Rise in adult allergies

Following on from my last blog I came across an article last Sunday in 'The Observer', 07.02.10, about the 'Shock rise in number of fatal adult allergies'. What's most interesting about this article is firstly the admission by the NHS that allergies do indeed exist! that its not just someone making it up to feel different or a figment of ones imagination!, but secondly, that despite all the research and knowledge there is still no identifiable cause for this rise in allergies. The article states 'It could be to do with changes in our environment, a change in allergen exposure, pollution, or diet. The only thing we know is that it is clearly related to modern, western ways of living.' I believe it is no coincidence that as the food industry has striven to produce 'food' as cheaply and efficiently as possible there has been a steady increase in the number of people suffering from allergies. Whenever people are diagnosed with an allergy or intolerance they are told to avoid all processed food and to go back to scratch cooking and unprocessed food, ie food the way it used to be when we were growing up. How many people remember their mum cooking the dinner everyday? Nowadays due to our modern lifestyle we are very time poor and so rarely cook a full dinner. As a working parent I am only too aware of the problem of juggling work and family, so I'm not advocating that we all stop buying processed food or ready meals however perhaps we should look a little more closly at the labels and see exactly what it is that we are eating. Having to go on an 'allergy' diet does not mean having to do without in fact its quite the opposite. Because one has to prepare all ones meals the quality and flavour will improve a hundred fold! What will also improve beyond measure is ones quality of life.