Today Miss Q and I went grocery shopping while Daddy stayed home watching football with Miss S.

Naturally, we didn’t just go to the grocery store, we hit the pet store to check on the cats.  Miss Q loves cats.  We’d probably have one by now, but her daddy’s allergic.

This factoid doesn’t deter Miss Q.  She has it all planned out; “We can keep it in a box downstairs, Mama.  Daddy would never know.”  Ah, she is her mother’s child.

At the grocery store, I noticed a slight change in her demeanor, so I spoiled her with a free cookie from the bakery.  She wasn’t overly excited to get it; even though this was the first time in her life she’d received a cookie while shopping.

When we got to the cracker aisle, with half our shopping completed, the cookie fell and she started to cry.  This is HIGHLY unusual for Miss Q.  She does not cry easily.  This cry in the grocery store came complete with snot and complaints of a sore stomach.

As I stood in the middle of the aisle with a sad, possibly sick child, and a cart full of groceries, a flash of a story I heard on Dr. Phil came to me.  I don’t know why, it just did.  Anyhow: when Robin, Dr. Phil’s wife, was shopping with her two sons way back when, they started frapping out, so she marched them out of the store, leaving the cart where it stood, full of groceries.

I remember thinking, when I heard that story two things: one, I hope that happens to me; and two, that’s a really strong mum who can just walk away from a full grocery cart – I’d be trying to put my purchases back on the shelves or sitting at home feeling guilty for the melting ice cream and warming meat mid-aisle.

Miss Q wasn’t frapping in a tantrum sort of way, she was sobbing with fat tears streaming down her flushed cheeks.  So I stopped the shopping and beetled to an empty till.  Thankfully, not having to re-enact Robin’s story.

Never have I cursed the slow drivers on the highway, as I had today, cruising at 79 on the dot, with a sobbing child in the back seat trying to wiggle out of her restraints because her stomach hurt.  Just as I was thinking I was going to have to send the white convertible Golf a cleaning bill for Miss Q’s car-seat cover, the driver changed lanes.

The rest is anti-climatic.  Miss Q calmed down once inside our house.  She told her dad that she was upset because she had to pee.  (We find that a little odd, but okay.)  I read her a chapter of Return to the Hundred Acre Wood, while Miss S slept in my arms.

I literally wait until we have no plates or silverware before I do the dishes. I really hate to do it. And when I do do them- I have to have rubber gloves. Just eww. Well, I found a few suggestions to help make doing dishes more fun! (Well, most of them require a partner or such…which works as long as you don’t have a husband allergic to dish soap. Yeah.)

• Turn on music! I like to have The Classic Crime or Deas Vail playing.

• Talk. Seriously- a conversation with someone else takes your mind off of the dishes & it seems to go faster!

• Take turns. Wash one sinkfull while someone else dries. Then switch.

• Have a reward. No dessert til the dishes are done. Or perhaps a piece of chocolate for each sinkfull!

• Set a timer. As the Flylady says “You can do anything for 15 minutes.”

Our diet plays a big part in the condition of our skin. If we do not eat properly we risk having dull, tired looking skin, and in some cases more serious problems can arise.

Food allergies can cause dramatic changes in the skin and the scary thing is, sometimes we do not even know that we have an allergy to a certain food before we try it, so an allergy could occur at any time.

How Food Allergies Affect the Skin

When we have food allergies the body is basically thinking that the food which we are allergic to is harming our body. So, the immune system kicks in and creates antibodies to fight off the food allergen. After the body has identified a food as a cause of allergies, it will from then on release chemicals to protect itself.

The chemicals are what trigger allergic reactions and as well as affecting the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system and the gastrointestinal tract, it also affects the skin. Usually food allergies are more common in children but they do affect adults too.

Some of the most common signs of food allergies include itching and the body could come out in a rash. Some common skin conditions which could appear due to food allergies include:

Hives

Hives is one of the most common allergic skin reactions, and it is also known as Urticaria. Usually hives form on any part of the body but they rarely affect the palms and the soles of the feet. The problem can either be mild or severe, depending upon the circumstances.

You will know if you have hives if they are extremely itchy, if you have red, circular lesions which change throughout time. They can basically be any size, though they do tend to only be a few millimeters in length.

Usually to control hives, antihistamines are taken but failing that, oral steroids can also be used. Again, it depends upon the severity of the break out and they should calm down naturally after the cause of the allergy has gone.

Eczema

Eczema is an extremely annoying condition and it constantly itches and makes the skin red, dry and flaky. It can be caused by a number of things and food allergies are one of them. There are various different types of Eczema and the type that is caused by allergies is allergic contact dermatitis. The reaction usually occurs a couple of hours after contact with whatever it were that the person is allergic to. If you do not come into contact with the substance again, the reaction usually tends to calm down after a few days.

Both conditions can be really irritating and can leave the skin looking really dull and unhealthy. Also, another symptom of a food allergy could be sneezing and a runny nose. If you have a runny nose you are constantly blowing it and if your nose is also itchy you will be rubbing it to make the itching stop. This will also damage the sensitive skin around the nose and it could potentially become extremely sore and flaky. The only thing that will really cure this is by keeping the area moisturized as much as possible.

Overall, nothing can cure food allergies but it is important to stay away from some foods if you know you are allergic to them. Food allergies usually occur with foods such as nuts, milk, eggs and fish. It is possible to be allergic to any foods however so just be careful and know that as well as affecting the rest of your body, allergies also affect the skin.

JULIE Boyde’s wedding night was ruined when she discovered she was allergic to her husband Mike’s sperm.  The couple had been lovers for two years before they got married and decided to have unprotected sex for the first time on their wedding night.  Almost immediately the bride was in unbearable pain. She found out it was because of Mike’s sperm.  Mike, 27, and Julie, 26, from Ambridge, Pennsylvania, started going out while at university and became engaged two years later, finally having a dream wedding in 2005. They wanted to consummate their union on their wedding night.  “Before we were always very careful and used protection – this time we didn’t,’ said Julie, 26. “We figured, “we’re married, if we get pregnant, we get pregnant”.  “Pretty much right after I knew something was not right because I was in a lot of pain.  “The pain that I was feeling was inside, like somebody sticking needles up inside of me like a real painful burning.  ”It was really scary.”  “On a scale of one to ten, it’s pretty much ten,” she said, describing the pain.  In short, Julie’s body attacks Mike’s sperm and makes it inactive.  The couple have started adoption proceedings to start their family.  The couple are featured in a documentary, Strange Sex, on the ABC in the US.

So I think the obvious solution to this problem is that everyone needs to have unprotected sex before they are married to make sure this doesn’t happen to them.    There are no other preventative measures that I can think of, this is the only solution.  All women have to go on the pill for at least a month to test this out with new boyfriends and then once everything’s “good to go”  I gues you could go back to using condoms.  Good luck trying to convince the guy to do that though!

Have an article that you think deserves to be on Get It 2gether?  Send us an email at Get_It_2gether@hotmail.com

Allergic aversion to Penicillin?
My 7.5 month old had RSV about a month or so ago, which lead to an ear infection–Dr prescribed amoxicillin. A few days later, his ear was still bothering him so I brought him in again because I figure the antibiotic should be working after a couple days for sure. Due to the infection (and…

Allergic counterattack + swollen lymph nodes?
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Allergic counterattack to dog?
Recently my friend was over with his dog and my son started to break out in what looked close to hives. I had my friend put his dog outside and i put hydrocortisone on the itchy spots and they seemed to subside. That was the first time that have ever happened to my son. He’s been…

Allergic criticism = hives?
At least I think that’s what it is. I’m not allergic to anything so I don’t know how to react. ult your primary care physicain. Make sure you tell them in the order of your reaction to the Benadryl. GOOD LUCK. –

Allergic criticism on my nouns and shoulders?
I had what appeared to be a mosquito bite behind my left ear faster before going to bed. I just woke up and I have raise, itchy, swollen bumps going down from the bite. The bumps follow my lymph nodes in a line down my neck and spread out surrounded by a large round…

Allergic criticism on obverse?
Since May, I have been experienced 5 to 6 episodes of allergic reactions on my facade. First my face gets itchy, and then bright pink bumps appear on my cheeks and forehead. The recoil more or less looks like poison ivy, but is not. I’ve been to the doctor and took an allergy theory test and found…

Allergic criticism to multivitamin?
I have been taking these multivitamins since monday. Later my stomach started hurting and I kept shaking for some reason. In the morning my pee be lime green ((ew)). My stomach has been hurting all week. Also on Tuesday I get this rash on my hands and wrists and today it got worse and my hand got…

Allergic criticism to something …upset?
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Allergic criticism!?
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Allergic hostile response have need of assistance?
ever hear of a doctor – Benadryl lotion might help with the irritation but if it gets any worse I would beckon a doctor or dermatologist..Don’t mess with your skin – Did you eat anything different? Or you can ask someone at the place where you did your hair and ask if they…

Allergic hostile response since kitchen ceiling come down…?
I’ve been living in my house for 6 months now, and I own never had an allergic reaction until the kitchen ceiling came down. I saw that near was some powdery gray stuff that was inside of the ceiling, which came down too… Since the incident, I own been very itchy. When I’m…

Allergic hostile response to sanitary pad?
Well last month on my period I used a different type of pad afterwards I usually use I tried stay free pads and they have a scent too. And the last morning of my period I felt sore down there and when I looked down nearby I had a red rash and some bumps outside…

Allergic hostile response? please answer.?
me and my boyfriend used a condom for the first time in quite a while,id vote about a year,and as soon as we started,i started to burn!and we had to stop,my pule goes reasonably rapid sometimes,is this part of being allergic to latex or the lubricant on the condom? i can sometimes grain my pulse,just…

Allergic hypersensitivity to lipgloss? Lips red, itchy, puffy. Help?
My friend bought me a lip gloss kit from Sephora, and i’ve been surrounded by love with it ever since, but when i woke up this morning, my lips were dry, itchy, swollen and red. is here anyway to make my lips go down to their run of the mill…

Allergic hypersensitivity? whelp?
well, hai there. having an allergic reaction to something to the point my throat’s tender, my feet are swollen ,and i have hives EVERYWHERE. i’ve been doing the total benedryl thing, also i’ve tried calamine lotion, they both worked the first time, but now it help anymore. been wake me up early hours in the morning, keeping…

Allergic impulse – should I walk to the doctors, or operate next to this near drugstore medication?
This is long, so bear with me, and I appreciate your help. t a week ago I notice small bumps (and I’m talking tiny) on the outside of my index finger. Small, harmless, not noticable, colourless, and not irritable. About two days ago…

Allergic impulse after shaving..hellpp?
Lavender oil is brilliant for this problem. It cools, calms and has antiseptic this with a bright shaver? if so it could be a metal allergy (like a nickel allergy which gets worse over time as you’re exposed to more nickel). If it was with a shaver you’d used since, it might have had some…

Allergic impulse to antibiotics please minister to?
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Allergic impulse to body clean up or shampoo? I hold developed a mild red itchy impetuous simply on my chest.?
it could very well be but there is a 25 percent kismet it could be antthing else – yes you have an allergic reaction.if you can get aveno obtain it.its great on your skin.tavenono soap in it at all and it…

Allergic impulse? infection? WHAT!? please relieve?
ok yesterday i had an itch on my right wrist, i didn’t itch it once or twice maybe. this morning i woke up with my knuckles to my elbow swollen and itchy and massacre, it feels numb(very painful) when i don’t move it then when i am moving it like prickley (like its asleep). i…

Allergic Reaction – could it be…?
Tonight, all of a sudden I’ve had an allergic reaction. d it possibly be because of my ear lobe piercings I got 2 weeks ago? I haven’t eaten anything I in general wouldn’t today. Many thanks! – It is possible. I have sensitive ears and can only wear surgical steel earrings minus a reaction.

Allergic reaction- Please abet!?
My boyfriend is breaking out with an itchy rash. I recently get a new laundry detergent and we are thinking that that’s what is causing this. It starts out looking like mosquito bites and turns within to a rash that looks like poison ivy. The thing is he is presently wearing clothes that haven’t been washed with…

Body Towel
Please note the rub too much. please do not use it when abnormality is found in one and the skin to which the allergic constitution and the skin are weak.
Produced by J. Thirty Four

I respect rubbing.

Submitted by: phoebz via Engrish Funny Submissions

Navy girl is having problems with one of the people she is in charge of.  I found a quote that explains it better than I could.  Unfortunately it doesn’t offer any good advice on how to fix it, but it is good to know that even CEO’s have the same types of problems.

“The first time I tell you something – I mean it may just be my view of the world – that’s not a bad one on you.  If I keep telling you the same thing and you keep doing the other thing, that’s when we have a  much tougher discussion” — Lawrence Kellner CEO Continental Airlines

This morning I got up and vacuumed the living room, worked out to one of the All Star Workouts shows from FIT.Tv, did some forms for our health insurance, fed the cats and dogs, all before 7:30 this morning.  Of course I have to vacuum the living room before I exercise because I am allergic to cats and dogs.  So if I am going to be jumping around I need to vacuum first. 

Being a leader is a lot like being the mom.  You have to be firm and at the same time let the people you are leading have enough autonomy to learn for them selves, but never forget nor let them forget you are the leader.  If you don’t let the people you are leading have the ability to think for themselves and come up with some of the solutions, which they must run past you first, you will never get them to “grow up and leave the nest.”  Often it is just easier to do it yourself but don’t be afraid to delegate, it is the sign of a good leader, that you trust the people who work for you enough that they can do their jobs without you hovering.  There is nothing worse than a helicopter parent and the same thing for a helicopter leader.  No one wants someone hovering over them every minute of the day.  Lead and trust your people to follow.  Now when they get out of line you definitely have to nip it in the bud.  There are lots of good ways to do it without being a total bitch.  Putting the offender in “time out” is often effective, but some times you just have to stomp on them.  Remember when yelling at some one dropping your voice into a lower octave and being quiet scares the crap out of people way more than shrilly shrieking at them.  When your voice gets shrill no one listens, when you drop your voice . . . well the dread it inspires is very powerful.

…okay, maybe not…because not all the things in her songs have actually happened to me in real life… but seriously…  and i’m pretty sure i’m not the only one who’s said this either…lol

i’ve been listening to my iPod alot again… woohoo… i’m tired of the same songs all the time on the radio… it’s okay once in a while…but omg… stop playing the same thing constantly! that has totally ruined some really great songs for me… lol…  but I made a new playlist… i love making playlists…it’s so fun… but i find that i sit and keep adding stuff, and keep adding stuff and keep adding until i have a couple hundred songs on a playlist i only wanted to put about 20 on! haha… i have a ton of music tho… so oh well…lol…

i had a sinus headache again today… felt sick to my stomach for a bit… then had that empty gurgling, so i ate… then felt sick… stupid headaches… so i canceled my swim plans with Dani… and felt really bad all day for canceling… oh well… then had to run a casserole out to the hospital for mom… and then went to get rent, but the renters weren’t home, and then went and made Ian some house keys…since he didn’t have any… then while i was at the Carthage Wal*Mart (which i hate… my store -webb city- is sooo much better! lol) i walked around and looked at the shitty craft section… ours is sooo much bigger and better… and i’m being 100% serious… then i stood and looked at ink pens for a good 5 minutes… then the same with post-it notes… what can i say… i’m obsessed… mind you, i didn’t buy any, since i am absolutely, 100% BROKE! ugh… stupid tuition… lol… then i went back out to McCune Brooks and gave Ian his new keys, and talked with him and mom for a few minutes…

Then I called my grandparents… now I was supposed to go to dinner with Jeff’s parents, my Grandma Margie and Grandpa Tippy… but grandpa’s stomach was bothering him… and I’m afraid I may be getting sick…and i don’t want to get him or grandma sick… so i was going to talk to jeff about if he thought it would be ok or should i reschedule… well, grandpa was sick, so we are going to reschedule anyways… so i didn’t feel so bad, since they canceled first… anyways… i called my Grandma and Grandpa Kyger… it’s so funny, grandpa won’t talk on the phone for very long… he cracks me up… so he always hands it over to grandma… lol… anywho… so i told them i was on my way down to see them, since i had some time and hadn’t seen them in a while…

I went and we talked and told stories and talked and i got great advice (even though i had already kinda figured some of it out…lol…but hearing from your grandparents is so much better… because they really are alot wiser than younger people… they have lived their lives, made their mistakes, we really should listen to them more… ) and then we talked about “Benny” or Benji…their dog… who i used to think was the dumbest dog on the face of the earth…but i think he is getting smarter the older he gets…lol… he barked at me when i went to leave and didn’t say goodbye to him…lol… and then moved over and stood and stared at me until i bent down to pet him and say bye… lol… he is so funny… then i got in my car, put on my new current playlist, which miraculously i only put about 30 songs on… and drove home…

got home…talked to mommy for a bit… and guess what we discovered…

NO GLEE THIS WEEK!!!

WHAT the FRACK!!!

yeah… stupid baseball ruins everything… psh… who cares about the world series? hmmm? really? not me… i’d rather see my Gleek’s and sing along and shiz than watch baseball… but maybe that’s because i too am a Gleek…lol…

i hate baseball… well, i don’t hate it… i just really really really don’t like it… or softball…lol… they aren’t enough of contact sports for me… although, i did love “A League of their Own” lol… great movie… anywho…

I have to clean house tomorrow… bleh… and that includes downstairs… ugh… and i really really need to clean my room… and my car… and i need to rearrange my bookshelf so there is room for my other books… and i need to swim…and i think i will go to the new gym at school and take Angels & Demons and read it on the bike…since I am still at the same spot in the book that I was a month ago… :S (I’ve been trying to only read it on breaks at work… haha… doesn’t work when people keep talking to you all the time…)

I need to add a couple of the random pages i wrote for the “Tempting Fate” story to my storyboard thingy… i really need a mac… because i want that software that you can only get for macs that dom found…it’s super awesome… and would make my life and writing soooo much easier! lol… but until the credit card is paid off, and i have my return to europe trip planned and paid for… no mac for me… but i am going to get a Netbook at Christmas time… my poor lappy is about kaput… not too bad for $150 tho! it’s been good to me… even if i haven’t been the best to it…lol

i want to play my guitar…but since Dani’s party where Morgan and I did cartwheels (well, i did a cartwheel, she did cart-falls and a roundoff lol) my wrist is hurting exceptionally badly… and not to mention i forgot my brace last night at work…and i worked a 5.5 hour shift… ugh… i don’t want carpal tunnel surgery… but i don’t want to be in pain… i wish there was some other way to make it stop hurting… lol… and no… stretches and steroids aren’t working… they are just making me fatter… (it’s truer than you know… )

oh well…

oh did i mention the shit finally hit the ceiling fan and splattered everywhere … yeah… it did… and it stinks really bad…

but that is life… *shrugs*

at least i’m learning some good lessons to take with me down the road… lol

i want/need a road trip or something… i’m trying to talk Dani into a camping trip before it gets any colder… hmmm… we’ll see…

i want some O.G. or Johnny Carinos… or some Chinese… or Sushi… mmm… or all of the above… lol (not at the same time of course…lol)

I’m ready for summer… hahaha…

anyone know of any places hiring for the holiday season? i need to make some extra cash… and donating plasma pisses me off… they never pay attention to the big A on my folder which means ALLERGY!!! and then they touch me with their LATEX gloves and give me LATEX band-aids and LATEX co-ban wrap… UGH!!! I’M ALLERGIC DUMB-ASSES!!! so it’s not really worth it…

anywho… i believe this post was sufficient enough, and random enough as well… lol…

more tomorrow i’m sure…

…lata days

Experts from Hanoi will arrive in Ho Chi Minh City to examine five children who allegedly suffered allergic reactions after drinking Dutch Lady Vivinal GOS milk made by FrieslandCampina Vietnam, a deputy head of the Vietnam Food Administration said on October 21.

Mr. Hoang Thuy Tien said the experts from the National Institute of Nutrition, Bach Mai Hospital, and the administration would try to discover the cause of the allergic reaction.

The city’s Preventive Medicine Center has  taken milk samples for testing, according to center deputy director Nguyen Dac Tho.

FrieslandCampina Vietnam has claimed that there is no scientific evidence linking the children’s condition with its milk.

Related article:
HCMC health officials investigate Dutch Lady’s dodgy milk

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I’m curious if anyone with food allergies happens to know the answer to something I always wonder about. Forgive me if it’s a dumb question. If you are allergic to a substance, let’s say nuts, is it safe to use creams or lotions that contain nut extracts? I’ve had bad experiences using lotions that contain lemon, but that’s because I’m so allergic to lemons that even touching the juice causes rashes.

I feel like it’s pretty important to know the answer to this, especially for people who have life-threatening allergies. I’ve been finding soy in everything including my vitamins and even in everyday products such as shampoo.

Has anyone done any research on this topic? I’d love to hear from you! Post a comment and let me know!

I can remember my mom coming over to my house and before you knew it she was sneezing, and sneezing, and sneezing. I asked her what was wrong and she said it was probably from my dog. Who would’ve known, I figured since I didn’t have a problem that nobody else would, but sometimes you just never know. I guess it can sneak up on you at any point in your life and when it does, you have a problem.

People can become allergic to pets because of proteins from animal hair, urine or saliva. Pets which can cause allergies are dogs, cats, chicken, mice, rats, cows, horses, hamsters, guinea pig and birds. Allergic reaction can attack the respiratory system, eyes which can result in hay fever, urticaria, asthmatic symptoms, eye symptoms or eczema.

Hay fever makes the patient develop itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezes. Asthmatic symptoms are wheezing, prolonged expiration, rapid breathing, over inflated chest, and fast heart rate. Urticaria, nettle rash, hives or uredo is a skin condition where the skin develops raised red welts. They can appear on any part of the body. The welt can badly itch, burn or even sting. Eye symptoms include watering and itching of the eyes. Eczema or atopic dermatitis is an atopic skin disease. Young children are more prone to getting this disease. The skin becomes hypersensitive when the allergens touch the body parts and becomes flaky and starts itching very badly. It also turns red and can also get further affected with bacteria.

Allergens from pets are proteins. They either contact the skin directly or also by breathing in. This contact triggers an allergic reaction and makes the body to produce histamine. This histamine irritates and swells the airways, which results in asthmatic symptoms and hay fever. The condition can worsen if the person is exposed to tobacco smoke, polluted air, car fumes or environmental allergens. Some people can also be allergic to the food the pet eats. The allergy worsens when asthma worsens; symptoms include insomnia, cold, and ear infections.

The allergens come from direct contact with an animal, or even from people who have been in direct contact with the animal. In most of the cases, people are allergic to pet because of hereditary reasons. Also kids having asthmatic bronchitis and which grow with pets such as cats are more prone to be allergic to cats as adults. Furless cats produce low allergens.

People allergic to pets should be extra careful when renting a new house. There can be a possibility that the previous occupants have had pets. The allergens present in the environment can trigger allergic reactions and it will take more than a year to reduce the effect of the pet allergens. If a person suspects allergic reactions because of pet allergens, they can test it by staying away from home for more than two weeks. If the symptoms still continue, pet allergens aren’t responsible. Also a doctor should be contacted immediately who can conduct test and diagnose the condition. Blood and skin tests should be taken to confirm the diagnosis. The doctor can then prescribe medicine for controlling the allergy. Patients can also take vaccination against the allergen.

Pet owners should also participate to help other people with pet allergies. They should bathe their pets regularly. They should be dried completely after that. Researches have proved that monthly baths decreases the pet allergens in the house. Guinea pigs and rabbits have allergens in their urine. These animals should be shifted outside, if they have been living within the house. Anti-allergen filters are also available in the market which helps to purify the air of allergens. Pets should be strictly kept out of bedrooms so as to not to be become pet allergen carriers, pet owner’s can wash their hands soon after contact with the animal.

Rough Times Cake

Watch a video of this recipe at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_aMmz_nhh

This is a simple and not-too sweet cake, sometimes called “Depression Cake”. So easy to make, it is free of eggs or milk, so it’s vegan friendly, easy on the budget and delicious.

Ingredients

2 Cups Raisins

1 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Cups Water

1/3 Cup Margarine

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Nutmeg

1/8 tsp Allspice

2 Cups Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

2 Round Tbsp Baking Powder

Sift dry ingredients together or stir well. Mix the wet ingredients in a big cup or bowl, add to dry mixture to make an easy-to-stir dough. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and dry.

Suggestions: While it’s still warm, spread a thin layer of corn syrup over the top for a nice glazed, elegant-looking cake. Freezes really well if it’s wrapped twice; since it’s such a big cake, I usually freeze half for later). Add nuts, raisins, currants, sweet cranberries, chopped apples or coconut to the dry mix… use mashed bananas, a little less water and make it a banana cake… forget the spice and add chopped strawberries, peaches or blueberries… use less water and a beaten egg or two for a rich texture – there’s no limit when you use your imagination!

Allergies and Your Immune System

“How can chiropractic care help with allergies?” I hear that question all the time.  The simplest explanation I can give is that allergies are an exaggerated response of your immune system.  So if we can get your immune system functioning more normally, your response to dust, pollen, mold, etc. won’t be so drastic that you have itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, difficulty breathing, and numerous other symptoms of an allergic response.  Chiropractic gets the systems of the body functioning more normally by removing irritation to the nerves that come from the brain, down the spinal cord, out the spinal nerves and to the tissues.

Nerve Flow

If you read my first blog, you can tell I love analogies.  A good one that definitely oversimplifies nerve flow, but helps you understand it,  is to think of a water hose.  If you turn it on and it doesn’t have any kinks the water flows out of it in a nice smooth stream.  But if you completely bend and kink it up, the flow stops.  Most times we don’t get a complete block in it though, let’s say you just barely step on it.  Now the water gets a little more sporadic, it squirts out a little faster and uneven.  Nerve irritation is similar in that if you completely severe the nerve or block it completely, there is no function.  But if you just put some pressure on a nerve, the flow of the nerve becomes sporadic or exaggerated and the body responds in a “not so normal” way.

Pay Attention to Your Body

Don’t you ever wonder why some people in the same family with the same lifestyles and eating habits have allergies while the others don’t?  They’re exposed to the same allergens yet some people are sensitive to them and others aren’t.  This is just another example of your body giving you warning signs that it’s not functioning normally.  Hopefully, this will serve as a reminder to pay attention to your body.  I’m amazed at really major changes in quality of life with minor movements of the vertebra and minor changes in lifestyle.

For Example

I recently had an excellent example of how much nerve irritation can cause the body’s immune system to function abnormally.  I had a patient in my office with complaints of severe allergies that began very suddenly after a weekend trip to another state.  He had slept uncomfortably that weekend and upon returning home, he began having itchy, watery eyes, and a runny nose.  This got progressively worse over the next few years and began to severely restrict his abilities to work in his yard.  After his first week of chiropractic adjustments, he was able to do yard work without ANY allergic symptoms.  Most people think you’re either born with allergies or you’re not.  This is not the case at all.  We develop our immune system.  The better we can develop and maintain it, the better it will work for us.

If I can be of any assistance to you or anyone you care about, please do not hesitate to contact me at (405) 728-3138.

Sincerely,

Tracy L. Calamaio, D.C.

TLC Chiropractic Clinic

What is it, why the weird name and why do we need it?

First CoQ10 really means Coenzyme Q 10 and has other names like ubiquinone and ubidecarenone, these names refer to the substance’s ubiquitous appearance throughout the body. Coenzymes are a subgroup of what are generally known as cofactors. Cofactors are chemical compounds that bind to a protein and are integral to the proteins function.  Coenzymes are a type delineated by its loose fitting bond with their protein.  And what that jargon means is that proteins in our bodies have cofactors and actions that they carry out and by extension coenzymes activate those proteins so that their role is fulfilled.

CoQ10 plays a significant role in something called the electron transport chain or ETC.  This pathway is an important one in the production of cellular energy.  CoQ10 is also a potent antioxidant which is something we all could use a bit more of. The tissues with some of the highest metabolic rates and thus the highest requirements for energy like the heart and liver also have the highest concentration of CoQ10. As we age our natural production of CoQ10 declines and not surprisingly our metabolism and general energy level decline as well. That may be enough to warrant a small supplemental dose in order to help deal with our daily stresses.  However, the people with marked deficiency of this critical nutrient are those on statin drugs for lowering cholesterol.  Statin drugs stop a particular enzymatic pathway (HMG CoA Reductase) from producing cholesterol, unfortunately that same pathway is used to produce our endogenous CoQ10. Also the CoQ10 precursor “mevalonate” is inhibited by some beta blockers, so blood pressure and cholesterol meds have shown to drastically reduce the endogenous quantity of this vital metabolic nutrient with the intention of improving heart health.  But as we referenced earlier the heart requires more CoQ10 than almost any other tissue. This is obviously not the smartest way to improve heart health and protect sensitive tissue from damage. Simply lowering cholesterol has not been effective in protecting the heart and the vast majority of high blood pressure is idiopathic… meaning no identifiable cause (which really most often means lifestyle).

So is the answer these two drugs or developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle based on sound whole food nutrition and regular activity? The NEED for supplemental CoQ10 would essentially disappear with a quality lifestyle and without these drugs.  True our levels do decline as we age and supplementing can help to stave off declining energy and the increase of free radical damage but it would be a potential aid in optimizing function and not as a necessary nutrient as it has become for those who take either of the above mentioned class of drugs.

Before receiving immunization or vaccine shots, patients are asked about previous adverse reactions to shots. But past reactions should not necessarily prevent patients from receiving shots in the future. New guidelines published in “Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology” say that local, injection site reactions and symptoms like fever are actually common following vaccinations and should not force most people to avoid subsequent vaccinations.

Serious adverse reactions to vaccines are very rare. Anaphylaxis occurs in only about 0.0001% of the 235 million patients who are vaccinated annually. The vast majority of reactions fall outside that group, and evidence suggests that steps can be taken to avoid those reactions. Most reactions are not to the active ingredient of the vaccine, but instead to other ingredients like egg protein, gelatin, or even latex.

People with egg or gelatin allergies should be evaluated by an allergist before receiving shots, but should not skip shots altogether. The same goes for patients who are allergic to latex. Avoiding shots because of minor adverse reactions can create bigger headaches down the line if the patient ends up contracting influenza, measles, or any other disease that should be prevented with vaccines or immunizations.

Read the story about this in US News.

A week or so ago, I went off-campus for lunch with a close friend of mine. We stopped at the Harris Teeter to pick up some light food to bring back to school, and he helped himself to some sushi. I’d never had sushi before. I hesitantly asked him how it tasted, and he offered me some (like I knew he would). I stared at it for some time before accepting the raw fish.

It looked interesting; one should never describe a food as “interesting,” so that was my first red flag. I took a bite and it was the most disgusting thing I’d eaten in a very long time. Things were slimy and crunchy and popping–it was all kinds of nasty. I set the rest down and ignored it from then on out.

Until, my tongue started swelling.

“Hey,” I told my friend. “I think I’m allergic.”

He panicked, as most would, but I assured him it was mild, and I was fine. However, it seemed to get worse as time went on. I decided to go to the school nurse and, oh, silly me, I forgot we didn’t have one. But in any case, I headed to Student Services’ office and explained to the secretary my situation. My dad was on his way with my medicine, as my allergies aren’t severe enough for me to carry an epi-pen around. I was placed in a back room by myself, without water or company or anything of any kind. I was too tired to care at the moment, trying to keep myself breathing as my allergies tend to also create problems with my asthma.

My question is, what sort of school sends kids with deathly allergic reactions into a back room by themselves? If I passed out no one would have known until my dad came to the school with my medicine. I was annoyed, but not about to waste my heaving breath to call out for someone, and I wasn’t about to get up because I felt dizzy and heated.

It’s not a lack of care, it’s a lack of experience. The school does not have a school nurse who would know how to handle such a situation. I’m not pointing figures, but I have a right to know that when I can’t breathe, I’m going to someone for help who knows how to help me!

You can’t have an allergic reaction to anything the first time you are exposed to it.

For example, if you have a peanut allergy, you will not have a reaction the first time you ever eat peanuts — it’s the 2nd time you eat peanuts where you will have an allergic reaction.  This is because the body, during first exposure to peanuts, starts up its defense mechanisms in preparation for subsequent exposure, and then when you eat peanuts for the 2nd time, it goes into attack mode and you have an allergic reaction.

i have two ‘allergic’ dogs.  i know this because the vet told me so.  at the same time, the whole office told me how sorry they were for me because allergic dogs cost quite a bit in treatment.  i spent $150 for each dog within just a couple months.

but not now.

my son went online because i couldn’t continue to pay that much for each outbreak.  he found a horse/dog treatment that actually works.  (disclaimer: i’m not paid by the company in any way).  we use the combo pack of shampoo and spray.  once a month, i bathe the dogs with the shampoo.  every couple weeks, i use the spray.  but i don’t spray it.  the dogs tolerate it much better when i put some on a sponge, then squeeze it out onto their skin.

one dog’s allergies manifest as ‘crotch rot’.  she gets a mean red rash in her crotch that bothers her so much she licks it frequently.  the vet told me the licking causes a staph infection, but i’ve been able to head that off.

the other dog broke out head to toe in hives.  and her snout swoll to double the size.   she was miserably itchy.  the vet gave her antibiotics and over a month’s worth of steroids.  she gained tons of weight and felt awful.  not the same bubbly two-year old dog.  it took her months to get the extra weight off.

so, this is what i ordered.  scroll down and look for both the shampoo and the spray.

http://www.equineelite.com/caninerelief.html

i wake up this morning and look in the mirror. my face is puffy. probably due to an allergic reaction.

hello anti-hestamines. someone told me once that these give you a “fast high”.

i’m gonna have fun today.

hehe.

Turns out I’m allergic to sunburn! I’d begun to wonder why my sunburn was so so very itchy and yesterday as the redness eased, I found that underneath the sunburn was red spotty, itchy hives all over my thighs -eww. At first I thought maybe I’m allergic to the new ’sensitive’ sunblock i’d bought but no, It was applied all over and the only places having hives were the burnt bits – my thighs right down to my knees (it was their first taste of sunshine in 3 months)!

Now I can add this to the ever-increasing list of things that give me hives or rashes, including:

• cosmetics, perfumes, commercial skin care products
• shampoo & conditioner, soaps and body wash
• some essential oils, bath salts (not epsom salts – phew!)
• ANYTHING I wash my face with – even a face washer
• some clothing, jewellery
• Heat, Cold, sudden change in temperature
• friction, pressure, exercise
• medicines, especially the sulphur sort, but also the kind that they give you if you are allergic to sulphur;)

Between these causes and the mystery hives – no obvious cause, I seem to have itchy spots or patches on me somewhere at all times. My lower legs also itch uncontrollably, a painful infuriating stinging burning itch that flares up with heat but has no obvious cause. I don’t always get spots with the itching on my legs but the smallest amount of scratching leaves big red and white welts and sometimes I scratch so much I break the skin. yuk.

I already knew that hives are common in people with Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroiditis but was surprised that one of the many questions my Doc. asked before diagnosing Fibromyalgia was “are you still getting the hives and rashes?”  She had collected quite a long list of symptoms over the last 12 months and there were lots of mystery itches in there! I guess between the two, I’m just prone to itch……………… and here’s some pictures.

Also, recently I have been getting a red rash around my mouth and nose, it’s worse when I use a face wash but it’s there all the time now. My skin is also becoming mottled on my face, pigmented in places and a complete loss of pigmentation in other places. I’m off to the Dr. again next week and will ask her about my freaking face!

spotty m:)

This video discusses that the scents surrounding us everyday can be dangerous to our health.

Source: FoxNews.com

Eating at a friend’s place or nearby restaurant is often difficult, but at least you’re able to communicate effectively about your food allergies.  What do you do when you’re somewhere that doesn’t speak your language?  Furthermore, what if you can’t eat the food provided to you on your way there?  Hopefully these tips and tricks will help make traveling a breeze.

Bring Some Backups

Not sure if you can trust the food on the plane?  Don’t know if they’ll serve you safe food on a train?  My advice is to pack some easy-to-carry food of your own.  Although most airlines ensure that their food is peanut-free, they will not guarantee that the meals are free of all tree nuts.  It’s possible to receive low sodium, low cholesterol, or sugar-free meals, but I have yet to find an airline guaranteeing me that their food won’t cause an anaphalactic reaction.  Call me crazy, but I’d think airlines would want to avoid someone dying while flying over the ocean.

To counter these challenges, I normally pack myself some food that I know will not spoil on the plane ride.  For instance, a sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwhich (great peanut butter substitute by the way) can serve as breakfast or lunch on the go.  I also tend to pack several packages of Nature’s Path organic toaster pastries with me.  These can last for months and are easy to carry in a backpack or suitcase.  They’re a great breakfast or snack while traveling.  Have a favorite food?  I’m sure you can find a way to bring it with you while you travel.  It’s always smart to have a backup!

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!

Ok, let’s face it.  Just because we have an allergy doesn’t mean we have the super power that allows us to communicate it in any language, in any country at any time.  So, we have to get crafty and luckily, there are plenty of sites out there that come to our rescue!

Try printing allergy cards.  These cards can be provided by several companies and many of them translate the message into another language on the back.  My favorites can be found here at allergytranslation.com.  If you don’t want to spend money, find a friend who speaks the language of where you’ll be traveling and create your own!  These cards can be handed to a server or chef and will notify them of any foods you should not or cannot eat.  Plus, they’re reusable, especially if you laminate them!

Bringing an iPhone?  There are several apps that you can use.  One I recently discovered lets you choose the allergens you want to communicate, choose the specific message (anything ranging from, “I’m allergic to these items.  Please don’t put them in my food,” to “I need to go to a hospital, I’m having an allergic reaction” ).  Several language options are offered for this application.  You can check it out here: Allergy Passport.

Do you have tips for travelers with allergies?  Post a comment and share your thoughts!

My last allergy pill was 60 hours ago. That means, the medication probably wore off about 36 hours ago. I’d say this is Allergy Level 2. Itchy nose and throat. My eyes are OK.