Allergies – A Growing Modern Epidemic
 

The UK has the highest prevalence of allergic conditions in the world, with numbers rising sharply over the last two decades. In 2004, around 20% of the population lived with one or more allergic conditions; by 2010 this had escalated to 44%. Today, 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 8 children are affected by allergic rhinitis.  Allergy UK calls this a “modern epidemic”.

Food allergies are particularly concerning, affecting 5–8% of children. Symptoms often begin with skin rashes, eczema, or digestive distress in early life. While diet changes and functional medicine can bring relief, deeper root causes are often overlooked. Joy’s millennian quest found many causes, unique to individual.

Causes & Influences - Birth Type Matters in allergies:

Why is it that some of us have a strong digestive system and others live with various issues? Joy’s extensive knowledge and experience found extraordinary answers. If our parents, even grandparents, have digestive, eczema and allergic disorders, logically future generations are more prone to same disorders. Essentially, we can be living previous generations gut weakness. Transgenerational low function or weak system impacts continue on in future generations. Not just the digestive system, involved in eczema, allergies, mind-emotion health issues.  Transgenerational weakness becomes a dominance passed on in Utero and formation.  A body-mind-emotion transference, weaved into us from womb. 

Research infancy highlights the role of birth type and maternal health. Individually we can add to the generational issue via type of birth.  When born in a natural vaginal birth, infant undergoes certain processes as they move through the birth canal. Birth processes essential for strong immunity and healthy digestion. Beneficial bacteria is passed on; muscles squeezes excess fluid from the baby’s lungs. 

Babies born by C-section may miss these important benefits, increasing risks of breathing issues and asthma (Aberdeen University, 2015). Mothers maternal base gut health also plays a critical role. Is mothers immunity or good bacteria strong enough or weak. A factor for infant, either way, passed on. Inherited poor digestive function, weak beneficial bacteria? Poor or weak bacteria will lead to internal vulnerability, lower gut function. Signs and symptoms include colic, allergies, weak immunity. Infant starts on back foot from the get-go. 

Allergies are made up of many factors and it is not just the food we eat. Hidden influences exist and how we assimilate, malfunction of digestive system, malabsorption, stress and anxiety. Our association with food etc. the list goes on with decline and health under par. 

Solutions exist: Allergies don’t have to define you or your child’s life, with direct action, balance can be restored at any age.
 

At JWT, we take an integrated approach, combining functional medicine, body-mind therapy, and parental education. Early intervention supports both mother and infant, helping correct imbalances, strengthen immunity, reducing the lifelong burden of allergic disease. And it can start improving any time, pre and post-natal.
 

Impact on Children & Families

Early signs of weak bacteria and digestive poor function will include colic, rashes, eczema, poor digestion, food aversions, bloating, flatulence and breathing issues.

Allergies create internal distress, strain on systems from intolerances, sleep disruption, and emotional strain across the whole family.

Constipation, diarrhoea, wheat, diary, lactose intolerance, Crohns disease etc. may follow.