As a parent with a child who has a life-threatening food allergy I know how easy it is to get so caught up in a cure and searching for ways to prevent future reactions that we fail to look for the cause. After all the safety and well being of our children is our number one responsibility as parents, right? But it was recently brought to my attention that far to little is being done to determine why our children developed these food allergies to begin with.
Why cant anyone explain to me why my son is allergic to tree nuts? It has been debated by doctors for years now but no one can agree on a specific factor. Matter of fact most pediatricians and allergist will likely dismay your concerns if the topic of why your child has food allergies is brought up. Maybe not enough of us are asking the question? Well I am.
I want to know why, from 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased nearly 18% among children? I want to know why, food allergies where unheard of when I was in elementary school? Today, I would be surprised to find someone who didn’t know a child who suffers from food allergies. Schools across the country are enforcing peanut bans. What? Peanut butter was a staple when I went to school.
Research reported in the April 1999 JACI (Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology) estimated that 1% of the population is allergic to peanuts or tree nuts. That's close to 3 million Americans! The prevalence of peanut allergies has doubled in the 5 years from 1997 to 2002 according to research reported in the December 2003 JACI. Why? Is it the peanut oil adjuvants in our vaccines? Are we "too clean"?
Studies have found a prevalence of milk allergy in children in the first year of life of around 2% to 5%. According to the Allergy & Asthma Foundation of America, it is one of the most common food allergens in children. Could it be the changes that have occurred in our milk supply? What about our food supply in general?
I have decided to explore the possibilities of Genetically Modified Food
(GMOs), vaccines, the "Hygiene Hypothesis", and even how our own genetics may play a role in the sudden food allergy epidemic. There is so much information that is not being provided to us by our "health-care providers" (or government for that matter). As parents or even citizens, shouldn't we have a right to know? Even more important shouldn't we have a say in the matter?
I will post on each topic individually throughout the next couple weeks. I would love to hear your comments, concerns, and opinions. I also highly recommend reading the book "The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick - and What We Can Do About It
" by Robyn O'Brien and "The History of the Peanut Allergy Epidemic
" by Heather Fraser. Both are really great reads that just might change the way you look at both food allergies and your childs health altogether.
Why cant anyone explain to me why my son is allergic to tree nuts? It has been debated by doctors for years now but no one can agree on a specific factor. Matter of fact most pediatricians and allergist will likely dismay your concerns if the topic of why your child has food allergies is brought up. Maybe not enough of us are asking the question? Well I am.
I want to know why, from 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased nearly 18% among children? I want to know why, food allergies where unheard of when I was in elementary school? Today, I would be surprised to find someone who didn’t know a child who suffers from food allergies. Schools across the country are enforcing peanut bans. What? Peanut butter was a staple when I went to school.
Research reported in the April 1999 JACI (Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology) estimated that 1% of the population is allergic to peanuts or tree nuts. That's close to 3 million Americans! The prevalence of peanut allergies has doubled in the 5 years from 1997 to 2002 according to research reported in the December 2003 JACI. Why? Is it the peanut oil adjuvants in our vaccines? Are we "too clean"?
Studies have found a prevalence of milk allergy in children in the first year of life of around 2% to 5%. According to the Allergy & Asthma Foundation of America, it is one of the most common food allergens in children. Could it be the changes that have occurred in our milk supply? What about our food supply in general?
I have decided to explore the possibilities of Genetically Modified Food
(GMOs), vaccines, the "Hygiene Hypothesis", and even how our own genetics may play a role in the sudden food allergy epidemic. There is so much information that is not being provided to us by our "health-care providers" (or government for that matter). As parents or even citizens, shouldn't we have a right to know? Even more important shouldn't we have a say in the matter?I will post on each topic individually throughout the next couple weeks. I would love to hear your comments, concerns, and opinions. I also highly recommend reading the book "The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick - and What We Can Do About It
" by Robyn O'Brien and "The History of the Peanut Allergy Epidemic" by Heather Fraser. Both are really great reads that just might change the way you look at both food allergies and your childs health altogether.
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