Common allergens for Allergic Rhinitis
Plants as allergens
Examples of plants commonly responsible for Allergic Rhinitis include: Ragweed, lowers, evergreen trees and grass. Many people are allergic to mold. Mold spores are carried in the air and may be present all year long. Mold is most prevalent indoors in damp locations and in swamp coolers, bathrooms, washrooms, fabrics, rugs, stuffed animals, books, wallpaper, and other “Organic” materials. Outdoors, mold lives in the soil, on compost, and on damp vegetation.

Dust
Dust is another common allergen. House dust contains microscopic particles of pollen, mold, fibers from clothing and other fabrics, detergents, and microscopic insects (mites). Mites, including small fragments of dead mites, are the primary causes of dust allergy.

Animals as allergens
Many people are allergic to animals. Most people are not allergic to the animal’s fur or feathers. They are actually allergic to the small scales of skin (dander) that the animal sheds. Some people are allergic to the animal’s saliva, particularly cats (whose saliva contains a protein known to cause allergy). Saliva exposure occurs if the animal licks the person. It may also occur from petting the animal after it has groomed itself or by touching an object that the animal has recently licked or chewed.

Environment as allergens
A few people develop allergies to other irritants in the environment, including smoke, fumes from industries or cleaning products, tobacco, powder (face powder, baby powder, and so on.), laundry detergents, and other common substances.

Food Allergies
Food allergies are often misunderstood. There is a great deal of general confusion about them, and they constitute a controversial area within the allergy field of medicine.

Often, what is at first thought to be a food allergy is found to be something else. For example, many people who think they are allergic to foods are merely sensitive to them. Others may have enzyme deficiencies which cause them to react adversely to a food in a non–allergic way. In the following article, these and other common misunderstandings about food allergies will be cleared.

The Classic Food Allergy
Let’s look first at “True” (or “Classic”) food allergies, and how to prevent and treat them. Classic food allergies include allergies to milk, soy, egg whites, shellfish and peanuts. Peanut allergy is a good example to examine, since it is one of the most widely known food allergies and is becoming more and more common. (It is also the food allergy most likely to be fatal). With classic food allergies, your body forms antibodies against the offending food. Even the smell of the food can cause a reaction in a highly allergic person. Peanut allergic persons do not like to eat snacks in planes where nuts are served.

Peanut Allergy
Why is peanut allergy becoming so much more prevalent?
The answer is simply that we are eating them more. Peanuts are healthy if you aren’t allergic to them, and as we adopt healthier lifestyles, we are incorporating them more often in one form or another into our diet.

One question frequently asked is whether or not people can outgrow their food allergies. The answer is both yes and no. While one sees this frequently with eggs and less commonly with dairy, nut allergies are rarely outgrown.