Allergy Cure: Get Out of the City?
By Quincy Vagell on May 8, 2012, 1:30pm
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A recent study links a higher risk of allergies for those who live in urban areas. The flip-side? Those who live in rural areas have bodies that are much better prepared to shut those allergies out.
Aren't there more allergens in rural areas?
If we're only talking about plan allergens, like weeds, pollen and trees, then yes.
A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that the key is to build resistance. In this case, expose yourself to allergens and your allergies will not be as bad...
How does it work?
A sampling of 118 teenagers was studied and those who had lived their entire lives in rural areas were much less likely to have an allergic response, when exposed to common allergens.
The study finds that when children are exposed to allergens and even bacteria, it helps the immune system and works as nature's shield to allergies.
Aside from the study...
Other allergens are common in urban areas as well, more dust, air pollution, etc. The meteorology behind this thought is that particles disperse in the atmosphere. In urban areas, there are more people, buildings, vehicles, etc. All of the particles that get thrown into the area collect and this leads to acid rain, more allergens, in the area and in other cases, smog.
There are plenty of reasons to live in rural areas. Some enjoy the peace and quiet, others love nature, and now, these locations can help reduce allergies.
Not so fast...
If you have bad allergies, going out to live in the woods or an open field probably won't do you much good. It takes time for the body to adjust and the study highlighted focused on children who lived their entire lives in these areas.
Bottom line, this is a very interesting thought and may make a case for choosing to start a family by living somewhere outside of the city. In life, most things are good in moderation. Exposing yourself to pollutants in a city might do more harm than good, but having your children grow up with exposure to the outdoors can do a lifetime of good.
For more information, check out the write-up from Science News.
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