Debunking Holiday Medical Myths

From the AMA morning rounds (12/19/08)…

Researchers debunk popular holiday myths.

The CBS Evening News (12/18, story 12, 2:15, Couric) reported, “For generations, mothers…have doled out” their “own brand of medical advice,” such as keeping children “bundled under hats in the winter, and away from sugar.”

But, the Canadian Press (12/18) reported that many “commonly held beliefs are untrue,” according to research published in the Christmas issue of the BMJ by “myth busters extraordinaire Rachel Vreeman, M.D., and Aaron Carroll, M.D.,” of the Indiana University School of Medicine. For instance, the authors analyzed “data from 22,793 calls about poinsettia ingestion made to US poison control centers,” and “found no deaths, and no one who really even needed medical care.” Thus, they dispelled the myth that poinsettias are poisonous.

CNN (12/18, MacMillan) reported that, according to the authors, “a 35-year study on Minnesota residents found that suicides did not increase on or around Christmas, or any other major holidays, including birthdays, Thanksgiving, or the Fourth of July.” In fact, “research from all over the world…shows that suicides are actually more prevalent in warm, summer months — a pattern that scientists can’t quite explain.” Therefore, “while suicidal thoughts should be taken seriously at any time of year, there’s no reason to think that this month is especially dangerous,” they concluded.

The researchers also sought to determine if eating at night makes people fat, MSNBC (12/19, Runevitch) adds. The investigators found “nothing worse about a nighttime snack than a morning snack.”

Drs. Vreeman and Carroll also showed that “there is nothing special about heat loss from the head — any uncovered part of the body would lose heat,” BBC News (12/18) noted on its website.

Finally, HealthDay (12/18, Gordon) pointed out that the authors discussed “at least 12″ studies which “have looked at the effect of sugar on children, and none found evidence for the sugar-equals-hyperactivity myth.” US News and World Report (12/18) also covered the story, as did CBS News (12/18) on its website.

Handling the Holidays

Do asthma and allergies threaten to be the Grinch in your holidays? The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) offers these tips to help keep your season merry:

• The holidays are filled with hustle and bustle, but stress can trigger an asthma attack. Shop early or late in the day to avoid crowds. If “quiet time” isn’t a part of your normal routine, now is the time to start. Practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques to calm your nerves.
• Fires burning in the hearth bring warmth and ambiance to a holiday get-together. However, the smoke and ash can smother the spirit for some, provoking breathing difficulties or triggering an asthma attack. Request the Yule log remain unlit.
• Prepare for visits to homes with pets by taking your allergy or asthma medication before the visit. The medication may help reduce your reaction. You can also ask party hosts to keep Fido in a separate room.
• Food is a central fixture in most holiday gatherings. Remember that homemade items don’t come with ingredients lists. If you or your child has food allergies, be cautious, especially around homemade treats. Foods can become tainted through cross-contamination in the baker’s kitchen or food storage containers – and even a trace amount can trigger a reaction.

Use the links below for additional patient resources on allergies and asthma, including allergy friendly holiday recipes.

Additional Resources

• Allergy-free holiday recipes
• Tips to Remember: Traveling with asthma and allergies
• Tips to Remember: Indoor Allergens

Avoid Holloween Horrors

Halloween fun for children with food allergies

On Halloween, parents of food-allergic children must be extra vigilant to ensure their child is not at risk of a reaction. The AAAAI (our national allergy society) offers these tips for creating a safe Halloween for food-allergic children:

• Accompany younger children as they trick-or-treat and send older children out with a group of friends. Don’t allow your child to trick-or-treat alone.
• Verify that adults or friends with your child understand his food allergies and what to do in an emergency.
• Make sure your child carries emergency medication along on Halloween night.
• Before Halloween, distribute safe snacks to neighbors and request that they be handed out to your child.
• Eat dinner before trick-or-treating to reduce urges to sneak a treat.
• Remember that small candy bars passed out to trick-or-treaters may have different ingredients than their regular-size counterparts. Even if a certain candy is safe for your child, the ‘fun size’ version might not be.
• Carefully check all treats’ ingredients on packages or company Web sites to ensure there is no risk for a reaction.
• If in doubt about ingredients, throw the candy away.
• Work with your child’s teacher to plan a school party involving non-food treats, such as stickers or novelty erasers. Or, pack treats from home that other students can give to your child.
• Instead of trick-or-treating, host a party that focuses on costumes, pumpkin carving, games and other Halloween-themed fun.
• Create a “candy swap” with siblings or friends so that allergen-containing candies can be traded for other, safe, treats.
• Teach your child to politely refuse offers of home-baked goodies like cookies or cupcakes.
• Consider participating in a charity trick-or-treat event to raise money for a good cause, rather than collect candy. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network hosts an annual drive to raise money for food allergy education and research. Visit www.foodallergy.org for more information.

The AAAAI offers additional food allergy resources online at www.aaaai.org.

Don’t forget your flu shot this year…

That time of the year again.  Here’s some information about the flu vaccine…

Who should get the flu vaccine?

Most people who want to reduce the risk of getting influenza can get a flu shot. The CDC recommends the flu vaccine each year if you:

• Are age 6 months up to 19 years
• Are pregnant
• Are 50 years old or older
• Have a chronic medical condition such as asthma, diabetes, or heart, kidney or lung disease
• Have a weakened immune system such as from medications or HIV infection
• Are a resident of a nursing home or other long term care facility
• Are a child care worker or health care worker or live with or care for someone at high risk of complications from the flu

Who shouldn’t get the flu shot?

Don’t get a flu shot if you:

• Have had an allergic reaction to the vaccine in the past.
• Are allergic to eggs (consult with your allergist).
• Developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, a serious autoimmune disease affecting the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, within six weeks of receiving the vaccine in the past. People who have experienced Guillain-Barre after the flu vaccine are at higher risk than are others of developing it again.
• Have a fever. Wait until your symptoms improve before getting vaccinated.

More information…

• Please call Mid Island Allergy Group to check for availability of flu vaccine.
• We currently carry Fluvirin; an inactivated form of the flu vaccine indicated for ages 4 years and up.
• For more information click here for the CDC link.

We’ve been nominated!

Long Island Press has nominated Mid Island Allergy Group as best allergy practice.  If you’ve been pleased with your care and our service, vote for us on votebestofli.com.

Ragweed season is here!

If your allergy symptoms are worsening around this time of the year, your not alone.  Over 30 million people suffer from the effects of ragweed pollen with symptoms ranging from sneezing, nasal congestion, and eye itching, to wheezing and asthma exacerbations, which peak during this time of the year.  Some people may also notice mouth itching after eating fresh fruits and vegetables such as bananas, melons, cucumbers, or zucchini as these food proteins are related to ragweed protein.  Some simple approaches to reduce your exposure include:

1.  Keeping the windows in your home and car closed, checking the pollen counts

2.  Staying indoors on high pollen count days especially between 10 am and 3 pm when pollen counts peak

3.  Change your clothes after coming indoors and shower before bed

Welcome to the New MidIslandAllergy.com!

We’re so pleased to have our new site up and running and we hope you enjoy it.

Our goal is have a site that will make it as easy as possible for our patients to get any information they need about our practice.

Enjoy and please feel free to make comments.