Jane Brody's Allergy Fighter [Paperback]

Jane E. Brody (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

From America's most trusted authority on personal health, an essential guide to combating the misery (and the dangers) of nasal allergies. Almost one in ten Americans suffers from some form of seasonal allergy--and almost twice as many have other forms of nasal allergies or "allergic rhinitis." If you are among these fifty-million-plus sneezing, sniffling, stuffed-up, red-eyed allergy victims, Jane Brody brings you good news: You don't have to take it anymore. Jane Brody's Allergy Fighter is a clear, compact, completely up-to-date guide to understanding the causes of the allergies that plague you, and the actions that you and your doctor can take now to prevent and relieve their symptoms. Among the topics covered:
* how allergies happen and what substances cause or exacerbate them
* the peak allergy seasons across the country
* understanding the vast array of antihistamines, decongestants, topical sprays, and other medications
* allergy shots
* special strategies for treating children. Untreated, nasal allergies can lead to a host of serious health problems, including asthma and chronic sinusitis. Jane Brody's Allergy Fighter is an essential reference to enhancing your quality of life right now--and in the years to come.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

No part of the body is more assaulted by allergies than the nose. Because the nose is generally the first line of defense against immunity-triggering invaders, such as dust, pollen, or mold, nasal allergies have become the most common of all allergies. A sufferer of nasal allergies herself, Brody investigates the most common culprits and shows how to build up protection. An introductory chapter explains how allergies develop and lists the most common triggers. Another chapter offers guidelines for trigger-proofing homes and offices. Useful charts and tables that help diagnose, prepare for, and treat allergies are sprinkled throughout the book. For instance, a simple table helps distinguish clearly between an allergy, cold, or sinusitis, and a detailed chart displays the peak allergy seasons of each common allergen by region. After dismissing daily pollen reports because they're based on the previous day's count, Brody provides more useful guidelines that describe the weather conditions and times of day when pollen will be at its most wicked.

From Library Journal

Allergies affect 40 million Americans, while asthma sufferers number 14.6 million, up 61 percent since 1982. The two often interrelated conditions require management to avoid serious complications or, in some cases, death. While both of these books provide data on allergies, only the American Lung Association's Family Guide addresses asthma. This exceedingly practical and easy-to-read self-help book notes how smoking and air pollution exacerbate allergies and asthma, as do dust mites, animal dander, molds, and pollen. It also describes how clearer understanding of causes and effects has led to more effective drugs, steroid inhalers, peak flow meters, and beta agonists. Tips are offered on triggerproofing one's life, distinguishing hay fever and allergic rhinitis from viral infections, recognizing unusual symptoms (such as the increasing allergy to latex), the benefits of exercise, and the family's role. Appendixes include asthma and allergy resources and state associations. Brody, the health reporter for the New York Times, has written a clear, up-to-date guide on understanding allergies and relieving symptoms. From identifying substances that cause and aggravate the problem to understanding antihistamines, decongestants, topical sprays, skin tests, and allergy shots, the author provides a thorough review of the subject. The allergy information and product guide lists organizations and print resources that will help readers obtain further information. Both of these reasonably priced books are recommended, but the first has the advantage of covering two related conditions in one volume.?Janet Coggan, Univ. of Florida Libs., Gainesville
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 127 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc; 1 edition (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393316351
• ISBN-13: 978-0393316353
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,364,378 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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