Happy Valentine's Day. Ahhchoo! I mean, I love you

Dr. Ian Wahl is pleased to announce the idea of Valentine's Day allergies may not make sense to most people -- until you think about it. February 14 is Valentine's Day, which typically means the giving of flowers, candy and other gifts to that special someone in your life. End Quote

Chicago, IL (1888PressRelease) February 13, 2013 - According to Dr. Ian Wahl, Clinic Director of the Midwest Allergy Relief Center, if your Valentine suffers from food allergy symptoms, nasal allergy symptoms or skin sensitivities, you may also be giving them something you didn't intend - unpleasant symptoms.

Flowers

Many people celebrate Valentine's Day by giving their Sweet Heart a beautiful bouquet of roses or colorful flowers. Unfortunately, for some, exposure to these beautiful blooms can cause nasal allergy symptoms and sneezing.

Dr. Wahls says, "This is because flowers, such as roses, contain pollen, a special substance that allows plants and flowers to reproduce. Allergy symptoms associated with pollen are usually experienced in the spring when most flowers are in bloom. Most flowers that are given on Valentine's Day come from nurseries. Therefore it's not surprising to see spring allergy sufferers experiencing symptoms such as sneezing and stuffy noses as a result of smelling their special flowers during the winter month of February."

Chocolate

Chocolate is also a very popular gift on Valentine's Day. It has been referred to as "the food of the gods" since the time of the Aztec Indians. Modern science has linked the chemical phenylethylamine in chocolate to feelings of excitement, attraction and even pleasure. It is considered by many to be an aphrodisiac. However, for people with food allergy symptoms related to eating chocolate, pleasure is not their reward. Chocolate contains ingredients such as tree nuts and peanuts, which could cause an allergic reaction in people with food allergies. Dr. Wahl reminds us, "Even in chocolates that aren't supposed to contain nuts, quite often chocolate is manufactured in facilities where nuts are processed thereby creating an allergen."

Allergies to cacao, the bean that is the main ingredient in chocolate, are possible but they are so rare that they are virtually nonexistent in recent medical literature. Therefore, if you've experienced food allergy symptoms after eating chocolate, you can safely assume that another ingredient in the chocolate is causing your symptoms. Here are some ingredients to be aware of with chocolate: milk, wheat and gluten, soy, corn, peanuts, tree nuts and caffeine. Any one of these ingredients can cause allergy symptoms.

Jewelry Metals

Some of you may want your Valentine's Day gift to last a bit longer than the flowers,
and the chocolate, which is sure not to last very long at all! For those who decide to buy jewelry for their Sweet Heart, the metal that it is comprised of may need to be considered due to the possibilities of allergy symptoms associated with precious metals. People who experience these sensitivities often show skin irritation or discoloration where the jewelry comes in contact with the skin.

These sensitivities are more common than most people realize. It is often mistaken that when reactions to jewelry occur, it is due to the precious metal being fake or of low quality. This is not always the case. The sensitivity may caused by the presence of Nickel that is used in the manufacturing process. Pure gold or silver is too soft to make jewelry. Nickel must be added to harden the metal so it will be more durable.

There is Nickel in almost all jewelry made of gold (both white and yellow), silver and platinum. The higher the karat value of the metal, (24kt versus 12kt) the less Nickel is used in the manufacturing process.

Perfumes and Fragrances

There are few things more romantic than the hint of perfume while holding your
Valentine close and slow dancing to some soft music. With so many different scents
on the market, you'll have your work cut out for you choosing one that is just right for her. However, for those unfortunate few, wearing perfume may cause irritations and sensitivities that can range far and wide. These symptoms can be as simple and slight redness of the skin to full blown respiratory distress. The last thing anyone would want on Valentine's Day is a visit to the Emergency Room!!

Valentine's Day should be a happy holiday filled with romance and joy. Should you or your Valentine suffer from any of the allergy symptoms associated with the gifts given on that special day, find a practitioner experienced in natural allergy treatments such as those practiced at the Midwest Allergy Relief Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Natural allergy treatments do not include shots, needles, drugs, supplements or avoidance which, in our opinion, would make the best Valentine's Day gift of all!

If you need help finding a natural practitioner who can evaluate and treat the symptoms these items may cause, contact Dr. Ian Wahl at http://www.MidwestAllergyRelief.com and he or his staff can help you locate someone near you.

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