Wednesday,

December 3, 2008            WELLNESS NEWS

· How to Prevent Children from Food Allergies with Harry Hong, PhD

· Tip of the Week: How Good Dental Health can Ward off Winter Sickness with Dr. Andie Pearson, DDS

How to Prevent Children from Food Allergies with Harry Hong, PhD, OMD

According to a recent study by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, 1 in 17 children under the age of three suffers from a food allergy, making it one of the fastest growing health concerns in the United States. In just five years (1997-2002) the peanut oil allergy doubled among U.S. children and since allergies have continued to increase. Today almost 3 million children are victims of life-long food allergies. ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Dr. Harry Hong, PhD, offers expertise on how to prevent children from dangerous allergies.

“Food allergies are life altering for everyone involved and require constant vigilance,” says Hong. “Today more than ever, it is important that parents understand that over-vaccination, over-use of antibiotics and over-consumption of sugar are the leading issues causing children to develop dangerous food allergies.”

Hong goes on to explain that too many vaccinations in the first year of life promotes a TH2 immune system in children. TH2 immune systems overproduce antibodies, which can lead to a sensitive immune function causing allergies and other immune system malfunctions. Too much sugar in a child’s diet leads to intestinal Candida problems and eventually Leaky Gut Syndrome. This syndrome causes partially digested food to leak out into the body, triggering immune responses and causing food allergies. Hong offers the following tips to help keep kids safe from these allergy-causing issues:

• Postpone Vaccinations – When possible, postpone vaccinations for infants and toddlers until they have had time to develop a healthy immune system. By the age of three, children have more developed immune systems that can effectively deal with harsh vaccinations.
• Avoid Common Allergy Foods – Staying clear of high-risk allergy foods during early development will give the immune system a better chance to develop a defense before encountering them. The eight foods which account for 90 percent of food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, etc.), wheat, soy, fish and shellfish.
• Reduce Food Additives and Antibiotics – Cut foods with additives and antibiotics out of children’s diets. Like vaccinations, these supplements are difficult on a child’s immune system and will cause allergies and infection.

ChicagoHealers.com Wednesday Experts

Dr. Harry Hong, PhD: Integrative/Energy/Chinese Medicine, Homeopathy and Allergy Desensitization

Dr. Andie Pearson, DDS: Holistic Dentistry

Tip of the Week: How Good Dental Health can Ward off Winter Sickness with Dr. Andie Pearson, DDS

The holidays are finally here, and so are the illnesses of winter. Not many people can afford to be home with a cold or the flu during this season, so it is important to prepare the body for combating viruses. ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Dr. Andi Pearson, DDS, explains that something as simple as good dental health can actually help protect against sickness.

“Not many people realize that dental health is connected closely with other areas of human health,” says Dr. Pearson. “The mouth is where the digestive system begins and is the gateway for most nutritional processes. It is the starting place for keeping bacteria out and letting essential oils in.”

Both the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association have done recent studies that illustrate the link between dental health and diseases like diabetes and heart disease. If oral health is not maintained well, the endocrine and immune systems have to work harder to break down foods during the digestive process or fight harmful bacteria, leading to compromised or incomplete efficiency. Dr. Pearson provides the following tips for keeping your dental defense strong during the winter months:

· Brush with Essential Oils – Add a drop of cinnamon oil and a drop of myrrh oil to your toothbrush before brushing. Both oils are antibacterial and antiviral, which can prevent infection and provide extra defense against cold and flu bacteria.

· Get the Whole Mouth Involved – Do not underestimate the power of dental homecare. Make sure to brush at least three times a day to wash away daily bacteria. Also, brush into your gums, tongue and cheeks at the end of a brushing cycle to build resistance against daily illnesses floating around the office and home.

· Keep It Extra Clean – There is nothing more effective than a professional deep clean. Consider seeing a dentist for a cleaning every 3 months in the winter to proactively combat hard-to-reach bacteria. Also, dentists check for gum disease, which can weaken the immunity towards illnesses.

About ChicagoHealers.com

Chicago Healers (www.chicagohealers.com) is the nation’s pioneer prescreened integrative health care network, offering a comprehensive understanding of each practitioner’s services, approach, and philosophy.  Our holistic health experts teach and advocate natural and empowered health and life choices through their practices, the media, educational events, and our website.  With close to 200 practitioners and over 300 treatment services, Chicago Healers has provided nearly 400 free educational events for Chicagoans and has been featured in 300+ TV news programs and print publications. For more information, visit www.chicagohealers.com.

Media Contacts: Paramount Public Relations, Inc.

Erica Morisco, 312.643.2461, emorisco@paramountpr.com

Katie Dornacher, 312.643.2462, kdornacher@paramountpr.com