Food Allergy Linked to Skin Exposure and Genetics

I ran into an interesting research paper titled “Food Allergy is Linked to Skin Exposure and Genetics.” The lead study author is Joan Cook-Mills, a professor of allergy-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. 

In case you don’t care or have time to read the article, here are the salient points:

“The factors contributing to food allergy include the genetics that alter skin absorbency, use of infant cleansing wipes that leave soap on the skin, skin exposure to allergens in dust and skin exposure to food from those providing infant care. Food allergy is triggered when these factors occur together.”

Up to 35% of children with food allergies have atopic dermatitis, which can be caused by “at least three different gene mutations that reduce the skin barrier.” Also, soap in wipes disrupt the top skin layer of lipids.

While food allergies among children are on the rise, risk factors can be reduced in the home environment by following these simple instructions:

1. Reduce the baby’s skin exposure to food allergens by washing your hands before handling the baby;
2. Limit use of infant wipes that leave soap; and,
3. Rinse any soap applied to the baby’s skin thoroughly with water.

SET-DB™ practitioners can easily eliminate sensitivities like these, but prevention (when available) always trumps cure.