Asthma and Allergies

1
Nothing is more essential to
our well-being than the ability
to breathe. Most of us breathe
in and out all day long without
even giving it a thought. Yet
millions of people in the United
States are not so lucky. They
suffer from asthma or allergies.
For people with asthma, taking a
breath can be extremely difficult.
For people with allergies, the air
they breathe can be filled with
substances that cause
discomfort or worse.
Asthma is a chronic lung disease
in which air passages get
inflamed. When this happens,
airways narrow and it is difficult
for air to move from the nose and
mouth to the lungs. In the United
States, this disease affects millions
of people, many of them
children. In fact, asthma is the
most common chronic childhood
disease, affecting 1 out of every
20 children. The number of people
with asthma has been
increasing since the 1980s. The
disease affects people of all ages
and races and both sexes.
However, asthma is more common
in children than adults. It is
also more common in African
Americans and Hispanics than whites
An asthmatic, or a person with
asthma, responds differently to
certain substances than a person
who does not have the disease.
For an asthmatic, these substances
become triggers. A trigger
is a factor that can bring on
the symptoms of asthma or make
the condition worse. For an asthmatic,
triggers can include household
or industrial chemicals,
tobacco smoke, dust, changes in
weather, and exercise. Exposed
to a trigger, an asthmatic might
experience tightness in the chest,
coughing, wheezing, and shortness
of breath.
Like asthma, allergies also affect
millions of people. An allergy is
the body’s overreaction to
certain substances, called
allergens. An allergic person
responds differently to
allergens than does a person
with no allergies.
Some of the most common
allergens include dust
mites, cockroach droppings,
animal dander,
grass, insect venom from
stings, medications, and
certain foods. An allergic
reaction can range from
sneezing and itching to
swelling of the throat and loss of
consciousness. As with asthma,
allergic reactions can be severe
and even fatal.
Fortunately, there are many promising
areas of research on allergies
and asthma. Scientists are working
to discover what causes asthma
and allergies, how to prevent
them from occurring, and how to
treat them. But it is also vital that
everyone who suffers from asthma
or allergies have a basic understanding
of these ailments. This
book contains information that
will help asthmatics and allergy
sufferers take charge of their own
health so that they can lead full,
active lives.

Allergy Free Recipe of the day:


Easy Sauteed fish fillets

4 servings

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes


Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound Pacific sole, haddock or other white fish fillets, cut into 4 portions
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish; thoroughly dredge fillets (discard any leftover flour).
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish, working in batches if necessary, and cook until lightly browned and just opaque in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving: 175 calories; 5 g fat ( 1 g sat , 3 g mono ); 54 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 0 g fiber; 383 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.

Have a healthy day and we will see you back here at life around the allergies.