Thursday, March 03, 2016

消除鼻敏感生活更開朗

春天來臨白日長,天氣溫潤,人人臉上增添一份笑意。然而春夏之季對某些人可也是煩惱的季節,我說的是花粉症(鼻敏感)患者。


什麼是花粉症?

花粉症,也稱為季節性過敏性鼻炎,是由於吸入了從樹木和花草所釋放的大量花粉而產生的過敏反應。花粉症非常普遍,它幾乎影響了五分之一人口的生活。花粉症引起的過敏反應包括導致鼻腔、喉嚨和眼睛等黏膜內膜炎症,引起的症狀諸如眼痛、鼻塞或流鼻涕、發癢以及打噴嚏。

我們的免疫系統是如何對花粉症作出反應的?
患者免疫系統通常受到過度刺激,將花粉誤作為外來入侵物者,引發炎症反應和釋放大量組胺。

我們的腸道被一層粘膜保護,稱為腸道粘膜屏障。體內大約百分之七十的免疫細胞都容納於此。這些免疫細胞受到不同微生物群所影響,自身免疫系統便會發揮相應的免疫反應。而過敏人士比較常出現的情況是腸內菌種失去平衡。因此不難想像那些過敏反應的嚴重程度或與我們的腸道健康息息相關。

益生菌為何能舒緩花粉症?
具有活性而對身體有益的細菌通過調節免疫系統和抑制致病細菌的繁茂,能有效舒緩過敏反應。


在2014年一份研究報告指出,花粉症患者給予服用益生菌乳酸菌5週後,生活質量得以顯著改善,流眼水的改善尤其明顯。服用益生菌加抗組胺的一組和單獨服用抗組胺的一組比較,同時服用益生菌功效更顯著。

在2011年的另一項研究發現,花粉症患者定時服用乳酸桿菌益生菌,其鼻塞和瘙癢症狀大大降低。調查發現其炎症標誌水平和過敏反應都得以降低。

也有研究已經表明,過敏症患者的鼻通道微生物種類更加兩極化。這可能導致病原菌優勢和保護性菌群的減少,免疫防禦能力因此受到影響。儘管我們現時還不能理解益生菌如何對鼻微生物產生作用,但一些研究已經顯示了眾多益處。一項研究關於鼻子內益生菌對潜在致病菌的影響發現,服用益生菌人士,其鼻子內潜在致病菌的數目顯著減少。

或許可以這樣說,維持腸道生態平衡,長期存有微生物多樣性,相比腸內只存在一種主要細菌更為有益。

你應該什麼時候開始服用益生菌?
以益生菌達致腸道細菌平衡和舒緩過敏反應需要一些時間,成人所需的時間就更長。活性細菌的作用在預防過敏反應的應用上更為有效。因此我們建議每日服用益生菌,或最少需要在春季來臨前便開始服用,這樣最為有效。

As longer days, lighter evenings and the warmth of spring puts a smile on most people's faces, for many the appearance of spring and summer sunshine can often mean the onset of the dreaded  hay fever season.

What is a hay fever?

Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis,  is an allergic response to inhaled pollen released from local trees, grasses and flowers. It is a common condition affecting one in five people at some point in their life. The allergic response causes inflammation of the mucosal lining of the nasal passages,  throat and eyes,  causing symptoms such as sore eyes, blocked or runny nose, itching and sneezing.

How does the immune system react to hay fever?
In hay fever sufferers the immune system is overstimulated,  perceiving pollen as a foreign invader, causing an inflammatory response and the release of histamine.

The gut mucosal barrier houses approximately 70% of the body’s immune cells and is lined and influenced by a diverse microflora that plays an important role in the development and function of the corresponding immune system.  Imbalanced microflora has been observed in those suffering allergic diseases.  It is not surprising, therefore  that there appears to be a link between the severity of such allergies and the health of our gut.

How can probiotics help with hayfever?
Live bacteria products could benefit hay fever sufferers by moderating the immune system and controlling pathogenic overgrowth.

A Study in 2014 reported that hay fever sufferers given a lactobacilli probiotic for 5 weeks saw significant improvement in quality of life, in particular a reduction in running eyes.  Results of those taking the probiotics alongside anti-histamines were more significant than those taking an antihistamine alone.

Another study in 2011 found that subjects with hay fever,  who consumed a lactobacilli probiotic had lower  nasal congestion and itching. They also produce less inflammatory markers and a reduced immune response.

It has been shown that the microflora is more diverse in  the nasal passages of allergy sufferers.  Which could lead to predominance in pathogenic bacteria and a reduction in protective flora, therefore reducing immune defence.  Although it is not well understood how probiotics have an effect on nasal microflora, some studies have shown benefits. A study testing the effects of probiotics on potential  pathogenic bacteria in the nose find a significant reduction in nasal PPBS in those who consumed probiotics.

It could be said  that it is the balancing of the whole gut ecology with a wide mix of microbes over the long term  that is of greater benefit  than the presence of one individual strain.

When should you start taking probiotics?
It may take some time to influence the gut microflora balance and elevated immune  responses,  especially in the adult population.  It appears that live bacterial products  are more effective in preventing hay fever opposed to treating it.  It is advisable, therefore, to consume probiotics on a continual basis year round,  or at the very least in the lead up to the spring and throughout the summer, in hay fever sufferers.

扯鼻鼾 Snoring

當喉嚨組織在放鬆狀態下開始振動並在睡眠中發出聲音時,就會扯鼻鼾。如果扯鼻鼾情況嚴重,則可能導致失眠、破壞睡眠質素並引起煩躁。 幸而有許多簡單有效的天然補救措施可以舒緩這問題。 胡蘆巴 胡蘆巴是一種很好的天然療法,可防止因消化問題引起的扯鼻鼾。胡蘆巴對睡眠呼吸暫停也有效。 維他命C...