why are there more people with allergies today

[jaysay]

Seen an item on TV this morning which said that there are more and more people suffering with allergies these days, some people with multi-allergies, why do you think this is. My own thoughts are that when kids are growing up these days they are no longer come into contact with germs and diseases like the olden days, we used to build up resistance to lots of elements by coming into contact with them. I also think that modern living and modern foods also add to this, there was very few houses with central heat and fitted carpets (although a lot of people are turning to wooden floors again) what do you think

[MargaretR]

Chemical pollution weakens the immune system too

[Less]

Could the reason be that there are about 6.5 Billion of us on the planet, living closer and closer together and we can't help getting right up each others noses?

[emzy]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Seen an item on TV this morning which said that there are more and more people suffering with allergies these days, some people with multi-allergies, why do you think this is. My own thoughts are that when kids are growing up these days they are no longer come into contact with germs and diseases like the olden days, we used to build up resistance to lots of elements by coming into contact with them. I also think that modern living and modern foods also add to this, there was very few houses with central heat and fitted carpets (although a lot of people are turning to wooden floors again) what do you think

I agree with you, some children are kept in too "sterile" an environment these days. I do not have any allergies (that I am aware of, and after 27 years am sure that it would have been noticed by now if i was) I have not yet noticed any allergies with the boys (my house isnt dirty but at the moment they are outside looking for snails and worms ) The're dad on the other hand has many many allergies and I was warned that some of these may be passed on but luckily as yet theres no signs of anything (his mum always kept the house absolutely spotless). I think a bit of muck does them no harm and will build up their immune system as they are being introduced to "germs" which they need to build up a tollerence to them (if that makes sense lol)

[accyman]

maybe the mass medication of teh public with antibiotics has killed off our immune systems , its bad enough doctors handing them out for almost anything but they pump chickens full of them to make them fatter so were basicly a nation eating antibiotics every day wether it be through precription or whats allowed to be put in our food

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by accyman

maybe the mass medication of teh public with antibiotics has killed off our immune systems , its bad enough doctors handing them out for almost anything but they pump chickens full of them to make them fatter so were basicly a nation eating antibiotics every day wether it be through precription or whats allowed to be put in our food

Think I agree with you on the antibiotics accyman. I have recently been told that I'm no longer responsive to penicillin, which always worked fine with me and I am not one of those people that pump antibiotics down willy nilly. With having a depressed immune system anyway, fighting off infection is hard work at the best of time for me, but now I'm no longer responsive to penicillin its just made treatment that much harder

[SamF]

Increased population

Increased detection.

[wadey]

Every time we go to friends they are bathing the kids, every day! Why?

[Benipete]

Some years ago I attended a private allergy clinic in Whalley and it was found that I was allergic to many things.At first it was a struggle to find foods that I could eat without severe discomfort.I later decided that to overcome this I had to meet the challenge head on.
With this in mind I gradually re-introduced (with caution) all the things I was allergic to.After a time I found that I could cope with most things,but there always has to be the odd thing that will not conform.In my case there were two,Sugar and Yeast.

I battled on for 45 years facing the challenge relentlessly but always with the same result.












I fell down

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Benipete

Some years ago I attended a private allergy clinic in Whalley and it was found that I was allergic to many things.At first it was a struggle to find foods that I could eat without severe discomfort.I later decided that to overcome this I had to meet the challenge head on.
With this in mind I gradually re-introduced (with caution) all the things I was allergic to.After a time I found that I could cope with most things,but there always has to be the odd thing that will not conform.In my case there were two,Sugar and Yeast.

I battled on for 45 years facing the challenge relentlessly but always with the same result.












I fell down

Was the clinic up Mitten Road, just before the railway bridge in what resembled a Swedish type house. I went to this clinic in Whalley about
15 years ago and was put on a special diet, which improved my condition no end in the short term

[Benipete]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Was the clinic up Mitten Road, just before the railway bridge in what resembled a Swedish type house. I went to this clinic in Whalley about
15 years ago and was put on a special diet, which improved my condition no end in the short term

Yes that is the one.The first part of my story was factual.

Come to think of it the second part is not that far off the mark either.

[cashman]

don't think all the crap we eat with additives helps a great deal either. virtually no such thing as fresh food these days.

[BERNADETTE]

Originally Posted by cashman

don't think all the crap we eat with additives helps a great deal either. virtually no such thing as fresh food these days.

Spot on Cashy and the only way to avoid it is to cook from scratch. If there were no convenience foods allergies would drop dramatically I would think

[Margaret Pilkington]

I cook everything from scratch, but I have hay fever and eczema....both of which developed later on in my life.
The eczema, I think was caused by exposure to the harsh cleaning chemicals that we used in nursing.......and I nursed before it was common to wear plastic or latex gloves to do this sort of work.
The hay fever came on after I had been working with dried flowers(as a hobby and to make money for The Scanner Appeal).
These are just my personal observations of my allergies, and may not relate to anyone else.

[mattylad]

Increased reliance on central heating & decreased ventilation i houses.