Seasonal allergies affecting at least one in four adults are more than just a nuisance – they are canaries in the coal mine, telling us something is wrong with the immune system. Seasonal allergies occur when our immune systems become confused and overreact to benign substances like pollen and even food. When the immune system, much like a city’s police department, is malfunctioning, all sorts of ailments can develop. So, it’s important to take seasonal allergies seriously.
Medications for seasonal allergies can have insidious long-term side effects. And avoiding pollen is not the solution, as pollen is not the root cause of your seasonal allergies:
- Studies have consistently found that allergy prevalence is lower in rural areas with heavy pollen while it is higher in urban areas with less pollen.
- Furthermore, in fast-developing countries such as China and India, seasonal allergies were rare 40 years ago when there was more pollen. With rapid industrialization and urbanization, which come with less pollen, these countries are now catching up with and even surpassing the developed countries in allergy prevalence.
- Additionally, the pollen theory directly contradicts the principles of evolution – our immune system should not see pollen as an enemy because we have coexisted with pollen for millions of years.
Like any other ailment, seasonal allergies won’t go away unless you address the root causes. Read on for more information about the root causes and fixes.
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