Children with grass pollen allergy have a strong risk of developing
asthma. In this study children were either given sublingual grass
pollen before and during allergy season for three years or they were
given typical drug therapy. The children given sublingual grass
pollen drops had a much milder allergy season by the second season,
and they used less medication than those using medication only.
The children using grass pollen immunotherapy were 3.8 times less
likely to develop asthma than those on standard medication. The
study is published in the October 2004 issue of the Journal
of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Individuals with Chronic Sinusitis may have an Exaggerated Response to Inhaled Mold
An exaggerated immune response to inhaled fungi may be a leading
cause of chronically inflamed nasal passages and sinusitis. The
common airborne fungi do not trigger symptoms in healthy adults
although we frequently inhale them. Skin prick testing may not
disclose the allergy but the patients with chronic sinusitis tend
to have elevations of other antibody types to fungi. The study is
published in the October 6th 2004 issue of the Journal of
Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Vegetables Protect You from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
A new study from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine shows that
eating 3 or more servings of vegetables a day reduces the risk of
developing non-hodgkins lymphoma by 40%. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is
a group of cancers that affect the lymphatic system, a part of the
immune system.The most protective vegetables were either green
leafy vegetables like spinach, or cabbage family vegetables.
In a second study, a polyphenol found in apples, cocoa, and red wine
called procyanidins triggered a series of cell signalling, improving
communication between cells. Improving communication in cells helps
prevent changes that can cause cancer. The procyanidins actually
increased cellular communication in a way that killed cancer cells.
In a related study, rats were fed chemicals that cause colon cancer
and were fed ether apple procyanidins or a regular diet. Giving the
procyanidins for 6 weeks cut the number of precancerous lesins in
the colon in half versus the regular diet. The studies were
performed at the French National Institute for Health and Medical
Research. These and other studies were presented over the weekend
at the Annual Fronteirs in Caner Prevention Research Confedrence
in Seattle.
