Allergy Brazil Nut

The Brazil nut is actually the seed of a giant tree that grows wild in South America's Amazon jungle. A number of allergenic proteins have been isolated from Brazil nut. The Brazil Nut is a South American tree Bertholletia excelsa in the family Lecythidaceae. It is the only species in the genus Bertholletia. It is native to Guiana, Venezuela, Brazil, eastern Colombia, eastern Peru and eastern Bolivia. It occurs as scattered trees in large forests on the banks of the Amazon, Rio Negro, and the Orinoco. The genus is named after the French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet. It is a large tree, reaching 30-45 m tall and 1-2 m trunk diameter, among the largest of trees in the Amazon rain forests. It may live for 500 years or more. The stem is straight and commonly unbranched for well over half the tree's height, with a large emergent crown of long branches above the surrounding canopy of other trees. The bark is grayish and smooth. The leaves are dry-season deciduous, alternate, simple, entire or crenate, oblong, 20-35 cm long and 10-15 cm broad. Allergies often affect the upper respiratory tract. Common symptoms include: stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, itching or watery eyes. Antihistamines can also help relieve runny nose and irritated eyes. If the runny nose persists, try combining with a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed).