stop the insanallergies

[jossel]

Most of my friends down here, fellow planning-grad students here at UNC (and their s.o.'s), collectively have a whole mess of dietary issues and allergies. These include: wheat allergies, various nut allergies, allergies to dogs/cats, lactose intolerance, no sugar in diet, no salt in diet. A lot of people I know avoid caffeine. Before I left work

Comments

we wish we knew

[lauhau]

You raise some very interesting and important questions. There are zillions of theories as to why people are becoming more allergic but science-wise we just don't know for sure. It's making a huge difference in health overall, but also mortality because allergies are associated with asthma (rates of both are on the rise) and asthma is a not-uncommon cause of death in young people, especially African-Americans

Re: we wish we knew

[makaer]

This is pretty interesting to hear. I also imagine a small part of it is awareness. I think that you are more likely to diagnose where your mysterious problems come from now then 50 years ago. But that doesn't seem to explain it all.

Re: we wish we knew

[jossel]

thanks, doc. i think having pets before babies is good idea anyway.

I had heard recently about how incidences of asthma among inner-city youth is related to exposure to cockroach stuff (droppings, carcasses). I heard this was pretty well documented. Another reason not to live in a city!

Speaking of where to live. I'm wondering if where you grew up (just in the US to make it simple) has anything to do with people who have springtime allergies. Or is it just a matter of how much you get outside as a youth?

[makaer]

transversly likes to try to get me to get a cat. But we have another friend who will never able to come over to my house if I do! That social setup is pretty akward. On one hand I like my friend more than I like a cat I have yet to own.

But on the otherhand you sort of want to be able to do whatever you want in your own house. I don't feel strongly enough for this really to be much of a debate. But like lauhau said, having pets might actually help your get use to them. Hmmm.

[rumorofrain]

clearly you should get a hairless "mr. bigglesworth" cat, and solve your problem neatly. or a poodle. they're hypoallergenic, you know, because they have hair (like sheep), not fur (like other dogs).

in all seriousness, though, we have that problem too, particularly as our menagerie grows (and grows, and grows). i haven't found it to be too much of a problem; most people aren't deathly allergic and can visit at least for short periods (dinner, for instance). for longer visits or more severe allergies, a thorough cleaning and locking the cats out of the room where they'll be sleeping/hanging out usually works fine.

i know many people who are mildly allergic to cats (or other animals) who magically lose their allergic reaction if they spend a significant amount of time with a cat (or whatever they're allergic to).

*waves*

[jennylisa]

I could see John carrying a hairless cat around...

I couldn't give up my kitty babies for anything... I meet my allergic friends elsewhere... there's always somewhere else to be... But far more people come over here *just* to see the cats... ;-)

Re: *waves*

[makaer]

ew, hairless cat. I think they call those rats.

My cats would so bad ass, they would EAT my friends. Awesome.

[siajara]

I never knew anyone who had allergies until I got to college. There was one kid who had asthma in my school and I remember that it was a really big deal. Now, that is possibly because I am talking about rural northeastern PA. I know that vegetafalis grew up in a house with tons of animals, and it was only after he went to college that his cat allergies got insane. Also, the fact that he hates cats doesn't assist with the lessening of that allergy :)
In slight defense of our diet, we can eat pretty much anywhere too (as long as they serve salads!). In fact, my boss thought I was vegetarian for like the first six months because he only ever saw me eating salads (ignoring the fact that my salads always have meat on them, he apparently isn't very observant). You are right though, dinner parties are a pain (Thanksgiving!)

[jossel]

and I'm sure having a vegetarian over for Thanksgiving is a chef's nightmare! You did well.

Overall, it's just weird to have once been the hard one to accomodate, when now, there's all sorts of dietary restrictions that people have (some chosen, some not) that when I say I am "vegetarian" - it's almost a bit of a relief. People actually plan to have vegetarian food most places now, expecting that a good percentage of their attendees will be accomodated if they do.

I also think that salad aside, it is pretty hard for you and I to find a good place to eat together. I typically don't consider a meal a meal unless it has rice or bread. Sometimes both.

[siajara]

Yeah, and as long as it's brown rice and whole wheat/grain bread we're good :) But your original premise, that vegetarian is now 'normal' especially compared to other common diets these days is true.