More than 50 million Americans, one out of five, suffer from hay fever, asthma, and other allergic diseases. Many of these conditions are caused by exposure to allergens in indoor environments such as the house, work, and schoolâ€"where we spend as much as 98 percent of our time. Developed by medical, public health, and engineering professionals working together, this unique volume summarizes what is known about indoor allergens, how they affect human health, the magnitude of their effect on various populations, and how they can be controlled. The book addresses controversies, recommends research directions, and suggests how to assist and educate allergy patients, as well as professionals. Indoor Allergens presents a wealth of information about common indoor allergens and their varying effects, from significant hay fever to life-threatening asthma. The volume discusses sources of allergens, from fungi and dust mites to allergenic chemicals, plants, and animals, and examines practical measures for their control. Indoor Allergens discusses how the human airway and immune system respond to inhaled allergens and assesses patient testing methods, covering the importance of the patient's medical history and outlining procedures and approaches to interpretation for skin tests, in vitro diagnostic tests, and tests of patients' pulmonary function. This comprehensive and practical volume will be important to allergists and other health care providers; public health professionals; specialists in building design, construction, and maintenance; faculty and students in public health; and interested allergy patients.

Manage your allergy symptoms year-round with expert advice from board-certified allergist and immunologist Dr. Gillian Shepherd. What's in the air? Pollen, mold spores, dust mites, and pet allergens affect and irritate more than 60 million Americans. That number is increasing every day-and allergies are now the sixth leading cause of chronic illness. But most people don't know a great deal about these airborne allergens-other than how miserable they make them feel. Now, Dr. Gillian Shepherd will bring comfort to sufferers with the latest research on the causes of and available treatments for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and allergic conjunctivitis (teary eyes). Discover: -how and why your immune system reacts to allergens -the worst pollens: where they are and how far they travel -how to help your child cope with allergies -the truth behind the word “hypoallergenic” -tips for “allergy-proofing” your home, office, and car -the effect that changing weather may have on your symptoms -when allergy shots can help and when they can't -exciting new medical research that will eventually cure allergies.

In this comprehensive book, a naturopath explains why allergies occur and what works—and doesn't—to alleviate them. Millions of Americans suffer with allergies, yet medicine has yet to determine exactly what causes a person to be allergic. In this comprehensive book, naturopath Chris D. Meletis examines a wide-range of allergies, including those to foodstuffs, dust and other airborne allergens, and materials like latex and chemicals. He explores theories of why allergies occur and are rising, including the "hygiene hypothesis," which argues that overbathing and overuse of antibiotics and antibacterial agents means our immune systems never build up the necessary resistance to these substances when we are young.

This pocket-sized guide contains all-new information from more than 50 highly credentialed experts on airborne allergies. Through nutrition, exercise, meditation, and lifestyle changes, this handbook takes the holistic perspective of building a strong immune system to stay as symptom free as possible.

Allergens and respiratory pollutants is a collection of 12 authoritative papers that draws upon the collective expertise of world leaders in the fields of innate immunity, immunotoxicology and pulmonary biology. The book critically explores the biological and immunological mechanisms that contribute to immune dysfunction on exposure to allergens and the susceptibility to infectious disease on exposure to ambient pollutants. The clinical relevance of exposure to ambient airborne xenobiotics is critically discussed and collectively, this book provides an educational forum that links the health effects of environmental exposures, immune dysfunction and inflammatory airways disease. - Discusses recent advances in our understanding of cell-mediated innate immune mechanisms that occur during allergic inflammation and provides important timely coverage of diseases of concern and how such diseases are influenced by a dysfunctional immune system - Provides useful information on linking environmental 'danger signals' that provoke immune dysfunction and exacerbation of existing disease - Draws upon the collective expertise of an international college of leaders in the field, but also provides chapters that provide essential reference material