Allergies

My daughter suffers from allergies which can trigger her asthma at any given time. Trying to find the right medication, whether OTC or scripted, is a challenge. There are so many different medications out there and it really is trial and error. Benadryl seems to knock her out within the hour. Other medications just have her "feeling like her head is floating" and only slightly relieves the allergy symptoms.

I took her to our family doctor who performed a blood test and diagnosed her with some common allergies which include dust and pollen of course. Nothing really surprising other than a slight allergy to milk. Which to me doesn't make sense because she can drink up the milk and leave me with none for a bowl of cereal and not once has she had an "allergic reaction." My daughter begged the doctor for a note for school so that she can have water or juices with her lunch. We haven't seen any significant changes....because she still drinks up all the milk. NOW she's upset because the school won't allow her to drink milk with her lunch. I told her that's what she gets for being a blabber mouth.



Getting back to allergy relief, this spring season has been killer on her allergies. The best allergy medication for her (this year) has been Claritin D. It's the 24 hour type of relief so she only has to take it once a day. That has been key since she's horrible at remembering to take her medication. Go figure, she's the one that suffers the watery eyes, sneezing, and just feeling miserable, yet she forgets. Apparently, hindsight is not 20/20 when you're "Super Teen."

Most importantly, as with any medication, its best to take it before your symptoms show their ugly head. Using an OTC nasal salt water rinse also cleans out deposits that may trigger allergic reactions.

Spicey tips

While reading Women's Health magazine I learned that some spices have healing powers. Did you know????

Allspice blocks glycation, which is connected to aging.


Aniseed (anise) aids in digestion and stamps out date-killing bad breath.

Chili powder curbs appetite and reduces calorie intake.

Cinnamon contains antioxidants that keep blood sugar and energy levels on an even keel.

Cumin is used to improve digestion and contains more energy-boosting iron than other spices.

Curry Powder contains antiocidants that may combat heart disease by reducing fat buildup in arteries.


Fennel Seeds have a licorice-like flavor and if you chew on a few you can freshen up your breath and help relieve bloating after a pig-out.

Ginger Powder is an anti-inflammatory compoud that can tame postexercise muscle pain.

Mustard is high in selenium, which may protect against skin cancer.

Paprika is brimming with vitamin A, which aids vision, bone growth, and immunity.

Saffron has been found to ease PMS symptoms.


and my personal "Wow Really?" is Vanillin, the active component in vanilla, has been shown to help kill cancer cells.

Incorporate some of these spices into your recipes for some yummy, healthy and healing dishes.

Deals, deals, deals

I wanted to take this opportunity to share a special deal that I found for students from Microsoft. Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007 is available at a 91% discount to qualifying students. That's not a typo....91% discount ($59.95) to current students of a registered and approved and you must have a valid .edu email address.

Visit Microsoft's site to verify that you qualify and you can see all of the highlights of this special offer. You can also find other deals on this site especially for students.

Happy shopping and saving.

Safe gardening

While gardening this past weekend I discovered two things. One is just how important stretching is prior to any type of strenuous activity. I awoke muscles that have been sleeping even while I'm at the gym. Two days of extending my flower beds which including tearing out lawn, beating the lawn sections to get the dirt out of them, bagging, dragging, cultivating soil and fighting off the dog, really took a toll on my body. I didn't "feel it" until Sunday evening.

The second thing I discovered is no matter how how much the sun is covered by clouds, skin protection is important. Although I didn't get sunburned I did notice a bunch of freckles that I normally get when I'm out in the sun too long.

I did remember to keep hydrated. I drank so much water that I could hear sloshing as I was going along. So here are my tips for gardening stretches and sun protection:

Stretching:




Sun protection:
While researching minimum SPF, which I believed was 15. I discovered the new recommended minimum, by the American Academy of Dermatology, is SPF 30. Doctors are now recommending SPF 30 to their patients and the reasoning behind this is that those that do apply sunscreen are not doing it as often as they should so at SPF 15 they were really receiving only half of the recommended protection. Therefore, at SPF 30, at the minimum you're receiving SPF 15 and adequate protection.




Utilizing a hat and other gear is recommended as well while working in the sun.


I did a lot of work in the garden and the rewards are still to come. I can't wait to add more to the new beds and to watch the new perennials bloom and get stronger every year. Happy & Safe Gardening.