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| TODAY'S Doctors Health e-bulletin
Monday, March 8, 2010
An Allergic Reaction to Meat?
** An Allergic Reaction to Meat?
** A Tea to Make Stress Disappear
** Extra Weight and Arthritis Often Go Hand in Hand
An Allergic Reaction to Meat?
—A Special Report from the Doctors Health Press Board
Having an anaphylactic reaction is a scary thing. Anaphylaxis is
a potentially deadly allergic reaction that can occur quickly. It is
most often triggered by foods, medications, and insect stings.
There are many other possible triggers, though.
Anaphylaxis is unpredictable, too. Many people who experience
it have a known allergy and some have had one or more milder
allergic reactions previously to becoming anaphylactic. But
others, who are not even aware that they have an allergy, can
suddenly experience severe anaphylaxis. Even the first episode
of anaphylaxis can be fatal.
People who have had an anaphylactic reaction to something
learn that the severity of these reactions can be lessened by
recognizing the symptoms of an attack early, having proper
medication available for self-treatment, and seeking emergency
medical care promptly. It is crucial for those suffering from
anaphylaxis to identify their triggers.
Recently, a research team has discovered a previously unknown
cause of anaphylactic reaction. It seems that a carbohydrate in
meat called "alpha-gal" may be the unrecognized cause of
recurring severe allergic reactions in some patients, according to
researchers in Virginia.
The study included 60 people in Australia and the United States
who had experienced recurrent anaphylaxis with no known
cause. Allergy tests revealed that 25 of the 60 patients had
positive responses to alpha-gal. A positive response was
considered a level of greater than 1.0 international units per
milliliter of immunoglobulin E (IgE).
The researchers noted that the tests did not identify any other
allergens that would explain the cause of anaphylaxis in the 25
patients who were positive for alpha-gal or in the other 35
patients.
The research team concluded that the study suggests that IgE
response to a carbohydrate has important implications in food
allergy and anaphylaxis. It also suggests that the presence of this
antibody may well have been misjudged in terms of the number
of patients affected and the geographical scope.
Knowing the source of an anaphylactic reaction is absolutely
critical. A person who suffers an anaphylactic reaction to
something unknown is at increased risk for recurring
anaphylaxis if the trigger isn't identified.
As mentioned, it is extremely important to recognize the
symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction, even if you have no
known allergies. Symptoms usually appear suddenly. The two
most serious signs, which can be fatal, are difficulty breathing
and loss of consciousness. In the most severe cases, the heart
can stop pumping. Obviously, in this case, 911 or your area
emergency services should be called right away. Slightly less
serious signs include hives, reddened skin, swelling in one or
more areas (e.g. eyes, lips, tongue, hands), wheezing, coughing,
sneezing, rapid or irregular heartbeat, dizziness, problems
swallowing, nausea, stomach symptoms, and/or extreme anxiety.
If you are or someone you know is suddenly experiencing some
of these symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical
attention. If you know you have an allergy, check with your
doctor to see if you're at risk for anaphylaxis. If you are, there
are medications you might be prescribed to prevent it and
emergency medications you need to carry with you.
A Tea to Make Stress Disappear
—by Jeff Jurmain, MA
Chamomile tea, that favorite warm beverage, has been
traditionally consumed for relaxation; to counteract the effects
of stress. A brand new study is believed to be the first
randomized control trial that tested chamomile against
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
The study, recently published in the "Journal of Clinical
Psychopharmacology," reports that chamomile extract therapy
was found to be efficacious for mild-moderate GAD. These
were supplements being used, not an actual tea. Patients with
mild-moderate GAD were included in the study and received
either chamomile or placebo. Those that received the herbal
supplement had significant changes in the severity of their GAD.
The researchers suggest that chamomile may have some anti-
panic activity in patients with GAD, and therefore could be a
reasonable alternative to those whom drugs don't help. It's
important, because many people with anxiety don't seek drug
therapy and would much rather deal with the condition naturally.
Considering chamomile might be a good option for these
and this clinical study backs that up.
How about tea, then? What is the link then between black tea
and stress or anxiety? One recent study followed 75 men who
drank tea four times per day for six weeks. They were asked to
avoid their normal caffeinated beverages and drink only the tea.
A group of men who drank a caffeinated placebo was used for
comparison.
Everyone had to endure stressful social situations, during which
time researchers measured hormones, blood pressure, and other
indicators of stress. It was there that the study found no
difference between tea drinkers and placebo drinkers. They all
had significant increases in all these measures-- meaning that tea
does not calm one down and make one better able to handle
stress.
There was one difference, though. An hour after the study, men
who drank the tea had lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.
This means that tea might be able to bring you back to normal
more quickly after you have a stressful day. We can take from
this study that drinking tea won't lower your stress when faced
with anxious circumstances, but it will help defuse you later on.
Extra Weight and Arthritis Often Go Hand in Hand
—by Cate Stevenson, BA
Arthritis can be a debilitating disease. It is a joint disorder
characterized by inflammation. The difficulty with arthritis is
that it causes joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as "arthralgia."
There are many types of arthritis -- so far over 100 have been
documented. The types range from those related to wear and tear
of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with
inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system (such
as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many types of arthritis
make up the most common chronic illness in the United States
today.
What causes arthritis? Well, that's a complicated answer. The
cause of the condition depends on the form of arthritis. Causes
include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), metabolic
abnormalities (such as gout), hereditary factors, and infections.
Other reasons still remain unclear to this day, despite all the
research being done on arthritis.
Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of
joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized
by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of
the inflamed joint is often a common symptom. Because they
are rheumatic diseases, many of the forms of arthritis can cause
symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not
directly involve your joints. Therefore, symptoms in some
patients with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever,
gland swelling (lymph node), weight loss, fatigue, feeling
unwell, and even symptoms that originate from the lungs, heart,
or kidneys.
Living with arthritis can be a challenging and painful
experience. Is there any way you can help prevent the condition
from affecting your life? Certainly eating a healthy diet and
keeping your weight in check could help. According to a recent
study, higher levels of obesity and inactivity, especially among
women, explain why arthritis is more common in the United
States than in Canada.
Researchers at the Toronto Western Research Institute analyzed
data from 2002-03 for both countries and found that the
prevalence of arthritis in the United States was 18.7%. The
prevalence of arthritis-attributable activity limitations (AAL)
was 9.6%. In Canada, the rates were 16.8% and 7.7%,
respectively.
It seems that women in the United States had a higher
prevalence of arthritis (23.3%) and AAL (13%) than Canadian
women (19.6% and 9.2%, respectively). Men in both countries
had similar rates of arthritis (14%) and AAL (six percent).
The researchers concluded that the study results suggest that the
higher prevalence of arthritis and AAL in the U.S. may be a
consequence of greater obesity and physical inactivity,
particularly in women. The research team would like to see
public health initiatives that promote healthy weight and
physical activity to potentially reduce the incidence of arthritis.
Sources:
An Allergic Reaction to Meat?
Commins, S.P., et al., "Anaphylaxis syndromes related to a new
mammalian cross-reactive carbohydrate determinant," J. Allergy
Clin. Immunol., Oct. 2009; 124(4): 652-7.
A Tea to Make Stress Disappear
Press release, "Flower power can still calm the masses," Faculty
of 1000: Biology and Medicine, Feb. 8, 2010.
Steptoe, A., et al., "The effects of tea on psychophysiological
stress responsivity and post-stress recover..."
Psychopharmacology, Jan. 2007; 190:91
Extra Weight and Arthritis Often Go Hand in Hand
Kopec, J.A.,, et al., "Development of a population-based
microsimulation model of osteoarthritis in Canada,"
Osteoarthritis Cartilage, Mar. 2010; 18(3): 303-11.
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