Peanut 'allergies' - what causes this in your opinion?

[getmail99]

Of course not food, Chinese use peanut oil to cook for so many years, yet Chinese are low in peanut allergy.

I don't want to bring this up again but it is the peanut oil in vaccine. Check it out yourself, you can get some hint from the vaccine thread. I don't want to involve in this kind of thread any more.

There is a research about the baby cream using peanut oil, this research is a joke, I think. Can you find baby oil now with peanut oil? I think that they selectively found their research subjects. The drug companies blame the peanut oil cream instead of peanut oil in vaccine. Again, look up this research yourself.

find it here
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract

[aidzhsiah]

The one theory I think is most likely is that the incidence of allergies coincides with our use of antibiotics. That it screws with our immune system to the point where our bodies reject hyperactively in classifying certain things as 'foreign' substances. The reason why so many allergies in Western society is their practice to use antibiotics in their livestock which is in the meat we eat.

Other theories include use of household chemicals and chemicals in processed food. I've also heard theories about being things being too clean which deprives the immune system a chance to 'learn' how to fight.

One family friend who's a nutritionist, also said that many allergies are due to parents being overzealous in introducing foods to a child before their body can readily process it. She said there's studies that shown children who are breastfed past 18 months without other foods are less prone to allergies than those who are weaned off early.

[don242]

I think there is some genetic relation to some cases. If there is a history of food allergies in the family then you may be more prone to have the same. However that doesn't explain all cases definately.

Breastfeeding as long as possible is proven to reduce the likelihood of having food allergies.

Other factors may also be in play since peanut allegies are becoming more prevalent. It could be some of the reasons already mentioned about the over concern for sterility in our lives not giving the immune system proper training when a child is young. Chemicals on food, in food also are effecting our bodies. The chemicals found in a child's body now are a different than the chemicals found in children's bodies 20 years ago and different from a 100 years ago. Who knows how much these come into play?

[Flame_lily]

I don't have references right now but there are studies suggesting the exclusive breastfeeding during the first 4-6 months decreases incidence of allergies. Now that's not an easy message to preach especially in the West where breastfeeding is purely optional. As a student I was involved in breast feeding education & support for new mothers. I was exclusively breastfed, so were my kids 2 kids (no allergies here). My sister wasn't & her son wasn't; both have allergies. (very small sample size I know). More kids in 'developing countries' are also more likely to be breastfed & allergies in general have a lower incidence. This may be one part of the puzzle...

[shemico]

Folks, firstly, no baby yet - due date is April 17th and the wait continues...

Looking into this peanut 'allergy' thing. Having lived with a sibling who has a servere reaction to peanuts, i don't like calling it an allergy. Allergies are what happens when you get the freakin' sniffles or hives...but it ain't when you are seconds away from dying. *rant over*

What are your beliefs on this? Have any of you researched this at all? For our entire pregnancy, my wife has stayed away from peanuts or peanut related products. This will continue over the first year during breastfeeding.

Any thoughts on this? How many of your kids have peanut allergies?

What I read and had confirmed by my dr. was that if you have a predisposition for nut allergies you should avoid all nuts during pregnancy and while breast feeding.

I developed a tree nut allergy (all nuts but peanuts) and a sensitivity to peanuts (i can eat them but i did react slightly on an alergy test) when I was 19. My mother also developed a nut allergy in her 40s.

And... my mothers says she had a real thing for candied nuts while pregnant with me.