I consumed peanut butter like crazy when I was pregnant with DS#1, and he has a peanut allergy. I avoided peanuts/peanut butter/ nuts/ legumes like the plague when I was pregnant with and breast feeding DS#2, and he has a peanut allergy. I breast fed both kids for 2 1/2 years and 2 years respectively, and my mom breastfed me. My house is tidy, but I don't sanitize or clean obsessively and never have, and I used to avoid using anti-bacterial products.
My allergist says that allergies are on the rise in all age groups. Teenagers are showing up at her office who have never had allergies before, but have develped them across the board. They are having trouble finding foods they can eat. Cells showing signs of allergic reactions are showing up in the body in places they haven't ever been seen before. She thinks it has something to do with what we're putting in our foods, the additives, the processing, the pesticides, whatever China decides to add to stuff they send to the U.S. Some countries have also linked the increase in allergies to immunizations. Genetics of course play a part.
More research needs to be done and more money needs to be devoted to research, but sadly, pharmaceutical companies don't see food allergy treatments as potential big money makers. Maybe if the allergies become even more prevalent, there will be more of an effort to find a cure.
I agree with your allergist. I have known about the rise in allergies for many years. My mother was told the same thing 20 years ago that your allergist told you. She was diagnosed with a very rare form of Lupus known as hypocomplementaemic urticarial vasculitis (now shortened to HUVS). When she was dianosed with it, there were only 7 known cases un the US & Canada. That number has since gone up.
I think a hell of a lot more people have breast fed in the past 30 years than did from 1955-75.
Soy allergies are definitely on the rise -- my sister is a school cafeteria manager and soy allergies are second only to peanut allergies. Soy is in EVERYTHING now -- it's the next high-fructose corn syrup in terms of being put into every conceivable foodstuff.
As for asthma and other respiratory "allergies" -- it's sick building syndrome. Old fashioned buildings breathed -- now windows are sealed so tightly (and in most offices and schools don't open, PERIOD) that kids in school and adults at work are trapped in constantly recirculating air. How often do we really think those air ducts are cleaned? Ever?
Even the new windows people have in their homes, so good for fuel savings and keeping outside noise at a minimum contribute in the wintertime to respiratory problems.
Yep. Once upon a time (only 100 years ago) we spent much of our time outdoors. When not outdoors, we were inside buildings that did breathe.
As for the recirculating air, think about this. Very few plants inside these buildings to change what everyone is breathing out into oxygen. We are breathing each other's air inside these buildings. Not to mention what ever dust, mold and anything else that's stuck inside these air ducts.
Lots of diseases have been on the rise in the last 25+ years; allergies, Alzheimer’s, MS, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, autism, childhood behavioral disorders, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome just to name a few are happening at staggering rates. Everybody wonders why so many kids have autism and why so many old people are getting neurological disorders. Why are so many women getting autoimmune disease? Well, something else emerged in the early 80s besides an increase in diseases; aspartame. Many Americans (and I was once on of them) consume diet sodas by the bucket-loads. I know that a lot of people will think I’m a whack-job, but I really believe aspartame is behind a lot of the illnesses in the USA today. And yes, I do realize that the scientific “evidence” doesn’t back this up. But I also know that many, if not most doctors feel that aspartame at best “causes problems for some people” and at worst is “a national health crisis.” There is tons of anecdotal evidence; evidence that most doctors I’ve seen believe points to aspartame as being a cause for the increase in certain health problems. But the government studies show otherwise. Some people argue this is because aspartame is a huge business in the USA. I hate conspiracy theories myself, but I have to question those studies because I know my own personal experience leaves me with no doubt whatsoever that aspartame made me very sick.
Just something to think about! People are looking for causes for today’s increase in certain health issues. It could be a big coincidence, but aspartame came out in the very early 80s, and that is also when all these allergies, behavior problems, neurological and autoimmune disorders began to increase. As for peanut allergies, there could be lots of reasons for it. But aspartame usage could be a factor.
My mother contracted her form of Lupus in 1980. Far before Aspartame came into common use and I know she never drank any "diet" sodas at that time.
But, as you said, aspartame could be a further factor (as it is a chemical) in why people today are getting sicker.
We, as a culture, put very little completely natural foods in our bodies. We have become a chemical based society.
As for growing out of allergies, it can happen. I was highly allergic to strawberries when I was very young. But by the time I was 10 or so, I had outgrown it.
But, you can "grow" into new allergies. Our body chemistries change every few years. My body has been on a 7 year cycle. Under 7, I was allergic to strawberries.
At about age 7, I developed a "cold" that I happened to get every fall. My parents later found out that it was allergies, not that I didn't want to go to school.
At 14 I became allergic to most metals. I can't even wear silver. Only gold. And if I wear to much 10k gold, my skin will still break out. That means, no watch on my wrist.
At 21 I developed skin allergies to most man made fragrances. That means I can only use one kind of soap (it's $8 for 1 bottle), few shampoos and 1 kind of lotion. I also have to be careful of make-up, laundry detergent, fabric softener, dish soap, perfumes and anything else that may have some sort of fragrance added to it.
At 28, my regular allergies got worse.
Now, I have found out that my body no longer likes caffeine. That means no coffee, regular tea and most sodas.
I also have allergies to latex and to most glues used in bandages and tapes.
I'm starting to think that about 7 years from now, I'll develop Lupus and be allergic to myself.
Luckily so far, I haven't developed any food allergies.
Oh, I and was born in 1972.
But, I do think that the vast majority of our problems today are because of all the chemicals that we put in our food to ingest. Not to mention all the chemicals put on our bodies.
Genetics just makes us more suceptible to having these problems.
MIL was listening at the sink and just turned around and stared at her for a long moment with her jaw dropped.
