It’s proven at last! Westernised lifestyles cause allergies and it doesn’t matter in which country you live. A recent study in the USA on Amish families in Indiana, showed that their traditional farming lifestyles with lack of westernised foods and modern appliances have resulted in a very low incidence of allergy when compaired to other indiginous American and to Swiss farming communities from which they originated in Switzerland.
Reference: http://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(12)00519-2/abstract
Cow’s milk allergy risk factors
A recent article the medical journal Pediatrics documented characteristics of 54 Israeli children with IgE mediated cows milk allergy confirmed on clinical history, positive skin prick tests and oral food challenge and has highlighted risk factors for severity and persistent cow’s milk allergy. By four to five years 31 had completely outgrown their cow’s milk allergy. Those where cow’s milk persisted beyond 5 years of age had certain characteristics such their initial reaction being to less than 10ml of milk, reactions on first documented exposure and reactions under 30 days of age. On skin prick testing the larger the cow’s milk allergic reaction wheal diameter, the more likely that that cow’s milk allergy would persist beyond 5 years of age.
Reference: American College for Asthma, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Spring 2012 newsletter.
