When your immune system overreacts to ingestion or inhalation of an otherwise harmless substance, it triggers an allergic reaction. The substance can be food, medicine or a plant. When pollen is the offending culprit, it's called hay fever. Upon...
Antihistamines are medications that block your body from releasing histamines, a substance that produces an inflammatory response in your body. People who suffer from seasonal allergies often taken antihistamines to relieve a runny or stuffy nose,...
Many people take over-the-counter or prescription antihistamine medications to treat respiratory allergies, such as allergic rhinitis, or "hay fever," and seasonal allergies. Several herbal remedies can act like antihistamines by suppressing the...
Hives, also known as urticaria or welts, are part of a red and itchy rash that may migrate over your skin. The raised marks that appear in your rash are known as weals. In most cases, your hives will self-resolve within several days, although they...
Histamine is an inflammatory chemical that causes irritation in our body. If our bodies do not produce enough antihistamine to block the irritation, an allergic reaction occurs. This reaction, caused by the immune system's overreaction to...
There are some foods that contain the properties found in the antihistamine medication you might be familiar with from chemists and pharmacists. These natural antihistamines work towards naturally reducing the secretion of histamine--the...
Antihistamines are drugs that fight the histamine released in the body when you have an allergic reaction. You can fight off the allergic reaction on your own by releasing the natural antihistamines in your body through breathing exercises....
Antihistamines are medications used to treat allergies and hypersensitive immune reactions. When an allergic reaction occurs, the body's immune system releases histamine. Antihistamines are used to ease symptoms related to allergies, such as...
Allergic reactions can happen to anyone. Most allergic reactions are related to foods, insect bites, medications and airborne allergens, according to Medline Plus, an online resource of the National Institutes of Health. One of the most effective...
Stinging nettle has a hard-won reputation for quickly causing painful rashes. Its leaves and stalks are lined with bristly hairs that inject burning acid into the skin when it is disturbed. Stinging nettle, or Urtica dioica, is a native plant...
Colds and allergies are distinctly different disorders, but can produce similar symptoms, including sneezing, sinus congestion, runny nose, scratchy throat and sinus headache. The common cold targets the upper respiratory tract and is the result...
During an allergic reaction, your body may produce histamine as part of its natural response to a foreign substance. Histamine can cause swelling in localized areas, such as around an insect bite or nasal membranes. If you're allergic to the...
Allergies affect as many as 60 million children and adults in America, according to the “Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine,” with dust being one of the most prevalent allergens. If you’re sneezing, wheezing and congested...
The acne battle begins when sebaceous glands pump oil through your skin's pores to moisturize your complexion. However, for more than 60 million Americans, excess sebum is produced, blocking pores and causing pimples, pustules, nodules,...
People get allergies for different reasons. The biggest cause behind them is an oversensitive immune system. An oversensitive immune system is overprotective, fighting germs and bacteria that normal immune systems would disregard. The common...
Allergy symptoms are common and can include sneezing, itchy or watery eyes, skin rash, nasal congestion and even chronic sinusitis. They are the result of a histamine reaction in the body (when the body responds to harmful substances). Some...
The dangers of sodium intake from refined table salt are well known. This has caused a negative association with salt in general. However, the human body needs salt in order to survive and function. The refining process extracts all of the...
Grape seed extract is derived from the small seeds found in red grapes. They contain proanthocyanidins and resveratrol, which are both powerful antioxidants, and linoleic acid, which is an unsaturated fatty acid that is considered essential to the...
Hives are usually due to allergies and appear as raised, itchy, red lesions on the skin's surface, according to Medline Plus. Your body releases histamine and associated chemicals into the blood when an allergen enters the body. Hives are quite...
Eating high-antioxidant, anti-inflammatory fruits can help to contribute to a healthy immune system, which can aid the body in fighting off infection. Avoiding foods that contribute to allergic reaction and inflammation such as dairy, gluten,...
Oranges are well known for their high concentration of vitamin C, but the citrus fruit also contains many other vitamins and nutrients. Oranges also contain vitamin A, many of the B vitamins, and vitamin E, making them a regular part of a healthy...
Many people suffer from allergies. Allergies can be from pollen, dust, pet dander, foods and any other substance that your immune system deems a threat. There are natural ways to fend off allergies if you don't want to take allergy medications....
Jicama is a root vegetable originally grown in Central and South America. It compares to turnips or parsnips in shape, and is known for its sweet flesh, which has a crunchy texture and is white in color. Jicama is a highly nutritious vegetable,...
An allergy is an inappropriate response, whereby the body's immune system wrongly identifies a substance as toxic and launches an attack on it. Some herbs can help reduce allergy frequency and severity; however, herbs can be toxic in high doses....
Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, occurs as a sensitivity to outdoor allergens. For sufferers of hay fever, the spring, summer and fall bring itchy and watery eyes, sneezing and a stuffy nose when grass, trees and ragweed bloom. The Asthma and...
Hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, affects about 20 percent of Americans. Hay fever is an allergic condition that causes flu-like symptoms, such as sneezing, sinus pressure and nasal congestion. Recent studies reported by "BBC News" show that...
The source of a vitamin deficiency is generally lack of nutrition, disease or a malabsorption syndrome. A functional deficiency often results in a list of issues from muscle weakness to poor eyesight to irreversible damage, disease and sometimes...
An allergy occurs when the immune system wrongly identifies a nontoxic substance as harmful and responds by launching an attack against it. Almost any substance can cause an allergic reaction and common symptoms include wheezing, skin rashes,...
Wheat allergy--also called celiac disease--is an allergy to the gluten found in wheat. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss and skin problems. Wheat allergy can affect your body's ability to absorb nutrients and can lead to...
