Re: ACOEM_Allergic to Christmas

[Guest guest]

Well I have experienced severe adverse health effects from the exposure.

Not to Christmas trees, to ACOEM.

Merry Christmas All,

Sharon

In a message dated 12/24/2009 1:51:55 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,

kmtown2003@... writes:

Purposely negligent expert witnesses say;

The spore count goes up 10 fold when Xmas tree is in house!! No worries

thou because according to ACOEM a--holes!! you can't get sick only

allergy's!!

I don't think will have to worry about running into these creatures in

heaven.

K

Allergic to Christmas

_http://www.ei- resource. org/news/ allergy-news/ allergic-

to-christmas/--d= " misspelled " -->a>

There is an increasing understanding that items traditionally associated

with Christmas can result in allergies and misery for a significant number

of people.

The main area of concern is the focal point of an living room at this time

of year - the Christmas tree. Studies have established that a major cause

of allergies to Christmas trees are caused by mold and the mold spores

released into the indoor air when the tree is brought into the home._

(http://www.ei-resource.org/news/allergy-news/allergic-to-christmas/)

One study found that after having a Christmas tree in the home for two

weeks, certainly a typical amount of time, the mold spore count in the air had

shot up to 10 times what it was prior to moving the tree in.

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)

estimates that 10 per cent of the American population are allergic to mold

and that at least half of these people suffer symptoms similar to hayfever

such as a blocked or runny nose, sneezing, itchy and watery eyes and

headache. Unfortunately many people just assume they have a cold or mild case

of

the flu. Mold allerguies can also exacerbate asthma so you should talk to

your doctor right away if you are asthmatic.

Luckily mold allergy can be tested for (although this isn't foolproof) so

if you suspect mold allergy or repeatedly develop hayfever-like symptoms at

Christmas when you have a Christmas tree in the home see your doctor. If

you do have an allergy you can take simple steps like buying a tree that

has been stored inside in dry conditions and go for a smaller tree. If that

doesn't help then an artificial tree might be the only option.

The Telegraph newspaper in the UK this week reported on a woman who was

allergic to Christmas trees, not because of mold, but due to a rare allergy

to sap contained in pine needles. She is quoted as saying " From the moment

the first Christmas trees went up in the shops, I'd plunge into what felt

like a constant flu. Even on Christmas Day I found it impossible to feel

excited about opening presents and would sneeze and cough and blow my nose

throughout dinner. " She had the allergy confirmed by her doctor and has now

switched to an artificial tree and can enjoy the festivities of Christmas

once again.

Classical allergies mediated by IgE antibodies and with hayfever-like

symptoms are not the only problems caused by Christmas trees however. They give

over volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as terpines and nowadays trees

are even sprayed with artificial pine fragrances, particularly in the US.

This can be a nightmare for those suffering from multiple chemical

sensitivity (MCS), a condition in which even minute amounts of VOCs, both

synthetic and natural, can trigger a wide range of symptoms typically including

neurological signs such as dizziness, weakness, confusion, palpitations and

headaches, as well as respiratory symptoms including shortness of breath and

irritation of the airways. Allergic symptoms may also be present including

hayfever and atopic dermatitis.

Of course the Christmas tree is not the only source of danger for the

allergic individual at Christmas time. Food is a major issue with so much

temptation constantly laid out it can be hard for sufferers to resist,

particularly since so much of the food contains the major allergens. Bowls of

peanuts are often laid out around the room for guests to nibble on while any

number of foods contain wheat/gluten and dairy from turkey 'stuffing' and 'pigs

in blankets' in the UK to eggnog in the US_ and Canada.

The key then to having an enjoyable Christmas is getting any allergies

diagnosed and taking steps to avoid your triggers and also making your hosts

aware of these. Alternatively being the host yourself means you can be sure

nothing will cause you problems. You don't have to be 'allergic to

christmas'

The Environmental Illness Resource wishes you a happy and allergy-free

Christmas!_

(http://www.ei-resource.org/news/allergy-news/allergic-to-christmas/)

Sharon Noonan Kramer