LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness |
by Rick Moore |
Allergies: Ah-Choo to You!
It's been roughreally rough this spring. It seems that everyone is suffering the effects of a dry spring season (up until this Memorial Day weekend, thank you very much). Allergies, whether caused by trees, grass, or weed pollen, animal dander, dust mites, household dust, and the lovely assorted molds that grow in Sussex county, are making everyone miserable. In fact, I was just talking to Sal Seeley at the gym, and he was telling me how awful his allergies are this year. He actually had to change to a stronger medication because the old one just wasn't effective anymore. He added a decongestant in the process because his nasal passages had closed up. Does this sound like you? Or is it just too much information about people you don't know? Either way, you may be one of over 35 million hay fever or allergy sufferers here in the United States. Symptoms run from mild to wild (like Sal's). Why, even my big, strong, handsome hubby is an allergy sufferer. Dave has to have his inhalers to help him go about his daily routine. He dreads spring and fall as far as allergies are concerned. Dave has had a few incidents where his eyes clamped shut during an allergy attack. It was a pain but nothing too severe, thankfully. Why does this happen? Well, our bodies and infection-fighting immune systems overreact to the presence of something not normally found in the body. It's pretty much the same mechanism that wards off diseasesmost of the time. But it gets triggered by non-disease items. I have allergies to two things. If I get near poison ivy, I break out, and do I ever! I have to be treated with prescription medication, it gets so bad. I even went to the emergency room once because it was in my eyes, ears, and other assorted unmentionable places. I'm also allergic toget thischocolate. Because of my Crone's Disease, having anything with chocolate will make me very sick. Ask Dave about New Year's Eve dinner at his parent's house. His mom "forgot" to tell me about the chocolate hidden in one of the cakes. So plan accordingly when selecting my gifts. No big chocolate hearts wrapped in poison ivy leaves. Most of us, 1 in 10 in fact, have some sort of allergy to something. Many of us are really allergic to the pollen and grasses that come with spring. You all know about peanuts and kids, milk allergies, eggs, MSG, aspartame (artificial sweetener), sulfides (preservatives for cured meats), sulfites (preservatives in fruits and vegetables), etc. These can all be unpredictable. Most airlines and many schools have stopped serving foods with nuts in them because some people have such a severe reaction. The airlines have substituted stale pretzels for those little bags of peanuts, if they've substituted anything at all. If it keeps the person seated next to me from going into an allergy-induced "air rage," I'm all for it. Why one of my clients, Karen, is even allergic to her four cats and must take shots at the doctor's office on a weekly basis. Shouldn't she put them outside? The fur would fly before those little darlings would ever become "outside cats." A bit of news released recently is that three very well known allergy medications may be sold over the counter soon, instead of by prescription. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted last week that these allergy drugs, Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra, are safe enough to be sold without a prescription. So when you run out of Claritin, your doctor won't be able to make you come to the office and charge your insurance company another $87.50 to write you a refill. And generic versions should become available, making things much cheaper. Of course, the drug companies are fighting this because they'll no longer be able to charge you $100 for a prescription that probably costs them $5 to make, ship, and sell. It's really very important that you read the label once you get a drug to treat an allergy. Some over-the-counter products should not be used by people with high blood pressure, diabetes, or other medical conditions. It's ironic that the current prescription drugs are often safer than the over-the-counter ones. Also, over-the-counter drugs, like Benadryl, have antihistamines. The work very well, but a major side effect is drowsiness, and this can happen to more than half the people who take them. The label warns you not to operate heavy equipment while taking these drugs. So be very aware the next time you drive that bulldozer. You may doze off, which wouldn't be good. I also think you shouldn't ignore your allergies. Many people, guys especially, tough-it-out for the season by just dealing with the symptoms. But remember, an allergy is the body's hypersensitivity to substances in the environment. So if your reaction is somewhat intense or severe, such as wheezing, hives, or inflamed skin, don't take it for granted. An extreme reaction can result in anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening. Your throat can swell, your blood pressure drops, and it's time to call 911 and test all that Sussex County readdressing. (Hopefully it will work. But if they can't find me on a rural postal route, how will they find me on a rural road? That's another column, I guess!) Maybe this is optimistic, but the best treatment for your allergies might be prevention. Keep the house very clean, get a mattress cover, run the air conditioning, hire someone to mow the lawn, and don't go outside when the pollen is at its worst. Of course, they also say you should conserve electricity and get outdoor exercise. I guess we'll each have to fight the politics of our own allergies! Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit his club, Rick's Fitness & Health, in Milton, Delaware or www.ricksfitness.net, or call 302-684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 6, June 1, 2001 |