1. Adults do not develop allergies
This is a myth. While it is more common for allergies to develop in children, an allergy can develop at any age.
According to research from the ABC News Medical Unit:
“An allergy could be triggered in an adult because of a newly introduced allergen to which there was no prior exposure. For example, moving from the West Coast to the East Coast might bring on an allergy to ragweed, which thrives in the Northeast. Or, if you did not have a pet growing up, a new dog or cat could trigger an allergy.
“Alternatively, some people simply become more sensitive to common allergens, such as pollen, dust mites and molds as they grow older.”
2. If you develop allergies as a child you will out grow them
This is a myth. According to ask.doctoroz.com, “About a third of children who have asthma symptoms before age 5 will "grow out of them" by school age. However, they are less likely to grow out of allergies.”
3. If I am allergic, my children will be also
This may be partial true, but not necessarily true. If a parent has allergies the offspring has a greater chance of having them also. On the flip side, some people develop allergies when neither parent has them.
4. If I eat honey, I won’t get seasonal allergies
This is a myth. The pollens that cause allergic symptoms in allergy sufferers is not the same pollen found in honey. The pollens that are allergic triggers come from trees, grasses, and weeds, not flowers.
5. Any symptom developed after eating a food is an allergic reaction
This is a myth. Lactose intolerance, gas, and hyperactivity in children from certain foods such as sugar, are not food allergies. A true food allergy involves an immune system reaction; mistaking a particular food as an allergen, the immune system’s attack causes histamine to be released which causes allergy symptoms.
6. Peanuts are the most common food allergy in children
This is a myth. According to an article in About.com, by Dr. Vincent Iannelli, “Peanut allergies may be the most likely to cause life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), but a cow's milk allergy is the most common food allergy in young children.”
7. Relocation to another state or country will cure my allergies
This is a myth. Many allergy sufferers wish they could just move to another area and be cured of their allergy symptoms, but while leaving certain known seasonal allergens in your area will help through avoidance of those allergens, there will be other allergens that you may be sensitive to in other areas.
And, if you suffer from indoor allergens, such as pet dander and dust mites, it is near impossible to avoid these triggers just by moving. You will need to allergy-proof your home no matter where you live.
8. It is safe to eat a food you are allergic to occasionally, if small amounts don’t trigger a reaction
This is a dangerous myth. According to an article in About.com, by Dr. Vincent Iannelli, “Just because your child didn't have a reaction after eating a small amount of a food he is allergic to one time, that doesn't mean that he won't have a more serious reaction next time.”
9. Some foods only cause an allergic reaction when eaten raw
This is true. According to Dr. Andrew Liu, director of pediatric allergy and immunology at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, "Some people have allergic symptoms in their mouth when they eat certain fruits and vegetables that are fresh but not when they're cooked. And that's very interesting -- we call that oral allergy syndrome."
Apparently, “cooking destroys the problematic allergens in these foods.”
10. Some pets are non-allergic
This is a myth. It’s not a particular animal’s fur that causes allergic symptoms, it is a protein produced by glands in the animal’s skin, saliva, and urine. Therefore, it is the animal’s dander, saliva, and urine that causes an allergic reaction.
This original article was written by Allergy Be Gone based on research from the below sources. Please Share this post.
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