Drinking From The Garden Hose and Other Fallacies
I've read two articles this week on our weakening immunity. One study in England suggests that the reason there's been a rise in nut allergies in children is because we've insulated them too much from a varied diet.
Another study from Norway (I think) says that we disinfect ourselves so much that we've become vulnerable to even minor bugs.
I think there's a lot of truth in these findings. When I was growing up there were only a few token children with allergies. Greg suffered from egg and chocolate allergies, but I suspect they might've been induced by his parents' monumental cigarette habit.
I know for the short time I had to live in their home, I was constantly sick--me--the girl who never got sick. Poor Greg thought he had married a defective wife. It wasn't until later that we put two and two together. Once we moved away, I was back to my normal self.
By the way, Greg grew out of his allergies. Was it because he also moved out of his parents' home? We'll never know.
My mother who grew up in Mexico during the 30s drank unfiltered water. Yet any tourist knows not to touch the stuff.
My first year in Texas, I came down with poison ivy. Worse. Rash. Ever. Even the doctor said it was the worst case he'd ever seen. I was almost unrecognizable.
Every year after that, I'd invariably come in contact with the vine, or the smoke when I burned brush. And every year I'd come down with poison ivy.
At first, I'd go to the doctor for my dose pack of antihistamines, but as the years went by, I stopped going. The rash would be less prevalent and severe.
I still get poison ivy but it's more of a nuisance than an ailment.
I'm not sure what the answer is. None of us want to take chances with our health and we're almost paranoid when it comes to kids' health.
We took more risks when I was a kid, but that's because our parents didn't know better. Now I wonder if they didn't do us a favor.
What's been your experience? Do allergies run in your family? Did your parents or grandparents suffer many complaints?
Another study from Norway (I think) says that we disinfect ourselves so much that we've become vulnerable to even minor bugs.
I know for the short time I had to live in their home, I was constantly sick--me--the girl who never got sick. Poor Greg thought he had married a defective wife. It wasn't until later that we put two and two together. Once we moved away, I was back to my normal self.
By the way, Greg grew out of his allergies. Was it because he also moved out of his parents' home? We'll never know.
My mother who grew up in Mexico during the 30s drank unfiltered water. Yet any tourist knows not to touch the stuff.
My first year in Texas, I came down with poison ivy. Worse. Rash. Ever. Even the doctor said it was the worst case he'd ever seen. I was almost unrecognizable.
Every year after that, I'd invariably come in contact with the vine, or the smoke when I burned brush. And every year I'd come down with poison ivy.
At first, I'd go to the doctor for my dose pack of antihistamines, but as the years went by, I stopped going. The rash would be less prevalent and severe.
I still get poison ivy but it's more of a nuisance than an ailment.
I'm not sure what the answer is. None of us want to take chances with our health and we're almost paranoid when it comes to kids' health.
We took more risks when I was a kid, but that's because our parents didn't know better. Now I wonder if they didn't do us a favor.
What's been your experience? Do allergies run in your family? Did your parents or grandparents suffer many complaints?
Comments
I don't know about allergies, but I do think the culture hasn't gotten so germophobic that we're actually limiting our own immune systems' ability to fight off stuff.
Every generation seems to lose a little more ground.
I think the British scientists in this study were attempting the same thing. They developed a patch that administered a little of the peanut allergen at a time to make the kids more tolerant of peanuts.
Exposure is key, but the trick is keeping it just within tolerance levels so people build their immunity and not get sick from it.
She's nearly 16 y.o. now and to this day I still don't know if she's allergic to antibiotics -- she's never ever been sick with anything more than a cold. Every doctor is shocked when I say she's never had an ear infection. I'm a big proponent of building an immune system by exposure. It seems to have worked for us :-)
I agree that if you wrap a child up too much, it'll weaken their immune systems. And plus, the more medication you take, the more your body gets used to it and it stops working. I rarely take painkillers unless I absolutely have too, and so the weaker strength ones work fine for me, but with my other half, who had to progress to the stronger kill-your-liver-and-kidneys-off-type, the weaker ones won't even touch him.
I do have a variety of other ailments, and I blame all the crap that goes into our food.
That's the best kind.
Re: food
That brings up a whole other barrel of problems. So many foods are GMO or so full of antibiotics that it ceases to be real food anymore.
I understand why producers have gone this route. There's no other way for them to supply 7 billion people with food, but the long term cost is going to be just as cruel when the reaper asks for payment.
Afraid I wasn't much of an obsessive clean-freak parent, either. My house was (and still is) a mess and my kids survived just fine. They also grew up with pets in the house. Hmmm... maybe that's the difference.
After growing up still exposed to dirt working outside in yard, still exposed to all kinds of things my pets either excreted or carried on their fur and of course my allergies did not exist.
Than in mid 20's moved east of Austin for the first time, went to work in an office and was only outside on the weekends. First major allergy was cedar fever from the tree pollen, than became slowly more allergic to certain perfumes, certain cleaning chemicals and other strong smelling agents.
Now take generic Zyrtec every day as we live where the pine tree pollen, the cedar pollen, the indoor pet dander and any strong chemical including laundry detergents set me off. Guess being exposed built up my immunity, but most of the past say 14 years has been spent indoors more and more and the past 2 almost all the time indoors due to being unable to walk on uneven surfaces anymore.
My parents had trouble later in life for much the same reason I think, indoor recycled air combined with indoor dog and cats do not make for healthy combination.
My grandparents have no idea.
I get allergies to something pollen-ish in spring. I'd blame me, except I suspect it's different trees planted over the years, and there's something new-to-me that triggers things.
And Jackie, I hear you on strong perfumes. They're terrible!
At least now she had plenty of helpers.
Now that I think of it, that kid brother of mine is probably the healthiest of the bunch of us.
I know, right? If there was one size fits all, life would be too easy.
Sometimes it's all down to DNA and luck.
They used to blister up on me, but now they just itch for a while and go away. But, owie! Those first couple of years.
I don't think we have them in north Texas, but then I haven't gone looking for them either. I'm still fighting off the scorpions.
I know in my office, if one person got sick, you're almost doomed to get half the office down with the crud too.
Once a year I like to throw open the doors, take out all the carpets, and give everything a good airing.
Almost time for that now.
Perfumes! Agh! There's nothing that gives me a headache quicker. It's the heavy floral scents that really give me migraines too. I don't know why.
Re: trees
Yup. If you have stuff blooming all the time, you almost can't catch a break.
Re: conditioning
I don't recommend it, but somebody had to tear out the poison ivy and that job usually fell to me. At least it doesn't kill me like it used to.
I wonder if it does have something to do with the way food is made now. So much of it is processed. I was discussing this with my mother the other day. With all the perservatives they put in processed food, I wonder if the chemical cocktail has somehow damaged our immune system or altered it? You can't deny that in the last 20 years, the market for pre-made meals has grown a thousand fold, and children have become more sensitive to foods, obesity being a result maybe of too much processed food in their diet? Problem is, those same foods that are easier are less expensive than fresh food.
Also, I tend to have more medication allergies than any problems with foods, though I do notice I have some food sensitivities, especially to things that tend to be highly-inflammatory. Like white flour and sugar. I keep telling myself that somehow, someday, I'm going to completely eliminate those from my diet.
Yeah, right. I think the best I can hope for is to only indulge occasionally.
We didn't do anything special for our diabetic friend, other than not push him while he was trying to give himself his shot. :)
Re: chemical cocktail
Okay. I am totally stealing that. :)
That's exactly what our processed food is like.
We don't use bottled water, the hose and tap were good enough for That Man and me growing up and it is good enough for the wee beasties.
If I didn't have to vaccinate the boys for school there are a number I'd elect not to vaccinate against :cough: chickenpox :cough:
So, my dear, you are preaching to the choir!
In fact, scent sensitivity came up just today at work. She-who-must-not-be-named loves those plug-in scents. At least two co-workers have suffered increased headaches since. We were talking about the chemicals etc. in those things and how they can't be doing anyone any good. We'll see if our little uprising (we tossed 'em) is noticed next week.
Re: scents
I understand completely. I'm not opposed to scents, but I don't want them to overpower the oxygen in the room. :D