Posted on 01/29/2015 10:20:18 AM PST by Red Badger
(Newser) – As many as three million Americans may be allergic to peanuts, the Huffington Post has reported, with one study suggesting that the number of kids with the allergy doubled between 1997 and 2002. But those who are affected may have a reason to smile: A new study could point the way to a cure for the condition, the Australian Associated Press reports via the Guardian. For a year and a half, 30 kids with the allergy were given peanut protein plus a probiotic every day; another 30 received a placebo, researchers at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute report.
The amount of the probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, stayed the same throughout the study; it was the amount you'd get from eating a whopping 44 pounds of yogurt every day, the AAP notes. The amount of peanut protein given per day was gradually increased. "Astoundingly," researchers say, by the end of the study, 80% of kids with allergies getting the treatment could "tolerate peanut." Only 4% of the placebo group could. "Many of the children and families believe it has changed their lives; they’re very happy," says a researcher. "These findings provide the first vital step towards developing a cure for peanut allergy and possibly other food allergies." Experts are planning further research to look at longer-term effects. But, the researcher says, don't try it at home: Some kids had serious allergic reactions during the course of the study.
Exactly. I grew up in peanut country. During harvest time, there was peanut dust everywhere over the entire county. Kids would work at harvest then they'd feed the cattle the hulls and leaves. That was also during the free gov peanut butter time. Every lunch tray every day had pb. No one was allergic and no one every heard of peanut allergies. Not discounting that somewhere in the world someone was allergic but we never heard of such. All I can see that has changed is kids don't go outside anymore. I would sometimes watch a neighbor's toddler but would get lectured that the kid should go outside but could not get dirty. Excuse me? What, make her play statue on the patio with a towel to stand perfectly still on? When our nephews came last summer, we couldn't pay them to go outside. They aren't allowed to play in their own yard. Ewwww, weeds and bugs and fresh air!!! They got packed off early to the cousins because they refused every activity. Oooh, can't swim because it's outside! Can't fish, ooh, outside! Can't play with the new kittens. No to archery, geocaching, hiking, the park, flying kites, yard games or helping in the garden. They don't know how to ride a bike and refused to try after we aired the tires up. Couldn't help hubby on the grill and he had to beg them to roast marshmallows. They eat NOTHING but steak. The 12 yo can't speak above a whisper. Nope, sorry, not putting up with that bs.
I am confused........ an allergic reaction is the result of an over active immune system, not an under active one.
It seems to me that playing in the dirt would raise your tolerance to bacteria but would not have any affect on your allergies. I played in the dirt my whole childhood and I had severe allergies to dust, grass pollen, mold and a number of foods. Playing in the dirt didn’t help my allergies at all.
Allergies are inherited.
Since probiotics don’t stay in the system, one would think the symptoms would return. Still, I don’t think probiotics is the cure. I don’t recall any of our friends eating yogurt or that it was even in on the grocery shelf when I was young so that can’t be why none of us weren’t allergic. But then we weren’t eating so much chemical filled junk. I’d wager if parents fed their kids real food and sent them outside to play in the dirt and throw open the windows for fresh air, there would be a lot let allergies and other maladies.
Since peanuts are not nuts but legumes, then one would think that there would be a rise in allergies from green beans. There isn’t so there’s a disconnect somewhere.
When they took out the vending machines here, the kids and teachers would bring regular cokes, candy and pop tarts to sell.
I hear you -
I’ve observed similar strange behavior by helicopter parents and their little drones over the last 20 years.
As to why we’re seeing such unusual amounts of abnormality in our offspring (skyrocketing autism, allergies, anti-social behavior) - some of it may be of our own making.
Or perhaps its the dog throwing off the fleas.
I was brought up on a ranch and live in rural Texas, and peanuts-which are a legume, like beans-are the only nut I don’t like, in any form, any recipe, but that is because I don’t like the taste-and I never heard of a deadly allergy to peanuts until the late 1980’s, and it was in some other state.
I don’t eat processed food, don’t take any drugs and never have, like nearly all my family. We don’t have allergies other than mild pollen ones. There is something wrong being put on/in the peanut products if this allergy increase is real.
I’m aware of that. My theory is that they are drinking more soda because it’s diet and calorie free; therefore, we’re seeing more broken bones because of that issue.
Very well could be. I stopped drinking diet, because I could chug three or four a day without thinking. Went to regular, and dropped to maybe a can a day. Trying to drink more water or tea, but bad habits still slink in.
If they’re going to mince stats based on data entered on death certs, then there’s no accurate data anywhere.
I’ve been griping about the lack of transparency (iow, ‘truth’) on cause of death stats for years. This is no exception.
Thanks-it sounds like the eat what is on the plate or starve philosophy along with go to the barn and help with the chores way I was raised does no harm, along with using your own common sense about when to wean your babies and feed them YOUR choice of “real food”, rather than someone else’s...
” Or is it just more wussification?”
That’s my vote. I wasn’t going to post it because some Helicopter Mom would have come down on me with a sledgehammer.
Once upon a time soybeans were not part of our diet... now look at every package of manufactured food on the shelf in the store... Soybeans in one for or another are in everything.
When liberals are within earshot I also like to explain that Monsanto engineered the soybeans to cause people to vote Democrat as well.
I used to think it was BS. Then one of my friends had one of “those kids.” Neither parent had any allergies.
It was horrible for that poor kid. If she as much as touched a kid who had peanut butter on their English muffin before school, she would drop and turn blue.
I don’t know where it comes from, but it is serious. I hope they find a cure.
The peanut allergy epidemic originated during the Carter years. ;') thanks Red Badger.
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