Planting an Ugly Face on Allergies

As allergy season continues for much of the nation, a largely unknown adage rings true: the uglier a flower or weed, the more allergy-inducing its pollen tends to be.

Ragweed, mugwort and pigweed have more than just their unattractive names and unappealing appearance in common, they’re also some of the worst offenders to allergy sufferers.

Of those allergic to pollen-producing plants, 75 percent are allergic to ragweed which can produce up to 1 billion pollen grains per plant throughout a pollen season.

“The relationship between allergy-causing pollens and their flowers is something like a beauty pageant,” says Robert Valet, M.D., an allergist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program. “A general rule of thumb is that flowers that smell or look pretty attract insect pollenators, so they are not generally important allergens, because their pollen is not airborne. However, those that are very ugly or plain are meant to disperse pollen in the wind, which is the route most important for allergy.”

Allergy season is divided into spring, summer and fall and for most of the country runs from March to October.

Early spring is typically tree season, with common tree allergens including oak, maple, walnut, pecan and hickory. While many people are concerned about fragrant and flowering trees like the Bradford pear and crabapple they rely on insects instead of the wind to carry their pollen and do not typically trigger allergies.

In late spring and early summer, grasses start to pick up their pollen production.  And in late summer and fall, weeds such as ragweed, lamb’s quarter, pigweed, English plantain and mugwort make their presence known.

“The pollen count may change from day to day, due to an event like rain – which decreases the pollen in the air temporarily – but once allergy season is underway, anything between a moderate and very high pollen count will aggravate allergy sufferers,” Valet said.

For people with known pollen allergies, simple solutions can include taking an antihistamine before going outside and showering once back inside, and choosing the air conditioner over an open window for cooling homes. If these measures do not relieve the symptoms, Valent suggests going to see an allergist for testing and treatment.

In the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to stay away from ugly plants.

Avoiding Anaphylaxis this Advent

Christmas parties, meals out with friends and family, stockings full of candy, chestnuts roasting on the open fire…

While all this sounds like great fun, there’s a risk that more people than usual will be accidentally exposed to foods they are allergic too. Food allergies are common. An estimated 9 million, or 4%, of adults and nearly 6 million or 8% of children have food allergies with young children being those most affected.

Although childhood allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy generally resolve in childhood, they appear to be resolving more slowly than in previous decades, with many children still allergic beyond age 5 years. And allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, or shellfish are generally lifelong.

If you’re one of those affected by food allergy, what can you do to avoid accidental exposure this holiday season?

Remind people! Sure you might once have told your hosts that you have an allergy, but a gentle reminder is always helpful, especially at Christmas when things get busy and the alcohol starts flowing!

Just say ‘no’ – if you don’t know what’s in it, don’t eat it. And even if you do, can you really be sure there was no cross-contamination in the kitchen.

Bring snacks, rather than rely on your hosts to have food you can eat…or

Stay home. Host the party yourself – then you know it’s safe.

Bring your epinephrine auto-injector with you –and keep it close to hand! Make sure somebody else at the party knows you have food allergies, where your auto-injector is and how to use it.

Know the Symptoms – within minutes, an allergic reaction may turn into a life-threatening severe allergic reaction. Sometimes the reaction can occur in two phases, with another reaction occurring up to 48 hours after the initial reaction.

Use epinephrine immediately after you have been exposed to your allergy trigger – it may prove to be life-saving.  If you are even thinking should I give myself epinephrine, the answer is almost certainly yes!

After giving epinephrine, seek emergency medical attention – call or have someone else call 9-1-1 or your local emergency medical services.  In most individuals, epinephrine is effective after one injection. However, symptoms may recur and further injections may be required to control the reaction. Epinephrine can be re-injected every 5 to 15 minutes until the severe allergic reaction stops completely.

Do you have your anaphylaxis Action Plan ready?  If not, make it part of your holiday preparations. It could be the best Christmas present you give yourself this year.