Why are more and more children prone to allergies?

Some data show that 2 out of 5 children are suffering from allergies. Currently, the incidence of allergies in infants and young children is increasing year by year and has become one of the most public health concerns worldwide, and is known as the most prevalent non-infectious disease phenomenon of the 21st century.

So, what is causing the increase in allergies year by year? Some people found a very interesting phenomenon through a survey: the more children a family has, the poorer the family hygiene will be, and the greater the probability that microorganisms will spread among children. Exposure to microorganisms in childhood will help us to fight against allergic diseases. Therefore, the more children a family has, the less likely it is that the children in that family will get allergic diseases.

This is the famous "hygiene doctrine". Well, it sounds so reasonable! So, this "hygiene theory" soon received the response and approval of the scientific community, because it can be used to explain many phenomena. For example, developed countries are cleaner than developing countries, but the rate of allergic diseases in developed countries is also higher than in developing countries. For example, cities are cleaner than rural areas, but many urbanites are allergic, while allergic patients are rare in rural areas.

Is it because of this "hygiene doctrine" that we should intentionally expose our children to dirty things and be unhygienic? No, the point here is that it is more important to maintain a balance of bacteria and excessive cleaning, but not conducive to health. This is because the maturation of our immune system depends on the normal stimulation of the immune system by "bacteria", and this stimulation starts from the birth of the baby.

In addition, the "hygiene doctrine" is only a hypothesis until now. Until it is proven correct, we can't take it as a valid theory to guide our daily life. Therefore, you don't have to believe in it, at least not completely.

So, what exactly is the matter with allergies? And what are the causes? The so-called allergy is the release of histamine and other mediators in large quantities due to various stimuli in the body. Then, various stress reactions are produced as a result of the action of histamine and other mediators. Allergies occur in the human body because of the following five reasons.

(1) Poorly developed sebaceous membrane barrier

We know that the sebaceous membrane is the first immune barrier of the body. If the sebaceous membrane is poorly developed, a little stimulation (such as pollen drifting in) will make the skin more susceptible to external stimuli, which will stimulate the subepidermal mast cells to degranulate and release histamine, triggering allergies. This is the cause of eczema and seasonal allergies in many children.

(2) Lack of VA

VA is an important nutrient to maintain the denseness of respiratory and intestinal epithelial cells. If the body lacks VA, the denseness of respiratory and intestinal epithelial cells cannot be maintained, and various macromolecular antigens will pass through the respiratory or intestinal mucosa, triggering the body to produce specific antibodies. The presence of IgE receptors on the surface of mast cells can bind to IgE, and when similar large-molecule antigens re-enter, they will bind to IgE on the surface of mast cells, triggering the release of histamine from mast cell degranulation and causing allergic reactions.

(3) Lack of histamine enzyme

Originally, normal people also produce large amounts of histamine due to various stimuli, but most people do not experience allergic symptoms. This is because while histamine is produced, the body also rapidly produces a large amount of histaminase to inactivate histamine so that it does not accumulate in large amounts and cause an allergic reaction. For example, seafood allergy is this type, because seafood usually contains a large amount of histidine, which is digested and absorbed by the body through the decarboxylation reaction to generate a large amount of histamine, and then the body is unable to produce sufficient amounts of histamine enzymes to inactivate it, quickly triggering an allergic reaction.

(4) Poor cell membrane stability

This condition is generally due to the lack of quality fatty acids in the body, resulting in poor quality and stability of mast cell membranes. Under very slight external stimulation, that is, self-degranulation releases histamine, causing local redness, swelling, itching, and other symptoms. For example, artificial scratch disease is this type, and sometimes we find that the more we scratch the affected area, the itchier it is, because while scratching the itchy area also stimulates more mast cells under the epidermis to release histamine.

(5) Poor immune cell activity

On this point, an example can be given to illustrate that dust mites are so small that they are invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen under a highly advanced microscope. Such small objects often enter our human bloodstream from the respiratory tract, but phagocytes in the general body's immune cells will swallow them up quickly. If a person's phagocytes are less active and cannot quickly clear and engulf the dust mites promptly, they are labeled as antigens by T cells.

From then on, the body's immune cells attack the dust mites as antigens, and that's why other kids don't react to dust mites, but your kids are allergic to them!

Ok, now you understand what allergies are all about, right? It is your child's body's nutritional intake or poor congenital development, and then did not adjust in time, not what is called an "allergic body", at this time, if you take various ways to enhance the corresponding function of the body, the child's so-called allergic body also disappeared.

Studies have also shown that for children with childhood allergies, 2/3 of them will disappear with the gradual improvement of their immune system. However, in 1/3 of the cases, the immune system does not reach a normal state and the allergy may remain with the child for the rest of his or her life, which may have an impact on the child's survival and quality of life. Any medication for allergies can only temporarily relieve the symptoms and cannot "cure" the allergy, so the focus of eliminating allergies is also on prevention.

First, don't over-clean your child

Earlier, we said: excessive cleaning is not good for health. Some parents believe that bacteria are the enemy and the more thoroughly they are exterminated, the healthier the human body will be. They use a lot of disinfectants at home, including disinfectants to disinfect the baby's supplies and the baby's body. Without the baby's exposure to bacteria, it is difficult to establish the flora in the intestinal tract, which directly affects the development of the body's immune function, which in turn leads to the appearance of allergies.

Second, don't give your child abusive antibiotics

A study conducted by the University of Nottingham and several medical schools in the United Kingdom has pointed out that the widespread use of antibiotic drugs may also be the cause of the high incidence of allergies in children. The study found that taking antibiotics too early may lead to a 40 percent increase in the risk of eczema in children. When a child is sick, antibiotics do make it better quickly, but they can also bring a host of side effects, including damage to the good stuff that builds the immune system.

Third, stick to breastfeeding

Breast milk has been found to contain up to 700 types of bacteria. Therefore, the child sucks the mother's breast as early as possible after birth, not only to obtain milk but mainly to obtain aerobic bacteria and anaerobic bacteria in the milk ducts to create normal flora in the infant's intestines through sucking on the breast. The establishment of normal flora can avoid early allergies caused by leaky gut and also promote the development of the body's immune function through the intestine, which is conducive to the prevention of both allergies and infectious diseases.

Fourth, reasonable nutritional supplements

Children with skin allergies need to eat foods rich in vitamin A, such as carrots, cabbage, tomato-based vegetables, and fruits such as citrus and lemon. Because vitamin A can protect and enhance the function of the upper respiratory tract mucosa and respiratory epithelial cells, which can resist the attack of various pathogenic factors!