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Allergy sufferers often get sick because they have weak immunity.
This is one of the most common myths. Resistance to real infections in allergy sufferers can be the same as in ordinary people – allergies and anti-infective protection are not directly related. The immunity of allergy sufferers is not weak – it just does not function properly.
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Allergy is a congenital disease.
You may develop allergies to foods that you have been eating without problems for years. For example, if you are allergic to birch, you may develop an allergy to apples and nuts over time.
The genetic predisposition to allergies does exist. Just such a tendency may or may not manifest itself (this is studied by the science of epigenetics). If your parents had allergies, you have a higher risk of having the disease. But allergies can occur even if all your relatives are healthy.
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Poplar fluff is an allergen (therefore, poplars are cut down en masse).
The results of molecular studies show that poplar causes allergies in only 0.5% of susceptible individuals. One third of the fluff that enters the air contains single pollen grains. Thus, fluff, getting into the nose, is only a mechanical stimulus that tickles the mucous membrane and makes you sneeze. If you already have a seasonal allergy, fluff can make your symptoms worse.
Despite the fluff, poplar cleans the air much better than other urban trees. From May to September, poplar absorbs more carbon dioxide than oak, linden and pine.
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The most severe allergy is a food allergy.
A food allergy is an overreaction of the body to substances contained in certain types of food. As a result, consuming even small amounts of these foods causes unpleasant symptoms. Food allergies are often confused with intolerance to certain types of food, as their symptoms are similar, but in case of intolerances, the immune system is not involved in the pathological reaction.
Most people have mild symptoms of food allergy, although anaphylactic shock, a serious life-threatening condition, rarely occurs.
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Milk causes runny nose.
Many people confuse milk allergy with lactose intolerance. Lactose itself does not cause allergies. But milk contains other proteins: casein, alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin. These substances are allergens, although the probability of this is very small.
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Hairless cats never cause allergies.
Most allergy sufferers react to the protein Fel d 1 – it is found in the secretions of the sebaceous glands of cats. If the cat has fur, the protein will be on the fur, and if there is no fur, then on the skin.
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It is best to get tested before you have a pet, it will help decide on the choice of pet.
It is useless to do a blood test in advance. No analysis in allergology can be used for an accurate prognosis. Even if the allergy was not present at the time of the appearance of the animal in your home, it may well appear in the future.
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Prolonged use of antihistamines reduces their effectiveness.
Scientific studies show that antihistamines remain effective regardless of the duration of their use. But you should choose proven and modern drugs, such as Alerid or Allegra.