It seems as though food allergies and asthma are on the rise. The experts are telling us so. But, I think it’s pretty obvious that more people are dealing with these issues. When I was growing up, I felt like an oddball because I was the only one I knew who had severe allergies. I also had/have asthma, which seems to go hand-in-hand. These days, my son is certainly not the only one with allergies and asthma. From dairy, to peanuts, and even strawberries, more human bodies are rejecting certain foods for some reason. Why? Many articles have been written recently on this subject. Some experts feel it is a combination of genetics and environmental influences. Some scientists say it is an example of human evolution and natural selection in action.
I am not a doctor, scientist or researcher, but I am sure there are numerous factors contributing to the increase of allergies and auto-immune issues in humans. Environmental causes seem the most obvious. Pesticides and air pollution can’t be good for us, or the foods we grow, and would certainly, it seems, contribute to asthma, allergies, cancers and possibly other increasingly common issues, such as autism. But, then again, what do I know.
We tend to see more and more dairy allergies and intolerance these days, which seems quite logical to me, considering the cows’ food source (unnatural, high-energy feed), the antibiotics and the hormones they’re given. But, when it comes to dairy allergies, such as my son’s (not to be confused with lactose intolerance!) it is the animal protein, casein, that is the problem. His body sees this protein as a foreign substance, unable to process it, sending his body into anaphylactic shock. So, perhaps there is another explanation. Perhaps the human body simply isn’t designed for the consumption of other mammal’s milk.
Consider this; mammals (the females of the species having mammary glands) produce milk in order to feed their young. A wonderful design by nature. Under natural conditions, cow’s milk is nutrient-rich and designed for calves, who gain around 500 pounds in the first 12 months of life. We take this milk and process it to give it longer shelf life and a taste the general population will buy. Of course, you can purchase organic, raw dairy milk, which is fine if you aren’t allergic and is not processed like the homogenized, pasteurized versions in the grocery stores. But, back to my point. We know that some time around 10,000 years ago, and possibly further back, humans started to farm and raise animals and stopped following herds, seasonally moving from one region to another. It made perfect sense. Easier than hunting or moving constantly, and certainly using less energy, breeding animals for consumption was a marvelous idea. Thus began human’s regular consumption of other mammalian milk, be it by cow or by goat, or any other animal. 10,000 years or more seems like an eternity to us, but it is a mere blink of an eye in the world of evolution. Fast forward to modern times. Maybe humans simply haven’t fully developed the ability to consume dairy from other animals at the rate at which we do so. Add to the bio-evolutionary aspect the fact that we no longer consume milk that comes from cows that graze naturally, as they did 10,000 years ago, during a time when pesticides and hormones were unheard of. It all sort of starts to make sense. The same thoughts come to mind when I think about the eggs we eat, the meat we buy, and the produce we consume. Our foods just aren’t what they used to be.
Now, let’s talk about the increase in auto-immune disease. Again, not a doctor, but it seems reasonable to assume that it may somehow relate, in part, to our consumption of heavily processed, unnatural foods. And as amazing as our bodies are, they are working overtime to process the chemicals we eat, inhale and absorb from our environment each and every day. So, we then develop auto-immune diseases and ailments due to the fact that our bodies are weak from all the stress of keeping us alive and kicking. Ironically, we then go to doctors who prescribe drugs so we can get better, putting more processed, man-made material into our bodies. I’m not saying you shouldn’t. I do. I would stop breathing and die if I didn’t use asthma medication daily. I can’t tell you how many times I have taken steroids and antibiotics under the supervision of a doctor. Many raw food advocates have been arguing the benefits of their raw food diet for years, claiming a significant decrease, if not complete elimination of asthma, allergies, colds and flu. Now, my husband and I are fairly health-conscious, but I will be the first to admit that I sometimes sacrifice health for ease and convenience. I have popped frozen packages into the microwave without batting an eye. I have and do occasionally stop for fast food simply because it’s easy and I am in a hurry. Although I try, I do not ONLY purchase organic, unprocessed foods at the market. So, I will not throw stones from the porch of my glass house, but I believe most Americans, myself included, are probably lacking in certain nutrients, only found in natural, Earth-made foods.
It may be time for us to consider the effect our choices are having on our health. On a large scale, it may be time to consider the effects of corporate farming and consumerism. At the very least, we should be aware of the plants and animals we consume and the means by which we do so. The sustainability ”movement” is gaining momentum, fortunately, and the better we learn to care for the Earth and its living creatures and plants, the better we will be able to care for ourselves. I would be willing to bet we would all feel better physically, and perhaps we would see a decrease in food allergies, auto-immune and other disease. I could be wrong. Remember, I am not a doctor or scientist. But I think it is worth a try.
-Michelle
Sources:
Recent Comments