My husband suffers from dust mites (presumably) allergy which causes severe sneezing and conjunctivities. When he has an attack he develops terrible sneezing and his eyes get swollen, puffed and running. He looks terrible and feels terrible, he feels like having flu. His eyes are all red, itchy and he gets blurred vision. Sometimes all this lasts for days. Sometimes it is bad one day and better next day. For years now he suffers from shortness of breath - doctors cannot find anything really worng with his heart or lungs and we suspect it is related to allergy. His shortness of breath makes him feel panicky at times as it can but not always be related to any activity (even moderate walking) and causes bouts of coughing.
He has to take loratadine tables all year round, sometimes double dose and it does not really work immediately either. I was wondering if I can help him somehow. He does not really follow the Zone diet, he likes his sweets etc but he does not eat junk food and generally his main meals are similar to mine.
Anybody had similar experiences and maybe you found a cure?

Good first step in encouraging him to eat like you do. Keep the manufactured food/processed food to a minimum and encourage him to eat whole foods, things that come out of the kitchen, not out of a box. Refined sugars to a minimum. You might also want to look at lactose free and gluten free.

Basically, with a diet approach, you want to eliminate anything in the environment that could trigger a reaction. Food sensitivities may exacerbate other allergic responses.

And, fish oil can also help diminish the anti-inflammatory effects of the allergy, so that perhaps he can minimize the medication and the allergy's overall inflammatory response. Not suggesting that fish oil can cure, but hopefully lessen things.

Nope, I haven't been through this, so this is not me speaking from any personal experience.

Well. He eats what I cook and I try to cook Zone stuff. But he will eat things like bread (say once a day), or some chocolate bar or two and he puts sugar to his coffee. I buy stuff like deli ham for him as he likes it, or he likes bacon and I buy that sometimes. Other time he has mostly Zone friendly stuff to his disposal. But he doesnt want to eat Zone balanced meals. So he can have just slices of ham in the late evening or "normal" yogurt for breakfast etc. He is not zoning his meals but I do not buy processed food generally so he wont have it.
We've never observed any food intolerance or allergy. It seems to be dust. He is OK at night but as soon as he opens his eyes he starts reacting... It wears him down, but his constant sneezing irritates me as well!
I bought (just waiting for delivery) Zone fish oil and I want him to try that. 4 capsules or maybe more...

Do you have a copy of the OMEGA RX ZONE? There are likely some recommendations on dosing the fish oil in there. Either that or call customer service.

The fish oil will work better with an overall better approach to diet. If he can eat foods that are less likely to contribute to inflammation, that is the first step. Balancing is another story...

I had always had seasonal allergies (hayfever) a few weeks in Spring and a couple of weks in the Fall.
Ever since I can remember.
However, At around age 40 something, I was having problems non-hayfever season, with first ever sinus headaches, etc.
Ear Nose and throat specialist noticed after a Cat Scan/X-ray of the 7 nasal cavities (found out we humans have 3 major and 4 minor),
that my left major was stuffed, consistently. Suggested an Allergest. Went through the allergy testing, and it was diagnosed as a real allergy ( as opposed to the seasonal hayfever variety) to dustmites.
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Now I was in an accident about 6 to 8 months earlier (a drunk ran me off the road, front of car hit dirt embankment hard at 45 mph! {seat belt on}), and I asked the allergist if that might be related, he said possibly, no way to know. And that he had patients walk in at age 40's and 50's that develop allergies, with no apparent cause.
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Now, my wife was never a great duster, so, that changed, some. When it gets really bad, I can't breathe and sleep in our bedroom, she gets the hint.
It really mostly affects me at night, though.
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Before the Zone, I was on Claritin-D, first (back when it was prescription only).
But, the 12 hour only lasted about 8-9 hours, but it was okay, as i said, mostly needed at night to be able to sleep.
Though, during the first hayfever season, after that, a double whammy with both the seasonal hayfever and the dustmite allergy,
Claritin-D only lasted 4-6 hours - essentially wearing off at 3-4 in the morning when heyfever pollen is at its highest and worst.
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So, the Dr. Switched me to Allegra-D 12 hour. Unlike Claritin-D 12 hour, which took effect immediately, Allegra-D 12 hour took 20 minutes to start working, but it lasted the full 12 hours, even during hayfever season. Happy camper, though not drug=free.
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Then moved from North Carolina, more humid and more dust to much dryer New England. I found after being here a while, some relief, but still took one Allegra-D 12 hour every evening, and daytime during hayfever season.
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Then I started the Zone!!! I can not put my finger on when or how long ago, But, I have a one year prescription left for Allegra-D from about 6-8 years ago, that is still about 1/2 full. I started the Zone and Fish Oil 9 years ago this past April.
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Long story, lots of background, mostly observational - but maybe I hope some of this helps.
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On a side note, I started seeing a Chiropractor last fall - August (met her paddling!)
After 6 months, she said to let her know, because she would not be surprised if my seasonal allergies were very much minimized this year.
And sure enough, come this past April/May - with heavy, heavy layers of yellow pollen all over the driveway and our vehicles for 4 to 6 weeks,
for the first time since I can remember at age 7 or 8, I have not had to live on Antihistamines! I had only oneon one day and only one on one night where I had to take one. {Our bedroom needed severe dusting and it was heavy pollen season. (We promptly dusted and vaccummed our bedroom - LOL)}
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Bozena, allergies are controlled in the Zone by reducing a type of "bad eicosanoid " called leukotrienes. This is accomplished by following the Zone diet and supplementing with Omega RX (great that you just ordered some!). It's important to take enough Omega Rx to see results, just as it would be if your husband was taking a medication to help his allergies. The best way to determine his Omega Rx dose would be by having the AA/EPA blood test done. Fortunately, Zone Labs is now performing this test. Good luck!

Hi Bozena,

See below for a medicine (no side effects, at least for me) that helps reduce leukotrienes.

John and I actually have fairly similiar experiences, and I remember having experiences like going through 4 or 5 days and nights of only one hour sleep per 24 hour day because of my allergies, it was that bad.

It really impaired my ability to function. It took a while for me to get better once I landed in a relatively environmentally-friendly place.

I went on the Zone diet as well as a lot of other things.

Sue just mentioned about leukotrienes. I'm on a MEDICINE that reduces leukotrienes, and is supposed to act pretty quickly to do so too.

Mine is called Montelukast Sodium Tablets, or Teva Montelukast, or 10 mg montelukast per day.

I use both the Zone diet (which I keep falling off, and keep falling back on because it does work!) and medicines to control my symptoms.

Sarah

Hi John,

Just curious ... er, like, why is it your wife that does the dusting?

Men are just as capable as women of dusting!

I say this, and I'm a BAD duster--but with my allergies kicking in again last night, I am back to dusting big time, haha ...

LOL.

Sarah

addendum ... I had absolutely no side effects to that medicine ... I felt nothing, but I got better in a week.

They say if it works, you'll know in a week.

I have to admit, though, I was trying many different things at that time, so it's hard to know for sure that it's 100% this medicine that provided the edge tthat allowed me to finally sleep ...

I slept a LOT once I was able to sleep, sometimes 12 hours!

Sarah

np.
I do dust; however, when we are both get too busy - its too much for me to handle to dust when its due.
And I do not feel like taking drugs, even weaker over-the-counter drugs just to vacuum and dust.

Yeah ... I can understand that.

Actually, you know, I'm not supposed to dust, either, myself, because of my allergies.

But family members are gone for the next little while, so I have to use this vaccuum that's specially designed for people with allergies, and when I dust, I actually VACCUUM, not dust.

This vaccuum has an enclosed air system so it sucks everything into it, rather than release it in the air like regular vaccums.

I fell off the zone, but people like you inspire me to climb right back on! :-)

Sarah

Good!
Remember - you are only one meal snack away from getting back into the Zone.....

Thanks for all the info and stories! I checked Teva Montelukast on google and it seems to be recommended for asthma. My husband doesn't have asthma, his allergic reactions tend to be itchy skin, blocked nose, sneezing and conjunctivities.
Sarah - I also do not let my husband dust as it triggers his allergies (plus he is really not effective either!). His does other stuff I do not do
He will take (tentatively) fish oil but he doesnt want to follow the diet, not strictly. And I dont want to force him if he doesnt want to. He eats what I cook and I tend to cook Zone friendly.
He did not have a major allergy attack for 2 weeks, but end of May was terrible and he was away sleeping in the hotel and being in a building which clearly had some dust problem. Apparently other people also felt it. Nevertheless he suffered badly. Back at home and he is better but it tooks few days to recover. Do yuo think 4 capsules daily of OmegaRX Zone fish oil is not enough?

Bozena, whether 4 caps is enough depends on his AA/EPA blood levels. 4 caps may be enough for one person and not enough for another. Testing blood levels is the only way to know. There is no accurate surrogate marker. Though he doesn't want to follow the Zone diet, it is still a critical piece. Basically he'll be trying to lower his inflammation with the fish oil while at the same time increasing it with his diet. Keep in mind that it takes 30 days at any given dosage of fish oil to receive the full effects of that dosage. If it were me, start with 5g EPA and DHA daily (8 capsules of omega Rx daily).

Bozena;
P.S.> 8 capsules might seem a lot; however, remember, he does NOT have to take all 8 at one time.
FO can be taken in divided doses.....

Because the testing is so expensive, there is also a reference that can be utilized for dosing recommendations, which I mentioned in a previous post here. After the initial dose is established, then use the Eicosanoid Status Report questionnaire to adjust the dose. This tool can be found on Barry Sears' website, http://www.drsears.com/portals/6/Do...eport.doc.

For anyone interested in AA/EPA testing, last I was informed Zone Labs was doing the test with no charge for anyone who has purchased 6 bottles of Omega RX. It's a great opportunity.

Your correct Sue... AA/EPA testing NO CHARGE for anyone who purchases 6 bottles of OmegaRX. Really a great opportunity for all.

We all desire to have a clinical marker of our future state of wellness. It is Dr. Sears opinion that the AA/EPA ratio in the blood is the best marker of that elusive goal because it measures the level of cellular inflammation in the body.

6 bottles purchased in one order?

Yes Bozena... 6 bottles in one order. really a smart way to purchase.....instead of getthing it montly for 6 months and paying shipping each month....you can make a 1 time purchase, pay shipping once and 6 bottles will last most individuals 6 months (so your already saving on shipping.

If you are not paying 150.00 for the AA/EPA test kit you are ultimately saving 150.00 over all and I view that as saving 150.00 on my OmegaRX purchase.

As long as you store in cool dry place the expiration dates currently run to 2014.

we are in the UK - can the test be done from here?

Good question !!!! No Idea ! But will follow up.

Currently the Test is only available in the US. I heard there are a few labs in Germany but do not have the name or any info on them. We hope to be able to offer the test internationally in the future.