Hay Fever -Anyone noticed an increase?

[Paul79]

I'm not sure why, but an inordinately large number of people round my way seem to have come down with hay-fever or hay-fever sysmptoms this year, having previously never suffered with it. My other half is one of them, she's suffering really badly with it on sunny days. I've even have a runny nose after mowing the lawn, and have never had an alergic reaction to anything, ever, previously.

Anyone else noticed this? Is it the same all over the country? Is there an explaination? Something in the air perhaps?

[lynda66]

i think as everyone has been eating so many crap additives to their food for so long, it's weakening peoples immune systems. hence things like hay fever and food intolerances, hyperactivity, and other allergies are becoming much more common.

[zazen999]

I didn't have it for ages this year, then when it came it hit me really hard. Because of my lungs, it goes straight there and can easily tip into bronchitus or pleurisy...I'm holding it back at the moment with garlic and chilli to try and keep it away but I feel I'm fighting a losing battle. Don't ever want pleurisy again - it chuffin hurts and last time I couldn't even walk down the street.

I had pneumonia when I was 2 days old, and have suffered lung problems ever since...but hayfever always tips me over the edge and I dread it.

[Paul79]

Yeah, could be that. My other half and I avoid additives, especially aspatame, like the plague for those very reasons.

Strange that it seems to be kicking off this year though with so many people.

[lynda66]

I had pneumonia when I was 2 days old, and have suffered lung problems ever since...but hayfever always tips me over the edge and I dread it.

i had pneumonia at 6 weeks and have always suffered with chest infections, even before i started smoking, the doctor diagnosed asthma, eventually, but i only get it when i get a cold, and it goes straight to my chest. the only time i use my inhalers is when i feel a cold coming on, or when anyone comes round with a cold, cos i know i'm gonna get it.

hay fever has never really got to me, unless i'm in a field when they are cutting hay, but my son has it, and he's one of the healthiest people you will ever meet, he started with it a couple of years ago, kinda coincided with him starting to go to pubs ??? so i blame the alcohol too lol.

[ScottyW]

Interestingly I've never had hay fever except for last year, I had it really bad. This year I haven't got it at all.

[nerobot]

There is no evidance that hay fever is effected by additives in food. Hay fever is not caused by a weakening of the immune system, but is an autoimmune disease which has many factors including genetics. That's like saying aditives cause rheumatoid arthritis or asthma.

Steven

[lynda66]

There is no evidance that hay fever is effected by additives in food. Hay fever is not caused by a weakening of the immune system, but is an autoimmune disease which has many factors including genetics. That's like saying aditives cause rheumatoid arthritis or asthma.

Steven

ahhhhhh but how do you know they don't??? ....... actually i avoid additives, because they contributed to making my son bash his head against the wall constantly for nearly 12 months till he was put on an additive free diet, when he was small, so i know that additives aren't as safe as they make out, and think about it, there are more incidences of lots of strange medical conditions that were never around in the forties/fifties ........ so basically we are all guinea pigs for these artificial additives, no one knows the long term effects of these chemicals. ........ and if these additives don't cause problems, why have smarties taken the artificial oil based colours from their sweets??

[di]

Lynda I totally agree with you that additives have a lot to answer for,however I think the increase in hayfever over the last 70 years is more to do with how ultra clean we've become!~highchairs being sprayed with toxins to get rid of germs after babe does so much as breathe!Our immune system needs to be exposed to some germs other wise when it does finally meet an "alien"(in hayfever sufferers case-pollen)it's gonna go into overdrive to fight it(hence the runny nose itchy eyes etc etc~our immune system ridding the body of unknown substances).

[Sunbeam]

I have suffered with hayfever since I was 15, the year they started growing rapeseed in the fields near my house, but oddly enough it's grass pollen I'm allergic to! I have been pretty much fine this year - only needed medication for june rather than most of the summer...! Here's hoping the tide is turning

[MaureenHall]

I didn't have hayfever at all till the summer of 68 when I was 22 living in Germany near a pine forest and pregnant. It was awful, doc wouldn't let me take anything for it so suffered with itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezy chest, baby kicking me in the ribs, and every time I sneezed I wet myself . Had it bad for years and years after that, but when I hit 60 it slowed down and I thought I'd "grown out of it". Hmmmmph some hope! It's hit me bad this last couple of weeks, though why, I haven't a clue!! Ran out of Clarityn and Asda's hay fever relief the other day, so yesterday I took a Phenergan and was half asleep all day Never mind, it's raining now so no sneezies till the sun comes out again

[lynda66]

Lynda I totally agree with you that additives have a lot to answer for,however I think the increase in hayfever over the last 70 years is more to do with how ultra clean we've become!.

see thats the bit i don't understand, my sister sterilised everything in the house at least twice a week, and her kids were always ill with one infection after another ....... i on the other hand, had 3 cats and a dog,rabbits, mice and budgies and only ever sterilised his bottles, he has only had about 3 colds worth mentioning in his life, and other than chicken pox and scarlet fever when he was little has never really been ill, but as he's got older and started eating more crap, he's developed the hayfever and came back from tenerife with a horrible cold ..... that he's now given me .... and i'm still coughing my guts up.

so yep i agree about the cleanliness thing, but i dunno whats happened with him?

[nerobot]

see thats the bit i don't understand, my sister sterilised everything in the house at least twice a week, and her kids were always ill with one infection after another ....... i on the other hand, had 3 cats and a dog,rabbits, mice and budgies and only ever sterilised his bottles, he has only had about 3 colds worth mentioning in his life, and other than chicken pox and scarlet fever when he was little has never really been ill, but as he's got older and started eating more crap, he's developed the hayfever and came back from tenerife with a horrible cold ..... that he's now given me .... and i'm still coughing my guts up.

so yep i agree about the cleanliness thing, but i dunno whats happened with him?

Could be getting ill because of changing to a bad diet (not enough vit) but it might not have anything to do with additives (or it might, I'm not really an expert). I think the reason smarties took artificial oil based colours out was more to do with public pressure than anything else. Also, it is possible that the reason that there "are more incidences of lots of strange medical conditions that were never around in the forties/fifties" is more to do with poor diet, lack of exercise.

Steven

[lynda66]

with poor diet, lack of exercise.

Steven

yup poor diet filled with crap. and loads of additives lol. ..... though he does a 5 mile run nearly every morning, and goes to the gym 2-3 times a week... he doesn't eat much crap at home, cos i don't buy junk food or pre packed stuff, but he does get takeaways a couple of times a week, and doesn't look at labels any more, when he buys ready meals when i'm not here (even though theres loads of healthy home made ones in the freezer)


but there are loads of kids that live off junk food, so their little bodies are being constantly bombarded.

[nerobot]

yup poor diet filled with crap. and loads of additives lol. ..... though he does a 5 mile run nearly every morning, and goes to the gym 2-3 times a week... he doesn't eat much crap at home, cos i don't buy junk food or pre packed stuff, but he does get takeaways a couple of times a week, and doesn't look at labels any more, when he buys ready meals when i'm not here (even though theres loads of healthy home made ones in the freezer)

Will if I had a choice of home-made food or ready meals I know which I would choose! Can't stand ready meals. Too much salt