Many of us have heard about, or even know someone who suffers from, severe allergic reactions. Typically,the sufferer has a bad reaction to nuts or shellfish and unless he rapidly injects himself with Epinephrine (Adrenaline), this reaction could even prove fatal. It’s interesting to understand, however, why this reaction happens in the first place and what, if anything, can be done to prevent or lessen the severity of these attacks.
A recent Daily mail article details the case of a lady who suffered just such a reaction to hazelnuts and gives us interesting details of the allergy and its causes:
An allergy occurs when the body over-reacts to the presence of something harmless and produces antibodies and chemicals such as histamine in response. It is the body’s way of trying to get rid of the perceived invader as rapidly as possible.
An anaphylactic reaction [...] occurs when the body produces a huge amount of histamine from all of the body’s cells, not just localised ones, as happens in a milder reaction. The large amount of histamine causes blood vessels and tubes in the lungs to swell, leading to severely reduced blood pressure and breathing problems. [Daily Mail]
While it’s true and stress and hormonal imbalances are all leading causes of allergic reactions, what is surprising researchers is the fact that people are developing allergies to even plant-based foods something man has eaten for centuries. This is where it gets interesting because it is truly possible that our immune systems are not being challenged enough by the sanitation and cleanliness of modern food preparation and consumption:
‘For example, in years gone by we would have had regular exposure to bacteria found in muddy water, and these bacteria would also have been found on unwashed fruit and vegetables.
‘Throughout evolution, all animals and humans will have consumed large numbers of these bacteria daily. Now we drink sanitised water and scrubbed fruit and veg, so we have no contact with them.’
Indeed, animal studies have shown that regular exposure to such bacteria can reverse eczema, for instance. [Daily Mail]
Various parasitic worms are also being studied to see what their role could be in preventing allergies. These parasites and bacteria routinely found in our gut are now being slowly eradicated by the high use of antibiotics and this could be a leading cause of the increase in allergic reactions as well.
Do read the full article contains more details on the new ways allergies are being studied and ossible cures are being investigated. If you or someone you know suffers from allergies, it’s probably not a very bad idea to pluck fruits right off the trees and have a go at them.
Your ancestors did that and you are living proof they survived!