Achoo! This spring, seasonal allergy symptoms are as bad as they’ve ever been for many people…or worse. Tissues, antihistamines, nose sprays, inhalers and eye drops are constant companions for the growing number of people who suffer from allergies. Around 40 percent of all people have at least one allergic condition today, and unfortunately, the outlook for the future isn’t much brighter. But why? Acclaimed medical anthropologist Theresa MacPhail investigates the history of allergies and traces the causes of their increasing prevalence in her book, ALLERGIC: OUR IRRITATED BODIES IN A CHANGING WORLD (Random House). She explains why there’s an uptick in all allergic conditions—food allergies, asthma, eczema, environmental allergies and more—and what we can do about it. In this excerpt from her book, MacPhail focuses on why climate change is a leading cause of your increased hay fever symptoms.
IF YOU’VE FELT AS THOUGH YOUR EYES WERE itchier, your nose was stuffier, or your sneezing fits have been getting worse over the past few years, you’re probably correct. The reason likely has something to do with changes to the average pollen load
