During the witch hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries, tribunals determined if a woman was a witch by dunking her in water. If she floated, she was a witch; if she sank, she was innocent of the charges.

Such bizarre trials were clearly an overreaction to unexplained (at the time) events and fears, and destroyed the fabric of many communities.

Overreactions in the immune system can be equally destructive to your well-being.

Any time you have an allergic asthma attack — they affect about 50 percent of adults with asthma, and 60 to 90 percent of children with the condition) — the body produces too many IgE antibodies, which trigger inflammation.

That can lead to life-threatening swelling in the airways and trouble breathing.

Now researchers at the University of Rochester have determined that high-quality DHA omega-3 fatty acids can help calm the immune response, regulating IgE antibody production and easing the risky symptoms of allergic asthma.

That doesn't mean you can skip your long-term asthma control medications (oral corticosteroids and anticholinergic meds often are used). They are always your first line of defense.

But it's smart, if you have allergies or allergic asthma, to take DHA omega-3 supplements.

We recommend 900 mg daily of DHA algal oil in pill form. It's derived from algae; that's where fish get it from.

You can also get DHA from salmon, sea trout, anchovies, and tuna (canned only, please)