Working my way through John Scott’s weekly round-up of research (see our research forums for the full nine yards – and to subscribe to a particular thread of research if it especially interests you) I was just amazed, last week, by the weirdness of some of the allergies that he had logged…. For example:
• A woman is mysteriously growing fingernails from hair follicles – it is believed to be an allergic reaction to a large dose of steroids given to combat an asthma attack…? Read more on Technobob.com.
• A woman lost 98% of her skin and almost died when her body burst into blisters and burns – an allergic reaction to the drug, Quinoric, prescribed to treat her lupus. Reported in the MailOnline (so it must be true…)
• Twenty-five-year-old, otherwise healthy woman had a full anaphylactic reaction in the shower after she touched an inflamed area of her leg with Chloramine-T, a chlorine derivative that is widely used as a disinfectant. Report here.
And somewhat less weird but no less unattractive….
• React to chickens? It may not be the meat that is the problem but what the bird has been “plumped” up with: brine (salt water), chicken stock, flavour and texture-enhancing chemicals, and even the waste byproducts of other animals that can constitute as much as 30 percent of the meat’s total weight. Courtesy of Natural News
• Red wine give you a headache? (Well, non organic red wine certainly does – I can vouch for that!) Many people blame the sulphites (for sulphite free wines see here...) but others blame the tannins, found in the skins, stems and seeds of grapes. But tannins are also found in the oak of the barrels in which wine is aged so finding a wine which is not aged in oak, or in tannin free oak, is quite a problem. However, the Washington Examiner has been on the serach and among others they have found a ‘2011 Cigar Box Reserve Malbec ($12) from Mendoza, Argentina, carefully fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The interesting thing about this wine is the vanilla highlights on the nose, which are typically associated with oak aging. The big mouthfeel features flavors of blackberry jam, dark plum and hints of pepper. The finish is rich and intense with penetrating notes of dark chocolate.’ How can you wait?…..
• Or, again from the Daily Mail: Girl left ‘looking like a monster’ after a severe allergic reaction to a home hair dye kit. Lauren Thomas, 16, said her head inflated like a football and her scalp started oozing pus just hours after using a home hair dying kit…… Read more here…
• And finally…. Not exactly an allergic reaction – but a really frustrating tale of gluten contamination – of a duvet!! Read this post on the TrulyGlutenFree site!
Anyone got any more to offer?……