Allergy Expert Kathleen MacNaughton shares Allergy management news and commentary at MyAllergyNetwork.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387 http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387 http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/88722/suffer-allergies Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:43:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton I don't know about you, but the fall is always one of my worst eye allergy seasons. Weeping eyes, itchy eyes, swollen eyelids, totally irritated, light-sensitive eyes... can you relate? Eye allergies have definitely presented some challenges to me over the years, as I've made my living on the Web (or at least on the computer) for many years. And on those days (or weeks) when my eyes were irritated, working for hours on the computer just made... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/88722/suffer-allergies http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/88734/air-allergy-control Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:38:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton When you have nasal, eye and skin allergies, environment is everything. If it wasn't for the environment we live in, work in and play in, we wouldn't even have allergies after all! You see, the things that set off your allergy symptoms in the first place are part of the environment around you. Things like: Tree, grass and weed pollens Animal dander, urine and saliva Dust mites that live in household dust Mold spores found both indoors and... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/88734/air-allergy-control http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/81089/checklist-allergies Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:51:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton August may still be high summer, but it's also when parents and kids start to think about heading back to school. For kids with allergies, going back to school can mean a return to dealing with allergy issues each day without your direct supervision. The American Lung Association offers a handy checklist for parents in preparing for their child's return to school.   1. Make an Appointment with Your Child's Doctor Even if your child is... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/81089/checklist-allergies http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/81088/allergies-ragweed Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:23:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton Ah August... a big vacation month, the end of summer, fun times in the sun and fresh air. Unfortunately, August is also the month where in many parts of the world, a nasty little plant called ragweed begins to bloom and produce hundreds of billions of pollen particles that make life miserable for those of us with allergies.   According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), August 15, is the unofficial... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/81088/allergies-ragweed http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/81079/saline-irrigations Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:38:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton Pharmaceutical research is producing new solultions for treating allergies every year. There are pills you can take, sprays you can use and shots you can endure, all geared to reducing the hold nasal allergies have over our lives. And those are all great solutions...   At the same time, they are invasive. They are foreign substances that we are putting into our bodies. While allergy shots are aimed at eliminating allergy symptoms for... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/81079/saline-irrigations http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/76762/allergy-syndrome Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:21:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton People often ask questions here about itching in the throat, mouth and nose. While it's true that this type of itching is frequently related to nasal allergies, it could be something more too, a condition known as Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS for short) or pollen food allergy.   With this condition, people who have certain types of pollen allergy also react to certain fruits and vegetables. So, while the pollen triggers runny nose, nasal... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/76762/allergy-syndrome http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/76775/staying-healthy-4th Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:16:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton The annual birthday celebration for the United States is this weekend. Follow these tips to stay healthy over the 4th of July, so you can enjoy all your planned fun outdoor and family activities.   Allergy Triggers Are Lurking in All the Fun Places Planning to attend an outdoor barbecue with family and friends? If so, watch out that you don't get too close to the barbecue where you can inhale charcoal lighter fluid fumes or smoke. Same... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/76775/staying-healthy-4th http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/72957/treating-allergies Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:39:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton A recession is in full swing in the United States and other countries and it's been tough on a lot of people, what with rising prices, lost jobs and other financial challenges. If you have health problems, even if it's "just" nasal allergies, you may be in search of more economical ways to treat them.   Here are a few tips to help you out...   Avoidance Is the Key to Prevention   You've probably heard it before, but avoiding... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/72957/treating-allergies http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/69338/keeping-vacation Wed, 20 May 2009 12:34:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton May is Allergy & Awareness Month and May 6th each year is World Asthma Day. This is a great time to become more aware of how allergies can affect all areas of our lives if we don't manage them well, and this includes the upcoming summer vacation season.   The good news is that by being aware there's a lot of things you can do to keep your allergies from interfering with vacation and travel fun times. There are two primary strategies... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/69338/keeping-vacation http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/69305/understanding Fri, 01 May 2009 02:39:00 -0400 Kathleen MacNaughton We get a lot of questions on this site about what people assume are allergic reactions to something. But the truth is, some of the symptoms described don't sound at all like allergic reactions. It seems there is a lot of confusion about what an allergic reaction truly is, so today's post will help shed some light on this issue.   What Is an Allergic Reaction? An allergic reaction is a series of events in your body that occurs in response... http://www.healthcentral.com/allergy/c/3387/69305/understanding