ACOEM_Allergic to Christmas

[Guest guest]

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.

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!