Gut Health and Allergy

Having practised primary care in community pharmacy for more than 20 years, my dearest passion is to practise integrated medicines to provide my customers with “Health Solution”. In recent years whereas in Australia or Macau, I see so many more cases of allergy, especially in children. Among the cases, most are manifested as either allergy on the respiratory tract (Rhinitis and Asthma), on the skin (Ezcema) or various gut issues due to food allergy. And the frustrated mothers, going up and down, searching high and low for a “solution”.

In reality, there is NO cure once an allergic response developed and manifested, but to minimize risk, to manage and maintain.

Allergic disorders are in fact very common in children…...

• According to the Australia Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), up to 40% of children in Australia are affected by allergic disorders some time during life, 20% have current symptoms

• According to recent epidemiological data from ISAAC (The International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood) phase III report, the prevalence of allergic diseases in Asia varies widely but was found to have increased (from 0.8% to 29.1% for asthma and from 5% to 45% for allergic rhinitis) as communities adopted modern lifestyles and became urbanized.

• For an evaluation tool, the Hong Kong Allergy Association provides an interesting Allergy Risk Index: http://www.allergyhk.org/?p=554

There is no doubt that “Allergy” is a very diverse but interesting topic, with the mix of past myths, out-dated misunderstanding, and revelation from interesting latest medical scientific research and finding. The old saying of “sickness start with oral route” is very much applicable to many allergic disorders too. We are hoping to lead and refresh the confused parents with useful information, to explore the new horizon of allergy and its complications in the mini series.

• The myths and facts for allergy, and its relationship with our innate immune system.

• How do the gut and immune system interact?

• How does gut flora protect against allergy?

• What dietary interventions may improve the gut environment to improve allergy resistance?