| Can an allergy be a sign of having a natural relief for | | | | similar kinds of findings. |
| cancer and other serious illnesses? | | | | Canadian studies have been published showing that |
| According to a recently published study from Texas | | | | people who suffer from hay fever or similar allergies |
| Tech University, it probably can. Dr Zuber Mulla, an | | | | have an up to 58 per cent less chance of developing |
| epidemiologist at Texas Tech University, who led the | | | | pancreatic cancer, compared to people who do not |
| study team, said, "More work is still needed, but the | | | | suffer from allergies. |
| numbers show that allergy is a statistically significant | | | | Perhaps these findings should not be all that |
| protective factor." | | | | surprising. All of us want a strong immune system so |
| The studies were into the causes of ovarian cancer, | | | | as to protect us from cancer and other potentially |
| and it found that the chances of allergy sufferers | | | | fatal illnesses. But very often, it seems, our immune |
| succumbing to cancer were much lower than those | | | | system is just a little too strong. Rather than just |
| of non-allergy sufferers. The only possible reason | | | | protecting us from serious illness, it can err on the |
| they could suggest was that adverse reactions to | | | | safe side and raise the defenses to what are really |
| things such as pollen or dust mites stimulate the | | | | harmless intruders in the form of, for example, pollen |
| immune system and make it more effective in | | | | or dust mites. |
| fighting off true enemies such as cancer. | | | | The result, as we all know, is all the unpleasant |
| The study carried out by Texas Tech was into | | | | symptoms of allergy reaction - sneezing, a runny |
| ovarian cancer, and it found that asthmatics had a 30 | | | | nose, watering eyes, and a feeling of general |
| per cent less chance of developing ovarian cancer | | | | wretchedness. And this can go on for weeks if not |
| than non-asthmatics. It also found that children allergic | | | | months in severe cases, prompting us to seek natural |
| to airborne irritants had a 40 per cent less chance of | | | | remedies for hay fever and other allergies. |
| developing leukemia than children who did not suffer | | | | But the lesson to learn here is that perhaps those of |
| from allergies. | | | | us who suffer in varying degrees from hay fever or |
| This is by no means the only study that has found | | | | other allergic reactions should count our blessings and |
| this link between allergy reaction and resistance to | | | | realise that our immune system is only doing its job, |
| potentially fatal illnesses. Earlier studies have been | | | | albeit too effectively for our own good, but that it is |
| carried out by Cornell University, Minnesota University, | | | | nevertheless keeping us safe from other, far more |
| Harvard, and also the UK Collaborative Trial of | | | | deadly, conditions. |
| Ovarian Cancer Screening, and these have produced | | | | |