Allergic to life

…Stress and anxiety can make allergies worse, according to some Ohio State scientists.

…Is this common knowledge? HA can’t quite tell.

…They took some volunteers with a history of hay fever and seasonal allergies. Over three days, standard allergy tests were taken. Then all got tests to determine their stress level.

…And THEN...One day they had a low stress day—reading magazines.

…They day after that, they had to give a videotaped speech, solve math problems without a pen and paper, and watch their performances on tape.

…Stress! Suicide here! (Sorry—HA loses control sometimes.)

…In moderately stressed people, the wheals from the allergy test were 75% larger on stress day. Those who started off stressed doubled their wheal size! Much worse!

…The stressed people also had allergy syptoms persist longer.

…Eeek—HA thinks she is half-dead from stress now. No allergy tests!

…Naw, the message is: Try to de-stress.

…Yeah, try it! De-stressing is stressful.