Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Allergies – What Are You Allergic To?

I am allergic to grass pollen which causes my eyes to water and makes me sneeze. Thank goodness the grass pollen season is almost over.

Allergies come in many forms. Sometimes the reaction to allergies it is as simple as coughing or sneezing or can be as serious as being unable to breath.

Allergies are the body's reactions to certain factors. Usually, these factors are harmless (animal fur, pollen, etc.) to people but, in other cases, a body sees them as harmful substances. To protect
itself, the body will produce histamine, a kind of byproduct of the
antibodies the body creates to help itself. This is what causes the symptoms
of allergies: the sneezing, coughing, fever, etc. Histamine reacts,
sometimes violently, and creates the problems you later face.

The simplest way to avoid allergic reactions is to avoid the cause.
For example if you are allergic to cat fur, stay away from cats.

If you think you might be allergic to something then go see your doctor and ask for an allergy test.
It is amazing what might turn up with a positive reaction.

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