Why is Everybody Suddenly Allergic to Everything?

By Steve Sharp

It's our turn to organise the annual New Year's Eve dinner party for local residents all of whom are in their 60s, 70s or 80s. We sent out invitations last week to around 30 people and asked them to confirm their place and let us know about any allergies or aversions they may have.

All accepted the invitation and there was just one reference to an allergy to seafood.

Contrast this then with the scene in our local bakers today where a new recruit was learning how to use the five different sets of tongs. One for gluten free, one for nut free, one for dairy free, one for vegan and one for those with no allergy or aversion at all.

Many schools are now nut free zones and gluten free kiddie’s birthday parties are now the norm.

So, what has changed to make younger people so susceptible to food and drink induced sickness, and to increased incidence of conditions such as asthma.

Perhaps its because we are just too clean now. We sanitise everything and food comes wrapped in layers of protection. We wash our hands our homes and our work environment to the point where immunities do not develop especially in the very young.

There is something called “the hygiene hypothesis” which was the results of a study of over 17,000 British children. It found that youngsters who had older siblings and were exposed to more infections and bacteria in early life were less likely to develop hay fever or eczema and food allergies.

Its author David Strachan had theorised that smaller family sizes and higher levels of hygiene in modern western homes may be contributing directly to the increased prevalence of allergies. The theory was tested in a traditional European farm where father, mother and children still do all the manual labour from milking to sweeping out the stables. The idea to look at the family run farm actually came from a school doctor in a Swiss village. He noticed that farm children under his care, unlike other kids, never seemed to get hay fever.

So, in the absence of living on a non-mechanical farm what can we do to help our children and grandchildren be a bit more resilient to the nasty effects of these debilitating conditions?

Well, it seems you have to start very early, by introducing the main culprits into a child’s diet pretty much as soon as they are on solids.

There is a body of research suggesting that feeding small amounts of peanut butter at this time has beneficial effects……but please don’t take my word for it.

There is another theory proven in Denmark which suggests that if your young ones are not able to spend time in the cowshed then get some dogs or cats, or both, in your house. Apparently, the more dogs and cats you have the less likely you are to have an allergic disorder.

Going back to our invitation, we did get one lengthy RSVP from a guest listing his non-food related aversions, ranging from various politicians, tv programmes, people who park across two lanes and single serve milk cartons!

Steve

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