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6A – Daily News – Monday, April 25, 2011 Vitality & health DETROIT (MCT) — Te'nika Prince knew spring had arrived when her nose started running and her eyes got puffy and her head hurt and she felt miserable. She has been struggling with allergies her entire life. "I would have to keep tissue with me all the time," says Prince, 35, of West- land, Mich. "When it starts, you don't want to do any- thing. You just want to lie around." For several years, Prince has noticed that her aller- gies are showing up earlier in the spring and lasting longer in the fall, a phe- nomenon that has been observed across the north- ern U.S. A recent study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sci- ences shows that there's been an increase in the length of the ragweed aller- gy season, and ties the change to global warming. The study, which com- pared 2009 and 1995 data, has extended the official allergy season by 16 days in Minneapolis and in Fargo, N.D. The Asthma and Aller- gy Foundation of America says that allergy prevalence overall has been growing across all age, sex and racial groups since the early 1980s. "We don't know exactly why that is," said Dr. Rana Misiak, a senior staff physician in allergy and immunology for the Henry Ford Health System. "There are a lot of theories, especially due to food allergies. Certainly, for the seasonal allergies, that does appear to be on the rise as well." In all, as many as 50 million Americans suffer from allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation. Cedarian Stuart-Payne, 12, of Warren, Mich., recently discovered that he has spring allergies. In MCT photo Cedarian Stuart-Payne, 12, gets a breathing treatment due to problems from allergies as his mother Calandra Stuart looks on at the the allergy clinic at the Henry Ford Medical Center in Dearborn, Mich. addition, he has struggled with asthma and eczema. "It's been frustrating to him because he's been mis- erable," says his mother, Calandra Stuart. "He does- n't sleep at night." Some people with aller- gies can be treated with over-the-counter medica- tions such as antihista- mines and decongestants, taken as pills, liquid, nasal spray or eye drops. Doctors can also prescribe other allergy medications or offer allergy shots, where a patient is injected with small doses of the sub- stance that they are allergic to in an effort to reduce the reaction to allergens over time. Calandra Stuart said Cedarian is now taking pre- scription allergy medica- tions. "He looks better," she said. "He just started taking the medicine. He's doing OK." Having an allergy increases your risk of other medical problems, includ- ing asthma, eczema, sinusi- tis, infections of the ears or lungs, another allergy, fun- gal complications in the sinuses or lungs and ana- phylaxis, which is a life- threatening allergic reac- tion. For Prince, congestion from allergies led to ear troubles. "According to my ear, nose and throat doctor," Prince says, "I was getting ear infections because of my allergies." She started with allergy shots last year and has seen improvement. "I can't believe I suf- fered all this time without the shots," she says. "My life has changed dramatically from the shots. I'm able to go out around the things I'm aller- gic to and not have to suffer as much. I'd say that it's really changed for the bet- ter. I feel much better, way better. It's amazing. I'm in a good place. I'm really happy. My allergies are way better than before." Even though more peo- ple have allergies and the allergy season might be growing longer, that does- n't mean that anyone has to suffer more, Misiak stress- es. "Those symptoms can be controlled and can be treated, so that even though a person does have aller- gies, they can still have their symptoms managed and under control, so they can do the things they want to do," Misiak said. She said one of the most rewarding things about her job is "when someone is able to start feeling better, breathing better, able to do all the activities they enjoy without being limited by the symptoms they were experiencing." Head off attackes before they happen "It's hard to predict the upcoming allergy season," says Dr. Milind Pansare, a pediatric immunologist at Children's Hospital of Michigan. "But it's always the same old, same old. As soon as it starts to warm up, the trees have rapid growth. They will have to pollinate quickly. As soon as the weather conditions become appropriate, they will do what they always do." Pansare offered some tips on how to minimize allergies. Stay inside in the morn- ing. "Pollen is highest in early morning to midday, so maybe outdoor activi- ties can be limited during that time." Start taking allergy medication before symp- toms arrive. "If people start taking their medication two or three weeks before the allergy season — what we call priming — they might have less symptoms during the season," Pansare said. "They should seek help before, not wait until the symptoms progress." If possible, use air con- ditioning at home or work. Get allergy shots. "They are a proven benefit for patients who have seasonal allergies," Pansare said. "They don't work immedi- ately, but they do give an immense change in quality of life for the patient." Spring means start of allergy season fitness (MCT) — We heard it through the grapevine that it's time to put down the junk food and chew on something naturally sweet - - a raisin quiz. 1. Not to slam the com- petition, but the California Raisin Marketing Board is boasting that a quarter-cup of raisins contains how much more potassium than a quarter-cup of banana? a) 237 milligrams b) 74 mg c) 35 mg 2. What substance found in raisins can help kill bacte- ria that lead to cavities and periodontal disease? a) Folic acid b) Oleanolic acid c) Tartaric acid 3. How many pounds of grapes does it take to make 1 pound of raisins? Nutrition Quiz: Raisins c) 21.5 a) 1 b) 4 4. Roughly half the world's raisins are grown where? a) Algeria b) Italy c) California 5. What were the names given to the singing raisins in the "California Raisins" television commercials? a) Ben Indasun, Justin X. Grape and Tiny Goodbite b) Manny Wrinkles, Dot Sagrape, Sugar Galore c) Heywood U. Buyme, Hugh G. Grape, Sasha Taste ANSWERS: 1: c; 2: b; 3: b; 4: c; 5: a. Sources: www.loveyour- raisins.com; http://nutrition- data.self .com. Chico workshop to focus on gluten allergies A Chico doctor, Patrick Giammarise, will be hosting a free seminar 6-7 p.m., April 26, at the Allergy and Digestive Relief Center in Chico. The seminar will teach about how gluten allergies and carbohydrate intoler- ances may be causing some people’s irritable bowel syndrome and how to overcome it. One in five Americans suffer from chronic bowel problems, and many assume that their prob- lems are caused by gluten and place themselves on highly restrictive diets. In reality, only one percent of people have a true allergy to gluten and about six percent exhibit sensitivities, according to the Allergy & Digestive Relief Center. The seminar will explore how testing and treating for allergies and intolerances can offer relief for irritable bowel syn- drome. The seminar offers answers that traditional doctors can’t give you. Space is limited. Call 899-8741 in advance to reserve a seat. Giammarise is the founder of the Allergy & Digestive Relief Center and a chiropractor who has had post-graduate training in the use of nat- ural approaches to address allergy and diges- tion problems. The Allergy & Diges- tive Relief Center is locat- ed at 2639 Forest Ave., Suite 100, in Chico. Go to www.digestion- reliefcenter.com for more information.