Allergies are on the rise, one third of the population believe they have allergies, and while some of these people may be wrong, they all agree that eczema, asthma, hay fever, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. now they are becoming more common. So what has happened?

It is often not clear why a person tends to be allergic or intolerant to a variety of substances. Doctors speak of “atopic individuals”: atopic means “out of place.” To those of you who don’t know, this sounds like a medical diagnosis, but really all it means is: You have a tendency to have allergies; you may have several different symptoms caused by your allergic reactions; this often runs in families; we don’t know why Describing someone as an atopic person is not saying anything the person doesn’t know about themselves!

genetic predisposition

Allergy problems certainly run in families, so there may be a genetic component, although the exact mechanism is not clearly understood. Some small genetic mutation can make the immune system fire more easily, so relatives who share this mutation will be prone to allergic reactions, although not necessarily to the same substances, but this does not explain the increase in the incidence of allergies in recent years.

severe viral infections

A severe viral infection can cause damage to the immune system, making the person more likely to develop allergies in the future. Again, while this may explain why someone has allergies, the incidence of virus infections is not increasing.

So we have to look elsewhere to explain the increase, and there are several completely different possibilities.

parasites

One theory of allergy now being advanced is that the lack of suitable enemies (liver flukes, tapeworms, etc.) has led to a sluggish immune system finding inadequate work in allergic reactions. There are many antibodies produced in the body to protect it against invasion by harmful organisms. IgE antibodies effectively and quickly deal with the extreme danger of infection by large parasites such as tapeworms. The effect of parasites on health can be devastating, so over the years people with efficient IgE mechanisms have lived to reproduce and pass on their genes at a higher rate than people with less efficient IgE mechanisms. IgE antibodies are also involved in allergic and hypersensitivity reactions, so people with these inherited efficient IgE mechanisms are more likely to suffer from allergy problems than people who have inherited a less efficient system. This supercharged immune system was a boon to the distant ancestors of an asthma sufferer who inhabited a world with many life-threatening parasites, but now it leads to a “trigger-friendly” immune system being inappropriately activated.

Other practitioners (notably Hulda Clark in ‘Cure For All Diseases’) take the opposite view, viewing many allergy symptoms as a reaction to a parasite infestation.

Excessive Cleaning

The obsession with the danger of ‘germs’ is believed to have led to an increase in allergies. Much of this obsession with cleanliness seems to be driven by the media and advertising. Headlines about ‘killer bugs’ and advertisements claiming that a product kills even more germs have led many people to buy more and more products to kill off these dangerous enemies. A view now gaining ground among many researchers and some physicians is that a certain level of dirt is good for us, particularly during infancy and early childhood when the immune system is maturing.

Helper T cells in the immune system recognize foreign antigens and then secrete substances to activate other cells to fight the invader. In pregnancy, helper T cells that attack invaders directly without producing antibodies (Th1 cells) are less active, as they could cause the mother’s system to reject the fetus. This means that helper T cells that are responsible for antibody reactions (Th2 cells) are more prominent. These are the ones that are involved in allergic reactions. The new baby’s immune system has the same emphasis as the mother’s during pregnancy. Exposure of the very young to some level of ‘dirt’ is thought to be beneficial because it helps to rebalance the immune system to emphasize helper T cells that are not involved in the allergy process.

In an excellent article (‘New Scientist’ July 18, 1998) Garry Hamilton talks about ‘the kinder side of germs’. If the young are not exposed to ‘dirt’, the immune system does not go through this rebalancing process and a tendency to allergy may result. Linda Gamblin in ‘The Allergy Bible’ cites several medical research projects, which support the idea of ​​allowing children exposure to dirt and minor infections to help protect against allergies.

Vaccination

Our children are now being vaccinated against an ever-increasing variety of diseases. While some of these are serious, many are minor illnesses once considered part of a normal childhood. Many alternative practitioners believe that these childhood illnesses help prepare the immune system so that it can better deal with a whole range of illnesses later in life. This point of view is not accepted by the majority of the medical profession and, in fact, would be difficult to prove. However, there is some evidence that vaccination alters the ratio of helper T cells to suppressor T cells. This is likely to have an effect on the vaccinated child’s susceptibility to allergic reactions. It is also known that most vaccines stimulate the branch of the immune system that deals with the most extreme immune reactions against invaders such as parasites (‘New Scientist’, July 18, 1998).

Ubiquitous presence of some foods

Before the advent of freezers and air transportation, most people ate local foods that were in season. Now most fruits and vegetables are available year-round, so our systems are exposed to the same foods continuously without a break.

There has been a dramatic increase in people experiencing soy allergies as soy has become a common ingredient in many processed foods. In Europe and North America, allergy to rice is relatively uncommon, while in Asia, where it is most commonly consumed, it is much more common.

technological developments

Advances that make modern life more comfortable have also led to an increase in allergies. With the advent of air conditioning, central heating, and wall-to-wall carpeting, house dust mites and molds like alternaria have an ideal environment in which to thrive. Modern offices with sealed windows mean that everyone is exposed to the perfumes that other people wear. The increasing use of plastics, formaldehyde, benzene, etc. they have led us all to be exposed to a staggering variety of chemicals.

Pollution by environmental pollutants

The chemicals in diesel exhaust are known to damage the outer membranes of pollen. This means that when pollen is inhaled, the pollen proteins are immediately in much closer contact with the delicate membranes of the mouth, nose, and lungs than they would be if the pollen had not been damaged in this way.

It has now also been suggested that the immune system is reacting to some harmless substances because they have been contaminated by environmental pollution: the immune system does not recognize food, for example, if it has molecules of tire gum attached to it. These molecules sometimes appear similar to enzymes produced by parasites, so the immune system attacks the “parasite.”

Although more and more evidence is accumulating on the role of environmental pollutants, this does not explain why New Zealand, which is relatively free of pollution, has one of the highest incidences of asthma in the world.

Electromagnetic pollution

An increase in electromagnetic pollution has gone hand in hand with the rise in allergies. The scientific jury is still out on the danger of mobile phones, power lines, etc., but many people are becoming increasingly concerned about our constant exposure. People who are sensitive to computers etc. they often also show many typical symptoms of allergy sufferers. In some cases, correction of this sensitivity to electromagnetic sources causes all or most of the adverse reactions to disappear. (I recommend health kinesiology for this).

Stress

The pace of life is accelerating all the time: modern technology gives us more possibilities, and many of us want to experience as many as we can. One survey found that half of 950 20-year-olds interviewed said they would feel like a failure if they didn’t own a home at 26, weren’t married at 27, and weren’t wealthy and parents at 29. Many of those interviewed said they were willing to sacrifice a healthy diet and lifestyle to achieve it. These expectations and pressures are not conducive to long-term health and can also lead to stress and allergies. Prepackaged and processed foods eaten in front of the TV, excess alcohol, lack of fresh air, and exercise take their toll.

Sometimes particular traumatic events can explain a particular allergy. One of my clients was allergic to wool and tea. She told me that when she was little she had spilled a cup of hot tea on herself. At that time, she was wearing a wool sweater, and the tea soaked the sweater and burned her badly.

Diet

It is now well known that bottle-fed babies are more prone to allergy problems than breast-fed babies. Sudden or early weaning can also contribute to the problem.

Unfortunately, the modern diet may be calorie-dense, but there is growing evidence that it is low in some important nutrients. People are eating more pre-processed foods, which can be nutritionally compromised.

The soil is becoming depleted of some minerals, because the plants that grow in the soil have absorbed them for a long time. If the mineral is not in the soil, it cannot be in the plant, so it is also not available in the food we eat.

It is unlikely that there is a simple answer to why people are allergic, intolerant or sensitive in general or to certain substances. Research is still taking place in this fascinating area. Fortunately, with the tools that exist, it is not necessary to know why someone has allergy problems in order to detect and correct them.