At a scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, experts discussed the efficacy of herbal remedies when integrated with conventional medicine.

Of particular interest was a Chinese herbal formula for food allergies known as FAHF-2. The formula has proved to give significant reduction in peanut-induced anaphylaxis and have a prolonged preventative effect for up to 40 weeks with very few side-effects.

Experts agreed that natural substances in herbs, foods and vitamins can be effective in the treatment of allergies when combined with conventional therapies.

Allergists recommended that patients should always consult with an allergy specialist before beginning or adding complementary therapies to their existing treatment plan.

The new draft states that a food allergy should be considered if the child displays symptoms such as:

• Skin conditions
• Respiratory complaints
• Gastrointestinal problems, or
• Anaphylaxis

A food allergy assessment should also be carried out if children do not respond to treatment for conditions such as eczema, reflux and chronic constipation.

If a food allergy is suspected, GPs should take a clinical history, family history of allergies, assessment of signs and symptoms and diet history.

Dr Judith Richardson, associate director of the NICE Centre for Clinical Practice, commented: ‘Food allergies in children are becoming more common, therefore it is important that there are appropriate, evidence-based approaches in treating those with this condition.’

The review discovered that patients were being misdiagnosed and allergy tests were giving misleading results. Up to 30 per cent of people claim to have an allergy to certain foods but in a blind-test fewer than 10 per cent actually have one.

Some of the well known allergy avoidance principles such as breast-fed babies have fewer allergies or avoiding feeding a baby eggs during their first year have been found to have little evidence to support them.

The review also found that adults are eliminating foods from their diet without evidence based on a suspicion the food is causing an allergic reaction. Parents are also stopping their children from eating certain foods even though most will grow out of an allergy.

The findings come as the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases begins the first stage of a project that it hopes will organise the chaos that surrounds food allergy testing.

Common food allergies are to cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, fish and shellfish. However, the review found that 3.5 per cent of people who reported an allergy to cow’s milk, when tested the figure dropped to 0.9 per cent.

Shellfish allergies dropped by nearly half from 1.1 per cent of reports of an allergy to tests showing only 0.6 per cent who were actually allergic.

The one allergy that achieved consistency in reported figures of a reaction to positive testing was for peanuts.

Researchers believe part of the problem is people confusing food allergies with food intolerances. An allergy is a response by the immune system to certain foods which triggers a symptom such as a skin rash or in extreme cases anaphylactic shock.

Food intolerances can be triggered by a substance in the food or a psychological response caused by association between food and illness.

Pamela Ewan, consultant allergist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, spoke about the problem in The Independent.

“In the UK, 4 per cent of adults and 5-6 per cent of children are thought to have a food allergy. Many more believe they have one – up to 30 per cent. Some are completely wrong. But people can have a real problem with foods even though it is not an allergy.”

“The chaos is massive in the UK. Doctors untrained in allergy are having to pick up cases in gastroenterology clinics, asthma clinics, dermatology clinics. They send off a test and it comes back positive for IgE antibodies. But it has to be interpreted. A test without good quality information is misleading.”

“People get the wrong advice because the tests are not understood. Having the test in the wrong hands without knowing what it means, causes chaos.”

“The key problem is that we haven’t got enough people who understand allergy. There are 30 consultants nationwide and just 12 training posts, not even enough to replace those who are leaving.”

Learn more about allergy intolerance testing in this article

Scientists in Boston believe a lack of vitamin D from sunshine could be the main contributory factor as exposure to the sun is important in developing a healthy immune system.

The study involved a review of over one thousand patients with food allergies who had been admitted to the local hospital emergency departments over a six year period. These figures were then compared to the month in which the patient was born against those patients who visited the emergency department for non-food allergy reasons.

Results showed a trend toward allergies affecting those people born during autumn and winter but only in patients aged five years old or under. Of those, 41 per cent were born in spring/summer compared with 59 per cent during autumn/winter.

However, the research team were quick to acknowledge that factors such as infections, family history, diet and indoor pollutants could also contribute to food allergies.

Other allergic conditions such as asthma and dermatitis have previously been associated to the month in which someone is born.

Leading allergy charity Allergy UK commented that the results were interesting but more research should be carried out in this area.

Experts at the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit suggest that pollution and climate change could result in 30 million people suffering hay fever symptoms within the next twenty years.

Currently, ten million people in Britain experience symptoms caused by pollen in the spring and summer months but the figures could rise due to an increase in urban living.

The report’s author, Professor Jean Emberlin of the University of Worcester, told the Daily Telegraph that hay fever rates in urban settings are equal to, or in some cases higher than, rates in the surrounding countryside even though pollen counts are lower in cities.

“The fact that the UK’s urban population is expected to grow significantly over the next couple of decades is likely to accentuate the natural rise in hay fever and allergies,” said Professor Emberlin.

Researchers from Portsmouth University found a discrepancy in studies about the prevalence of food allergies and blame the internet, self-testing kits and celebrity food fads for creating an epidemic of make-believe problems.

Studies show that of around ten million adults who claim to have an allergy or intolerance to foods such as milk, only two per cent actually have a problem.

Food allergies are caused by an over-reaction of the immune system while intolerances, while similar, have less severe symptoms.

As a result of the latest study, millions of people could be unnecessarily restricting their diet and removing essential nutrients from their meals.

Other people may be suffering a medical problem that is left untreated because it is being associated with a food source that is not the actual cause.

Dr Carina Venter, who headed the study, said: ‘Our concern is that people are self-diagnosing allergies which is very unreliable and could even mask a different illness which would remain undiagnosed and untreated.’

‘When you feel ill, it is almost a natural reaction to try and link it with what you have eaten.

‘But anyone who thinks they have symptoms related to a food needs to go to see their GP who may refer them to an allergy testing centre or dietician.

‘Children are more prone to nutritional problems when foods are excluded from diet, so it’s critical that they receive a correct diagnosis.’

Michaela Dutton can only shower for ten seconds every week and cuddling her son has potential hazards due to his dribbles or tears

Moisture on her skin triggers a painful rash and only 30 people in the world are known to suffer with condition. The British Association of Dermatologists say there is no known cure.

Could Alternative Medicine and Complementary Therapy provide an answer to aquagenic urticaria?

Currently, pollen counts are based on time-consuming physical identification and examination of pollen in the air but this latest advance in allergy warnings could provide a real-time automated system that will provide allergy sufferers with information by the hour on what pollen is circulating.

A procedure used in laboratories to identify chemical structures of pollen grain could be implemented into a warning system that will help sufferers determine what pollen is around hour-by-hour and avoid exposure to it.

This system won’t help allergy sufferers overcome their allergies, but alternative medicine and complementary therapy methods can.

Find out more about allergies and the natural therapies that can help sufferers here

Allergies are on the increase and the reasons still remain unclear. Many believe the problem exists within our environment and the constant bombardment of toxins in our food and in the air we breathe.

Others see the problem as being evolutionary as we become desensitised to substances that our ancestors wouldn’t have had problems with. Further investigations have found the problem to exist in the mind with allergic reactions being psychosomatic (the mind triggering a physical reaction).

Whatever the causes, allergies are fuelling a hysteria among people and parents in particular. The latest fears exist with nut allergies as society over-reacts to the possible dangers of allergic reactions to nuts. Nearly half a million people are believed to be allergic to nuts and the Food Standards Agency have recommended that children under the age of three not be fed peanuts – children in Israel however are fed peanuts from eight months old.

Recent stories from the US report a school bus being evacuated because a peanut was found on the floor (which many believed contaminated the bus) and schools not allowing any nut products onto the premises or any foods that do not have clear labelling of their ingredients (in case the food contains nuts).

Researchers believe this hysteria is creating anxiety and avoidance of any substance deemed to be an allergen which is resulting in children becoming more at risk of allergies through sensitisation.

Allergies, such as nut allergies, are unpredictable and the best advice is to consult with a GP should you suffer even just a mild reaction. Alternative medicine and natural health therapies can also help you identify allergens that may trigger a reaction and help you overcome them or minimise their effects.

To learn more about allergies and natural health therapies that can help click here

Between 2001 and 2005, people being diagnosed with allergic rhinitis have risen by a third. Allergic rhinitis includes pollen allergies, allergies to animal fur and dust mite allergies.

The increase in diagnoses is down to genuine increase in the condition plus doctor awareness but the actual figure may be much higher due to many people self-treating or finding alternative medicine and complementary therapies without consulting their GP.

Researchers used a database of over nine million patients to find trends in diagnosing allergies. There was also a 45% increase in antihistamine prescriptions which raises concerns about whether allergy sufferers were receiving the right treatment when nasal steroids or other treatments may be more appropriate.

“The increases are quite marked over a relatively short period of time,” said Professor Sheikh, a primary care researcher at Edinburgh University.

“We know that in people with allergic rhinitis there’s a significant impairment in quality of life and getting the right treatment is important.”

“There’s still under-diagnosis of this problem so there needs to be more clinician awareness and the majority of patients are put on an antihistamine which isn’t the most effective treatment.”

Many people are now turning to alternative and complementary treatments for allergies. If you’re looking to treat an allergy, consider Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Nutrition and Allergy Intolerance Testing.