I haven't heard about cashews being in the legume family. I think peanuts cause allergies because they are legumes. Were there any other reactions to the cashews, rash, stomach ache, etc.? Perhaps it was something on the cashews, maybe it was treated with some preservative or chemical? He should try eating some other cashews and see if he has the same reaction, and if it worries him, then avoid cashews.

Pollution of course isn't good for you. People living in the city should esp. be careful for it. You can do different things to help your body combat it, keep your fruit and vit. C intake up, ingest esp. foods that are high on the anti-oxidant list. Personally I use essential lemon oil (meaning an oil that is distilled directly from the lemon rind, not extracted by soaking in a base oil), as lemon is supposed to be very good at destroying toxins in the air. But I also don't live in the city, and when I go into the city I usually have something with me to inhale which I believe helps to clear my lungs of the pollution, germs and toxins, and keep my brain clean.

Interesting about the smell though. Perhaps it was from the paint fumes in the house? Or is the house new, what about the mold? Many people get allergies in their houses simply because of the mold they can't see, and of course the chemicals used to treat or clean the house can have a negative effect on your health.

> What about cashews???
> My husband has never been allergic to
> anything, and the other day there were
> cashews in a salad and he said that it had a
> itchy feeling on his tonque, which is one of
> the symptoms of an allergy...
> Do you live in a big city, what about all
> the pollution surrounding us, I just went to
> my new home today, I am moving tomorrow, and
> there was a smell in the air and I started
> having headaches... I hope it will not be
> the case all the time...