Allergies, thanks but no thanks

Let's face it, having allergies is not great. In fact, having an allergy to certain foods means we are limited to the things we can eat. Take for example pizza, who is a big fan of pizza? Well if you polled a group of 100 teens, 85 would probably say they are fans of pizza. How unfair would it be if a teenager is allergic to pizza? Yes it does depend, but come on you are a teenager, pizza is one of the most common foods we eat. If one is allergic to pizza, they usually feel left out. How about pollen? A majority of us get seasonal allergies. How do you feel when you have allergies to pollen that are so bad, you cannot go out for long periods of time. If you have allergies, hopefully you know you are not alone.

Allergies, who has them? Well, according to research 31.2% of the world’s grown-ups and 27.2% of children’s lives are affected by allergies. That’s more than 100 million people’s lives worldwide who are affected by allergies! (including me)

What are allergies?

Allergies are the reactions that come from our immune system, mistaking harmless substances for dangerous bacteria and overreacting. Some people’s immune systems are overly sensitive to specific foods, pet danger, pollen, dust, etc., resulting in them having an allergic reaction. The substances that our immune systems overreact to are called allergens.

Allergies can be affected by genetics or environmental factors. Allergic reactions range from mild to severe, from itching and sneezing to difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis (facial swelling, symptoms vary from itchiness and redness to dangerously low blood pressure and loss of consciousness).

Some allergies can be outgrown, though. Like egg, milk, soy and wheat allergies are 80% outgrown by the time the person reaches age 16. 20%-25% of people with peanut allergies outgrow them, and out of those people, 80% usually do so by the age of 8. The most common well-known cure for allergies might be the epi-pen, also known as epinephrine autoinjector. It works by injecting the “pen” into your outer thigh at a right angle, perpendicular to your thigh until it makes a “click” sound and count to 3 before removing it. And then massage the injected area for 10 seconds. Warning: Don't inject epinephrine if you don’t need it. It hurts, and you will get side effects like increase in blood pressure, uncontrollably shaking, and increased heart rate. 

Facts on allergies:

1. The top 5 allergies that humans have are pollen, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and animal danger

2. There is such a thing as sun and water allergies, as it has reactions on your skin.

3. It is possible to build allergy tolerance, but it has to be under professional supervision.

4. Seasonal allergies usually occur during spring, but if it’s a rainy day, allergies will be disabled.