Contents:
- Medical Video: Boy With Severe Food Allergy Can Only Eat 7 Foods | Good Morning America | ABC News
- What causes allergies in adults?
- Risk factors for the emergence of new allergies in adulthood
- What can be done?
Medical Video: Boy With Severe Food Allergy Can Only Eat 7 Foods | Good Morning America | ABC News
Allergies usually appear in childhood, when you are "first acquainted" with a certain substance or food through skin contact, inhaling, or eating it which turns out to trigger an allergic reaction. So, what is the cause if allergies appear in adults - even though you are safe from childhood?
What causes allergies in adults?
The immune system is responsible for protecting the body from attacks by bacteria and viruses. In some cases, your immune system will fight substances that normally do not pose a threat to the human body. These substances are known as allergens, and when your body reacts to them, this causes an allergic reaction.
Until now, the medical world has not fully understood why some people have experienced allergies for the first time in adulthood, while at a young age there has never been a history of allergic reactions to anything. However, some experts suspect that the emergence of allergies in adults can be attributed to an increase in the concentration of pollutants of dust and germs in the air which can affect the body's resistance.
Others argue otherwise. They believe that allergies in adults can appear too late when the environment in which you are daily activities from childhood is just too clean. The more hygienic and sterile the environment in which you carry out daily activities, the smaller the chance for the body to be exposed to viruses and bacteria so that the body's immune system is not well developed to fight various types of microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites) or conditions environment (pollution, animal bites, or spores from fungi) in the child's future life.
One case that reinforces this theory is how allergic asthma is more common in adults in many developed countries. Developed countries with generally cleaner environments have higher rates of population affected by allergic asthma than in developing countries which are typically still troubled by air pollution and exhaust fumes.
Risk factors for the emergence of new allergies in adulthood
It does not rule out the possibility that most adults who have experienced allergies for this age have actually had a history of allergies since childhood, but don't remember it. Childhood allergic reactions can also subside or disappear during adolescence, but can come back again as an adult. This may be caused by a natural aging process which over time can affect the body's power.
Other risk factors associated with decreased endurance are:
- Is pregnant
- Experiencing chronic diseases or infections
- Travel far or move to a place with environmental characteristics that are very different from the previous one
- Have a new pet.
Other possibilities are overuse of antibiotics, lack of bacterial populations in the intestine, vitamin D deficiency, seasonal allergies, or allergies triggered by foods that you have never tasted before.
Various types of food have the potential to cause allergic reactions and most allergies persist and only appear in adults triggered by food ingredients:
- Egg
- Peanuts
- Seafood (especially fish, shrimp, lobster, and various kinds of shellfish)
- Nuts (including soybeans)
- Wheat
- Certain types of vegetables and fruit
What can be done?
The most simple prevention of allergic reactions is by avoiding allergens and avoiding substances such as air pollutants and allergenic foods, especially when the immune system is declining. If you can't avoid allergens, always be prepared for over-the-counter antihistamine medications to relieve allergic reactions.
