Why so many peanut and nut allergies are they getting worse
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
September 17, 2008 11:18am CST
I am doing the baking for our Women's Society and because our church has a policy of no nuts, due to severe peanut allergy, we cannot bake anything with nuts in it.
So with this background, why is it that peanut and nut allergies are multiplying? And why is it if two people have severe allergies why does everyone else have to go without? Does even have the peanut in the church or the church basement in a cupboard mean that it gives off odors that would kill that person who has an allergy:? I can understand when the peanut is rotten, but what if it is fresh?
As one of the ladies said with such severe allergies, applying the same situation of no nuts allowed, a person with a severe peanut or nut allergy has to stay in the house and cannot go to the grocery store or go to a restaurant, etc. but has to stay in a bubble.
So why is it that we who are not allergic to nuts have to suffer? Is there a cure for this peanut and nut allergy?
7 people like this
14 responses
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I don't know about cures for it. Not all foods have to be ingested for a person to have a reaction. I have an aunt who is allergic to fruit. Where she worked someone near her answered the phone with peach juice on her hands. My aunt started to itch. It depends on the person involved.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
It does worry me. My daughter-in-law is deathly allergic to carrots and celery and I found it is a common allergy in central Europe where her family came from. My brother-in-law is allergic to pine, I have a slight allergy to that, and my father was allergic to members of the cabbage family. But I found that they add carrots and celery to almost everything and yet they make a big deal out of peanuts and nuts in general.
It is as if they plan to destroy every nut tree or peanut bush in the planet and are not peanuts also related to peas? After all they are from the same family.
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
18 Sep 08
People who eat in restaurants really have to be careful. Just because you ordered chicken does not mean that the cook did not touch carrots or celery before touching the chicken.
1 person likes this
@Yestheypayme2dothis (7874)
• United States
18 Sep 08
I don't think those people who wait on your in the Chinese restaurants really understand English to a great extent. You can tell them not to staple your take out boxes because you don't want staples in your food...and they use them anyway.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
18 Sep 08
I know what you mean, a few of my friends and family members all have peanut and nut allergies. I do not not get it. Many pre-schools and elementary schools now have "no peanut and nut" rules. Some of the allergies are genetic, and some are environmental. I cannot imagine life without peanuts and cashews. Those are good.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
Maybe it depends on where your family used to live or their ethnic group. Many in my Church are Dutch but it is only a few who have the allergy, and for those few it effects not only the kid's lunches, but if there is a social, I mean these kids with the allergy started to go the last few years, and now we cannot even have nuts at Women's Society where the greatest thing we had to worry about was to bring food for those ladies who had diabetes. None of the ladies have peanut allergies. We did have a little boy who had a milk allergy, but that did not stop us from putting milk in our tea and coffee.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
24 Nov 08
I have a slight allergy to pine oil, but that does not stop the church from stocking up on pinesol, and they could make a rule as for the peanuts and nuts, that no sharing of lunches are allowed.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
18 Sep 08
to be honest with you, i don't know the real reason why... in fact, i just heard about this peanut allergy when i move to australia... back in my home country, we don't have this kind of allergy... i hope other users here can help to answer your questions... take care and have a nice day...
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I have no idea why this peanut allergy has come from. I do not know if certain nations or ethnic groups are more susceptible to it. It also could be that some are more effected by chemicals and when their babies are born, their genes have changed so that what food they could eat now is dangerous. I mean you do not know what is in the atmosphere nowadays. Why maybe some terrorist introduced something in the air that would cause this allergy.
1 person likes this
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I don't know if nut allergies are increasing, but I do know that a person who is sensitive to nuts has to stay away from anything that even touches a nut or peanut. That means that even if you cook something without nuts in a pan that had nuts in it could be a problem. The same goes with shellfish. I have a shellfish allergy, but I'm not that sensitive as some people. I can still go to places that serve shellfish or have shellfish around.
I wonder, though, if there's a magnesium deficiency going around as magnesium has been shown to greatly help with allergies. Also, adrenal function plays a big role with allergies and asthma, too. With all those high caffeine drinks, maybe we're affecting more of our bodies that we really think.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
17 Sep 08
So that would mean that I have to buy separate pans, one to use for squares with nuts in them, and one to use for squares without nuts in them even though I wash them in the dishwasher or I have to go and buy cookies and cakes and make sure that there are no nuts in the production. That magnesium does seem to be a good idea. I wonder if those children are not getting enough of it. If that could cure peanut allergy, then we would not have a problem.
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
18 Sep 08
Its a very serious situation when people who are alergic to peanuts. They can die easily. I think the rules of having no peanuts for everybody is best as taking a chance on somebody possibly consuming any peanuts(even a tiny amount)can be deadly.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I can understand telling that to children who share their lunches, but I guess there are some kids who are allergic to peanuts and do not tell anyone, and ask for a cookie. It would be easier to let us know who is, so that no one will give those kids anything with nuts in it.
And they did not tell us whether it was placing a peanut on a table so many feet or yards away would make that child die. Mow I do not care that much for peanuts, but I love almonds and walnuts, but they are expensive. And some people are not that good at baking without using nuts. So now we get cakes and cookies that look as if they were picked out at the day old counter for our socials and I really do not like anything too sweet.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I don't know why there are so many cases all of a sudden (past 10 years or so) unless they were always there and nobody recognized the allergy, thinking it was something else.
Did you know that they have peanut-sniffing dogs?! They can smell the residue of a PB sandwich or a single peanut on the hands of a child's friend from 10 feet away! Parents are buying these dogs, too!
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
The trouble is that the children who are allergic to peanuts are probably allergic to dogs as well. And the other trouble is that we all have to go without even the adults because a child is allergic to peanuts. And I do not hear of anyone trying to find a cure or how to prevent it. Soon it will get to be so that they will have to wipe out all the peanut bushes, because if a child is allergic and there is no peanuts allowed in the school, or the church or any building he goes into, then he cannot even be in a car driving by a peanut farm and who knows how far they have to be away from the peanut odor.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I really havent heard of anything about a cure for it but then too I havent researched it for none in my family is allergic to them
But I would say for church sicials put no nuts in what ever and none around the church. I f you want nuts fix you some to eat at the house just make sure you have none left on your hands
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I eat nuts at home, but once in a while I would like to make a square with nuts in it that I do not have to keep in my freezer for a month because if you figure out a pan of brownies with twenty-five squares and there are two of you, and you have one piece a day, it will take two weeks to get rid of them. I love almonds and walnuts and snack on them, but once in a while I would like them in cakes and cookies.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I don't know if any kind of allergies can be caused by what we eat, inhale or touch or even lifestyle. I only know that some people are born with it so it can be something they carry in their genes. but if you are baking for a lot of people, wouldn't it be safer and more practical to just go with the minority? because some people may have severe allergies and the rest has low reactions who knows who. by baking peanut less you save yourself time and everyone can enjoy it
I don't know about cure. I have dust allergy and nothing really helps since in spring or summer how can people stop pollens and all that flying in the air? so I decided I will just eat healthy and do as much breathing exercise as I can, no more spending money on allergy treatment since if I go out in summer or spring it won't help much
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
With the peanuts, our school has two stories, and the church has a basement, and there is also the gym, but even if the kids are on the first floor, there is no nuts or peanuts on the whole school ground and probably the manse which is next door. I do not know about the city block, but it will get to that.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
That is the type of allergy in our church. They cannot even look at a peanut, and I suppose that I cannot even carry a chocolate bar in a ziplock bag and cannot even eat it well 1500 feet away. I do hope they find a cure for it, or better still find a way to prevent it. It could be that there is a common food additive that does not hurt anyone else, but causes a peanut allergy. I mean if this goes on, we all will be unable to eat peanuts or any nuts.
What with allergies to nuts, peanuts, milk, wheat, etc. it is a wonder whether we will have to eat pills instead.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63233)
• United States
18 Sep 08
Peanuts and seafood are the 2 most common food allergies to cause anaphylactic shock, and people who are allergic to nuts/peanuts can be so sensitive that the smell can set them off.
My allergist asked me if I ever had trouble breathing after being stung by an ant - so I do have some allergies that are bordering on that serious - honestly - the corn one is that serious, but I do have the anaphylactic shock response. My roommate nearly carried me out of the first Lord of the Rings movie because I had injested some corn - fortunately I had my shots with me that day.
I was also permited to cut into the front of the long line at the ladies room so I could take it.
1 person likes this
@KATRINKA (1624)
• United States
23 Sep 08
Don't know if the nut allergy is increasing in incidence, or if it's the awareness that is. My sister-in-law is a teacher in one of the public schools. Because one child has a peanut allergy, there are alerts posted on the door saying that no one is allowed in the building with peanut products. No candy bars, no peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So they've taken care of the food issue at the expense of everyone else who works at the school, but what about other peanut products? What if someone wears cosmetics made from peanut oil or anything from peanut products? And like you said, does this kid have to stay home and not go to a grocery store or restaurant? If he does, then why does the entire school have to alter their habits for one child? This has me steamed!
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
18 Sep 08
sorry dear never heared of having allergy of peanuts and nuts
.how about you visit your Dr.and i am sure there is medicine for allergy since i was working in pharmacy i remember the tablet called"virlix".
.how about you visit your Dr.and i am sure there is medicine for allergy since i was working in pharmacy i remember the tablet called"virlix".1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I do not have peanut or nut allergy, but then I was born in Scotland so maybe it is the atmosphere. There are a couple of children in our church and church school and although I can see warning the kids, now we cannot even have a nut bar or a square in our purse when we go on school grounds or are in the church. It seems that even seeing a nut causes a reaction, they do not need even to put it on their tongue, just the peanut smell.
Well that is what it seems to me. I guess they cannot even go shopping with their moms.
1 person likes this
@LouiseKnittel (4764)
• United States
18 Sep 08
I know what you mean. The nut allergies and insane. I have never heard of it being as bad as it is right now before.
I feel so bad for those that are that allergic, that the smell alone could kill them. How do they even walk through the grocery store...?
no one really knows when another person will have a peanut. How do you stay away from them all the time..?
I drive the ice cream truck locally, and I have a one daycare. That had to remove everything Peanut related... Some of those other kids want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.. but their parents are not allow to send it.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I grew up on peanut butter and banana, peanut butter and grated apple, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I can relate to what those kids go through. It makes home schooling more appealing and having home schooling because you cannot have peanut butter is not a good reason. It is getting worse now. I just wonder if it was always bad and the kids just bought the inhalator or went to the nurse all the time, or is it because it is not an endemic and more have it. If it is, there has to be a reason other than heriditery. Something has been introduced since 1945 that has made all these people born with peanut allergies.
1 person likes this
@LouiseKnittel (4764)
• United States
18 Sep 08
Some say that it has to with being vaccinated, I really am not sure if this is the reason or not!
1 person likes this
@caudill2883 (60)
• United States
18 Sep 08
both my children have allergies to nuts the docs say it's because i ate alot of nut products i.e. pbutter .. nuts whatever during pregnancy hopefully they will grow out of it!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
18 Sep 08
I doubt that they will grow out of it. From what I heard, unless science finds a way to reverse nut allergy, it will be with them forever. I do hear that if you expose a baby to potential allergins, then they will not become allergic. The trouble is that if you keep the food away from them, they might develop an allergy to it and they will be stuck. http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/nut_allergy.html
And I suppose not eating them exclusively would help.
The trouble is a lot of this information becomes too little too late.
@mtata23 (354)
• India
30 Nov 08
i feel peanut and nut allergies, in fact most of the common allergies or recently seen new allergies are more and more increasing due to our unhealthy and untimely lifestyle and food habits. We hardly pay attention to the type of food we eat. We just look for taste. We are under constant stress to meet the demands at work or home. All this is affecting on our immune system. Decreased immunity leads to all kinds of sensitivity to the external environment. I have heard that magnesium helps somewhat in alleviating allergies.
