And why we need change. You cannot have failed to hear about the tragic death of a young fifteen year old girl, Natasha Ednan-Laparouse, who ate a baguette at Pret, Heathrow airport and died from an anaphylactic attack to unlabelled sesame. Pret have just announced a second death... and I'm not joking... I only wish I was. Until laws change please all exercise extreme … [Read more...]
Papaya and latex allergy cross reaction
If you are allergic to latex you should look into the foods that can cross react with this allergy as it may explain any issues you have and allergic reactions you get from certain fruit and vegetables. What is papaya? Papaya (paw paw) is a tropical fruit of the Caricaceae family which grows in Central America. It is generally very well tolerated. It is low in … [Read more...]
Anxiety and itching
They tell you that eczema is caused by stress and there is some truth in that, but it's not the only cause. There are so many triggers, including food, environmental factors, airborne allergens, soap, skincare products, heat, cold and I could go on. I've always struggled with the 'stress' diagnosis because it has always made me feel that some of the blame for my skin lies with … [Read more...]
A letter to the NHS… no more antihistamines?
This week I had a call from a lovely lady at my local doctors surgery to tell me that I would no longer be able to get anti-histamines on prescription. Why? Because I can get them over the counter. Well yes, technically, I CAN get antihistamines over the counter, but not the ones I am prescribed where I can get a box with lots in, and also stronger doses than the over the … [Read more...]
UK asthma deaths amongst worst in Europe
Recently I was invited to speak on BBC West Midlands radio about a recent report detailing the number of deaths caused by asthma in the UK. Asthma UK said the death rate between 2011-15 was also almost 50 per cent higher here than the average on the continent. Only Serbia, Turkey, Estonia, Spain and Cyprus had worse rates. Around 1,400 people died from an asthma attack in … [Read more...]