The most common foods that have strong pungency that can actually a blankcause a bad breath are garlic and onions. These foods have strong smells that can stay in your breath for a long time. Brushing your teeth and using mouth fresheners can temporarily mask the stench. They only provide temporary relief since some of the particles find their way into exhaled breath from the blood. Since these foods are becoming infamous for their odor some people avoid eating them and other aromatic foods that have the same effects. Other than these smelly foods there are other reasons like bacteria thriving inside ones mouth. These are caused by food particles stuck in between teeth. Bacteria feed on these embedded food particles that they cause plaque or even infection in gum lines. Lastly, there are medical conditions like ketosis which is mainly responsible to a persons funky breath.br /
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Simple Answers to the Question: What Causes Halitosis.

There is no single reason or cause for halitosis. The best way to unravel ones condition is to consult a doctor. This expert will be able to determine the real cause of this condition. A regular visit to your dentist can reveal a lot. There are cases of halitosis that are not caused by a poor oral hygiene. It is even necessary to undergo blood tests to determine the systemic answers to the real cause of bad breath. Halitosis can actually pose for more serious medical conditions . It is necessary then to have a medical evaluation of the problem. It is best to have a dentist check your teeth and gums and if there is nothing wrong with your mouth then the next step is consult a doctor who can provide diagnostic tests to determine the real cause of someones halitosis. Also, this will help you manage your condition without being too dependent on your doctors.
Practice makes permanent. It is best to develop a regular routine maintaining your good oral hygiene. Good habits will have good outcome . If you smoke, it will give you a bad breath. So it is necessary to avoid vices or bad dietary habits that will just promote bad breath. Regular brushing and flossing can definitely make a big difference to someones breath.

There’s dissimilarity between sun blocks and sunscreens. Factual to their name, sun blocks avoid the sun from attainment your skin. If you’ve ever been a lifeguard, you’re probably familiar with the sun-blocking agent zinc oxide, the creamy white coating that has saved many a nose from too much sun. Zinc oxide and its chemical cousin, titanium dioxide, are sun blocks because they reflect ultraviolet radiation away from the skin surface. Both are accessible in skin tones and fashion colors, while titanium dioxide is also available in a clear formula. These ingredients are used in some commercial lotions such as those labeled as “non-chemical” or “for sensitive skin.” Sun blocks are highly effective in protecting against UVA and UVB rays .

Sunscreens, on the additional hand, take up rather than reproduce UV emission. In recent years, the most broadly used sunscreen element has included benzophenones, which defend against UVA, and cinnamates and salicylates, which protect against UVB. You’ll see these ingredients listed as oxybenzone, octyl salicylate, or octyl methoxycinnamate, to name a few. A major drawback is that many of these ingredients break down after several hours when exposed to sunlight, which means that the sunscreens need to be reapplied to be effective.

But two new sunscreens, Antheil’s SX and Helioplex give longer-lasting shield against UVA and UVB rays. Research shows that Anthelios SX, which was permitted by the FDA in 2006, retains 80 percent of its UVA protection and 90 percent of its UVB protection five hours after application. The product combines a new UVA absorber called ecamsule with an older UVA absorber (avobenzone) and an older UVB absorber (octocrylene). Helioplex is a stabilized formulation of avobenzone and oxybenzone, a longstanding UVB and UVA absorber. Helioplex and Anthelios SX appear to be comparable in sun protection and stability.

When selecting a sunscreen, mostly people seem at the product’s sun defense factor (SPF) rating. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends using sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 15. People with fair skin or at high risk for skin cancer may want to go higher. The higher a sunscreen’s SPF rating, the longer it protects against sun exposure.

But that’s just part of the equation. The SPF rating only measures how well a sunscreen blocks or absorbs UVB rays. Therefore, the academy and federal public health agencies advise using a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Products labeled “broad spectrum” often contain several different sun protection ingredients in order to cover the broadest possible range of UV radiation. But to what extent they do so is difficult to determine because there is no good method of measuring how well a sunscreen protects against UVA. It’s an issue the FDA is grappling with in developing new sunscreen labeling regulations.

There are 10 ways to keep your brain sharp with different re-searchers.

How a memory is made

Let’s say you meet someone new. The first time you see her, you take it all in: the length of her hair, the sound of her voice, that fresh shampoo scent that follows her around. As you’re fumbling for an opening line, your hippocampus, a sea-horse-shaped area in your brain’s temporal lobe, has already converted all these external stimuli into a memory. All potential memories must go through this mental gatekeeper before they take root in your mind. But the hippocampus is just a holding area, the first step in a complex process. After a memory has been forged, it’s disassembled into its various sensory components, which are then distributed throughout the brain. Later, when you think of the person or happen to hear her name, see her face, or smell her hair, the components are drawn together again.

How alcohol affects your memory

Before it hits you over the head with a hangover, too much booze produces temporary amnesia by interfering with the ability of the hippocampus to create memories. (This is also known as a “blackout.”) The memories that aren’t lost can be especially tough to recall — unless you start drinking again and your brain taps into something called “state-dependent” memory. “When you encode memories while in a specific state, like being drunk, you’re more likely to remember them when you’re again in that state,” says Jonathan Schooler, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. This may explain why Old School quotes start flying faster right around last call.

Why you can’t keep in mind being born

You might think something as traumatic as birth would leave its mark on your memory, but chances are you can only recall back to age 5. Why? One theory points to myelin, the protective nerve sheathing that helps with signal conduction; before age 5, a child’s brain is low in myelin. “It may be important in long-term memory maintenance,” says Schooler. Another possible explanation: As we learn to speak, we can no longer access memories created in our preverbal years. “With the onset of language, the way we think may change, making it impossible to get into the shoes of our older memories,” Schooler says.

How memory stacks up to an iMac

It’s a close race, but humans have the edge for now. Our brains have about a thousand times the memory capacity of even the most sophisticated computer (though that could change by the year 2020). What’s more, gray matter is a much more reliable storage device. Unlike computers, which store entire pieces of information in specific locations, the human brain spreads memories over many neurons. “This means that losing a single neuron doesn’t have to affect memory performance,” says David Leake, Ph.D., a professor of computer science at the University of Indiana.

How testosterone can help you remember

T may be essential for building memories as well as muscles. In a study at Oregon Health & Science University, men taking a drug designed to halt T production did significantly worse on verbal-memory tasks than men who weren’t given the medication. “Animal studies have shown that if testosterone is taken away entirely, there’s significant loss of the connections between neurons,” says Jeri Janowsky, Ph.D., a professor of behavioral neuroscience and coauthor of the study.

What amnesia is all about

Forget what you’ve seen on soap operas. “Retrograde amnesia, the total blackout of memory so beloved on television, is relatively rare,” says Alan Baddeley, Ph.D., author of Your Memory: A User’s Guide. When retrograde amnesia does occur, it’s often due to severe psychological trauma rather than a nasty bonk on the head. A head injury would more likely cause anterograde amnesia, the condition featured in the movie Memento. “You can talk to someone with this condition and he’ll be able to tell you his name, keep up with the conversation,” says Michael Stadler, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri. “But if you leave the room and come back 10 minutes later, he won’t remember you.”

Why you never overlook how to ride a bike

When a child learns to ride a bicycle, he makes two sets of memories: One is explicit memory, which records things like the color of the bike and the elation of riding unassisted. Implicit memory, on the other hand, notes the body mechanics required to ride the bike, which is why it’s sometimes called “muscle memory,” says Janet Gibson, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Grinnell College, in Iowa. Even when explicit memories fail, implicit ones remain.

Why hypnotism works sometimes

Just because you can’t remember an event, name, or face doesn’t mean it’s not still lurking in your brain, able to be retrieved through hypnotism. That’s because our brains appear to have a threshold of what’s considered fully formed memory, and hypnosis lowers that threshold (though how it does this is still unknown). Fragments and half-processed memories that your brain’s retrieval system may not recognize when you’re in a conscious state can be recognized under hypnosis as legitimate experiences. “It gets rid of your internal monitoring,” says Schooler. However, with your threshold temporarily lowered, your mental guard is down: You’re prone to suggestion — e.g., “cluck like a chicken” — and more likely to remember statements from the hypnotist as your own memories.

Why you drop your keys

It’s impossible (and impractical) to remember each detail of our daily lives, so our brains compensate by making memory generalizations called schemata. For example, instead of remembering every apple you’ve ever eaten, your brain creates a schema of apples: hard, red, sweet. Same thing happens with your keys. Rather than recall every instance of placing your keys on, say, the dresser, you create a “keys = dresser” schema, so you have difficulty remembering the rare instances that don’t fit the formula.

How to conserve your memory

“Statistically, the most common form of memory loss occurs through natural aging,”. “You become worse at encoding and retrieving new information, particularly arbitrary information, such as people’s names.” One way to battle this brain drain is by recruiting help from your sense of sight. “Your visual sense takes up roughly 60 percent of your brain area,” .

if you want to remember someone’s name, turn it into a visual image and link it to a prominent part of the person’s appearance. In Felberbaum’s case, he says, picture falling beer bombs hitting him on the nose. The key is to pick a facial feature that’s both distinctive and unlikely to change over time.

• An inherited tendency to develop allergies, called atopy (AT-o-pe)
• Parents who have asthma
• Certain respiratory infections during childhood
• Contact with some airborne allergens or exposure to some viral infections in infancy or in early childhood when the immune system is developing

If asthma or atopy runs in your family, exposure to airborne allergens (for example, house dust mites, cockroaches, and possibly cat or dog dander) and irritants (for example, tobacco smoke) may make your airways more reactive to substances in the air you breathe.

Different factors may be more likely to cause asthma in some people than in others. Researchers continue to explore what causes asthma.

“Hygiene Hypothesis”

One theory researchers have for what causes asthma is the “hygiene hypothesis.” They believe that our Western lifestyle with its emphasis on hygiene and sanitation has resulted in changes in our living conditions and an overall decline in infections in early childhood.

Many young children no longer experience the same types of environmental exposures and infections as children did in the past. This affects the way that the immune systems in today’s young children develop during very early childhood, and it may increase their risk for atopy and asthma. This is especially true for children who have close family members with one or both of these conditions.

All vitamin B compound groups (Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine et al.) are irrigate soluble, and are connected mutually in several chemical ways. They are shaped from either bacteria, yeast’s, fungi, or moulds.

They are in charge for giving force to the body throughout the exchange of glucose, from carbohydrates. They are also gravely necessary for the metabolism of fats and proteins, as well as the health and preservation of the body’s nervous system.

Vitamin B-1 Thiamine:

Essential for appropriate metabolism of sugar and starch to give energy. Maintains a strong nervous system as well as aiding proper function of the heart and other muscles. Stress increases the need for B-1 and all B vitamins.

Found in Brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, oatmeal, whole wheat, bran, whole brown rice, black strap molasses, soybeans, and meats.

Effective with B-Complex, B-2, Folic Acid, Niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Manganese.

Alcohol interferes with the absorption of this water based vitamin.

Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin:

Serious in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Needed in the repair of the nails, skin and hair.

Stipulation you are looking to produce a higher level of energy in the body, Vitamin B2 is the one of the more important nutrients. If you exercise every day, you are using up your vitamin B2 supply.

Cheese and milk are the best dietary sources of this vitamin, also green vegetables and whole grains.

Vitamin B-3 Niacin

Required for the synthesis of sex hormones, as well as being vital to the nervous system. It also aids circulation, and reduces serum cholesterol.

Because niacin dilates the blood vessels, many people taking this supplement regularly report the heat sensation and redness, commonly occurring in the area of the face.

The average daily dosage for adults is approximately 15 mg. Fish and chicken are good natural sources.

Vitamin B-6 Pyridoxine

Involved in the metabolism of fats, especially the unsaturated fatty acids.

Required by many amino acids for their metabolism, and also aids in the production of hydrochloric acid.

This vitamin must be present for the production of both red blood cells, and also antibodies. It plays an important role in the body’s immune system

B6 relieves a wide variety of PMS symptoms, such as breast tenderness, weight gain (water retention) and irritability. This very important vitamin has also been shown to be helpful in reducing or eliminating symptoms of nervous tremors and epileptic seizures.

Whole grains are a good source of this vitamin.

Vitamin B-12

Essential for the correct functioning of all cells, especially bone marrow and nervous tissue, it is also required for red blood cell formation.

Necessary for normal digestion, absorption of foods, proteins synthesis and carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

Found in liver, kidney, meats, fish, dairy products and eggs.

Biotin

Required in the formation of glycogen, and is also essential in the making of fatty acids. Biotin, found as an ingredient in many of today’s shampoos and hair conditioners, is said to repair damaged hair and keep hair healthy. Can be found in Brewer’s yeast and nuts.

Choline

Choline is an active factor in lecithin, and aids in the metabolism of fats.

Helps lower cholesterol, transferring nerve impulse to the brain, helps against memory loss and senile dementia, aids the liver in removing poisons and drugs from the bloodstream.

Found in egg yolk, milk, meat, legumes and whole grains.

Pantothenic Acid

Has an enhancing effect upon the adrenal glands, and is often taken during stressful conditions. It is also necessary during metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Helps form certain hormones and antibodies.

Needed for maintenance of healthy digestive tract, skin, nerves and glands. Found in organ meats, brewer’s yeast, egg yolk, whole grain cereal, chicken, bran, and nuts.

Folic acid

Is active in the most basic life process that we know, the synthesis of the building blocks of life, DNA. People found to have various types of pre cancerous cells have also been found folic acid deficient. Other symptoms of too little folic acid are slowed metabolism, constipation, and tiredness at inappropriate times of the day.

Pregnant women are wise to ensure that intake of folic acid is adequately maintained, as it has been clinically proven to reduce birth defects, including Down’s Syndrome.

People of all ages, from pregnant women to elderly men, are apparently deficient in the essential substance. Good sources to obtain the needed 400 to 600 mg. daily are broccoli and spinach.

Because the B complex group of vitamins works with each other, it is worth making sure that they are taken at the same time.

With rising population force and modern self-governing lifestyles, breeding has turn out to be an alternative that is declined, or at least considerably restricted. But with these decisions women get rid of themselves from a ordinary biological position. Additionally, opting for artificial milk formulas and treating the breast as an decoration, rather than a feeding organ, also disengages women from a natural biological function.

When these options are joined with the utilize of contraceptive hormones, hormone replacement therapy, an increasing load of estrogenic pollutants in the environment and food, and a diet that has veered significantly from its natural design, the formula for hormonal pandemonium, metabolic dysfunction and disease is in place. The results are manifest today in early menses in children (beginning as early as eight and nine years of age), infertility, abnormal and erratic menstrual cycles, cervical dysplasia, fibroids, endometrial cancer, breast cancer, premenstrual syndrome, dramatic mood swings, depression, osteoporosis, and the hot flashes, psychological problems, decreased libido, thinning of the vaginal wall and other symptoms of abnormal menopause.

If women would have as many kids as they are competent of, nurse them for years as they are intended to, eat usual foods and be alive in a more immaculate surroundings, these modern health problems would disappear. If money flowed out of our tap we wouldn’t have economic problems either, right? Nevertheless, although the ideal biological lifestyle may not be possible for any of us today, we can take a lesson and try to move our lives as close to the ideal as possible.

According to new erra, the desire to eliminate or limit pregnancies is a personal choice. But it may one day not even be an option. We either curtail population growth or we will outstrip resources and be buried in our own refuse. Population is the engine that ultimately drives all environmental woes. We live on a finite planet with finite resources, but have an infinite ability to breed. We either live within the limits of Earth’s sustainable resources or we will destroy ourselves.

So we have a dilemma. As I will explain, women need to fulfill their reproductive role to achieve metabolic balance and health, but at the same time they do not want to be restricted by the burdens of large families, nor are large families socially or environmentally responsible.

In an attempt to solve this dilemma, women have turned to the quick fix of synthetic hormones. There are hormones to control conception, modulate abnormal menstrual cycles, for sex drive and to fix menopause. But there is no free lunch. Since the 1940’s, when estrogen therapy became popular, hundreds of thousands of women have succumbed to estrogen-sensitive cancer. For example, a woman is 13 times more likely to get endometrial cancer and there is a 30% increased risk of breast cancer by taking estrogen. The two top preventable breast cancer risks are now known to be oral birth control pills and estrogen replacement therapy.

Some women justify the use of estrogen for the putative benefits of decreased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. But they have succumbed to marketing, not good sense. Proper exercise, diet and lifestyle choices can have the same beneficial effect without the potential consequence of cancer. But hey, why change lifestyle when all you need to do is take a pill?

Here’s what nature intended and why living in accordance with it is protective against the modern plague of female cancers. The average mom today chooses to give birth to about two infants. On the other hand, women in the primitive natural setting who may not even know what causes pregnancy or how to prevent it even if they wanted to, would have started menstruating and ovulating at age 12 and would have delivered 9 babies and breast-fed them all. When they did breastfeed, they did so for up to five or more years. Pregnancy stops the reproductive hormone cycles (that generate estrogen) since there is room in the uterus for only one pregnancy. Nursing also stops the cycle because the body “knows” that lactation and caring for an infant is about all one body can endure.

This means that the modern woman who has only two children would reproductively cycle and ovulate 438 times during her lifetime. On the other hand, the combination of more numerous pregnancies along with extended breast-feeding would have decreased the number of ovulations and cycles that a primitive mother would have had to about 9.

This means that women today cycle through their menstrual periods an abnormal number of times, causing repeated surges of estrogen–about 50 times more than nature intended. Little wonder that estrogen sensitive cancers abound in our modern world. The cancer-estrogen link is also proven by the fact that such cancers in humans and animals are decreased if the estrogen generating ovaries are surgically removed. (I am just making a point, not advocating the procedure since the absence of estrogen creates problems as well.)

The resting periods of lower estrogen that women experienced in the pre-modern setting during pregnancy and lactation served as a protective effect against cancer. (Women today can even dramatically decrease their risk of breast cancer by nursing their young for even as little as two years.) Additionally, the fresh foods of the natural diet contain compounds known as phytoestrogens. These plant estrogenic compounds are able to attach to estrogen receptor sites in the body and prevent the stronger ovarian estrogens from attaching to tissues. However, the phytoestrogens only exert a mild estrogenic effect and even inhibit oncogene (tumor genes) expression and thus are not cancer promoting. This is the logic behind plant-based nutritional supplements (nutraceuticals) to help women with estrogenic problems and cancer prevention.

Hormones are master regulators of body function. They cannot be manipulated either by lifestyle choices or medications without serious consequences. Women do well to think of their genetic heritage and try to live life as close to that as possible if health is the goal.

Age spots: Age Spot also called sun spots or liver spots; these are smooth areas of brown skin on the face, neck, chest, and tops of the hands or forearms. If you have a lot of them, you ought to check with a dermatologist because they may point out that you’ve had extensive sun harm and therefore are at senior risk for skin cancer. Nonprescription products that may help the problem enclose the bleaching agent hydroquinone. Combining a bleaching agent with an exfoliant, retinol creams, or glycolic acid creams and lotions can speed up the fading you get from bleaching. But you need to use a good sunscreen as well; otherwise, any bleaching will be wiped away by a few strong rays. If there’s no improvement in a few months, see a physician. A dermatologist can prescribe more powerful bleaching agents or administer peels and other treatments.

Fine lines and puffiness around eyes: Wrinkles wherever look enhanced if the skin is moisturized. Again, the most luxurious moisturizer is not essentially the most effective. Retinols and alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid smooth skin as well. Many products are sold specially as eye cream. Whether you in fact need them is debatable. Doctors say that products for the face are usually gentle, and you should try those first for lines around the eyes before you put in another jar or tube.

Swollen eyes are harder to fix. If the difficulty is allergies or be deficient in of sleep, you need to take antihistamines or get more rest. Traditional cures like cucumber slices, tea bags, or astringent gels can also help if the puffiness is just temporary. But in many cases the cause is herniated fat pads above or beneath the eyes. Then you really need to see a doctor for surgery to remove the pads. Nothing sold in a medicine or subdivision store is probable to be of much help.

Laugh lines and lines around lips: Dermatologists aren’t very overcome with any of the products that are sold over the counter. If you’re in reality anxious by lines like these, see a doctor. Possible actions include injectable fillers and resurfacers.

But why do those who smoke ever begin?

There’s more than just one simple answer. Some kids may start smoking just because they’re curious. Others may like the idea of doing something dangerous something grown ups don’t want them to do. Still others might know lots of people who smoke and they might think it’s a way to act or look like an adult. Fortunately, fewer people are starting smoking than a few years ago.

Maybe that’s because more and more people have learned that smoking and tobacco use can cause cancer and heart Disease. But sometimes kids can’t really think that far into the future to worry about an illness they might not get for many years.

So let’s talk about the problems that might affect kids more quickly:

*Bad breath yellow teeth

*smelly clothes

*more colds and coughs

*difficulty keeping up with friends when playing sports

*empty wallet — cigarettes and tobacco products are very expensive!

Learn more about cigarettes and tobacco.

What Are Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco?

Tobacco is a plant that can be smoked in cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. It’s the same plant that’s in smokeless tobacco, known as dip, chew, snuff, spit, or chewing tobacco. Smokeless tobacco is not lit or inhaled like tobacco in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Instead, smokeless tobacco is put between the lip and gum and sucked on inside the mouth.

Tobacco contains nicotine a chemical that causes a tingly or pleasant feeling but that feeling only lasts for a little while. Nicotine is also addictive. That means that if you start to use nicotine, your body and mind will become so used to it that you’ll need to have it just to feel OK.

Anyone who starts smoking could become addicted to it. If you’re addicted to something, it’s very hard to stop doing it, even if you want to. Some kids get addicted right away. And adults are often addicted, which is why so many of them have a hard time quitting smoking.

Why Is It So Bad for You?

Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco kill hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. You know those rubber bracelets that were created to bring attention to different causes? The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids created a red one with the number 1,200 on it. Why 1,200? That’s the number of people who die each day due to smoking.

The nicotine and other poisonous chemicals in tobacco cause lots of diseases, like heart problems and some kinds of cancer. If you smoke, you hurt your lungs and heart each time you light up. It also can make it more difficult for blood to move around in the body, so smokers may feel tired and cranky. The longer you smoke, the worse the damage becomes.

What’s It Like?

Usually, people don’t like smoking or chewing tobacco at first. Your body is smart, and it knows when it’s being poisoned. When people try smoking for the first time, they often cough a lot and feel pain or burning in their throat and lungs. This is your lungs’ way of trying to protect you and tell you to keep them smoke free. Also, many people say that they feel sick to their stomachs or even throw up. If someone accidentally swallows chewing tobacco, they may be sick for hours. Yuck.

Rescue Your Freind:

If you have friends who smoke or use tobacco, you can help them by encouraging them to quit. Here are some reasons you can mention:

*It will hurt their health.

*It will make their breath stinky.

*It will turn their teeth yellow.

*It will give them less endurance when running or playing sports.

*It’s expensive.

*It’s illegal to buy cigarettes when you’re underage.

If you think it will help, you could print out articles like this one to give to a friend who smokes. He or she may be interested in learning more about the dangers of smoking. But people don’t like to hear that they’re doing something wrong, so your pal also could be a little angry. If that happens, don’t push it too much. In time, your friend may realize you are right.

In the meantime, it could help to talk with a parent or a school counselor if you’re worried about your friend. When your friend is ready, a grown-up can help him or her quit for good. If your friend decides to quit, lend your support. You might say it’s time to kick some butts!

Sinusitis: an infection of the sinuses sometimes related to or caused by allergic rhinitis or asthma. However, at least half of all chronic sinusitis is not caused by allergies.

Asthma: inflammation of the lungs and airways and constriction of the bronchial tubes triggered by many of the same allergens as allergic rhinitis, and resulting in wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and coughing.

Food allergies: symptoms such as rash, vomiting and diarrhea, coughing, wheezing, facial swelling, hives, and others triggered by specific foods in some people. Food intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, are more common, but they are not considered allergies because they do not involve an allergic reaction.

Bee sting allergy (insect venom allergy): one of the most dangerous allergic reactions, especially for people who are severely allergic to bee stings. Causes swelling and inflammation around the site of the sting, and in severe cases, an anaphylactic reaction that involves the entire body.

Symptoms include hives, swollen airways, wheezing, difficulty breathing and swallowing, increased pulse rate, and decreased blood pressure causing dizziness. People with bee and insect venom allergies must carry an epinephrine (adrenaline) self-injection kit (brand names include EpiPen and Twinject) with them at all times in case they are stung.

Latex allergy: a reaction to the manmade material Latex, most often in the powder residue that coats the latex in rubber gloves, which can become airborne. Symptoms may include asthma, itching and rash, hives, watery eyes, and anaphylaxis.

Drug allergies: reaction to certain medications, such as penicillin, sulfa drugs, anti-seizure medications, and aspirin that may cause hives or other symptoms when taken.

Skin contact allergy: also called contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction caused by direct contact with an allergen that produces inflammation ranging from localized redness to open sores. Common causes are acid and alkaline materials, including soaps and detergents; solvents, adhesives, and other industrial chemicals; poison ivy, oak or sumac; nickel and other metals used in jewelry; topical medications, including antibiotics and anesthetics; rubber; perfumes or cosmetics; fabrics such as wool and clothing made from such fabrics.

Eczema: a very common form of dermatitis and often a lifelong condition in people who are hypersensitive to a wide range of skin irritations. Symptoms include dry, scaly skin appearing on red, inflamed areas; extreme itchiness, and a burning sensation.

Allergic conjunctivitis: also called pink eye, an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the tissue on the inside of the eyelid that keeps the eyeball and eyelid moist. Can be triggered by contact with substances such as shampoo, cosmetics, dirt, smoke, pool chlorine, or various allergens.

Chemical sensitivity: not the same as an allergic reaction, the inability of the affected person to tolerate environmental chemicals, such as pesticides, solvent fumes and other air contaminants. Symptoms can include respiratory problems, nausea, headache, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, heart arrhythmia, or seizures.