How To Prevent Allergies

You get an allergy when your immune system over reacts to a substance that in others would not cause a reaction. Your reactions may be mild such as red watery eyes, hives on the skin, itchiness, sneezing or a runny nose. Or they may be so severe such that you are not able to breathe. In serious cases, an allergy attack can even cause death.

There are many triggers to allergies. They include pollen, dust mites, animals, and even food. Some people suffer allergies only during certain months such as when pollen count is high. Then there are others who may be allergic to pet dander and have an allergic reaction the whole year round.

It is very hard to tell if you if you have an allergy to a substance or not. Most often, you only get to learn about your allergy to a trigger after a flare up in reactions.

A simple skin allergy test can be performed by making a small prick in the skin with a minute dose of the possible allergen. This may be a small amount of pollen, etc. You then check for reactions. Usually, within 30 minutes, if your skin is allergic, redness or hives can be observed.

How to prevent allergies? The best way is one of avoidance. If you know that you are allergic to a specific substance, simply avoid contact. If you are allergic to pollen, then you should avoid going out when pollen count is high. If you have food allergies, then refrain from consuming your food triggers at all costs. Foods that commonly cause allergic reactions include seafood like prawns and shellfish, as well as flavor enhancers such as MSG.

Here are more examples of substances that can cause allergies to you:
- Plant pollen,

- Mold spores,

- Peanuts,

- Eggs,

- Chocolate,

- Milk,

- Animal dander,

- Dust mites.

What caused you to have an allergic reaction to a substance? No one truly knows. Some say that allergies are genetically driven. This means that if your parents have allergies, you will too. Some say that some forms of allergies are more prevalent in certain ethnic groups. There is also new research being done associating immunizations and allergies. The belief is that immunizations weaken your immune system, thus making it more prone and reactive to stimuli.

Aromatherapy treatments can also be useful for allergies. Some aromatherapy herbs have natural immunity building abilities that can help with allergies and their reactions. These herbs include Lemon, Roman Chamomile, and Eucalyptus. If you feel an allergic reaction coming on, simply add these essential oils into a hot tub and soak for at least 20 minutes.