Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is life threatening because it affects the function of multiple organ systems, including the lungs and blood vessels. Its effects on the latter cause them to widen, leading to a dramatic drop in blood pressure, a condition known as anaphylactic shock.
New research in mice, performed by Ana Olivera,…
Archive for April, 2010
Promoting Recovery from Effects of Severe Allergic Reaction
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Organic Milk Linked to Lower Rates of Allergies, Asthma and Eczema
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Young children who consume exclusively organic dairy products are significantly less likely to develop allergies, asthma or eczema by the age of two, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands and published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
“This is the first example of a definite health impact…
New study connects fiber-rich diet and intestinal bacteria with strong immune system
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
You probably know that getting enough fiber in your diet can keep constipation at bay and it can lower high cholesterol levels, too. Now Australian researchers have found another reason why the indigestible part of plant-based foods, known as roughage, is good for you — it plays an important role in keeping your immune system…
Spring Fever Blossoms In Warm Weather – But Is It A Real Ailment?
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
In the season of ducklings, blooming dogwoods and open-toed sandals, some people are struck with a mysterious malady – spring fever.
Purported symptoms include daydreaming, falling in love and having the irrepressible urge to stay outside all day. There is no cure, though some treat the disease by canceling appointments and lying in the grass beneath…
Cholesterol Drugs May Fight Asthma, Too
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Once again, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs have been shown to be good for more than the heart.
Already linked to a reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancer, statins also may help people with asthma breathe easier, researchers report.
In a 70-person study, the use of statins was associated with improvements in lung function.
Patients were…
Of Mice And Peanuts: New Mouse Model For Peanut Allergy
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Chicago researchers report the development of a new mouse model for food allergy that mimics symptoms generated during a human allergic reaction to peanuts. The animal model provides a new research tool that will be invaluable in furthering the understanding of the causes of peanut and other food allergies and in finding new ways to…
Is Cleanliness to Blame for Increasing Allergies?
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Allergies have become a widespread in developed countries: hay fever, eczema, hives and asthma are all increasingly prevalent. The reason? Excessive cleanliness is to blame according to Dr. Guy Delespesse, a professor at the Université de Montréal Faculty of Medicine.
Allergies can be caused by family history, air pollution, processed foods, stress, tobacco use, etc. Yet…
Stem Cells Might One Day Treat Severe Asthma
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Stem cells may one day be a viable treatment for people suffering from severe asthma, researchers say.
A new study published online in the March 15-19 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences borrowed its idea from the field of organ transplantation, where multipotent stem cells in the form of bone marrow…
New Insights Into Allergy-Related Disorders in Children
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Allergies and asthma are a continuing health problem in most developed countries, but just how do these ailments develop over the course of a childhood? In a population-based study designed to help answer this question, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) found that 40 per cent — or two of five…
Study Finds That People Living In Communities Near Oil Sands Can Breathe Easy
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Warren Kindzierski, University of Alberta researcher in the School of Public Health, says people living in the communities of Fort McMurray, Fort Mckay and Fort Chipewyan should feel confident that the air they are breathing is safe.
Kindzierski’s research has found that, despite ongoing development, it’s apparent that there is little or no pattern to the…
