Too Much Clean?
A May 1st article appearing on the Mother Nature Network asks the question, “Why are pollen allergies so common?” According to Susan Waserman, Professor of Medicine in Clinical Immunology and Allergy at McMaster University in Canada, the question should be “Why allergies at all?”Many of us have become allergic to normal things we’ve been frequently exposed – even allergic to substances since we’ve been around since we were children. Pollen is one of those things. And we are routinely exposed to food and pets as children; some of us develop allergies to those substances as well, “if you’ve got that genetic tendency to become sensitized.”Allergies set in when your immune system misjudges a protein and interprets it as a threat. Unfortunately, once your immune system sets the “trigger” it operates on this wrong assumption that certain substances such as pets or pollen grain must be defended against, you are stuck with an allergy. And most likely, you will have to cope with the symptoms of this allergy for the rest of your life.Recent research has shown that inadequate exposure to bacteria and viruses during early childhood may increase the likelihood that you’ll develop allergies. In this modern time of antibacterial soap, clean water, pasteurized milk and more – children aren’t exposed to nearly as many microbes as they used to be. As a result, immune systems get fewer opportunities to learn how to discriminate between dangerous pathogens and harmless substances like pollen. According to Waserman, it’s an now an accepted theory that “people whose immune systems are no longer busy fighting infection become disregulated and allergic.”So, what is the perfect balance of filthiness and cleanliness during childhood?For more information on allergies, their diagnosis and treatment, check out my website . If you suffer with allergies and live in the NYC area, please feel free to contact me for a consultation 866-632-5537. For over 25 years I have successfully treated NYC allergy. Together we can find a solution that can relieve your symptoms. Book an appointment online.