It’s spring time which means many hay fever sufferers are turning to lots of over-the-counter antihistamines and other harmful drugs. It is a well known fact that drugs whether they are prescribed or over-the-counter cause side effects which may actually be worse than the presenting symptoms. Hay fever is a seasonal illness marked by sneezing, sniffling, runny nose and itchy watery eyes. It is a result of a hypersensitivity reaction involving the mucous membranes of the nose and upper air passages. Often, sinusitis develops. The body sets up an antigen-antibody reaction to the offending pollen which results in the release of histamine.

The traditional treatment of allergies and hay fever consists of antihistamines and other drugs to provide temporary relief of symptoms. Some even opt for regular inoculation or exposure to the trigger-allergy shots. These methods are by no means a cure and over the long term, may even weaken the body. A more holistic approach involves:
Avoidance or reducing exposure to the various triggers Rebuilding the mucosa and reducing the inflammatory response Strengthening the immune system’s susceptibility to allergic reactions and symptomatic treatment
How Can Essential oils Help with the Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis (Allergy Nose)?

Let’s look specifically at a few oils from down-under-Australia. There are other anti-inflammatory oils which may be helpful like German Chamomile but that is for another article.

Eucalyptus globulus commonly called Blue Gum is the strongest and the most common form of medicinal eucalyptus available. The oil is in the leaves-not the bark. The aborigines used to roll the leaves and smoke them to treat respiratory ailments. This oil is a good expectorant, helps to break up mucus, is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal antiviral and anti-aging.

Eucalyptus radiata commonly called Black Peppermint. It is traditionally used like globulus and is extensively used for respiratory infections and particularly sinus infections and viral infections. Its main effect is expectorant and antiviral.

Melaleuca cajuputi-Cajuput. It may also go by the Latin name Melaleuca leucadendra. It is used for many purposes including respiratory congestion, asthma, coughs, hay fever, toothaches, bursitis, psoriasis, insect bites and sore muscles. Its main action is in fighting viral, bacterial and fungal infections.

Melaleuca quinquenervia-Niaouli. This is a very safe and gently oil that can be applied liberally and undiluted to the whole body. It possesses hormonal properties and is noted for its hormonal balancing properties. The pollen of niaouli trees is actually a powerful allergen and is considered responsible for the great increase in allergic conditions in Florida since many of these trees were transplanted in the everglades area. However niaouli is one of the most powerful anti-allergenics in aromatherapy acting in a homeopathic fashion-like cures like. It’s main effect is expectorant.

Melaleuca ericifolia-Rosalina. This oil is high in linalool content making it very relaxing and therefore should be used in the evening before going to bed. It is an excellent choice for children’s infections especially infections of the ear, nose and throat.

Air attacks, Train disasters, Car crashes!

Think Lucky And You Shall Be Lucky

Statistics now prove it

Luck is a Lady who understands all the odds.

People on whom fortunes always smiles have a greater intuitive understanding of the laws of probability, a study claims.

The Psychology of Luckiness, by academics at the University of Hertfordshire, in the UK, is the biggest survey on phenomenon. A series of psychological tests were performed on 150 people, evenly divided between those who believed themselves to be lucky and those who thought they were not.

The findings showed lucky people were more successful at calculating the odds in mathematical problems and that women are more likely to think themselves lucky than men.

One of the four questions asked “A hat contains 10 red and 10 blue counters. I pull out 10 and eight of them were red.

Am I more likely to get red or blue the next time?”

In total 46% of lucky people answered all questions correctly while less than a third (32%) unlucky people got them right.

Dr. Richard Wiseman, a psychology lecturer at the university, who complied the report, said “Lucky people were simply better working out the odds of as situation and understanding probability questions”.

Clive Jones, 41, from North London, has been a professional gambler since 1978, when he left the accounts
department of P & O Ferries. To Jones, luck and deduction of probability, which he calculates on a computer for sporting events such as rugby and golf can trigger a winning streak. Calculating the odds, you are taking the edge off the casino or bookmaker and giving it to yourself. Luck is either there or it isn’t”.

Dr David Nias, a clinical psychologist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, who made a study of gamblers, said, “Emotionally, gamblers do believe in luck, but many will argue that they make their own luck, calculating the odds and studying form books”.

In Wiseman’s tests, more than a third (37%) of lucky people believed that they could control their luck. By contrast, far fewer unlucky people style said they had the power to change their luck, they also tend to be more accident prone.

Wiseman detected a difference in mental attitude between lucky and unlucky people: the former were found to
be more optimistic, possessed greater self-esteem and were more likely to remember good times than bad.

The study included a 43 year old woman who fell head first into the a fire at three, was gassed at five, toppled into a river at seven, and ran in front of a bus at nine. Despite this, she considered herself lucky to have
emerged without serious injury.

Another “lucky” woman fled to Burma to escape Japanese soldiers, avoiding air attacks, train disaster and car crashes, often by minutes or hours. Later in Britain, she was twice rescued by strangers walking past after being
confronted by rapists.

The link between luck and the ability to calculate the odds is highlighted by Mel Eddison, 50, an Manchester businessman. When presented with a commercial deal, he makes his mind up in a flash. “I have an instinct for working out risk against return. I have always had it” he once said. Eddison has also always been lucky. Success from a string of businesses was crowned by a

Unless you are traveling overland from southern Africa or Egypt, flying is by far the most convenient way to get to Kenya. Nairobi is a major African airline hub and flights between Kenya and the rest of Africa are common and relatively cheap. It’s important to note that flight into Kenya availability and prices are highly seasonal.

Conveniently for Europeans, the cheapest fares usually coincide with the European summer holidays, from June to September. An economy return flight ticket from London can be about UKP400, but during December and January flight prices soar and availability plummets.

It’s also worth checking out cheap charter flights to Mombasa from Europe, although these will probably be part of a package deal to a hotel resort on the coast. Prices are often absurdly cheap and there’s no obligation to stay at the resort you are booked into.

A few adventurous and resourceful souls with their own vehicles still travel overland to Kenya from Europe, but most routes pass through several war zones and should only be considered after some serious planning and preparing.

Entering Kenya

Entering into Kenya is generally pleasingly straight forward, particularly at the international airports, which are no different from most western terminals. Visas are typically available on arrival for most nationalities (passport photos required), but you should contact your nearest Kenyan diplomatic offices to get the most up-to-date information. Currency Exchange offices or moneychangers are always present and visa fees can be paid in local currency or dollar.

Airlines in Kenya
Including the a national carrier, Kenya Airways, four Kenya domestic flight operators of varying sizes now run scheduled flights within Kenya. All appear to have a virtually clean slate safety-wise. Destinations served are predominantly around the coast and the popular southern national parks, where the highest density of tourist activity takes place.

With all these Kenyan airlines, be sure to book well in advance (this is essential during the high season). You should also remember to reconfirm your return safari flights 72-hours before departure, especially those that connect with an international flight. Otherwise, you may find that your seat has been reallocated.

The following airlines fly domestically in Kenya

When viruses from common ailments such as the cold or the flu start causing asthma symptoms that is then called viral induced asthma. According to research there are two ways that viruses can set up the whole stage for triggering asthma attacks. There are actually two categories which can be considered when looking at viral induced asthma.

The first type affects people who literally have had no experience or history of asthma but begins to develop symptoms such as coughing and wheezing which begins after a viral illness like a cold or flu for example. The second type or viral-induced asthma has been known to affect children and adults who already have persistent asthma thereby worsening the already present symptoms associated with the condition. Survey shows that about 40% of asthma attacks in adults are caused by viral illness.

Several viruses can be blamed for triggering viral induced asthma but the two most common causes would be the Rhinovirus which causes colds and Influenza A which causes the flu. Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV is a virus that causes respiratory has also been found to cause respiratory infections in adults as well as children and infants. While RSV can pose great risks to adults it has been found to have a more significant impact on infants as getting this type of respiratory infection at a younger age would be likely to cause asthma and the symptoms associated with it until the age of 6.

There also seems to be a correlation between the severity of the respiratory infections, allergies in the child or parent, and the chance of having airway sensitivity that is very similar to asthma. The main reason as to why viruses cause asthma it seems lie within our own body’s defence mechanism. Under normal circumstances, when faced with a viral infection, our body triggers and inflammatory response to attack the virus and defend our body. During this phase, our body has increased sensitivity or airway cells, excessive mucus production and can cause swelling.

The problem starts when the virus starts to progress to the lower airway directly because our body start defending it from there causing asthma symptoms to occur or worsen in return. Inflammation can make it difficult for air to pass in and out freely, mucus can also add to the problem by blocking the already inflamed passages.

As of the moment there is no effective means being offered which can directly deal with the condition. The best advice that can be given would be prevention by getting flu shots yearly. Along with practice of proper hygiene and limited contact with those who have flu or colds can help.

Do you know that exercising in water is more beneficial for treating joint pains than exercising on the land? That is not all; studies have found out that sitting on a hot tub induces sound sleep. The reason being when you sit on a hot tub, the body temperature raises and speeds up the process of falling asleep. How relaxing this can be on your heath, body and mind, if you can fall to a deep sleep after spending a tiring and hectic day on your work. Yes, we know that work is vital but you must also realize that rest and relaxation are important than anything else. You can work and earn money anytime if you have a healthy and fit body. Just soaking in a spa or hot tub is also of huge help to have a deep sleep.

These are just a few benefits of having a hot tub or spa fitted at your home. You can also get a swimming pool installed at your place to rest, relax and bond well with your family. In today’s hugely competitive world, everyone is facing scarcity of time, so Blue World Pool a swimming pool dealer helps clients in installing swimming pools, hot tubs or spas as they may need. Installing this in your home is a good ides, but you need to be cautious about this. There are certain swimming pool installation dealers who are involved in big scams and this is why you have to be cautious about the dealer who you hire to do your work.

With Blue World Pool, scam is something that you can never associate and this is the reason why this dealer has a huge number of satisfied customers. The professionals working with Blue World Pools are provided with specialized training so that they can do the work correctly. It is not that you must just blindly start purchasing pools from any swimming pool dealer or Blue World pools. You need to do your homework properly and make sure that you are not working with a dealer who is even remotely connected to any kind of scam. Well, you are purchasing a Blue world Pool swimming pool, hot tub or spa to rest and relax and spend quality time with your family, so you will naturally be extra cautious about this. Family naturally comes first.

Time flies so soon and suddenly one day you realize that you have not spent enough time with your family and children. Well, you need a source through which you can be with your family and relax at the same time. That is not all; in the swimming pool installed by Blue World Pools can serve as a place for you where you can host pool parties for your friends. So instead of going to an expensive restaurant to host the party, you can just sit back, relax and lounge in your pool with your friends. Just arrange for some music, snacks and some cool drinks and you will have the most wonderful time. Through the pools installed from Blue World Pools you can take care of many things at one time.

In the far north of Italy, in the Lombardy region, is the province of Milan, one of 110 provinces in the country. This province has a small town, only 6 kilometres from Milan and is home to one of the most famous cheeses in the world, “Gorgonzola” and its residents claim to fame to their famous namesake. However there are a few surrounding towns which have the same claim.

This beautiful blue veined creamy cheese is made from unskimmed cow’s milk. Metal rods are inserted to create air channels, which will allow the mould spores to form and germinate, giving it the distinctive blue veining.

After about four months of ageing, the result is the creamy, slightly spicy cheese we buy in the supermarkets. For a firmer cheese the ageing process is likely to be around six months. Still aged in caves, at the ideal temperature of 6-12 degrees centigrade, this allows perfect conditions for maturing. Gorgonzola holds a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) which is a classification given by the European Union to protect regional foods.

Although most Italians enjoy this cheese as a dessert, it’s extremely good to cook with. Apart from just crumbling on top of a pizza, or adding to polenta, it can be used for any dish that needs a bite to it.

It’s fantastic to use in a fondue, or crumbled over a crisp salad. You can brush it with egg and dip into breadcrumbs then fry it. There are hundreds of recipes on the Internet using Gorgonzola, I love Gorgonzola Potato Gratin, Watercress and Gorgonzola soup, the list is endless.

I made some Gorgonzola and tomato puffs to hand round at Christmas, we ate them warm but they were just as delicious cold! Which means you can make them the day before. And here’s the good part, only 3 ingredients for a great canap

Hay fever or allergic rhinitis is usually caused by a reaction to pollen, Trees, grass and weeds are the most common sources of pollen grains that are dispersed in the air. The illness’ symptoms include headache, itching nose, mouth, eyes, throat and skin, runny nose, watery eyes and wheezing. You can be tested for hay fever through blood test or skin prick test. Since it is possible you are not only allergic to a single kind of pollen, you should expect to be tested for different pollen sources.

There are many available medication used today to treat hay fever symptoms. You should remember that the objective of these medications is to treat the symptoms. The best way still is to avoid the possible cause of your allergy. Medications for hay fever include:

- Antihistamines- there are three kinds of antihistamines: fast-acting, short-acting and long-acting. Fast-acting antihistamines are usually given to treat the symptoms after the hay fever episode. Example of this type of anti-histamine is chlorphenamine. Short-acting antihistamines, like loratadine and azelastine, treat mild and moderate symptoms. They are usually bought over the counter without a prescription. You should be careful in taking this antihistamine since it can cause drowsiness. On the other hand, long-acting antihistamine does not result to drowsiness. They could also be as effective as the other antihistamines. Examples include cetirizine and fexofenadine.

- Leukotriene receptor antagonists: this particular type of medication is very effective, without causing drowsiness in the person. Since they are long-acting, doctors instruct patients to take it only once a day. Montelukast and zafirlukast are examples of this medication.

- Corticosteroid nasal sprays: considered to be safer than oral medication, nasal sprays are as effective in relieving symptoms of hay fever. Some examples of this medication are fluticasone, budesonide, mometasone, triaamcinolone and beclomethasone.

- Topical decongestant: as the name implies, this medication relieves nasal decongestion which is the most common symptom of hay fever. Doctors do not advice using this medication for long periods since it can result to drug-induced nasal congestion.

- Cromolyn sodium: this medication acts to prevent your mast cells from releasing the histamine which causes the symptoms. The medication is available as nasal spray or eye drop. It relieves nasal congestion and conjunctivitis. Examples of this drug are Nasalcrom and Crolom.

- Allergy shots: this treatment is recommended for people regularly exposed to the specific allergen and whose symptoms are getting more difficult to manage. This involves regular allergen injection at increasing dosages, forcing the body to adapt to the presence of the allergen. This therapy is the most expensive and is usually performed as a last resort. The risk of causing a secondary allergy like asthma is also high.

- Herbal remedies: herbs such as eyebright, nettle and bayberry are known to relieve nasal congestion. Turmeric and feverfew, on the other hand, have shown to be effective in treating hay fever by reducing inflammation of the mucosa.

These hay fever medications or treatments should be performed under close supervision of your doctor to safeguard you from adverse drug reactions.

Asthma cure is basically the treatment given to patients suffering form asthma. Asthma is a condition that affects the airways. These are small tubes that carry air to and from the lungs. When the air that is running or being carried in and out of the lungs doesn’t do so, an asthma attack is bound to occur.

These kinds of attacks occur when the patient is exposed to different conditions. This causes irritations in the airways and in turn causes symptoms of asthma. These include tightness of chest, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. In this case asthma cure is needed which is different. Inhaler tablets and therapies are some of the cures used. There different kinds of inhalers such as preventive inhaler and reliever inhaler that help to prevent having the attack or reduce chances of this.

The relievers help to give relief to the patient in the occasion of the attack. Other asthma cure include use of tablets. The tablets are used to control the asthma conditions. There are different types of asthma. They have several symptoms in different types of asthma. They have several symptoms in different persons. This is so because asthma is triggered by different tends of conditions. We have conditions such as the weather colds and viral infections.

Exposure to animals that you may be allergic to can also trigger this conditions, food, have dust mites, allergies of medicines, mold and fungi. You can control the disease but it has no permanent cure. Asthma cures available are more or less control measures to prevent any further damage or occurrence of asthma. One has got to be particular of the choice especially when dealing with a child or adult.

What if you were told that your sneezing and stuffy nose might not be caused by the season, the pollen in the air or some allergy to cat hair? Can you imagine the last time you didn’t sneeze continuously throughout the day? How will it feel to be able to sleep through the night and to be able to breathe through your nose?

Do you suffer from a runny, itchy nose and sneeze a lot at various times throughout the day? Do you find yourself waking up tired and not feeling well rested? Do you often get tired in the early afternoon?

Of course you need to have your condition checked out by a doctor but if you have, and they have not been able to do anything about it, besides prescribe you with antihistamines, then think about this next piece of advice.

This problem could be closely related to the food you eat. There are two main food groups that are most likely causing these allergic reactions. They are milk products and wheat. I add in a third, and that is all processed food. That is including junk food.

You need to cut out all three of these and then monitor your condition from there. You have to be able to identify exactly what it is that maybe causing these reactions. The only way to do this is through a food elimination diet. It might be quite hard to do at first, but if you really want to get to the bottom of the cause of this, and not to have to rely on medicines anymore, then this diet is highly recommended.

Cut out any products that have milk. This includes certain drinks, yogurt, cheese, butter, some soups and sauces. Wheat is found in almost everything so it’s quite a hard food group to eliminate. Be careful to read the label of the package before buying or eating it. This food group includes breads, cereals, crackers and most savory snacks as well as some sauces and soups. Then lastly, do your best to cut out processed foods like instant meals and oily snacks.

Follow this strict diet for a week. Keep a food diary and note any changes in your condition.
Then introduce a milk product first and make a note of what happens. In the first week you should introduce only milk. If you find that the itchy, runny nose and sneezing returns then you have found your problem, if not then introduce wheat products. Do this for all three food groups. I do highly recommend that you cut back on processed foods and junk food anyway, because they are really bad for anyone and can cause health problems later in life.

Nettle has been called the masochist’s herb. This is because, in the past the sharp leaves were used in urtication, a self-flagellation, driving the beneficial chemicals in the leaf into the skin painfully! It was a treatment for arthritis and skin disease. Apparently it worked because of the antihistamines and anti-inflammatories in the leaf that were beaten into the body. Aren’t you glad you can gain the benefits of nettle without beating yourself with it?

Stinging nettle is a perennial plant. The stem grows from 2 to 7 feet high and bears serrated, pointed leaves. The small, greenish flowers grow in clusters from July to September.

There are many helpful chemicals in nettle leaf: vitamin C and vitamin A, abundant chlorophyll, bio-available minerals, including silicon, calcium, and potassium chloride, dietary fiber and protein.

Nettle is effective in treating hay fever because of the antihistamines in the leaf. Nettle is sometimes used to open the bronchial airways and loosen congestion in people with asthma or allergies. And Nettle is indeed effective in treating inflammatory skin conditions.

Nettle leaf may help arthritic sufferers by reducing their need for prescription drugs. It contains large amounts of boron and silicon and these two minerals greatly help ease symptoms of tendonitis, arthritis, and bursitis. Nettle can increase the body’s production of urine and help with urinary tract infections. Nettle has a mild laxative effect and can actually increase the work of the liver and kidneys. It is a blood purifier and can be used to treat spasmodic dysmenorrheal, ulcers, asthma, jaundice, bronchitis, nephritis, and hemorrhoids.

Nettle leaf uses make quite an impressive list: dysentery, diarrhea, hemorrhages, gravel, febrile affections, chronic diseases of the colon, nephritic complaints, eczematous affections, eczema of the face, neck and ears, and chronic cystitis. Externally it has been effective in treating burns, scalds, bleeding wounds, nettle rash (yes, you can use nettle to treat nettle pain), nosebleed, and urticaria.

Nettle is well known for its ability to ease discomfort in men with BPH in which the prostate becomes enlarged and causes men to develop problems with urination. Nettle helps men to urinate more in the day and thus less at night. Nettle works by keeping the body from converting testosterone into 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that causes the prostate gland to begin growing again after 40. Nettle does not, however, decrease enlargement of the prostate. Taking nettle in combination with either pygeum bark extract or saw palmetto may be as effective as the drug finasteride. It is also used in hair tonics because supposedly it can stimulate hair growth.

Nettle is one of nature’s diuretics. It aids the body in eliminating uric acid and bacteria both of which cause urinary tract infections and kidney stones. This diuretic action of nettle may also help relieve premenstrual bloating and lower blood pressure. Should pregnant or nursing women take nettle? This is a debated issue. One side says it might cause the uterus to contract. Others say this is not a problem when taken in moderation. Perhaps the safety of this practice is related to when the nettle is harvested. If it is cut before it flowers, it seems to be safe in this regard.

You can buy nettle leaf in powder, capsules, tablets, and tinctures. The dried leaf is used for tea. Dried root products for treating prostate problems, are often combined with saw palmetto. Some enjoy using nettle powder as a seasoning. To store nettle leaves, be sure they are in a dark, dry, and cool place.