Ragweed is a green plant that resembles a fern.

What Is Ragweed?

Ragweed is a roadside plant whose pollen is the most common source of pollen allergens and hay fever. The states that have the most ragweed are in the central plains and eastern rural areas of the United States.

What Is Ragweed Season?

This late-blooming plant usually produces pollen in the early autumn. However, ragweed pollen can be detected as early as late July and usually peaks in mid-September. The season usually ends with the first frost sometime in late October or early November.

The amount of pollen in the air is dependent upon the weather. Pollen enjoys hot, dry, breezy days. These days cause big problems for hay fever sufferers. It is important if you suffer from hay fever to keep your doors, windows, and screens closed to reduce the amount of pollen entering your home. Well-maintained filters in central air-conditioning units may help remove pollen. If necessary, allergy drops or allergy shots with ragweed extract are effective for reducing symptoms.

You’ve decided to exercise, but after your workout, you are short of breath, wheezing and your heart is racing. What has happened?

You could be experiencing exercise-induced asthma (EIA.) While the cause of exercise-induced asthma is unknown, vigorous exercise, such as running and playing football is more likely to cause an asthma attack than mild exercise, such as swimming.

Temperature is also a factor. When it is cold outside, it is generally a good idea to exercise indoors. Cold, dry air worsens the symptoms of EIA. If you must exercise outside, wear a scarf or a cold air mask over your mouth and nose. Try to breathe through your nose so that your nose can warm, filter and humidify the air before it enters your lungs.

In some cases, taking medications before you workout will reduce the effects of EIA. If you have asthma, consult your health provider to determine the best exercise program for you.

Good allergy treatment is based on the results of your allergy tests, your medical history, and the severity of your symptoms. Once he targets your allergies, Dr. Bishop will develop a personalized treatment program just for you. This program will help control your symptoms, and stimulate your immune system to improve your health. Your custom program may include some or all of the following: environmental controls, pharmacotherpy, dietary changes, and immunotherapy using an extract custom-mixed for your specific combination of allergies.

Environmental Controls

The best way to prevent allergy symptoms is to avoid your allergens as much as possible and to use environmental controls to eliminate the source of allergens from your home and other environments.

Pharmacotherapy

Drug treatment has long been a cornerstone of allergy treatment. Antihistamines and/or decongestants (for the nose) and bronchodilators (for asthma) counteract the symptoms caused by the main chemical released by the body’s immune system in an allergy attack. There are other drugs, both pills and nasal sprays, which can prevent the release of these inflammatory chemicals or suppress the immune reactions themselves.

Dietary Changes

Repetitious eating is the largest contributing factor in developing food sensitivities. Treatment consists of avoiding the offending food. After a period of time the food may eventually be eaten again on an intermittent basis. Avoidance of these foods alleviates most, if not all, of your symptoms and obese patients may also lose a substantial amount of weight.

Immunotherapy

When it is not possible to avoid your allergens and treatment with medications alone does not solve the problem, immunotherapy can often prevent allergy symptoms. Immunotherapy can be in the form of weekly allergy shots given in a doctor’s office or Allergy Drops taken daily at home. It involves giving a person increasingly higher doses of their allergens over time. The person gradually becomes less sensitive to those allergens. This can be effective for people with house dust, mold, pollen, animal and certain food allergies.

Don’t Feel Well? Weight Problems?

Do you suffer from cravings? How about low energy, headaches, fatigue, bingeing, aching joints, daytime sleepiness, gastric reflux, heartburn, poor concentration or obesity?
These symptoms are all signals from your body trying to tell you something is wrong. If you struggle with any of these issues, you probably have food allergies.

It’s Not Your Fault

You’d be surprised at the number of people who suffer from allergies without ever realizing it. Many people develop undetected food sensitivities over time, causing symptoms that are often misdiagnosed and treated with unnecessary medication.

New Health Medical: A State-of-the-Art Solution

Dr. Bishop, along with his staff of researchers, monitors the ever-changing fields of nutrition, and food-related diseases. He has assimilated the latest discoveries, weighed them against standard knowledge, and created an unprecedented treatment program for weight problems and other food allergy symptoms.

You Can Turn to Us With Confidence

Our friendly Allergy Staff is ready to help you every step of the way. Tell us about the symptoms and problems you’ve been having and we’ll use the most advanced testing techniques available to target the source of your troubles. Dr. Bishop can help you feel better by creating a custom program that will help control your symptoms and stimulate your immune system to improve your health.

We’re Expecting You

It’s time to make a change. If you are tired of being sick and tired, give us a call right now at 616-393-0567. You can schedule a personal visit that may just transform your life.

What Are Allergy Drops?

Sublingual Immunotherapy (Allergy Drops) is a method of treating allergies by placing drops of a custom mixed vaccine (extract) underneath the tongue. These help build your body’s tolerance to certain antigens over time.

Who Can Take Them?

Allergy drops are wonderful for children and anyone who does not want to endure the pain and inconvenience of weekly allergy injections. The drops are self-administered on a daily basis in the comfort of your own home.

Are They Safe?

Allergy drops have been used around the world for more than 60 years and are much safer than allergy injections. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed allergy drops as “a viable alternative to injection therapy.” We have used a form of Allergy Drops in our practice for 25 years.

Are Allergy Drops Covered by Insurance?

The allergy testing needed to mix the drops is covered by most insurances, but the drops themselves are not.  However, most of our patients have found the drops very cost-effective, considering the high cost of gas, allergy medicines, and the cost and inconvenience of weekly time off of work or school for allergy injections.

Food sensitivities includes both food intolerance and true food allergy.

Food Intolerance

Food intolerance affects a large percent of the population, but often goes unrecognized.  The symptoms may occur several hours after eating an offending food and the reactions are not always easily recognized.  Symptoms can include: fatigue, gas, cramps, bloating, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, GERD, headaches, food cravings, mood swings, muscle/joint pain, daytime sleepiness, and obesity.  Repetitious eating is the largest contributing factor in developing food sensitivities.

Food intolerance treatment may consist of a combination of elimination and rotation diets.  You and Dr. Bishop will determine which treatment is best for you.  Your custom program will help control your symptoms and stimulate your immune system to improve your health.

Elimination Diet

Elimination of the offending food from your diet is the best form of treatment.  Complete elimination can alleviate most, if not all of your symptoms and can lead to tolerance.  Careless, halfhearted, or partial avoidance can, in some people, lead to increased sensitivity.  It is also best to avoid artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

Rotation Diet

In a rotation diet, alternate foods are eaten on a rotating basis to prevent the development of new food intolerances.

Food Allergy

A true food allergy has a rapid onset of symptoms that range from tingling in the extremities, coughing, wheezing, nausea and vomiting to hives, a swollen tongue and/or throat.  This can ultimately result in a constricted airway and you may stop breathing.  The reaction occurs immediately or within one or two hours after consuming the offending food. 

Food allergies are treated by total avoidance of the food that caused symptoms and that food can never be eaten again.  The most common food allergies are to peanuts, nuts and shellfish.

Controlling Dust Mites

Encase pillows and mattresses with dust mite proof covers.
Wash linens in hot water every week.
Wash stuffed animals in hot water or freeze in a sealed plastic bag for 24 hours.
Run HEPA air filter continually. Do not use an ionizer.
Vacuum weekly.
Place filters on heating and air conditioning vents.
Replace wool blankets and feather pillows and comforters.
Damp dust frequently.

Controlling Pollen

Use air-conditioning when available.
Avoid hanging clothes outside to dry.
Wash and dry your hair before bedtime.
Wear a mask while mowing the lawn.
Avoid outdoor activities during early morning hours.

Controlling Pet Allergies

Keep pet outdoors if possible.
Keep pet out of bedroom.
Wash the pet weekly.
Wash your hands after petting an animal.

Controlling Mold

Keep humidity in house between 30% and 50% (use dehumidifier/ air-conditioning.)
Run exhaust fans in kitchen and bathrooms.
Clean with fungicide in bathroom, windowsills, basements, and kitchen. (Remember the tray under your refrigerator.)
Clean humidifiers, dehumidifiers and air conditioners.
Limit number of houseplants.
Avoid real Christmas trees in your home.
Wear a mask while gardening or raking the leaves.
Avoid storing firewood inside.
Discard moldy books, boxes, and carpeting.

General Health

Avoid tobacco smoke.
Avoid chemical fumes (perfumes, paint, scented deodorants, cleaning agents, etc.)
Avoid wood fires in the house.

Allergy Product Web sites

www.nationalallergy.com

Allergens are substances that cause allergic disease in people.  Antigens, or protein particles like pollen, food, or animal dander enter our bodies through a variety of ways. If the antigen causes an allergic reaction, that particle is considered an allergen. These allergens can get into our body by:

Inhalation

Examples are airborne pollens of trees, grasses and weeds; house dust that contains dust mite waste, mold spores, pet dander and latex dust.

Ingestion

Frequent culprits include shrimp, peanuts, and other nuts.

Injection

Such as medications delivered by needle and venom from insect stings or bites.

Absorption Through the Skin

Plants such as poison ivy, sumac and oak, as well as latex are examples.

Heredity

You may inherit the genetic capability to become allergic, but that does not mean you are automatically allergic to specific allergens. Several factors must be present for allergic sensitivity to be developed, including the specific genes acquired from your parents and the degree and length of exposure to allergens.

Contact Dermatitis Caused by Allergens

This is a type of allergy in which heredity does not play a role. Exposure to poison ivy, for instance, may not cause a rash the first time, but a reaction may appear after subsequent exposure and can be quite severe. This may also be true of substances such as dyes, metals and chemicals in deodorants and cosmetics.

Welcome!

Our style of care starts by taking the time to listen to you. To find out about the symptoms and problems you have been experiencing.

It’s time to make a change!

If you’re tired of being sick and tired, give us a call right now at 616.393.0567.

You can schedule a personal visit that may just transform your life!