Spring and fall are peak allergy seasons in many areas, with spring trees still pumping out millions of grains of pollen each day and the summer grasses already starting to contribute their share. Sneezing, running nose, and itching – itchy eyes, itchy nose, itchy throat – wouldn't it be great to be able to prevent allergies before they even got started.

Preventing asthma (a medical condition that causes difficulty in breathing) and allergies is possible, according to a study in the June 2003 issue of Thorax. Children at high risk for asthma and allergies were recruited in 1990 to be part of this study. Half of them went about life as normal, and the other half had a low-allergy diet as infants – starting with breast milk (with moms on a low-allergy diet) or Nutramigen formula (no milk or soy-based formula). This group of families also undertook significant measures to avoid exposure to house dust during infancy.

Avoiding inhaled allergens, though, may be another story. Other studies have shown that babies who are exposed to dogs and cats before the first birthday, for example, are far less likely to develop allergies later. It seems to me that the nose is designed to detect changes (which is why you (or they) often no longer notice even very strong odors if you are around them long enough). It seems to me that a baby’s nose learns what is "normal" to have around them in the air during the first year or so, and then begins to consider some later arrivals as dangerous invaders – the body develops an allergic response to them.

Allergies happen when the body is tricked into thinking that harmless particles are dangerous invaders. The immune system tries to get rid of these allergens by sneezing them out, flushing them out with tears or mucus, or dislodging them with nose rubbing. It tries to prevent them from getting into the lungs by constricting the airways. These are all normal responses to toxins and viruses. They are allergies if the trigger is not really a problem.

There may have been other differences between the two groups in the study. One half certainly worked harder and paid more attention to allergy issues. We still have a lot to learn. What’s exciting about this breakthrough study is that it demonstrates that preventing allergies, asthma, and eczema is truly possible. Now we just have to learn how best to do it.

A person taking the test

- is hooked up to equipment to monitor the heart.

- walks slowly in place on a treadmill (is a long and unending flat surface in constant motion, simulating a floor which can be traversed indefinately providing exercise) . Then the speed is increased for a faster pace and the treadmill is tilted to produce the effect of going up a small hill.

- may be asked to breathe into a tube for a couple of minutes.

- can stop the test at any time if needed.

- afterwards will sit or lie down to have their heart and blood pressure checked.

- To diagnose coronary artery disease

- To diagnose a possible heart-related cause of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or lightheadedness

- To determine a safe level of exercise

- To check the effectiveness of procedures done to improve coronary artery circulation in patients with coronary artery disease

- To predict risk of dangerous heart-related conditions such as a heart attack.

Healthy people who take the test are at very little risk. It's about the same as if they walk fast or jog up a big hill. Medical professionals should be present in case something unusual happens during the test.

Limit cholesterol from the food you eat to an average of 300 milligrams or less per day.