Part 1 - Insect Allergy:
Beware of the Spiny Caterpillar (Higad)!
"When you get in contact with this spiny caterpillar,
do not rub or wash..."
Dr Abe V Rotor
Higad (Budo-budo Ilk) is the caterpillar of Tussock Moth
(photo below)
Author shows the stages of the life of the insects:
egg, caterpillar (higad), pupa, and adult.
When you get in contact with this spiny caterpillar, do not rub or wash. Melt candle and train it on the affected area drop by drop until the embedded spines are covered. Allow the wax to solidify before peeling it off. Apply vinegar or calamansi. Leave it for an hour at least before washing the affected area with soap and warm water. Don't spread to other parts of your body.
Leo Carlo is the most sensitive in the family to allergy. At one time I rushed him to the nearest hospital for immediate shot of antihistamine. He stepped on the casting of higad, the caterpillar of the tussock moth. In his attempt to soap away the embedded bristles, he unknowingly caused it to spread all over his body. He stayed in the hospital until the swelling subsided.
Leo Carlo is the most sensitive in the family to allergy. At one time I rushed him to the nearest hospital for immediate shot of antihistamine. He stepped on the casting of higad, the caterpillar of the tussock moth. In his attempt to soap away the embedded bristles, he unknowingly caused it to spread all over his body. He stayed in the hospital until the swelling subsided.
Some years earlier Leo had a similar experience. The allergy came from the eggs of talakitok fish he ate. The swelling was so severe his eyes were virtually closed. Timely anti-allergy injection saved him.
Allergy runs in the family. Marlo, my oldest son is allergic to all kinds of crustaceans, from crabs to shrimps. I am allergic to tulingan fish.
It is insect allergy that we are always on the guard. Insects are perhaps the most common causes of allergy in the world. Let me cite some findings and experiences.
• The popular image of insect allergies is its association with the bites and stings of venomous species like bees, ants, and wasps (injectant allergens). Over one-hundred deaths per year in the U.S. are attributed to fatal reactions to arthropod venoms. We don’t have any record in the Philippines on casualties from this cause.
• More common allergic reactions attributable to insects include those caused by contacting body parts or waste products (contactant allergens) or inhaling microscopic dust particles composed of pulverized carcasses, cast skins and excreta (inhalant allergens). Symptoms range from eczema and dermatitis, to rhinitis, congestion and bronchial asthma.
• Mites which are relatives of insects that infest cheese, bran, dried fruits, jams and sugars are known to cause transient dermatitis among workers when body fluids are re leased upon crushing. Similarly dust mites that inhabit our dwellings cause cold symptoms often diagnosed as such, or as asthma.
. There are people sensitive to mosquito bite. Usually it is accompanied by swelling of the affected area and itchiness, becoming dark afterward. It takes a week or more for the skin to return to its normal color. This symptom may be similarly manifested by the bite of flea (Siphonoptera).
American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
• Personally I discourage the use of butterflies released in wedding receptions, and other occasions for that matter. Scales of the butterfly (and moth and skippers as well) are made up of a very tough kind of protein known as chitin which can cause blindness other than allergy. Children are most vulnerable to this.
• Reactions to Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, cock roaches, etc.) are also common in the form of rhinitis, itching skin, bronchitis and ultimately asthma in general sequence. A researcher suffered dyspnea (labored breathing) during a prolonged session of grinding crickets into meal to supplement chicken feed. There are also cases of anaphylactic shock involving orthopterans.
. Have you experienced waking up with swollen eyelid? One explanation is that, you must have been bitten by cockroach (Periplaneta or Blatta) while you were sleeping. Cockroaches eat on almost anything, including dried tears.
• Workers in grain warehouses exposed to the insect pest like weevils (Coleoptera) suffer from skin itching, hives, rhinitis, dyspnea, and bronchial asthma.
• Flies and midges (Diptera) as well as mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and caddisflies (Trichoptera) have likewise been implicated as allergy.
• Fortunately processing – from milling to cooking - largely diminish the potential threat of food allergies as compared with their reactivity in raw form. But this is no guarantee of eliminating the allergen. One may be allergic to the bean weevil that attacks mungbean, and when the bean is cooked the insect allergen is diminished. But the allergy to the bean itself is not. One school of thought suggests that insect allergens in food are deactivated by cooking, or deactivated in the highly acidic environment of the stomach.
. Have you experienced waking up with swollen eyelid? One explanation is that, you must have been bitten by cockroach (Periplaneta or Blatta) while you were sleeping. Cockroaches eat on almost anything, including dried tears.
• Workers in grain warehouses exposed to the insect pest like weevils (Coleoptera) suffer from skin itching, hives, rhinitis, dyspnea, and bronchial asthma.
• Flies and midges (Diptera) as well as mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and caddisflies (Trichoptera) have likewise been implicated as allergy.
• Fortunately processing – from milling to cooking - largely diminish the potential threat of food allergies as compared with their reactivity in raw form. But this is no guarantee of eliminating the allergen. One may be allergic to the bean weevil that attacks mungbean, and when the bean is cooked the insect allergen is diminished. But the allergy to the bean itself is not. One school of thought suggests that insect allergens in food are deactivated by cooking, or deactivated in the highly acidic environment of the stomach.
. Red ants bite and sting, injecting formic acid in the process, which explains the extreme pain sensation. Because they attack by group, the amount of formic acid may reach a level that leads to anaphylaxis to sensitive people, and may cause death. Children are most vulnerable.Red Fire Ants (Solenopsis geminata)
. The most dangerous sting comes from the wild African honeybee that hybridized with the domesticated honeybee since its entry to the US several years ago. Beekeepers have learn to deal with the crossbred because it produces more honey than the domesticated type. Except for hornets, they are perhaps the most dangerous bees in the world.
. We have a local counterpart of hornets - the paper wasp or putakti. They are however less dangerous because they attack only intruders or when they are disturbed.
. The tree ant, locally known as hantik, can cause extreme pain and discomfort to orchard growers and fruit pickers, intruders notwithstanding. There are people who are highly allergic to their poison.
. Relatives of insects that are harmful for their poison are
Black Widow spider (Most dangerous arachnid)ScorpionCentipedeMillipede (it exudes cyano gas when threatened)
• There is evidence for cross-reactivity among distantly related members of the Arthropoda suggesting the existence of common allergens within the phylum. So, if you are allergic to shellfish, you are likely to be allergic to say, camaro (fried mole cricket) a delicacy not only locally but in other parts of the world.
Beware of insects, specially those that cause allergy. Higad! ~
Beware of insects, specially those that cause allergy. Higad! ~
Part 2 - Contact Dermatitis - Allergy from Plastics
Developing countries lead ban of plastic bags, will advanced countries follow?
Plastic allergies can cause itchy skin and hives or even anaphylaxis - a serious and potentially life-threatening reaction. Signs and symptoms of contact dermatitis vary widely and may include:
· An itchy rash· Leathery patches that are darker than usual (hyperpigmented),
typically on brown or Black skin· Dry, cracked, scaly skin, typically on white skin· Bumps and blisters, sometimes with oozing and crusting· Swelling, burning or tenderness
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Plastics are the Number One waste in modern life. They are the most extravagantly used everyday item in households and establishments. They come in cheap, easy and convenient. Yet plastics can outlive a generation, two or three. Scientists predict the life span of some plastics with the life of the earth.
Plastic bags may help maintain the freshness of vegetables, but only for some time because heat builds up and moisture is trapped that favors fungi and bacteria that cause deterioration, and decay.
Sling plastic bag is practical and durable. It is ideal for fruits and vegetables, and dry goods, too. It is convenient to use in the market, office, school and the like.
Plastics are culprits of flooding, asphyxiation of fish and children, allergy and asthma, cancer and plasticosis, hormone imbalance leading to birth defects and third sex, species extinction. There are more plastics fished from the sea than fish.
Plastic bags may help maintain the freshness of vegetables, but only for some time because heat builds up and moisture is trapped that favors fungi and bacteria that cause deterioration, and decay.
Sling plastic bag is practical and durable. It is ideal for fruits and vegetables, and dry goods, too. It is convenient to use in the market, office, school and the like.
There are specific uses of plastic such as in keeping food in the freezer. It is recommended however, that instead of using plastic bags, covered trays be used instead.
Plastic bags are now outlawed, starting in the "Third World" and creeping slowly to advanced countries. Now, this is a new twist. Take a look at these pioneers.
- Philippines (Lucban, Quezon 2008; Muntinlupa, Metro Manila 2011)
- India (New Delhi 2009; Mumbai, Pradesh 2003, Karwar 2010, Tirumala and Rajasthan 2010)
- Bangladesh (Dhaka, 2003)
- South Africa, 2003
- Rwanda, 2005
- Zanzibar, 2006
- Tanzania, 2006
- USA (San Francisco, 2006)
- Great Britain (Modbury, 2007
- China, 2008
- Mexico, 2009
- Burma (Rangoon, 2009)
- Italy, 2011
Countries that ban and/or tax plastic bags are Ireland 2002, Belgium 2007, New Zealand 2009, Kenya 2007, Uganda 2007.
There are more and more supermarkets, school campuses, offices, and communities that ban plastic bags. If your school and community have not joined the plastic-bag ban, initiate the movement. Take a look at these activities.
1. Checkpoint at the school gate. No Styropore/stryrofoam for pack foods.2. Plastic bottles bin for immediate collection to delivery to recycling plant.3. Recycle plastics and non-biodegradable materials, like bayong (bulk bag from tetra packs, see in this Blog)4. No burning of plastic materials policy; the smoke contains dioxin, carcinogenic and the most poisonous substance on earth. Fumes are more poisonous than cyanide.5. Plant-based substitutes from pandan (Lucban, Quezon), buri, nipa, anahaw, coconut leaves, banana stalk, etc.6. Encourage local industries using environment-friendly substitutes, like subsidy and awards.
Lastly, and the most practical, bring your own container: glass bottles, canisters, glazed jars, green bags, etc.
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Around the world, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, while up to five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes – used just once and then thrown away.Plastics including microplastics are now ubiquitous in our natural environment. They are becoming part of the Earth's fossil record and a marker of the Anthropocene, our current geological era. They have even given their name to a new marine microbial habitat called the "plastisphere" - Our Planet is choking on plastic, UN Environmental Programme
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Congratulations and acknowledgement: City of Muntinlupa, Philippine Daily Inquirer January 30, 2011
Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio
738 DZRB AM, [www.pbs.gov.ph] 8-9 evening class Monday to Friday
738 DZRB AM, [www.pbs.gov.ph] 8-9 evening class Monday to Friday
Part 3
5 Tips to prevent or minimize pollen allergy
these "ber" months
(Allergic rhinitis)
Article dedicated to the late Dr. Lolita Bulalacao* of the National Museum, a pioneer in palynology in the Philippines. Palynology is the study of plant pollen, spores and certain microscopic plankton organisms (collectively termed palynomorphs) in both living and fossil form.
I"Pollen allergy is often the cause of sneezing fit and asthmatic symptoms."
t is true. It is called allergic rhinitis
There are people who are highly sensitive to pollen grains. And their allergy is specific to certain plants, and at certain seasons these plants are in bloom. Plants belonging to Family Poaceae or Graminae which include rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, talahib, cogon, and the like generally bloom in the last quarter beginning October when dry season the habagat season is about to end and dry season (amihan) starts.
Here are tips to prevent or minimize pollen allergy.
· Keep away from flowers and flowering plants
· Stay home to prevent exposure to pollen
· Avoid touching eyes and skin to prevent spread of allergy.
· Don’t bring in flowers and plants inside the house.
· Use mask and proper clothing.
Anaphylaxis causes the immune system to release a flood of chemicals that can cause you to go into shock — blood pressure drops suddenly and the airways narrow, blocking breathing. Signs and symptoms include a rapid, weak pulse; a skin rash; and nausea and vomiting.
There is a pollen calendar developed by the late Dr. Lolita Bulalacao* of the National Museum , a pioneer in palynology (the study of pollen grains) in the Philippines
Part 4 -
Environment and Health: A Test on Allergy
- Fact or Myth?
Dr Abe V Rotor
"Very few pet owners are allergic to the animals they love." AVR
Allergy to green mussel or tahong is common
specially during Rede Tide. Allergy may be
mistaken for symptoms of Red Tide poisoning.
specially during Rede Tide. Allergy may be
mistaken for symptoms of Red Tide poisoning.
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Don't smell the flowers, you may be allergic to pollen.
More so if the flowers have been sprayed with insecticide,
a common practice in flower farms.
More so if the flowers have been sprayed with insecticide,
a common practice in flower farms.
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Pollen grains, 50x magnification. Note germinatingpollen grains, a process pollen tube extends to reach
the ovule and effect fertilization. The pollen tube is
the culprit to pollen allergy.
Here are some cases often referred to doctors regarding allergy. Just answer fact or myth to each of the following cases.
1. Children who grow up on the farm are at much lower risk to allergy than children in the city.
2. Infants on the farm have fewer allergies than those who grow up in sterile environments.
3. Children who grow up with a cat in the house are less likely to develop allergies or asthma.
4. Very few pet owners are allergic to the animals they love.
5. Children who have been breastfed are less likely to have allergies.
6. Milk, soy, wheat, egg, peanut, fish and meat comprise the most common food allergies.
7. Most reactions to food are not allergic in nature, but rather intolerance, that is, there is no allergic antibody involved.
8. Babies exposed late to cereal grains have higher risk to cereal allergy, especially wheat.
9. Regular use of “foreign” materials (e.g. nail polish remover, contact lens, metals) can eventually cause sensitivity and reaction to the products.
10. Allergy can induce strong and unwelcome mental and emotional reactions, such as altered perception or inappropriate changes of mood.
Part of paper presented before the *Dr. Arturo B. Rotor Memorial Lecture, 11th Biennial Convention of the Philippine Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel, Roxas Blvd, Pasay City. Published in Ad Veritatem, graduate School Research Journal, University of Santo Tomas
Part 5 - Sesame or linga is antiallergenic
Dr Abe V Rotor
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Sesame (Sesamum indicum or Sesamum orientale) is an annual plant that grows up to 6 feet. The plant requires a fairly long and warm growing season of four to five months.
Other than being highly nutritious, sesame or linga is highly recommended because it is antiallergenic.
There are many people who are allergic to food and most are not aware of it. In the US alone there are some 11 million people who suffer from food allergy in one form of another. The discovery of the antiallergenic properties of sesame offers an alternative way of reducing allergic reactions on certain recipes. The anti allergenic property of sesame lies on its chemical composition, mainly glycerides and linolic acid and other derivatives such as sesamin, as gleamed from the following report of Mitchell and Thorpe. (Useful Plants of the Philippines)
“Sesame oil consists pf glycerides of oleic and linolic acid, with small quantities of the glycerides of solid fatty acids, including stearine, palmitin and myristin. The unsaponifiable matter (1 to 1.4 percent) consists of a phytosterol, sesamin, and sesamol, which reacts with furfural and hydrochloric acid.”
Whole seeds of sesame (Sesamum orientale) are utilized by bakers in making various cakes and sweetmeat. As food sesame provides the body with proteins (36 %), carbohydrates (24%), calcium (2.7%) and phosphorus (2 %). Sesame seeds yield 50 to 57 percent oil which is pale-yellow to red-brown color, called pil. Pil has a pleasant characteristic aroma that makes it a favorite food condiment.
Sesame for food seasoning was recorded way back 3,000 years with the Assyrians.
For nearly as long, sesame flourished in the Middle East and Asia, where their seeds and oils were used for culinary, medicinal, health, and beauty purposes.
Sesame offers an alternative to allergenic food. ~
Other than being highly nutritious, sesame or linga is highly recommended because it is antiallergenic.
There are many people who are allergic to food and most are not aware of it. In the US alone there are some 11 million people who suffer from food allergy in one form of another. The discovery of the antiallergenic properties of sesame offers an alternative way of reducing allergic reactions on certain recipes. The anti allergenic property of sesame lies on its chemical composition, mainly glycerides and linolic acid and other derivatives such as sesamin, as gleamed from the following report of Mitchell and Thorpe. (Useful Plants of the Philippines)
“Sesame oil consists pf glycerides of oleic and linolic acid, with small quantities of the glycerides of solid fatty acids, including stearine, palmitin and myristin. The unsaponifiable matter (1 to 1.4 percent) consists of a phytosterol, sesamin, and sesamol, which reacts with furfural and hydrochloric acid.”
Whole seeds of sesame (Sesamum orientale) are utilized by bakers in making various cakes and sweetmeat. As food sesame provides the body with proteins (36 %), carbohydrates (24%), calcium (2.7%) and phosphorus (2 %). Sesame seeds yield 50 to 57 percent oil which is pale-yellow to red-brown color, called pil. Pil has a pleasant characteristic aroma that makes it a favorite food condiment.
Sesame for food seasoning was recorded way back 3,000 years with the Assyrians.
For nearly as long, sesame flourished in the Middle East and Asia, where their seeds and oils were used for culinary, medicinal, health, and beauty purposes.
Sesame offers an alternative to allergenic food. ~
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