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Sinus irrigation — the use of a saltwater solution to “wash” the sinuses — is recommended by allergists and other physicians as a mechanism for reducing symptoms of seasonal cold, allergies, and nasal or sinus irritation [1]. Research also suggests that sinus irrigation, generally performed at home using a special sinus irrigation bottle or a device called a neti pot, is safe and isn’t associated with any serious adverse effects [2].
It is difficult to find a school, camp or other facility catering to children these days that is not nut free. The prevalence of peanut allergies in preschool and school age children in the UK, the US and Canada is between 1.2 – 1.6%, which is about twice the rate at which it occurs in adults in these countries. Nut allergies, especially peanut allergies, are scary. And although they have been on the rise, no one really knows why. Researchers in Scotland recently reported in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that mutations in the gene for filaggrin, a protein found in skin, are a “significant risk factor for peanut allergy” [1].
