Can soup help fend off asthma? Clinical trials of “super soup” underway

Those of us impacted by asthma are always on the look-out for the latest research. This story comes via the BBC where they report that scientists are going to begin clinical trials to determine if eating more foods rich in vitamin E during pregnancy prevents childhood asthma.

The women in the trial will eat "super soups" that have been formulated to be naturally high in vitamin E, which has been linked to good lung growth in a developing foetus.

The trial was prompted by research into the impact of diet and the incidence of asthma in children up to the age of five.

"We were able to show, for the first time, that children born to mums with a lower vitamin E intake during pregnancy were more likely to develop asthma by the age of five and have poor lung function," Prof Graham Deveraux told the BBC.

The next challenge for the researchers was to show that adding the vitamin could have an impact, but they didn’t want to do it with pills.

"Most people get their vitamin E from food…I wondered whether it might be the other nutrients that go with vitamin E in food that may be responsible for the effect. There may be interactions between vitamin E and the other nutrients. So, I was very keen to do a dietary intervention rather than a pill or a potion."

The team plans to test the soups in a small pilot study involving 50 women. They will be enrolled during early pregnancy and asked to eat either enriched or normal soup three times a week.

"If we're really lucky we might show that the children [born to women] receiving vitamin E enhancement may actually have better lung function," Prof Deveraux commented.

He later hopes to do a trial on 1000 women.

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Already suffer from asthma? Improving your indoor air quality can be an important part of managing the irritants that can trigger an attack. Connect with an air quality expert via live chat or twitter to learn more about HEPA air purifiers for asthma.

 

Asthma: A national message

As air pollution and this year's steaming summer exacerbate asthma for both children and adults, the EPA and the American Lung Association have come together to spread the word on prevention in the video below:

Find out more on EPA's website: http://www.epa.gov/asthma


Air purifiers help clean the air in your home so asthma sufferers can breathe more easily. AllerAir's Asthma and Allergy air purifiers feature deep-bed activated carbon filters and medical-grade HEPA filters to extract harmful gases, chemicals and particles from the air.

For more information on our units, contact AllerAir today.

Highway proximity responsible for high asthma rates

Living close to a busy highway can affect your health.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A new study found that living close to heavily congested highways correlated with higher rates of asthma.

New York researchers examined 62 randomly selected adults, including 45 patients with rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma and 17 healthy control, to see if a heavily trafficked highway has any impact on the condition.

The study participants were asked to report asthma symptoms and provide information on their living conditions.

Seasonal allergies did not seem to increase the risk of asthma, whereas proximity to busy highways was found to have a strong link, according to the researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Their results showed that vehicle emissions increase the risk of asthma, a respiratory disorder that is characterized by wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and coughing as well as breathing problems.

Congested highways are a common sight in North American cities, where housing developments are often built close to the roadways for easy access.

To minimize vehicle emissions, experts recommend

• Carpooling
• Using more public transportation
• No idling
• Keeping the car well maintained
• Driving smoothly without hard accelerations or braking

Source: Greener Ideas

Keep air pollution out with indoor air purifiers

Vehicle emissions and other outdoor air pollutants can make their way into homes, where they can build up and affect people’s health and well-being.

Since we spend so much time indoors, good indoor air quality is important to keep health effects in check and to minimize exposure to harmful contaminants.

AllerAir’s general purpose air purifiers can help remove airborne chemicals, gases, fumes, odors, fine particles, dust, allergens, mold, bacteria and viruses with a multistage filtration system containing activated carbon and HEPA.

Specialized air purifiers for allergies and asthma can provide cleaner and healthier air in the bedroom, the living areas or any other space where it is needed.

“[My asthmatic son] no longer needs to use his asthma inhaler when he visits!”
Evan Berljawsky, owner of a 6000 Exec
Read more testimonials

For more information, contact AllerAir.

Follow this blog to show your support for greener and healthier homes.

Helping people with asthma

Asthma affects millions of Americans
and many children.

Asthma Awareness Month turns the spotlight on chronic respiratory disease

May is a busy month in terms of awareness campaigns. Not only is May MCS Awareness Month, it also has been dedicated as Asthma Awareness Month.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants the public to become more aware of the growing rates of asthma and how it affects families and communities around them.

The chronic respiratory disease affects almost 26 million Americans, 7 million of which are children. The condition is also widespread among low income and minority populations.

Asthma is a concern not only for those who suffer from it, but society in general because of the indirect costs involved for the healthcare system, economy and lifestyle.

In many cases, asthma can be caused or aggravated by indoor and outdoor air pollution and other toxins.

The EPA suggests the following tips to keep asthma under control:

• Know your asthma triggers and avoid them – Triggers may include air pollutants, dust mites, secondhand smoke, cockroaches and mold.
• Create an asthma action plan – Daily asthma management is essential, this includes reducing exposure to triggers
• Get active – Sports and activities contribute to an overall feeling of well-being
• Be ‘air aware’ – Plan your outdoor activities around local air quality conditions to help prevent attacks. For smart phones, a mobile app may be available for updates in the Air Quality Index.

Source: EPA press release

Remove asthma triggers from your indoor air

With North Americans spending so much time indoors, indoor air pollution has become a major concern for those affected by asthma.

AllerAir's AirMedic Series is
great for particles, asthma triggers
and other indoor air concerns.

With source control, good ventilation and air cleaning, anyone can improve their indoor air quality.

The best air purifiers feature safe and proven air filters that can remove a wide range of indoor air contaminants, including dust, particles, mold, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, odors and gases.

All of these pollutants can contribute to the inflammation to airways, so keeping the air as clean and contaminant-free as possible must be a No. 1 priority.

AllerAir has developed high-quality air purifiers for allergy and asthma, which include a medical-grade HEPA filter as well as a deep-bed activated carbon filter and optional UV germicidal filtration to remove the above-mentioned pollutants.

An air purifier in the bedroom can make the difference for effective asthma management. See a recent blog post about a study on the benefits of air purifiers in the bedroom.

Contact AllerAir for more information and options.
  
Related posts:

• Children, asthma and indoor air pollution
• Mold exposure in infancy increases asthma risk
• Ask Us: Air Purifiers for Allergy and Asthma

Asthma epidemic may be linked to common antibiotic: Study

Antibiotics in childhood may cause severe asthma,
a new study on mice shows.

A study conducted on mice may provide some insight into why there has been a dramatic increase in the development and severity of asthma in North America.

The study, published in the journal EMBO, shows that antibiotics taken in childhood may be to blame, since they may damage bacteria living in the gut.

The researchers at the University of British Columbia’s department of microbiology tested the effects of the antibiotics streptomycin and vancomycin on newborn and adult mice.

In the case of vancomycin, the young mice showed altered intestinal flora, and they developed severe cases of asthma.

The older mice did not seem to be affected in the same way.

The study authors suggest that childhood is an important period where the immune system is being developed.

If the process is disturbed, the immune system may not work as efficiently and may be more susceptible to diseases like asthma, they say.

In North America and other developed countries, children are given a lot more antibiotics than in underdeveloped countries, and the rates of asthma have been rising as well, the researchers say.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that can cause wheezing and breathing problems.

Source: CBC News

Keep asthma in check with powerful air purifiers

Polluted indoor air has been shown to aggravate asthma. The culprits are certain chemicals, particles and other toxins.

AllerAir offers high-quality air purifiers for allergy and asthma sufferers.

The AirMedic Series and the AirMedic+ Series offer a 360-degree air intake for maximum particle filtration and a deep-bed activated carbon filter to remove irritating odors, chemicals and gases.

For more information, call AllerAir at 888-852-8247 or contact one of AllerAir’s IAQ experts today.
 

Asthma becoming more common in adults

Researchers stumped as to why asthma rates are rising

Poor air quality can cause or aggravate asthma.

Many people who have asthma as children will outgrow it – but health professionals are diagnosing more and more adults with the lung disease.

Asthma is a respiratory disease that is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.

Researchers say there are more people with lifetime asthma or developing asthma later in life.

They are not quite sure why that is, but possible risk factors may include allergens in the air, infections, air pollution and poor indoor air quality (exposure to pet dander, mold, dust mites, tobacco smoke).

Genetics can also be a factor.

For adults, women are more likely to have asthma than men, and blacks are more likely than whites to develop asthma.

Luckily, asthma can usually be controlled and managed, as long as people know their triggers and take necessary precautions.

Source: The Star

Air purifiers for people with asthma

An air purifier can be a powerful tool in the fight against asthma.

AllerAir’s air purifiers for asthma and allergy can help remove common asthma triggers and pollutants, including pet dander, mold, dust, particles, chemicals, tobacco smoke and other irritants.

The AirMedic+ Series is designed with a 360-degree air intake that provides superior particle control and air cleaning capabilities.

Consult AllerAir’s sizing and model selection guides for more information, or contact an IAQ expert today.
  
Related posts:

• Air purifiers in the bedroom helps asthma sufferers: Study
• Over-the-counter inhalers disappear from shelves
• Dust mite toddler test predicts future asthma risk
• Mold exposure in infancy raises asthma risk

Asthma awareness: Over-the-counter inhalers disappear from shelves

No more over-the-counter asthma inhalers

Pharmacies in the United States have to rearrange at least one of their shelves, after a popular over-the-counter asthma inhaler has been taken off the market.

The inhaler contains a propellant that is damaging the ozone layer. It is called chlorofluorocarbon, or CFC, which is added to get the medicine from the aerosol canister into users' lungs.

The propellant has been banned by the United States Food and Drug Administration because it is responsible for 1/10th of a percent of global CFC emissions.

Those inhalers that are available with a prescription are using hfa propellants, which have replaced CFCs.

Experts say the new propellant is better for the environment, but also for the user, since the dosage is more accurate and less severe to inhale.

The measure may cause people to self-treat asthma and get a real diagnosis of their problems, officials say, but they may have to deal with a hefty price increase.

Source: NBC-2

Indoor air quality important for asthma control

The AirMedic Series from AllerAir
provides great particle and chemical
control for those with asthma and allergies.

Asthma is a serious condition that should be treated by a health professional. If you suspect asthma, please consult a physician.

However, the air quality at home is an important part of dealing with asthma, since both airborne chemicals and particles aggravate, and in some cases, may even trigger allergies and asthma.

It is therefore vital that an air cleaner for respiratory conditions provides both a deep-bed activated carbon filter and a medical-grade HEPA filter.

AllerAir offers portable air purifiers for allergy and asthma that feature both carbon and HEPA air filters to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants.

For more information, contact AllerAir.

Study to examine effects of risky family environments in childhood asthma

Does a risky family environment increase the risk of asthma?

Asthma, the chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways and makes breathing difficult, is the third ranking cause of hospitalization of children younger than 15 in the United States, says the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

It is the leading cause of school absences from a chronic illness in 5- to 17-year-old children, accounting for an annual loss of more than 14 million school days per year.

Researchers are scrambling to find explanations for the increase in asthma diagnoses and possible ways to prevent and treat the disease.

Study will bring the research home

A Wayne State University researcher is now investigating the impact of risky family environments on asthma morbidity in children.

The project will study 180 children between the ages of 10 and 15 in Detroit, using an innovative home-based naturalistic assessment tool called the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR).

The EAR will measure whether identified risky family behaviors are associated with greater asthma morbidity -- such as symptom severity, emergency room visits and pulmonary function -- in three waves of data collection over two years.

In addition, the research will try to determine if asthma morbidity increases because of avoidant coping behaviors and poor management of asthma treatment, such as noncompliance with treatment plans or poor asthma management behaviors.

What is a risky family environment?

The researcher, Richard Slatcher, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology in Wayne State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, defines “risky” family environments as those characterized by

• Conflict
• Neglect
• Lack of emotional warmth and support

"It also will allow physicians to include family interventions based on family assessments, which ultimately will improve adherence to treatment plans as well as avoidance of asthma triggers that can lead to severe asthma attacks or even death," said Slatcher in a press release.

Source: Wayne State University press release

Reduce asthma triggers with room air purifiers

AllerAir's AirMedic+ Series

AllerAir’s air purifiers for asthma and allergies offers a high-draw solution with a multistage filtration system to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants quickly and efficiently.

With a 360-degree air intake, a deep bed of activated carbon for the removal of chemicals, odors and gases, a HEPA filter for the removal of allergens, particles and pathogens and other options such as a UV lamp or exclusive carbon blends, AllerAir’s AirMedic+ Series keeps the ambient air clean.

Try one in the bedroom and see what a difference it makes, or read what previous customers have said about the units.

Contact AllerAir for more information.

A is for Asthma: Preparing Your Asthmatic Child for Back to School

Photo by Photostock

For parents of an asthmatic child, back to school doesn’t only mean a return to class it also means gearing up for a new season of meds, colds and potential hospital visits.

“Since my son’s first year at preschool we’ve made at least one hospital visit in September or early October,” says Stephanie Bristow, an Air Quality Expert with AllerAir. “At home we have all of our triggers under control and great tools to help us like a HEPA and carbon air purifier, but school brings on a whole new onslaught of viruses and pollutants that we can't control as effectively.”

To help prepare your family for back to school, consider adding these “to-do” items to your back-to-school checklist:

Schedule a doctor’s appointment to update or create an asthma action plan for your child

All students should have a detailed, written action plan. It should contain personal information about the child's asthma symptoms, triggers, medications, any physical activity limitations and provide very specific instructions about what the school (or you) should do if an asthma attack does not improve with prescribed medication. Make sure a copy of this plan is provided to your child’s teacher, school nurse and is added to his/her personal file.

Update your emergency contact list with the front office

Ensure that your child's school knows how to contact you in case of an emergency. Make sure that your home phone, cell phone, email address and the information for your secondary contacts is correct.

Know exactly how the school will handle an asthma emergency

Find out what your school’s policy is on dealing with asthma episodes. Ask how often the school nurse is on site and if staff, after-school coaches and bus drivers know what to do to respond to an asthma emergency.

Check your equipment and medication

Many schools require that younger children leave a set of their equipment and meds (aero chamber, rescue inhaler etc.) at school. Make sure to check expiry dates of these meds and double check to make sure items like aero chambers still property fit your child’s face. Some experts also recommend replacing chambers regularly as a film can actually build up on the inside of the tube and affect proper delivery of the medication.

Talk to your child about what to do

Especially with younger children, make sure they know exactly what to do if they feel like they’re having trouble breathing. Who should they go to first? Is it ok to interrupt their teachers? Can they administer their own meds? Leave class? Call you? Answering these questions in advance will help your child act promptly if they feel an attack coming on.

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If you'd like to learn more about our air purifiers for allergies and asthma connect with us! Our air cleaners remove more airborne triggers than simple HEPA air cleaners. By adding an activated carbon filter - our units also remove chemicals, gases and odors.
 
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