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| 7 MYTHS You Still Believe About ALLERGIES! |
It's finally that time of year, you know, the one that brings sunshine, happiness, and uncontrollable sneezing. Yes, I'm talking about that red eye annoyance, that millions suffer from every year, allergies,
but, surprisingly, it's a very misunderstood topic that has caused countless myths to form from it, from where they come from to how to deal with them.
In this article, I'm going to take the seven most commonly believed myths that you likely still believe about allergies, and explain the truth behind them.
Despite there being a number of studies done to understand them, there's still a lot of misinformation
floating around out there that should be put to bed, so allow me to do that.
Here are 7 MYTHS You Still Believe About ALLERGIES!
ALLERGIES are annoying but not life threatening
We start off with the most deadly of the myths on this list. The idea that allergies should be looked at as a mere annoyance has been spread around a lot, especially with certain anti-allergy medications making light of them in certain commercials.
However, despite the hilarity that can be brought to you from a man sneezing and falling down a hill, it can actually bring much worse, death. That's right, many people have sensitivity so severe that exposure to these allergens can actually cause anaphylactic shock. That, in turn, can swell the throat's lining and tongue, restricting the airway, and lower blood pressure, and when it's difficult to breathe, without immediate help, death isn't far off, so next time you see a season commercial, try to remember that it's the optimistic reaction.
ALLERGIES are only stress related
This may come as a surprise, but there are many people out there who actually believe that allergies are not real. They think that they're either heavily exaggerated, or even psychosomatic, brought on because of stress, or internal mental conflict. However, recent studies have shown just how real allergies are.
We've already established that they can be life-threatening, and while our brains have something to do with the reactions themselves, it's a stretch to claim that they're all in our minds.
Now one thing feeding into the myth is that emotions can in fact bring about an allergic reaction, like, for example, if a person deathly allergic to peanuts simply saws a peanut, and began having a reaction to it, but that doesn't mean that the peanut allergy is all in their head.
Modern medicine has proven definitively that allergies are 100% a real issue, so if you see someone allergic to peanuts, or seafood, don't give them a piece of chow covered in peanut butter. It's not a good thing.
Nuts Should Not Be Given to Infants Under One
A guideline that is still followed by parents, nannies, and even doctors today is one that, as it turns out,
is an absolute myth. The guideline says that it is unwise to give any infant under the age of 12 months nuts, fish, or any other potentially allergenic foods.
The idea was formed and published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000, but only eight years later, in 2008, a big change in thinking came about.
It turns out so long as there are no choking hazards, exposing young children, as early as six months after birth to these allergenic foods, may actually prove beneficial to them later in life. Studies have shown that early introduction to these foods may actually encourage a tolerance in the body to them, making it less likely that they will suffer negative reactions to them as adults.
Fur Causes Allergies Not The Animal
So many people would love to have a cat or dog around the house, but simply can't because of their allergies to what they believe is their fur.
Well, unfortunately, pet allergies are real, and in fact, 10% to 15% of people have them, but surprisingly, it's not the fur that's the problem.
Most pet allergies are set off by dander, which are microscopic pieces of skin off of the animal that become airborne and thus, we breath it in. With the large percentage of the population is actually is allergic to, is a protein in cats and dogs skin, urine, and saliva.
Sadly, because all breeds obviously have skin, everyone is subject to be allergic to animals to some degree.
Sorry animal lovers.
If there's any consolation, cats are twice as likely to cause reactions than dogs, so the dog people can carefully rejoice.
Many People Have Milk Allergies
I know, lactose intolerance is a thing, and many of you watching likely suffer from it, but I've got a pretty amazing factoid for you.
You're not allergic to milk,
well most of you, anyway.
You see, lactose intolerance is a name for a condition that sees a lack of lactese in the body, which is an enzyme that is needed to break down the sugars in the milk products, so there's still an adverse reaction to the milk that you take in, but it's not an allergic one.
Most infants who are born with the actual milk allergy outgrow them well before adulthood.
Allergies in Children Go Away as They Age
While I did just say all of that about milk allergies going away, that doesn't apply to other allergies, unfortunately. The fact is, children are nearly 10 times more likely to develop allergies to certain foods,
and as many studies have shown, a large number of them continue to have those allergies well into adulthood.
Allergies to milk, wheat, and the eggs typically lessen, and then vanish, as people age, but allergies to things like fish, shellfish, and nuts, can be an issue from childhood through old age, and beyond.
Beyond being death, so be careful.
Organic Food is non Allergenic
Everybody knows that healthy eating is an important part of living a better life. However, if part of that eating involves avoiding foods to which you have an allergy to, then turning to organic or completely natural foods could very well not be the answer.
In fact, when it comes to natural food such as nuts, fish, milk, and eggs, nearly 90% of all allergic reactions are caused by them. It's not the chemicals and additives in the 100% organic food that cause the reactions, it's the actual proteins in each bite.
So be careful what you put in your mouth, because I don't want you to be sick. I want you around for a long time.
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