The Allergy Threshold
Allergies Triggered by Repeat Exposure to Foods, Animals, Dust, Mold
Many allergies are not constant; they are caused by repeated use of common foods (wheat, milk, corn, sugar, nuts) or inhalation allergens, which increase sensitivity.
For people with severe allergic reactions, such as deadly peanut allergies, there is no safe amount of an allergen. But for most people, allergies have a safety threshold. This threshold level affects how much of an allergen they can be exposed to before reacting and how likely they are to react to other allergens, from food allergies to reactions to dust, mold, chemicals, perfume, detergents, and more.
What is an Allergy Threshold?
The allergy threshold is the amount of an allergen a person can be exposed to before he begins to react to it.
- Someone with pollen allergies may be okay outside in spring for ten minutes before she begins to react
- Someone with a milk allergy may be able to put cream in her coffee, but not eat a slice of cheesecake
- A person with horse allergies could feel fine riding horseback outdoors, but not in an enclosed barn or riding arena
The threshold may also be the cause of certain allergies, particularly in childhood, when the immune system is more sensitive. Children who eat the same foods every day – foods like milk, wheat flour, and sugar, three of the most common food allergies – may develop an allergy to some or all forms of that food.
How is the Threshold Reached?
An allergy threshold is generally reached through repeated exposure to a particular allergen. Someone who lives in a dusty house, for instance, may develop a dust allergy. A woman living with several cats that shed voluminously may become allergic to cat dander or to animal dander in general.
Food allergies can also be created by repeated exposure, as mentioned above. Some holistic diets recommend rotating the foods eaten, so that allergies don't develop.
Do Synthetic Chemicals Play a Role in the Threshold?
Many of the synthetic chemicals present in hairspray, perfume, cosmetics, antiperspirants, and other beauty and personal care products are toxic to the human body to a certain extent: they won't kill you immediately, but are potentially carcinogenic and immune suppressive.
Because allergies are, basically, a misfiring of the immune system's response to threat, anything that interacts with the immune system in a less-than-beneficial way worsens the chances that an allergy will go by without a reaction. Daily exposure to synthetic chemicals in laundry detergent, other cleaning products, perfume, hairspray, and more consistently worsen allergic reactions.
How Threshold Allergies Connect
Unfortunately, allergy thresholds tend to connect allergies that might not otherwise be connected. Daily exposure to animals, for instance, can lead to increased reactivity to dust, perfume, or foods; and food sensitivities can worsen in the spring and fall, when there is more mold and pollen in the air outside.
Once an allergy threshold is reached, things can get messy. Children with allergies or sensitivities often seem to react to "anything and everything" because their immune system is so overloaded by allergens like wheat, nuts, dairy, perfume, mold or pollen that everything else becomes a problem too.
How to Keep Below Your Threshold
It's a good idea to minimize any exposure to known allergens or sensitivities, but this can be difficult at times. The following recommendations can help keep a safe margin between your immune system and an allergic reaction:
- Keep pets off of furniture (especially sleeping areas) and out of bedrooms
- Vacuum the bedroom regularly to minimize dust – especially under the bed
- Install a household water filtration system
- Rotate your diet: avoid eating the same foods every day, especially common allergens
- Keep your home well-insulated and clean of mold
