Health and Life Magazine October 2016

WHAT ARE ALLERGIES?
Allergies are caused by the immune
system reacting to a foreign material
that comes into contact with the
body, or is inhaled or ingested.
Reactions include sneezing,
wheezing, coughing, itching, skin
rashes, stomach pain, diarrhea, or
even a drop in blood pressure, which
can cause dizziness or fainting.
The most common allergy found in
Qatar is chest allergy. This can be
caused by multiple factors, ranging
from dust in the atmosphere to
genetic disorders. Everyone here
knows that dust is a huge problem
when it comes to our health. We
tend to stay indoors when a storm
is coming or there is wind moving
the dust and sand on the ground.
Because Qatar is a flat desert
country, there aren’t many natural
trees or hills to break the wind and
protect us from the sand.
Chest allergies are often caused
by dust mites, which are little
creatures that live in the dust in
your house. Dust itself is a mixture
CHEST ALLERGY
of materials like tiny fibers,
particles of food, plant material,
insect parts, pet feathers and
hairs, and fungus and mold. Add
all this to the dust mites and their
waste, which is 200 times the
dust mite’s body weight and an
allergen, and you have a perfect
trigger for an allergic reaction.
While dust and filth are the main
factors behind chest allergies, they
aren’t the only ones. Hereditary
conditions like asthma can also
trigger these allergies, especially
in dusty weather. Mutated lungs,
respiratory infections and
breathing problems also cause
chest allergies.
ECZEMA
Eczema is a rash-like skin condition that can be
chronic in some cases. The word “eczema” refers to
the most common skin condition, atopic dermatitis.
Atopic refers to a collection of immune-mediated
diseases that include asthma and hay fever, which
can be inherited. However, “eczema” is a term
given to any superficial inflammatory response that
appears on the skin. If there are signs of redness,
itching, weeping, oozing, crusting, or scaling and
pigmentation, the chances are you have eczema.
There are many types of eczema, and as many
possible causes for this condition. A combination
of hereditary and environmental factors can trigger
an eczema flare-up. Some soaps, detergents,
shampoos, foods, dust mites, pollen, mold, hot
weather, perspiration and heat, dairy products, soy
products, nuts and seeds are just some on the long
list of eczema triggers.
11
OCTOBER IS THE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
OCTOBER 2016