Why are allergic diseases increasing these days?
The rise in allergic disorders appears to be a multifactorial issue, with a strong emphasis on how our modern environment and lifestyle interact with our genetic predispositions to shape our immune responses.
: Extreme Hygiene Care:
“Survival of the fittest”
Particularly during covid 19, it was observed that those children who had to avoid the a preschooling for the lockdown period and when the lockdown period ended up, and the kids started going to the school they showed up with more allergic symptoms. This in particular makes us understand that too much of take care from the very early childhood about the hygiene, very sophisticated lifestyle which leads to less exposure to different sorts of micro organisms less exposure to diverse microorganisms in early life (e.g., fewer infections, less contact with farm animals, smaller families, C-section births, reduced breastfeeding, increased antibiotic use), may lead to an “under-trained” immune system.
:Altered Gut Microbiome:
Our GUT is filled with unlimited colonies of good microbes which are potential with many biochemicals that leads to generation of many antibodies which enrich our body with multipolar immunity.
Changes in diet, over usage of antibiotic use, and overall hygiene can alter the gut microbiome, potentially leading to a dysfunctional immune response that increases allergy risk.
:Dietary Changes:
Westernized Diet: recent shift to montonus western diet leaving multi variant diet of eastern countries like India and including reduced consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables (leading to lower antioxidant intake), decreased animal fats, and increased consumption of vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids (and reduced omega-3 fatty acids), may promote pro-inflammatory states that increase allergy susceptibility.
Food Processing: fast growing food processing industries making convenient and fast food, which are antagonist in nature (virudha ahara) sounds enough to change the immune responses of a human body.
Vitamin D Deficiency: many research is suggest that continuous staying in air conditioners and continuous exposure to the extreme weather have lead to change in the absorption of vitamins particularly vitamin D – which intern leads to a week immune response.
:Environmental Factors:
Chemical Exposures: uncontrolled industrialisation, continuous exposures of fertilizers, digging the earth crust, pollution of the water resources, have lead to such a autonomous cycle of inflammation inturn leading to increase allergic responses.
Indoor Allergens: In early life, less exposure to get else cattle, another domestic animals but as a part of fashion people tend to keep animal pads like cat dog that added to the allergic response.
Climate Change: Greenhouse effect etc climatic changes leading to extreme weathers, make it unsuitable for human to survive. As a part of existence the human immune system start responding to this extreme weather conditions in abnormal way, lead to allergies.
:Lifestyle Factors:
Obesity: overseas sedentary lifestyle, over eating, late night food, excessive amount of stress, have made a contribution to 50% of obesity. With heavy weight, our body immune system tends to behave abnormally because of excessive biochemical and hormonal changes, particularly developing disease like asthma and lichen planus.
Antibiotic and Acetaminophen Use: Over usage of antibiotics and NSAIDs like acetaminophen have been a potential set threat to the immune responses modifying them illogical leading to many allergies
Changes in Allergen Exposure: excessive cosmetisation and over usage of cosmetic products containing thalets, paba, propylene, msag, other coloring agents add to abnormal immune response.
:Genetic Predisposition:
While environmental factors are crucial for the rapid increase in allergies, genetics still play a significant role. In disease like asthma, vitiligo, and other mutation a sort of depressive allergic response is seeing in such patients.
Dr Chirag Goradia MD ayurveda
