Here are 22 Interesting Facts About Allergies.
1-5 Interesting Facts About Allergies
1. ‘Botanical Sexism’ is a process by which urban landscapers, in an effort to keep streets clear of seeds & flowers, plant only male trees. The male trees lack the seeds of their female counterparts & as the trees get bigger, their pollen counts increase which can worsen seasonal allergies. – Source
2. People with pollen allergies can develop “oral allergy symptoms” and have mild allergic reactions to raw fruits/veggies with proteins similar to pollen, such as an itchy mouth/throat. – Source
3. Researchers have identified naturally occurring bacteria in the human gut that keeps people from developing food allergies. This beneficial gut bacteria diminished with frequent antibiotic use at a young age — making children more susceptible to food allergies later in life. – Source
4. Most people with Chocolate allergies are actually allergic to the roaches present in them and not the chocolate itself. FDA deems up to 60 Insect Parts in 100 gm of Chocolates as safe for consumption as anything less than that would require more expensive processing and pesticide use. – Source
5. Cashews, pistachios, and mangoes are all in the same family of plants, meaning people with nut allergies often react to mango as well. – Source
6-10 Interesting Facts About Allergies
6. A study showed that children whose parents placed the children’s pacifiers in their own mouths before giving it to the child were less likely to develop allergies like eczema and asthma later in life. – Source
7. There’s an American tick that can cause permanent red meat allergies when it bites someone. – Source
8. Houses with teal pumpkins on their front step at Halloween means they offer non-food treats or allergy-safe alternatives for children with food allergies. This is known as the “Teal Pumpkin Project.” – Source
9. If you have a shellfish allergy you should avoid eating edible insects, as they’re closely related and have some of the same proteins which cause shellfish allergies. – Source
10. Living in too sterile of an environment can cause the development of allergies. – Source
11-15 Interesting Facts About Allergies
11. It is estimated 70% of children with an egg allergy will outgrow it by age sixteen. – Source
12. Milk allergy is quite different from Lactose intolerance and can be problematic for young children due to the ignorance of the differences. – Source
13. Brazil nut allergy is the only one where the triggering protein can be sexually transmitted ie. you can die having sex with a person who ate them. – Source
14. Farm kids have both better immunity and resistance to allergies. Allergies among children have skyrocketed in the past 30 years. Part of the reason is likely improved hygiene and the fact so few kids are raised on farms anymore. – Source
15. A study conducted in 2019 in the United States found that almost half of people reporting they had a food allergy are wrong. – Source
16-20 Interesting Facts About Allergies
16. Astronaut Harrison Schmitt, from the Apollo 17 mission, had a severe allergy to moon dust. – Source
17. Latex paint is actually synthetic latex and will not harm someone with a latex allergy. – Source
18. Having allergies can cause symptoms in the vagina just like your eyes and nose which causes most women to go to the Dr. believing they have an infection. The test results are usually negative and the woman ends up suffering because of this uncommon knowledge. – Source
19. A Time Magazine writer that didn’t believe in nut allergies ended up having a son with a nut allergy. – Source
20. A research study in 2011 found that children who had a dog or cat during the 1st year of their lives were less likely to develop pet allergies in later life. – Source
21-22 Interesting Facts About Allergies
21. Bakers can develop wheat allergies and respiratory problems due to flour dust in the air created by “activities like sieving, weighing, and mixing”. Some countries have introduced regulations to reduce the amount of loose flour. – Source
22. “Cannabinoid hyperemesis” is an extreme allergy to cannabis that long-term smokers may develop over time. – Source
