Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives

Where do you turn if you have a milk allergy?
Here is a look at some non-dairy milk alternatives as we weigh the pros and cons of each:

Soy milk

Dried soybeans and water with a slightly nutty, sour taste
Pros
Easy to find, carried by most grocery stores
Can be homemade
Almost as much protein as cow’s milk
Contains vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E
Low in fat
No cholesterol
Can be found fortified with riboflavin and/or calcium
Contains more fibre than cow’s milk
Good for baking
Cons
One of the top 8 allergens
Contains more fat than 2% cow’s milk
Contains only a quarter of the calcium found in cow’s milk

Nut milk

A creamy milk that can be made by combining water with almonds, cashews, or hazelnuts
Pros
Easy to find, carried by many grocery stores
Can be homemade
Source of protein and vitamin E
No cholesterol
Works well in desserts, baking, sweet beverages and with cereal
Can be flavoured
Cons
One of the top 8 allergens
May not be soy-free
Does not work well in savory dishes

Rice Milk

A thin milk made from pressed rice
Pros
Works well in cereals and baking
Cons
Low in protein and vitamins
Does not work well in savory dishes

Oat milk

A creamy milk made with oats and filtered water
Pros
Works well in oatmeal and cereals
Can be homemade
Works well in baking and savory dishes
Cons
Not gluten-free

Hemp milk

A creamy milk made from hemp seeds and filtered water
Pros
High in omega 3s and 6s and amino acids
Can often be found fortified with calcium and other vitamins
Low in sugar and cholesterol
Works well in cereals, sweet beverages and savory dishes
Cons
Since it is very new, it is difficult to find

Coconut milk

A very creamy milk made from steeped coconut pulp
Pros
Anti-fungal, anti-microbial and anti-viral
No cholesterol
Available in most Asian food stores or Asian and/or baking sections of grocery stores
Works well in beverages, desserts and breads
Cons
High in saturated fats, calories, oils and sugars

Potato milk

Made with potato and water
Pros
Works well in cereals and savory dishes
Can be homemade
Cons
Low in protein
Since it is very new, it is difficult to find


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Source: allergysense.com

Non-Dairy Milk Alternatives

Itchy, Runny Nose May Be the Pesticides

People who work professionally with pesticides know they’re working with a product that has a bad reputation for possibly causing cancer, birth defects, and other health problems.

Use of pesticides is still quite common as people are hired to protect crops. And, what the workers may not know, is if they have chronically stuffy, runny or itchy noses, this could be due to the pesticides.

Rhinitis, the medical term for a runny nose, is a common problem. Sometimes the cause can be traced to an allergy or a cold, but sometimes it appears to happen for no reason. Researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Science have been studying, since 1993, the health of people who apply pesticides. Before their study, the only one in the medical literature was of grape farmers in Crete. That study found that these farmers who used pesticides, had more allergic rhinitis symptoms compared with grape farmers who did not use the same pesticides.

The researchers found 2,245 commercial pesticide applicators and among the group, 74% had at least one episode of rhinitis in the past year. The rate of rhinitis seen in the general population is usually not more than 30%.

Of course, stuffy or runny noses aren’t severe problems, but discovering that the pesticides may cause this may lead to further research and further findings.

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Source: blisstree.com

Itchy, Runny Nose May Be the Pesticides

Introduction to Allergies

The nose is separated into two passages by a wall of cartilage called the septum. The nasal passages are lined with a membrane that produces a clear liquid called mucus. Mucus is a one of the body's defense systems:

* The mucus traps small particles and bacteria, which may enter the nose as a person breathes.
* The trapped bacteria usually do not cause harm in healthy individuals.
* However, the bacteria can lead to a daily cycle of congestion and decongestion.
* When one side of the nose is congested, air passes through the open (decongested) side. The sides alternate between being wide-open and partly or completely blocked.

Introduction to Allergies

How Can You Know Which Allergy Medicine Is Best?

There are tons of allergy medicines available, both over the counter and by prescription. So, how can you know which one is best?

The answer to this question is not a simple one. First, it will be helpful to explore the main type of medicine used to treat allergies, which is an antihistamine. An antihistamine is a drug that blocks a receptor for histamine. Histamine is a chemical in your body that over-reacts to certain triggers, or allergens, such as pollen, mold, dust mites or pet dander and produces allergy symptoms. These symptoms can include sneezing, nasal stuffiness, sniffling, and itching. So, antihistamines help relieve or prevent those symptoms.

Let's look closer at the different choices you have for allergy medication:

* First-generation antihistamines. These are the original medicines developed to treat allergy symptoms and are available over the counter. These medications are generally effective, but have some bothersome side effects, especially drowsiness, which makes it difficult to take them on a regular basis. Examples are Benadryl and Chlortrimeton.
* Second-generation antihistmines. These medicines don't cause the same level of drowsiness as their predecessors, though some of them can still cause mild sedation in some people. However, they are all highly effective and can be taken on a regular basis with very few side effects. They also come in long-lasting versions, so you only need to take them once a day. Examples are Allegra, Zyrtec, and Claritin. Claritin has been sold over the counter for a couple of years, and also has a number of generic versions (loratidine).
* Leukotriene modifiers. Singulair falls into this category and it is used for both allergies and asthma. It blocks leukotrienes, another body chemical that is involved in the allergic response.
* Homeopathic medicines. This is an alternative treatment for allergies, whereby you take tiny amounts of allergens by mouth to slowly de-sensitize you over time to allergens (it's also known as sublingual immunotherapy).

So, which of these treatments are best for you?

Since the arrival of the second-generation, non-sedating antihistamines a decade or more ago, the first-generation drugs have fallen out of favor. Why take something that causes such bothersome side effects when you can take something just as effective that doesn't? Probably the main reason why anyone would take one of them now is the fact that you can buy them without a doctor's prescription and that they don't usually cost as much.

The jury is still out on whether homeopathic medicines are actually effective, though some people swear by them. They are definitely not proven through reliable research, however.

So, that leaves the second-generation antihistamines as the most common choice for treating allergies today. But among those, which is best? There are studies proving the effectiveness of one over the other in regards to various criteria, including length of action, quickness of action and level of relief. However, most of these studies were sponsored by the drug companies that make the medicines, so you have to look at those results with some caution and skepticism.

How Can You Know Which Allergy Medicine Is Best?

Life with Allergies

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Life with Allergies