Allergies Guide

By

Allergies are caused by an overactive immune system. When your body is exposed to certain chemicals or proteins in food, it thinks that it is being threatened by something that is actually harmless to other people. Your body then overreacts and releases chemicals into your bloodstream that cause an allergic reaction.

What is a food allergy?

An allergic reaction to food occurs when your body overreacts to otherwise harmless proteins in the food that you have eaten. The body overreacts by triggering an immune response to the food. Specific antibodies are then released into the bloodstream which causes the release of a chemical called histamine. Histamine makes blood vessels very leaky. In severe situations, it can even make breathing airways constrict. These reactions usually occur within a few minutes to a few hours of eating the offending food.

What symptoms may be signs of a food allergy?

The most common allergic reactions to foods that people have are:

Skin problems:

Hives – itchy red welts that often come and go.

Eczema – itchy bumpy skin rash that can appear over time.

Other reactions include:

  • Stomach problems
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach aches
  • Weight loss – usually seen in children.
  • Stomach problems can be also be caused by a food intolerance rather than an allergy.

What are signs of a severe allergic reaction?

Signs of a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis are:

  • Breathing problems
  • Wheezing or shortness of breath
  • Throat swelling or tightness
  • Swelling of the lips or tongue
  • Circulation problems
  • Low blood pressure – lightheadedness or feeling faint.
  • Pale skin
  • Weakness

This type of allergic reaction can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention.

What do I do next?

If you think that you may have a food allergy, you should see an allergist. There are certain tests that can help make the diagnosis of food allergy including skin testing and blood testing.

If you are diagnosed with food allergies, they will recommend that you eliminate those foods in your diet. They may recommend carrying an EpiPen with you depending on the severity of your reaction as well.

What do I eat now?

First of all, just remember that you are not alone. As many as 15 million people have food allergies in the US.

There are lots of resources online including recipes and support groups. Here are some great resources if you want to find out more about food allergies:

  • Kids with Food Allergies Foundation
  • AllergyHome
  • Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

How is a Food Allergy Diagnosed?

There are several important components to diagnosing a food allergy:

  1. History – your doctor will ask for detailed information about your potential allergic reaction.
  • When was the food eaten?
  • How long after the food was eaten did the reaction happen?
  • What kind of reaction did you have?
  • How long did it last?
  • What made it go away?
  • Did anyone else get sick?
  • Were there any other foods or medicines that were eaten or taken around the same time?
  1. Keep a diary – sometimes your doctor will ask you to put together a diary of what you eat and your reactions to it. This should include answers to the questions above. A food diary is especially helpful when multiple foods could be causing an allergic reaction.
  2. Elimination diet – some doctors will ask you to exclude the food that may be causing the allergic reaction for some period of time. If the symptoms go away, this might be a sign of a food allergy. Under your doctor’s supervision, you may be asked to try the food again to see if in fact, a reaction occurs. This is only used under certain safe circumstances like mild or moderate reactions (not severe reactions).
  3. Blood tests – these tests used to be called RAST (RadioAllergoSorbentTest). Most doctors now use a test called ImmunoCap Specific IG E which is more accurate. (It is still often referred to as RAST). These tests measure the level of antibodies (specifically IgE antibodies) your body has to certain substances. These tests may come back positive even if you do not have an allergy to a specific food. This is why your history is really important. If there is a positive history and a positive ImmunocCap test then it is much more likely that there is a true food allergy.
  4. Skin tests – these tests measure whether or not your skin will actually react to the suspected food. It is also called a scratch test because the food is actually scratched into your skin. A positive test means that your skin does have a reaction to the food. This does not mean that you definitely have an allergy to that food. This is why your history is really important. If there is a positive history and a positive skin test then it is much more likely that there is a true food allergy.
  5. Food challenge – the double blind food challenge is the gold standard for objective allergy testing. (double blind means that neither you nor your doctor knows which capsules or samples of food have the suspected allergenic food in it and which ones do not). You swallow the capsule or eat the food sample and your doctor monitors for an allergic reaction. The problem with this test is that it is time consuming. Also, it cannot be used if you have had a severe allergic reaction to food. (Please do not try this at home, it can be very dangerous! It must be done in an allergist’s office while being monitored very closely) For more information, contact your local allergist.

What is the Treatment for Food Allergies?

The main treatment for food allergy is avoiding that food.

There are new treatments on the horizon, including oral immunotherapy for desensitization. Basically, your body is exposed to very small amounts of the food protein until your body eventually gets used to it. In small trials, it has worked for peanut allergies and milk allergies.

There is a skin patch that is being studied for peanut allergy desensitization.

There have also been studies on placing a small amount of the protein under the tongue (sublingual) as well as swallowing a small amount of the protein. They look promising.

How do you know that the foods you have chosen are allergen-free?

We contact our partners directly to verify that the products we have chosen do not contain allergens. We have a rigorous selection process and we make sure that our partners are aware that we are dealing with life-threatening food allergies. If we have a doubt about a product, we will not include that product in our box.

What is your selection process for the products?

We know that safety is important to you. We have a rigorous selection process developed by physicians and industry experts. This quality-controlled, multistep process has been peer reviewed to make sure that it is as thorough as possible. We work closely with our partners to ensure that each delicious food item that we select is allergen free. Learn more about Our Allergen Control Standards.

What if I cannot find the allergen combination that I am looking for?

We are working hard to accommodate more and more allergy combinations. We are encouraging people to email us with their allergy combos so that we can figure out where people really need help and design allergy-free items to fit those needs. Keep checking our site for new allergy combinations!

…

Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs with Allergies

By

Your allergy is your allergy. But your dog’s allergy is also your allergy. And pet allergies are very hard to deal with. Especially with skin allergies.

Coconut oil brings you amazing benefits that can help to deal with dog allergies a lot more easily. In addition to its health benefits, it offers you the plus point of being a home remedy. Many dog parents have used coconut oil for dogs paws too.  And that too very budget-friendly.

This article will be looking at problems and diseases that in some way or the other overlap with allergies. And how coconut oil helps to deal with them.

Dog Allergies

An allergy is the body’s response to an external agent. But this response is either exaggerated or completely abnormal.

Skin allergies can result from food or environmental allergens. But a common cause is fleabites. Environmental allergens may include pollens, dust, or mold. Your dog may be sensitive to certain food.

Most common symptoms include

  • Itching
  • Red, inflamed skin
  • Licking and scratching
  • Red and runny eyes
  • Scratching

Can coconut oil solve my pet’s allergy problems?

Yes. Coconut oil has some amazing ingredients that can help heal the above-mentioned allergies and conditions. But how? And if it does, how to use it?

Keep reading!

Benefits of Coconut Oil

What is it that makes coconut oil one of the few foods in the list of “Superfoods”?

The one-word answer to this is MCTs.

Medium Chain triglycerides (MCT) is what gives coconut oil its benefits. Isn’t it fat?

Yes, it is. But medium-chain triglycerides are the type of fat that is deemed good for your pet’s health in general.

Its benefits include:

  1. It improves metabolism and digestion
  2. It strengthens the immune system
  3. Thyroid health
  4. Weight loss
  5. Healthy skin and coat

MCT consists of:

Lauric acid: The real weapon. Lauric acid has strong anti-bacterial, anti-yeast, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties. It boosts the immune system. Hence, protests the body against infections.

Capric and caprylic acid: both have anti-fungal properties.

2 % linoleic acid and 6 % oleic acid: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids respectively. Both are known for their general health benefits such as instant metabolism, immune function, and blood pressure.

Coconut oil for dog allergies?

Why should you use coconut oil for your dog’s allergies?

Because:

  1. Lauric acid which is present in pretty large amounts in coconut oil has properties that fight allergens.
  2. It helps reduce and combat the symptoms of allergies: dry, scaly skin, itching, inflammation, healing hotspots.
  3. It strengthens the immune system which helps fight any inflammatory disease in general.
  4. Coconut oil is easy to administer. It is home therapy.

How to choose the best coconut oil for dog’s allergies

According to experts from Pawsometalk.com, it is recommended not to use every bottle saying “Coconut oil” for dog allergies. So, do consider the following:

  • Do not use the coconut oil that you find on supermarket shelves because it is for cooking. These cooking-grade oils are typically low in lauric acid. Without lauric acid, your coconut oil is not going to benefit you with your dog’s allergy.
  • Regarding the type of coconut oil, go for virgin coconut oil also called unrefined coconut oil. Even more, suggested is the cold-pressed oil. Cold-pressed oil has maximum nutrients.
  • When choosing the best coconut for your dog, the hit and trial method works best. Because different oils have different tastes and different smells. Go for what your pet likes best. It will be easier to administer.
  • Check for the Medium-chain Fatty acid content when choosing the best brand of coconut oil. It is this very ingredient that is the real health benefit for dogs.

How to use it?

The first decision to be made is whether to use it topically or orally. And this decision should be made with expert advice. Why?

Because some dogs tend to easily gain weight because they metabolize fats not that efficiently. Also, if your dog has pancreatitis, you’ll be giving him even more trouble by orally administering coconut oil.

Oral use

With oral administration, start with a low dosage. It’ll be better to give it the dog food. Gradually increase the administered quantity. Again, expert advice is suggested. Because with large amounts, pets have been reported ending up with diarrhea.

Topical use

  1. Apply a coin-sized amount of coconut oil on the skin.
  2. Let it absorb for about five minutes.
  3. Rinse your dog off. A light shampoo is suggested.

Or you can simply use a shampoo made with coconut oil while bathing your dog once a week.

Coconut oil does help with the skin allergies of your pet. But in addition to that, you should take care of the diet and the shampoo you are using with your pet.

What type of Shampoo is best for dogs with Skin Allergies?

Pets with allergies need to be handled with care. When choosing the most suitable antifungal dog shampoo for itchy skin, prefer a brand with ingredients that can help relieve the symptoms, such as:

  • Moisturizer such as aloe vera
  • Oatmeal to provide relief from itching
  • Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial substances such as benzethonium chloride and ketoconazole

How to choose the right food for dogs suffering from Allergies?

Several brands are offering customizable dog food on a subscription basis. You just fill out the information about your dog’s allergies and goal weight. One of the best ways to choose the right food for dogs with skin allergies is to avoid the allergen. For example, go for protein and fat-based grain-free dog food if your dog is grain sensitive.

Conclusion:

Pet allergies can sometimes get worse. Sometimes leading to an emergency. Coconut oil is there to help. It not only manages mild skin allergies by dealing with their symptoms. But its regular use can help you fight and get rid of the main allergic culprit: inflammation. Things you need to consider while applying and choosing coconut oil have been elaborated.

In addition to that, the most suitable shampoo and switching your dog food accordingly is equally important. Check out a couple of dog product review sites to find a good recommendation for dog allergy products.

Hope this helps!…

Welcome to our new pet relocation blog site!

By

We’re so glad you’re here! Our new blog site is currently under revamp, but we’ll be back soon with a brand new design and tons of great new content. In the meantime, we wanted to let you know what kind of content you can expect when we re-launch.

Our new site will feature articles, videos, podcasts, guest bloggers and experts on a variety of topics, so you can get reliable information from people who know what they’re talking about. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for our grand re-opening. In the meantime, bookmark the site or sign up for alerts so you can be among the first to know when our new site goes live. Thanks for visiting and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!

Conclusion:

Thanks for stopping by our new pet relocation blog site! We’re currently under construction but we’ll be back soon with a brand new design and tons of great new content. In the meantime, we wanted to let you know what kind of content you can expect when we re-launch. Our new site will feature articles, videos, podcasts, guest bloggers and experts on a variety of topics, so you can get reliable information from people who know what they’re talking about. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for our grand re-opening. Thanks for visiting and we can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!

…