Q: I have allergies to the pollen from grasses and trees, classic hay fever. As the season approaches, I am concerned about having to take antihistamines for the next few months as they make me feel tired and my concentration is affected. Even the “non-drowsy” types give me side-effects. I do not want to have to spend most of my summer indoors. Is there any natural food that could help me, for example bee pollen?
A: Some people with hay fever are also allergic to bee pollen, so you need to be careful. The theory is that by eating small amounts of pollen every day, your system will eventually become de-sensitized and build up immunity to the pollens and allergens that float in the air every summer.
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It might be a good idea to get tested by an allergy specialist before attempting to fix your problem with this substance.
A safer alternative is taking a teaspoonful of honey each day. Some people believe that because honey contains tiny amounts of pollen, it can also help to de-sensitize you to the pollens around you.
Perhaps you can find a local honey producer to sell you the product, because honey made by local bees will contain the pollens of flowers and grasses in your area. You will need to start eating the honey for a few weeks before the hay fever season begins and continue it throughout the summer.
Honey may also have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. The remedy of hot lemon and honey for colds is just as helpful as many over-the-counter treatments. Beekeepers would like to be able to promote honey as a cure for hay fever, but there are no scientific studies, just anecdotal evidence.
Vitamin C has also been used to help hay fever because it may have an effect similar to antihistamines.
Eating an orange a day is also said to work. Try stirring a teaspoonful of honey into a glass of orange or lemon juice to combine the treatments.
Urine test for lung cancer?
Researchers at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Jian-Min Yuan and associates, found 246 smokers who later developed lung cancer and matched them with 245 smokers who did not develop lung cancer.
They followed them for 10 years and examined their urine samples for carcinogenic substances found in tobacco smoke. Those with the highest levels had double the risk of getting lung cancer.
“A history of smoking has always been thought of as a predictor of lung cancer, but it is actually not very accurate,” said Yuan.
There remains an association between smoking and lung cancer, but some people who smoke are lucky enough not to get the disease.
Smokers love to point out people in their 90s who smoked like chimneys all their lives to justify their own behaviour. This research may give us a clue as to why some people are spared from lung cancer.
Clare Rowson is a retired medical doctor living near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor. She can be reached at health@producer.com.
