Sneeze Patrol: How to Stifle Seasonal Allergies

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Cats, Pollen, Peanuts: Allergies Explained
Find Your Best Remedy
Natural Treatments That Work
Reduce Indoor Allergies
The 3 Biggest Allergy Myths

The 3 Biggest Allergy Myths

Myth: It's possible to outgrow any type of allergy.

It's more likely that a mild allergy will disappear than a severe one. Often what happens is that your symptoms subside and flare up throughout your life, but they usually don't go away for good, says James T. Li, MD, chairman of the allergy division at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Myth: Frequently hanging out with your pets will make you less allergic to them.

Sorry to break the news, but the only way to become desensitized to pet dander, or to stinging insects, pollens, dust mites, and mold, is by going for allergy shots. These are given in controlled doses designed to increase your tolerance to the substances that provoke your symptoms, according to Dr. Li. Shots are usually given monthly for three to five years.

Myth: If you don't have allergies by the time you're an adult, you never will.

Most allergies do show up for the first time in childhood, but you can develop a seasonal or food allergy at any age, says Dr. Li.

Originally published in Fitness magazine, May 2006.

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ljbarton6220 wrote:

Seems like everything I eat triggers my sinus's to start a waterfall of gunk down the back of my throat resluting in constant clearing of my throat or coughing to be able to breathe. One thing that has helped quite a bit is switching to gluten free bread (so I can have a sandwich again) and gluten free waffles. I still eat things that cause me discomfort but I carry around my allegra pills (buy them in quantitiy at Costco) which are the only ones I have found to releave sysmptoms.

4/14/2012 10:41:43 AM Report Abuse

homewme wrote:

I was getting an allergy shot every spring and fall as well as taking the allegra, nasonex, etc. and other meds as prescribed but still had issues. Started taking a tsp of elderberry extract each morning in my juice and taking an olive leaf extract capsule each morning and at bedtime. During allergy season I may increase the capsule to 2 (I use the 150mg) as needed. But haven't had an allergy shot for 7 years now.

4/13/2011 10:17:31 AM Report Abuse

mowprincess wrote:

I hate the advertisements that pop up when I am trying to read... you try to close them out.. and you get sent back to the original e-mail.. no fun

4/11/2011 06:30:35 PM Report Abuse

anonymous wrote:

I've been on allergy shots for almost five years now, and the difference is amazing. I'm not symptom free, but I no longer want to crawl under the bed until my head explodes.

4/11/2011 02:30:58 PM Report Abuse

nccallanan wrote:

It was informative and I would like to see more on environmental allergies. I have suffered for allergies all my life and now am having difficulties finding safe products to deal with a new set of allergic reactions to chemicals.

4/11/2011 02:21:41 PM Report Abuse