ASTHMA GAMES

Introduction Allergy is a serious and increasing problem but our understanding of these problems has increased enormously over the past 20 years. Therefore one can be very optimistic about the outlook for allergic sufferers these days and there is no need to be over-concerned if you have an allergy. The word allergy has two Greek roots: "allos" meaning altered and "ergos" meaning work. With allergy we experience an altered reactivity. Allergy is one of a series of asthma games asthma games immunological defences that our body has to protect us against bacteria, viruses or parasites. Unfortunately, this protection sometimes harms us as well. Then we get allergies. Allergens are the substances that may cause these reactions. Examples are pollens from trees, grasses and weeds, animal allergens such as arise from cats or dogs, housedust and especially house-dust mites, insect parts and insect stings, foods additives, fungal spores and even certain medicines such as aspirin or penicillin. We make natural asthma treatments asthma games contact with these allergens by breathing, eating and touching them. Once in the body the allergens encounter mast cells and other specialised cells. These cells belong to a group of cells that act as soldiers of the body's immune system. They line the areas of our group of cells that act as soldiers of the bodies that are in contact with the outside world, the skin, nose, lungs and digestive systems. The surface of mast cells are testimonial asthma asthma games covered with specific antibodies called IgE (Immunoglobulin E). When a mast cell encounters an allergen such as house-dust mite and has the specific IgE for this allergen on its surface, a series of complex biochemical reactions occur within the mast cell will result in the secretion of granules containing chemicals such as histamine. These chemicals known as "mediators" are the substances which cause allergic damage, especially swelling and inflammation. It is now recognised that in the majority stress induced asthma asthma games of asthma sufferers, certainly