolerance and your history, symptoms and age.

Before seeing a doctor for an evaluation for possible food intolerance or allergy you should establish an initial symptom's list that includes your baseline rating of the frequency and severity of your symptoms. This should be done before making any change in your diet or eating pattern. A scale of 1-5 or 1-10 is commonly used to rate symptom severity and frequency. Within 2-3 weeks I will be publishing a very inexpensive symptom-food diary. You may try using a spiral notebook to record what you eat and track at least weekly your personal "Top Ten" list of the most common or troubling symptoms by severity and frequency. With a written record, you and your doctor can more easily track your progress and identify any trends.

For 28 days, I recommend you eliminate all grains, legumes, and dairy as well as processed foods. Foods in those categories are the most common foods that cause people problems. In those categories you find the foods that have commonly identified food proteins, lectins, gluten or casein that are known or suspected to cause symptoms. The foundation for the elimination diet is commonly referred to as the paleolithic, neanderthal, hunter-gatherer, caveman or simply Paleo diet as popularized by the health scientist Loren Cordain, Ph.D. in his numerous scientific publications and book The Paleo Diet.

The basis for the initial diet consists of lean meats and fish (unless fish allergic), fresh fruits and vegetables with additional foods eliminated based on your personal history. For example, you eliminate any foods that are specific to you based on any known food allergies, intolerance or suspected food intolerance because of your genetics, family history, presence of nasal, pollen or skin allergies, or prior medical tests. In particular, certain foods are known to cause reactions in some people who have documented allergies to grass, weeds, and/or tree pollens, house dust mite and latex. The latter food sensitivity association is well recognized clinically as the oral allergy syndrome (OAS). The modification of the Paleo diet based on individual assessment I have termed the Neo-Paleo Specific Diet.

4 weeks or 28 days of following your Neo-Paleo Specific Diet is recommended before attempting to re-introduce foods one at a time, every week to two weeks, while continuing to track your symptoms. This allows your gut time to heal and establish a long enough time to establish a pattern of adequate diet elimination and symptom pattern assessment. Theoretically, this should allow those with dietary induced gut injury or irritation associated with any "leaky gut" predisposition to heal adequately to reduce abnormal immune reactions or absorption of foods and/or food derived proteins and gut bacteria. It also may take some time for you to identify hidden sources of possible problem foods and adjust to your new eating pattern.

You should also be aware that some people experience classic withdrawal like symptoms in the first 3-7 days of eliminating certain foods, in particular grains and dairy products. Gluten, in products made from wheat, and casein, in products containing cow's milk, contain morphine like substances. These can be addictive.

The key to determining if certain foods are contributing to how you feel and the kinds of symptoms you are experiencing, is an adequate trial of elimination combined with accurate recording of what you eat and how you feel. A commitment of 4 weeks strictly eliminating the foods recommended according to your specific assessment while recording accurately what you are eating and how you feel will help you identify patterns and stay motivated to eliminate, restrict or rotate regularly any problem foods.

Overcoming Allergies to Pets

These days, so many people are trying to live allergies and pets...Dealing with the constant congestion, itching and wheezing, the splitting headaches and other discomforts of allergies, and loving the furry source of all this misery is a tough spot to be in. But it's exactly where an estimated ten million American pet owners find themselves right now.

Beyond the wonderful companionship and unconditional love, dogs and cats have some remarkable physical effects on the body.

Caring and cuddling these little (and sometimes not so little) critters can reduce anxiety and actually lower our blood pressure. What an enjoyable, simple and totally natural way to do something good for your health.

Allergy symptoms that are caused by pets bring on the discomforts we're all familiar with - those itchy, watery eyes, blotchy hives, constant sneezing, awful congestion - sometimes even asthma.

Experts believe that you can develop a dog allergy some months or even years after making the pet a part of your life. If this happens to you, your best bet is to get tested to be sure your symptoms are a result of man's best friend - and not other allergens like pollen, dust or mold - that can also be culprits.

In rare instances people outgrow allergies, including those to pets.

One of the best ways to comfortably co-exist with your beloved furry friend is to identify your allergy and undergo a series of shots to desensitize your system. Over the counter or prescription medications are also available to treat the symptoms, though the best remedy is to remove the pet from the home.

If you're a pet lover with identified allergies, you may have heard of hypoallergenic breeds, like those being considered by President-elect Barak Obama's family. The problem is, according to experts, there really is no such thing as hypoallergenic breeds.

Research has shown that allergies aren't caused by the hair, allergens are produced by the animal's saliva, dander and urine - so even a hairless dog, or one of the breeds often identified as hypoallergenic such as bichon frises, poodles and Malteses willproduce allergens that are brought into the environment.

There really isn't any research that points to whether certain breeds are more allergy-friendly than others, though the main dog allergen that people often react to isn't present in all dogs. The most important factors related to pet allergies are the size of the animal and the volume of hair it has. Of course an outdoor animal can bring pollens, mold spores and other allergens into the home that may also trigger an allergy attack.

Before you commit to a new pet, consider a trial period so you can see how the person who has the allergies manages.

If you just fall in love with a four legged friend, yet someone at home has pet allergies, here are some tips you can try to keep everyone happy. You can...

- Keep the bedrooms pet free zones, no exceptions.

- Wash bedding weekly, including the pet's bed.

- Have as little carpeting in the main living area as you can.

- Vacuum any carpeting daily.

- Use a HEPA air filter in the bedroom to trap and remove allergens from the air.

- Wash the dog once or twice each week.

- Wash your own hands after interacting with the animal.

By following these few steps you can help yourself cope with the awful symptoms allergies to pets cause and still live with the pet you love.

ADD and Allergies - Is There a Link?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders in the United States and is typically a life long problem. Children with ADHD often struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships, poor performance in school, focus and attention problems, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity.

If your child has more than 3 of these symptoms, allergies could be the culprit.

• Inattention


• Easily Distracted


• Difficulty focusing


• Become bored, especially if it's something they don't like.


• Difficulty focusing.


• Organizational skills are usually lacking and learning new things can be a challenge.


• Poor followthrough. Not finishing homework assignments, losing homework and misplacing items are typical.


• Doesn't seem like they are listening when spoken to.


• Daydream


• Problems following directions, becomes confused easily.


• Can't sit still.


• Constantly talking


• Must touch everything in sight.


• Have trouble sitting still in school, at dinner or on the bus.


• Is constantly in motion.


• Problems with quiet time.


• Impatient


• Blurts out inappropriate comments, shows emotions without restraint and act without regard to consequences


• Have difficulty waiting for a reward or waiting in line.


• Often interrupt conversations.

Why is ADD under-reported?

Because children may sit quietly and may not be paying attention to what they are doing, the child can be overlooked, parents and teachers may not notice that he or she has ADHD.

Could food allergies have an effect on your child's behavior?

That's the word from doctors at Long Island College Hospital in New York City, who presented their findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in Denver.

The study involved 20 children between the ages of 5 and 18, all of whom had been diagnosed with ADHD. But only two had been evaluated for allergy problems, even though all had a family history.

The researchers screened the children for allergic rhinitis, using not only a focused personal and family history, but also blood and other types of allergy testing for mold, cockroaches, dogs, cats, feathers, ragweed, trees and grass.

The results? Eight of the children (40 percent) were diagnosed with asthma or atopic dermatitis, three (23 percent) with allergic rhinitis, and nine (69 percent) had at least one positive allergy test. Fifteen of the 20 also had a history of at least two allergic symptoms.

Based on those findings, the researchers concluded that a high percentage of children with ADHD may also harbor allergies.

The authors suggest all children diagnosed with ADHD should also be tested for seasonal and environmental allergies and that treatment might improve their overall behavior and symptoms.

Many parents will acknowledge that too much soda and candy makes their kids bounce off the walls on a sugar high, but what if a child's persistent hyperactivity was caused by tomatoes, eggs, gluten or some other seemingly innocuous food?

That is what a Dutch study published found. In kids with ADHD, researchers found that putting them on a restrictive diet to eliminate possible, previously unknown food allergies or sensitivities decreased hyperactivity for 64 percent of kids.

It isn't the first time researchers have tried to link ADHD to things kids eat, such as sugar, food dyes or other preservatives, but even with this recent study, pediatricians remain skeptical of a true connection between diet and hyperactivity disorders.

A study published today in the Journal of Pediatrics says that one type of pesticide commonly used on fruits and vegetables may be contributing to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.

Researchers took urine from over 1,000 participants ages 8 to 15 and analyzed it for pesticides. 119 of the children had symptoms of ADHD. Those with the highest concentration of pesticides were more likely to have the disorder, according to the study.

"It's consistent with other studies that have looked at organophosphate pesticides and have found that exposure of children to organophosphates in early life can cause brain injury. This study builds on those other studies," said Dr. Philip Landrigan, chairman of the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

If there is a link between allergies and behavior problems, if we are able to eliminate allergies from these children, would it be possible to improve behavior, concentration and offer these kids a more normal life. That's the opinion of Dr. Ynge Ljung who has created a home allergy treatment that addresses what is believed to contribute to this disorder.

The Allergy Kit, as it is called, not only treats most food allergies, but also treats herbicides, pesticides, heavy metals, vaccines and childhood vaccinations. Milk, sugar and gluten are also believed to contribute to ADD and is also treated in The Allergy Kit using natural allergy remedies.

Do yourself and your child a favor and check out the newest natural allergy treatment and get your life back and bring peace back to your family. It's fast, easy, safe and permanent.

Child Allergy Symptoms - What Do You Need to Look For?

Allergies cause a wide range of symptoms and effect children in different ways, when your child experiences the symptoms for the first time, you may not actually realise that they have had an allergic reaction, this is because many child allergy symptoms are similar to those of other common childhood infections or conditions.

Typical symptoms

Your child may have just one allergy symptom or several, the symptoms are often similar for different allergic diseases and can change over time. General allergy symptoms include:

A runny nose
Sneezing
A blocked or stuffy nose
Itchy eyes, ears, lips, throat or roof of the mouth
Coughing, especially at night
Wheezing and shortness of breath
Rashes
Tiredness
Redness in the face

Some of these symptoms can be caused by other illnesses too, so it's important to see your GP if you are worried about them.

Hidden symptoms

Sometimes an allergy can cause symptoms that aren't typical, especially in children, making them less easy to spot. These include:

Headaches
Unexplained irritability
Nausea
Itching with no sign of a rash
Digestive upset
Hyperactivity

If your child has any unusual, severe or persistent symptoms, it's important to get them checked out by your GP. They may be signs of an allergy but could also be something completely different, for example, persistent or recurrent diarrhoea may be due to a problem with their digestive system.

Recognising allergic children

There are some physical signs that can alert an allergy doctor to a child with child allergies before they do any allergy tests. These include:

Unhealthy pale complexion, many children with multiple allergies are also small for their age
Allergic shiners, these dark circles under the eyes look like the beginning of a black eye or smudged mascara, or you may just assume your child isn't getting enough sleep. But they are more likely to be due to an increased blood flow near your child's sinuses
Creases under the eyelids., called Dennie-Morgan lines, these are associated with nose-related and chest- related allergies in young children
Allergic or `nasal` salute. Children with a constant runny nose tend to rub their noses upwards with the palm of their hand. This can also lead to a crease across the bridge of the nose
Pulling funny faces. If a child's nose, ears or eyes are itchy, they may twitch or wiggle their face. Some children also sniff constantly
Dry, rough skin. This is particularly common on the checks, upper arms and chest, as well as in the creases of the elbows and behind the knees
Poor attention span. Children with glue ear may have difficulty hearing, which can lead to poor concentration.

Classical allergic diseases

These are the main allergic (atopic) diseases that affect children

Allergic rhinitis affects over 20% of the UK population, according to the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology guidelines for the management of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms:

A blocked and/ or runny nose
Sneezing
Itching
Streaming eyes
Sometimes asthma

If the symptoms occur throughout the year (called perennial allergic rhinitis) they may be mistaken for a persistent cold. Symptoms that occur in specific seasons are called seasonal allergic rhinitis, or more commonly hay fever; eye symptoms are called allergic conjunctivitis

If you are worried about any child allergy symptoms or that your child may be suffering from child allergies it is always best to get them checked out by your GP even if it is not anything to worry about.