Allergies: the Urbanite's Most Horrifying Enemy

Does our immune system have anything to do with allergic reactions? The answer is yes. When the body is exposed to harmful influences from outside, the immune system springs into action like a S.W.A.T. team defending against invaders. If the team wins, your body stays as healthy as it should be. If it loses, the result is illness and infection.

How an allergy happens

In theory, an allergy is a reaction of the “immune system” expressed as a hypersensitivity to something normally harmless. As the body responds, it produces various chemical substances — one of them histamine, the culprit behind the stuffy nose, runny nose, and hives we know so well.

Why city dwellers get allergies so often

Allergies appear across all ages and genders, but notice something: people who live in urban areas tend to have allergies following them like a shadow. That’s because the substances triggering the reaction are all around them.

One factor is genetics, but another major one is the environment — dust mites, cockroaches, plant pollen, dust, ants, mosquitoes, animal hair, pollution, and even certain foods. These are the triggers that can set off an allergic reaction at any time.

Tackle it at the source

Once you understand that an allergy is a reaction to the allergens around you, reducing those allergens — especially dust mites in the home and bedroom — becomes a genuinely effective way to ease symptoms. The less the body meets its triggers, the less the immune system has to overwork itself into repeated reactions. Caring for your environment alongside following your doctor’s advice is the most sustainable answer, especially for city life.