More and More Wheezers and Sneezers!

In the UK right now, local councils across the country are stretched. Our roads are constantly being repaired, our bins are not being collected on time. The hedges and grass verges have been left to grow, in some cases, to waist height. These areas are not being mowed in the name of allowing nature to prosper.

However, the truth is they just cannot afford to take on enough staff to deal with all these issues. Where I live is particularly bad. My asthma and allergies are off the charts at the moment, and I avoid the outdoors if I want to prevent flares.

More reports of people with allergies

I appreciate it is only anecdotal, but I meet a lot of people in my day job as a driving instructor, and it is really noticeable just how many people are complaining about developing allergies. Some even suggest that until now, they have never had any experience with allergies.

This makes me wonder whether it could be down to the greater pollution levels and the fact that, as stated at the top of the article, our grass verges and hedges are being left to grow wild. That said, there are other more obvious hypotheses regarding the causes. Diet and lifestyle are 2 of them.

There has definitely been a rise in allergies in the UK

According to the London Allergy and Immunology Centre, “In the UK, the number of people with allergies grows by 5% every year, and half of these people are children. Research from 2007 indicated a 500% increase in food allergies since 1990. Hay fever, asthma, and eczema have been rising for 3 decades and continue to do so.” This is a worrying stat and I think the medical world should be shouting this from the rooftops. ¹

My students want advice on how to deal with their allergies

The main complaints I get from people are wheezy chests, streaming/itchy eyes, and sneezing. Welcome to my world people! This has been my life since I was 2 years of age.

They all know I suffer from allergies and have been bombarding me with questions and wanting me to advise them on how best to deal with them. My advice is always to check in with their doctor or local chemist. Then I normally run through a list of things that I do to prevent flares from becoming out of control. But it is a shame that people are becoming allergic to things that could potentially be avoided.

I have said this many times before but I honestly believe that if I had sorted my diet out as a youngster, stayed away from cans of pop, sweets, and processed foods, and kept up with regular exercise, things may not have been as bad as they have been.

I am not saying I would totally be free of allergies. Just that I would be giving myself the best possible chance. And I think we need to give our children the best possible chance by sorting out our pollution levels, giving them good healthy food and encouraging them to keep fit!

Have you noticed an increase in the number of people you know with allergies and/or asthma? Share with us in the comments section.