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Monday, September 16, 2019

Fear of the Peanut...😱🥜🌰🥚🦀🦐🐚🥛



Why are food allergies becoming more prevalent in the developed world? You are not just imagining it. What was once a staple for kids (peanut butter) is now toxic to a larger number of kids. It is not just peanuts. Nuts of all kinds, shellfish, fish, eggs, and milk are a problem. It is not just imagined--kids do die from this.

Peanuts are nutritious and especially good for farming. It is a perfect rotation crop due to its ability to fix nitrogen into the soil (which is why scientists like George Washington Carver promoted uses for peanuts to expand the market--such as peanut butter).

Netflix's Rotten does a great episode on peanuts and allergies. It explores the problem and suggests one of the biggest factors (beyond the other theories floated) is lack of exposure in early years. Some criticize this, but to be fair to Rotten it did address the other factors noted.

Reminds me of George Carlin commenting how as a kid he used to swim in the Hudson River. This is back when the city dumped its sewage untreated into the Hudson River. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

It goes without saying if you are going to have your infant start eating peanuts, shellfish, and other allergenic foods (especially if those allergies run in your family) you should probably discuss this with a pediatrician or allergist first. They may not know a lot on the subject, but it might make you feel better.


1 comment:

  1. I ghostwrote a book for a client whose three kids all had broad spectrum, anaphylactic allergies from birth. It was quite a learning experience for me, not having or knowing anyone with food allergies but I realized they do exist and they can be fatal. In the case of peanuts, she exposed all three kids to them at an early age and they all had an anaphylactic reaction, resulting in 911 calls and trips to the ER. As a result, she transformed the way she cooked and became an artist in the kitchen. She also home-schooled them for various reasons, one of which being the public schools (back in the 90's) would not allow her children to carry EpiPens. Interestingly, her daughter has allergies her sons do not have, and vice-versa. She cannot eat fish but they can, while she can consume beans and they can't. Today, all three are thriving, happy, healthy and productive citizens (and Trump voters, as are their parents.:)

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