Allergy prevention
- Allergies rates are rising every year worldwide and they are also getting more complex. They can affect anyone and can occur at any age.
- It is thought that allergies and increased sensitivity to foods are probably environmental, and related to Western lifestyles. Factors may include pollution, dietary changes, less exposure to microbes and over-use of antibiotics; these alter our beneficial gut bacteria (microbiota) and change how our immune systems respond.
- There is a genetic risk factor if the parents have allergies; if one of the parents has an allergy, the child’s risk of developing an allergy is 35%; if both parents are allergic, the risk increases to 70%.
- There is also “the allergic march”; which describes the natural progression of allergic diseases from infancy to adulthood. The common steps in the allergic march are:
- – Step 1: Birth to 1 year of age: Eczema, skin irritation
- – Step 2: 1-3 years of age: Food allergies
- – Step 3: 4-6 years of age: Asthma / seasonal and environmental allergies
- – Step 4: 5-7 years of age: Allergic nasal symptoms
In immunYs, we identify risk factors to prevent allergies. We also educate the immune system when possible. Evidence shows that the first years of life are key in the development of the immune system and adopting strategies for allergy prevention and control of “the allergic march”.