The Allergy Medication and Alzheimer’s Connection

over the counter allergy medicationSince researchers at the University of Washington first released their findings on side-effects of some common medications, people have had many questions about the relationship between common over the counter allergy  medication and dementia, pneumonia, and other side effects.

Initial Anticholinergic Study

The initial study linked long-term high dose of a common class of antihistamine, antidepressant and bladder control medication to serious, irreversible side effects such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Allergy Medication Connection

Anticholinergic medications work by suppressing the action of acetycholine in the body and brain.  This is a neurotransmitter.  That means it transmits messages to the brain.  Two over-the-counter allergy medications fall into this category:

  • Diphenhydramine (Bendryl)
  • Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)

Diphenhydramine is also a common ingredient in over-the-counter sleep medications (like Tylenol PM, Advil PM, etc.).

Other Medications in This Class

Antihistamines were not the only medications identified.  The antidepressant doxepin and the bladder control medication oxybutynin are also in this class. Sertraline (marketed as Zoloft) is included in the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This class of drugs is used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Read more here: depressions-treatment-info.com

 Allergy Medication Alternatives

If you are still taking the older generation allergy medications, look at some of the newer offerings.  Loratadine  (Claritin, Alavert) is highly effective for many people with seasonal or indoor allergies.  The inhaled corticosteroids such as Flonase can provide relief when oral medication does not.

Allergy Control without Allergy Medication

allergy-wordsNot only should you talk to your doctor about your medication, you should also talk about other measures you can take to relieve your symptoms without medication.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, using a nasal rinse or neti pot with a saline solution can provide relief.

If you are allergic to dust, make sure you wash sheets regularly and use allergy mattress covers and pillow covers.

Til Next Time!

Cheryl

Best Dust Mask for Trail Riding

Mu2 Sprt Mask
Mu2 Sprt Mask

I don’t ride ATV’s or dirt bikes or participate in motocross events.  But have talked to lots of people that do. Riding all terrain vehicles (ATVs) is a very popular pastime. The first models were released in the 1960’s and the first 4 wheeler came out in 1983.  People tell me they like being outdoors, riding in different terrain, and seeing our beautiful countryside.

One of the big problems people face is the amount of dust kicked up on the trails. They are looking for something that will keep them from breathing dust, but not be so hot they can’t stand it.  Fitting comfortably under a helmet is a plus. I hear stories of all sorts of things they have tried. Everything from respirators to plain bandanas.

How do I hear these stories? Well, it turns out that our U2 Sports Mask is a big hit with the trail riders.  The mask combines the same material used to make the Q-Mask in a neoprene covering that allows the mask to cover both the nose and mouth without restricting airflow.

Because particles hit the “filtering” material and bounce off, it doesn’t clog up and won’t get hot under the mask.  The neoprene and filtering material are both thin, so the mask straps fit comfortably under a helmet.  These benefits make the Sport Mask  the best mask for off roading.

Best dust mask for trail ridingWe originally sold the U2 mask thinking that people that ride bicycles needed a way to keep molds and pollen out of their respiratory system during their excursions.

I liked the mask, because one of my favorite bike riding routes goes past some wetlands that can be full of gnats and other small flying insects.  While you can keep your mouth closed, you still have to breathe through your nose and I inevitably inhaled a bug or two every time: one of the grossest feelings in the world!

The U2 mask looked perfect for biking and it was. It allowed me to ride without being exposed to pollens and molds, without restricting my airflow and kept the bugs out of my nose and mouth, all at the same time.  As far as I was concerned it was the perfect bike riding mask.

Once we put them out on the internet, ATVers started snapping them up.  Seems they had the same needs as the bikers for a great, comfortable mask.

As one of our customers said, “I can follow my buddy on the trail now without eating his dust”. So next time the rider in front of you says “Eat My Dust” just put on your U2 Sports Mask and reply “I don’t think so”!

Til Next Time

All Natural Bed Bug Treatments Not Effective

If you have bed bugs, you are searching the net for all the information you can get.   If you start thinking about  all natural bed bug treatments as an alternative to synthetic pesticides, you might be wasting your time and money.

Bed Bug Treatments Found Not Effective

Researchers with Rutgers University looked into the effectiveness of essential oil based treatments and the results were not promising.  They looked at brands that used peppermint oil, clove oil, lemongrass oil, geraniol, rosemary oil, mint oil, cinnamon oil,  and eugenol as the active ingredients.  Some contained the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate, also known as soap.  The findings were published in a fast track article in the Entomological Society of America’s Journal of Economic Entomology.

The results were not promising for those seeking to avoid conventional pesticides.  Researchers discovered that even under the best of circumstances (the treatment applied directly to the bed bug) only 2 of the products testedhad kill rates of over 90%.  In the practical world, every bug is not always sprayed with the active ingredient.  That is because bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices during treatment.

Soap as a Bed Bug Treatment?

On of the most interesting findings is that the “active” ingredients (the essential oils) in the products that were found to be marginally effective were also found in products that were not effective at all.  Could it be that the inactive ingredients (such as the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate) are why the more effective product work?  It is interesting that the two products that were found to work best were products that also contained the common ingredient in soap.  Maybe the researchers will investigate further.

Tried and True Bed Bug Treatments

If you find that you have bed bugs, you should call on a professional that has effective tools in their arsenal.  Since the essential oil treatments have shown not to be effective, discuss with your pest control specialist what they recommend that is low in toxicity to humans and high in toxicity to bed bugs.  Treatments using heat instead of chemicals are also available.

No matter if you use pesticides or heat or other methods, make sure keep the bed bugs out of your bed with bed bug coversthat your mattress, boxsprings, and pillows are covered in bed bug proof zippered encasements.

Sleep tight…don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Til Next Time

Cheryl