An allergic reaction happens when the immune system gets overprotective. Once something relatively harmless is perceived as a threat, the resulting “defensive attack” can leave a person with a stuffed nose or life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

The world of allergies is not just about symptoms. Things get downright bizarre. From the transfer of someone else’s allergy and underground treatments to unbelievable things that people just cannot handle without hives (or shock), one will never again look at water or Wi-Fi the same.

10 Many Sufferers Are Not Allergic

In 2019, researchers published the results of an interesting study. It surprised even them. The project rounded up 40,000 adults from the United States. Tests and questionnaires determined that 1 in 10 had one or several food allergies.

Around 19 percent, which was twice the number, thought they had allergies when they did not. This was often the result of self-diagnosis when symptoms appeared after consuming a particular foodstuff.

However, the study showed that these individuals could be food intolerant rather than allergic. Intolerance is basically the body’s inability to digest a certain kind of meal and is not life-threatening. A true allergic response happens when the immune system mistakes something as a threat and responds aggressively, which is life-threatening.^[1]

The most unexpected revelation gleaned from the volunteers (the real sufferers) was how many of them developed their particular problem as adults. In fact, 48 percent only picked up an allergy once they were all grown-up.

9 Hypoallergenic Cat Myth

Life is hard for cat lovers who must abstain from adoring this particular pet due to having a feline allergy. Just visiting friends with a cat can result in sneezing, a goopy nose, and eyes that itch like there is no tomorrow.

Then the good news arrived—hypoallergenic kitties. Based on the belief that hair was the problem, breeds like the Cornish Rex, with its short and curly hair, enjoyed promotion as allergen-free pets.

However, the hypoallergenic cat does not exist. Not until researchers can do something about feline saliva. The problem is not the fur but something in their spit.

Cats are the only animals in the world that produce a protein called Fel d 1. When somebody says they are allergic to cats, they are actually allergic to this protein. The uniqueness of Fel d 1 is the reason why people do not have severe reactions to other animals.^[2]

The protein exists in the cat’s urine, skin, and saliva. After a cat grooms itself, the spit dries and turns into vapor. Long-haired cats have more fur and thus release more of the airborne allergen after a good kitty bath.

8 Tick-Induced Meat Allergy

The lone star tick trawls the United States, mostly around the eastern coast. When the species bites a human, some people can no longer enjoy a steak. It all starts with something called alpha-gal. This sugar probably ends up in the tick’s stomach after sucking blood from an animal.

It is believed that the tick introduces alpha-gal into the person’s bloodstream, after which the immune system produces antibodies against it. This, in itself, does not cause any problems. However, the immune system now has alpha-gal on its list of enemies—and red meat contains this sugar.

Those who have never encountered the lone star tick can safely eat a burger, but their bitten counterparts face symptoms within 4–6 hours. Unfortunately, this is not a rare condition and the allergic reaction is so severe that it almost equals the famously dangerous peanut allergy.

Currently, there is no way to stop a reaction, which could include hives, breathing difficulties, and anaphylactic shock. People with an alpha-gal allergy must carry an EpiPen to inject in case of an emergency.^[3]

7 Exercise Allergy

Couch potatoes are in no danger of this one. However, those who love or need to exercise face an unusual risk. Around 2 percent of people suffer from an allergic reaction to exercise.

For some reason, physical exertion ticks off their immune system. It releases antibodies that trigger mild to severe symptoms. Those on the lower end develop hives, a runny nose, and digestive issues. When it gets more dangerous, the throat can constrict and blood pressure can drop to the point of circulatory failure.^[4]

Technically called exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA), this condition can flare up regardless of the intensity of the exercise. Oddly, while many common activities can activate this weird condition, there have been no reports of EIA from swimming.

The general cause is also unknown, although a subtype is food-related. This mouthful is called food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA). After eating a specific snack (sometimes, any food), FDEIA patiently lurks until the person exercises and only then causes a reaction.

6 The Hookworm Treatment

In the 1970s, a parasitologist named Jonathan Turton got fed up with his allergies. So he swallowed a hookworm. After two years of living with the parasite, he published the results.

Turton claimed that his hay fever never flared up during that time. He believed that the worm protected itself by producing chemicals that suppressed his own immune system. This meant that Turton’s immune system could not overreact to allergens.

Modern researchers agree to a point. Several studies have shown promise with worms and inflammatory diseases, including Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Since most “worm remedies” had already happened in the shadows, researchers also visited traditional healers, people who had infected themselves to treat disease, and worm sellers.^[5]

This unregulated underground had a few insights, including improved allergies, asthma, Crohn’s disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. However, hookworm is a serious infection. Safe mainstream usage is not possible as doctors are still grappling with whether this is real or a placebo effect. If real, a lot of research needs to be done to determine the correct treatment and control of the parasites.

5 Wi-Fi Lawsuits

Some people claim to have electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). In 2015, a 15-year-old killed herself. Afterward, her family explained in court how the school’s Wi-Fi signals had left her nauseated, unable to concentrate, and suffering from debilitating headaches.

A 12-year-old boy’s parents sued his private school, insisting that the institution’s newly installed “industrial-capacity Wi-Fi” was detrimental. His symptoms included dizziness, skin irritation, and nosebleeds. In another case, a French woman won a disability settlement. Although the court accepted that her symptoms interfered with her life, it did not entirely acknowledge EHS.

Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that this is not a “medical diagnosis.” EHS symptoms could mean anything. Sufferers report general signs like headaches, vertigo, rashes, and nausea. While affected people insist that removing themselves from electromagnetic signals makes them feel better, scientists are wary.^[6]

When tested, EHS patients could not tell when the signals were switched on. The symptoms are not in doubt. However, the failure to replicate EHS in the laboratory suggests that a host of other triggers could be responsible instead.

4 Buckwheat Tattoos

The peanut allergy is well-known. While most Americans are aware that it could provoke serious consequences, few know that buckwheat is just as dangerous—anaphylactic shock and all.

The US and UK are basically buckwheat free, but Japan is a different story. This grain is the main ingredient of their popular soba noodles. For this reason, the Japanese are familiar with the fact that it is a common food allergen.

In 2017, Japanese restaurant owners wanted to spread awareness among foreign tourists before their customers could get into trouble with the delicacy. They approached a dermatologist and ad agency. The resulting campaign was rather unique—using a temporary tattoo based on historical Japanese art.

To test if a person is allergic to buckwheat, the skin is pricked before the tattoo is applied with soba noodle broth. If allergic, red skin irritation will show through see-through sections of the image. Although a positive test is scary, it beats anaphylactic shock due to ingestion.^[7]

The fright hardly lasts, thanks to the beauty of the tattoos. Even the clear sections were designed to blend the red rash into the art.

3 Aquagenic Urticaria

Life is not possible without water. Now imagine being allergic to water. It may sound like a yarn, but this condition, called aquagenic urticaria, is very real. As one of the rarest types, only about 100 cases have been recorded.

In 2018, Minnesota toddler Ivy Angerman was diagnosed with the condition. At 18 months old, she could be the youngest to ever develop an H₂0 allergy. Oddly, aquagenic urticaria has an age-related link. Most patients first experience the condition with the onset of puberty. In Ivy’s case, simple things like bath time and sweating can cause a rapid outbreak of hives and rashes.

This allergy is mysterious. Any kind of water, regardless of temperature, can trigger a reaction. Doctors do not know why. Some suspect that water is not the culprit but something inside it—perhaps a dissolved chemical, such as chlorine. Another theory suggested that the skin itself might produce a substance that morphs into an allergy trigger once in contact with H₂0.^[8]

2 Post-Orgasm Illness

In 2002, a peculiar condition was recognized. Called Post-Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS), it might stem from a semen allergy. Scientists are unsure about the cause because the discovery is relatively new, few studies exist, and not a lot of men have come forward. Researchers suspect that sufferers are allergic to their own semen.

POIS is triggered by ejaculation, followed by sickness that resembles flu (terrible fatigue and weakness). Symptoms appear within seconds or hours, sometimes lasting up to a week. Some can be scary, like memory lapses and speaking incoherently. Worse, it is a chronic condition.^[9]

As only about 50 cases are known, the disorder is considered to be rare. Many more men probably have it, but they may be misdiagnosed or unaware that POIS exists.

However, it appears that the offending substance might be the cure. A study found that two volunteers experienced reduced symptoms after receiving injections of their own increasingly concentrated semen. The bad news for POIS hopefuls is that they had to sit through this weird treatment for up to 31 months.

1 Allergies Can Get Donated

When a patient receives a transplant, he gets a new organ and a second chance. However, some people get more than they bargained for—their donors’ food allergies.

In 2018, one woman found this out the hard way. All her life, she ate nuts without any ill effect. After the 68-year-old received a new lung to treat her emphysema, she felt like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Luckily for her, she was still recovering in the hospital from the transplant and doctors were on hand when she went into her first peanut shock.

The event was severe, but she survived. When doctors checked the donor’s background, they found that he used to have a bad nut allergy. Such donated allergies are rare, but they do happen. Around four or five other cases exist in which lung transplants gave recipients their donors’ negative reaction to nuts.

Lungs are not the only organs capable of transferring food allergies to a new person. There have been cases involving bone marrow, kidney, and heart donations. For some reason, liver transplants come with a higher risk.^[10]

You’ve probably heard of many different kinds of allergies that plague people internationally. More than 50 million people suffer from them in the United States alone.^[1] From tree nut to shellfish allergies, these afflictions can become incredibly dangerous if not handled with care. It’s more than likely someone in your family or friend group has had to see an allergy doctor. Usually, they’re made to carry about an Epi-Pen, or the more recent Auvi-Q, just in case of a severe allergic reaction. The worst allergic reactions can send people into anaphylactic shock, involving shortness of breath, vomiting, fainting, low blood pressure, and even the possibility of death.

Yet, there are still many allergies that are not among the ones you always hear about—ones that seem so random that it makes you wonder where they came from. Maybe you personally have dealt with one of these or know someone with one. While food allergies tend to be more common, a lot of these uncommon ones are known as physical urticarias, which is a fancy way of saying the allergen causes itchy, red hives and rashes on the skin. Physical urticarias tend to have to do with physical stimulants—heat, cold, exercise, and many others. Beyond that, there are other allergies to everyday objects that seem like they’d impede one’s ability to live normally. This is a list of ten of those allergies—ones you never even thought could exist.

10 Cold Urticaria

Commonly known as an allergy to the cold, this affliction causes those allergic to it to break out in hives due to temperature drops. For some, all it takes is diving into a freezing-cold pool to set them off into anaphylaxis. This allergy can become quite dangerous really quickly. Cold exposure leads to the development of itchy rashes and hives.^[2] The reactions to the cold can vary, from very minor hives-based reactions to full-on fainting and shock. Swelling of the tongue or throat is also possible in this allergy.

Usually, this allergy occurs more often in young adults and can be the result of an underlying health condition. It also can be genetic, so multiple people in the same family might have it. Despite this, it still can be treated with over-the-counter allergy medication.

9 Dermographism

A reaction which only affects around four percent of the population is dermographism, which can be seen as being allergic to touch. That sounds wild, but you’ve probably seen the effects of this one before if you’re active on the Internet. It allows those afflicted to pretty much write words on their skin with their fingernail and have them stay visible.

The word “dermographism” essentially means “skin writing.”^[3] In reality, it’s a rash that appears due to touch and that eventually will go away within a half-hour. Dermographism can also be controlled with antihistamines, which can help deal with the irritation of the hives.

8 Solar Urticaria

Another physical urticaria, this allergy causes people to develop hives when exposed to natural sunlight.^[4] This definitely would be tough for summer people, as it’d make going out in the sun quite difficult. A reaction can also develop from an artificial light source that’s emitting UV rays. This affliction is very rare as a whole but does seem to start most commonly in one’s mid-thirties.

Mostly, people with this issue can avoid allergic reactions by using sun protection strategies or by taking antihistamines. The goal should be to minimize sun exposure and prevent rashes from appearing. In addition, patients can sometimes undergo phototherapy or photochemotherapy, which can help them become used to sun exposure, especially if their allergy is really severe and makes life extremely difficult.

7 Exercise Allergy

Exercising is hard enough without having to worry about going into anaphylaxis. Unfortunately, some people can have severe allergic reactions simply from exercising too much. In these situations, they can go into anaphylaxis after going to the gym or partaking in other types of physical activity. Interestingly enough, there are different factors that can play into this reaction, including food, medications, and weather conditions. Sometimes, eating certain foods before going out to exercise can lead to anaphylaxis, which is known as food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis.^[5]

This condition can come on unexpectedly and can become so severe as to be lethal. Even so, it’s still possible to treat it with epinephrine.

6 Aquagenic Urticaria

Some people wonder if water’s wet, while others question whether water allergies are a legitimate thing. There’s still no solid answer to the first question, but it’s been shown that water allergies are real. Scientifically known as aquagenic urticaria, this allergy can cause a hives reaction when someone afflicted goes into water.^[6] This sounds unbelievable, since we are constantly surrounded and mainly made up of water.

Doctors still aren’t sure how exactly this allergy came about, but similar to the other physical urticarias, it can be treated with antihistamines.

5 Cockroach Allergy

Cockroaches are gross enough without also being allergens. For an unfortunate few, however, being allergic to them is a real thing to deal with. Usually, it leads to asthmatic symptoms due to the proteins that come off the cockroaches’ bodies.^[7] A way to deal with such an allergy is by keeping one’s home clean and getting rid of any dead cockroaches because even they can cause an allergic reaction. Surprisingly, people who are allergic to shellfish can sometimes also be allergic to cockroaches, as they give off a similar protein.

People with a cockroach allergy can even find themselves with hives simply from touching a place where a cockroach walked or pooped. On the upside, it gives people with this allergy even more reason to avoid cockroaches at all costs.

4 Artificial Nail Allergy

Artificial nails are quite popular and trendy. They look cute and come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Getting your nails done is something fun to do, but for some people, it can lead to complications. For some, the adhesives cause swelling, redness, and pain at the nail beds.^[8]

The cause of these symptoms is an allergy to the chemical ethyl methacrylate monomer. It’s often used in acrylic nails and is FDA-approved. It’s better for people with this allergy to stick to easier, simple nail polish or even go bare rather than suffer the effects of such an allergy.

3 Nickel Allergy

Change, in general, tends to be annoying for most people—what can you even do with a bunch of coins? For some, it goes farther than just that. In particular, people with nickel allergies cannot hold coins high in nickel content without getting a bad rash and itching. Sometimes, blisters can even appear and last for weeks.^[9] This goes for more than just simple coins—people with nickel allergies might have trouble wearing jewelry containing the metal. It can become problematic, especially when trying to buy something cute to wear with an outfit.

This condition is a lot more common in females and in people with other sensitivities to metals. The best way to deal with it is by simply avoiding prolonged exposure to the metal, so as to not have such a negative reaction. Fortunately, hypoallergenic jewelry is made just for these types of situations.

2 Raw Fruit And Vegetable Allergy

While food allergies are common, raw fruit and vegetable allergies are a bit different. People afflicted cannot eat either raw fruits or veggies without having their throat begin to swell up. The allergic reaction can actually be quite severe. This allergy is also known as oral allergy syndrome, and some of the negatively impacting fruits can include pears, peaches, apricots, apples, kiwis, and many others. On the vegetable spectrum, the most common allergies are to celery, carrots, parsley, coriander, and more.^[10]

The reason for such an allergy is related to hay fever and people who have trouble with pollen. It’s actually estimated that 70 percent of people with pollen allergies are susceptible to a raw fruit or vegetable allergy. The body recognizes a protein in certain raw fruits and vegetables as being similar to pollen molecules, causing the severe allergic reaction.

1 Sweat Allergy

Yes, you read that right. There are people in the world who genuinely are allergic to their own sweat. This condition, known as cholinergic urticaria, is due to an increase in body temperature, which usually results in sweating. People with this allergy can even suffer a reaction from a simple hot bath or spicy foods. Sufferers tend to only experience hives but can also feel fever-like symptoms and have trouble breathing when exposed to the allergen.

Similar to cold urticaria, the main cause for the allergic reaction is a change of temperature, this time from cold to hot. This would lead to a feeling of a heat rash and other negative symptoms.^[11]

+ Allergy Medicine Allergy

Ironically, there are people who happen to be allergic to allergy medication. This can become extremely bothersome, especially when you’re attempting to treat another allergy, only to find yourself faced with twice as many issues as before. In reality, people aren’t allergic to the medication as a whole, just certain dyes and chemicals used in it. While the reaction to allergy medication can be so severe that it’s life-threatening, there are ways to treat this allergy by going to a professional. One way consists of being treated with allergy shots without any preservatives or dyes.^[12] Still, this is probably the most annoying of all the allergies on the list and also the most frustrating.

There are still plenty of other allergies that are more or less common and create a lot of issues for people affected by them. This list only covered a few intriguing ones. So many people are affected by allergies, most of which can merely be treated, not cured. It’s important for people with allergies to stay safe—to keep their Epi-Pens on them and avoid exposing themselves to whatever might cause an allergic reaction. Although it sometimes sucks to have to deal with such irritating allergies, it’s the only way to keep everyone safe and healthy. Hopefully, with our current rate of technological advancement, research will reveal a way to cure allergies that have plagued the human race for centuries. In the meantime, all we can do is wait.

Julia is a college student inspired to write this because of her personal affliction of cold urticaria.

Allergies are our body’s natural response to certain things it considers dangerous. They are often triggered by food, although they can also be set off by animals, electrical appliances, drugs, and even other medical conditions.

What many don’t realize is that these allergies are sometimes caused by something other than what they think. For instance, chocolate allergy is typically the result of neither cocoa nor any other ingredient in chocolate. It’s actually caused by cockroach bits in the chocolate. Here are nine more examples, not all of which are confirmed or recognized by medical science.

10 Cockroaches Cause Chocolate Allergy

Some people complain of being allergic to chocolate. However, as teased above, people who think they are allergic to chocolate are probably actually allergic to the cockroach parts that often end up in chocolate. It’s all good, though. The cockroach parts in question are ground up.

You’d think ground-up roaches would be enough reason for the Food and Drug Administration to fine the chocolate makers, but the FDA actually permits them have a maximum of 60 insect parts per 100 grams of chocolate. The average chocolate bar has eight parts.

Cockroaches often end up in chocolate at cocoa bean farms, where they sneak into the harvest. Farmers already use several pesticides to keep them at bay but would need more if they wanted to get rid of the roaches completely. That would mean your favorite chocolate would be filled with pesticides, which is more dangerous than pieces of cockroaches.

Besides chocolate, cockroach parts can also trigger allergies in foods like peanut butter, macaroni, popcorn, cheese, wheat, and fruits.^[1]

9 Vaccines Are Claimed To Cause Peanut Allergy

Peanut allergy is common in young children, with millions of kids in the US affected. According to some rather . . . fringe sources, vaccines are a major cause of peanut allergy in today’s children.^[2] Refined peanut oil, a major ingredient in vaccines, is why. Vaccine makers need to add oil to preserve their vaccines and ensure that the human body can fight the weakened diseases in the vaccines.

Several oils can be used, but vaccine makers allegedly prefer refined peanut oil because it is cheap. However, the oil is said to cause hypersensitivity (aka serum sickness) in some children. These children will later become allergic to peanuts and products containing them. Note, however, that there is no scientific evidence to back this proclaimed link between vaccination and peanut allergy.

8 Something Else Could Be Causing Wi-Fi Allergies

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is an allergy supposedly caused by being close to items that emit electromagnetic signals. This includes cell phones, computers, and Wi-Fi. We say “supposedly” because the allergy is not medically recognized.

The World Health Organization (WHO) insists EHS is not a real medical condition, even though it agrees that its symptoms are real. Dr. James Rubin, a psychologist at King’s College, London, believe EHS is real but is not caused by electromagnetic fields.

A 2009 report on 46 studies into EHS indicated the sample groups could not determine when the devices emitting the electromagnetic signals were on or off. Nevertheless, people have continued to claim to have the allergy. Sufferers claim electromagnetic signals cause severe headaches, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness, which disappears when they leave the vicinity of the offending device.

In Massachusetts, the parents of a 12-year-old sued his private school, claiming that the school’s Wi-Fi caused several EHS symptoms, including nosebleed and heart palpitations, in their son. Curiously, doctors could not diagnose the supposed ailment because it disappeared when the boy was out of school.

In France, a woman suffering from EHS left her home to live in the mountains to escape from electromagnetic signals. The parents of a 15-year-old UK girl blamed EHS for their daughter’s suicide. They claimed the Wi-Fi signals in her school left her disoriented and sick, causing her to take her own life.^[3]

7 Dogs Can Get Allergies From Eating The Same Food

Dog owners are often surprised to see their dog suddenly become allergic to a food they have been eating for some time. In truth, dogs can develop allergies from eating the same food over a long period of time.

The allergies can manifest from eating the same brand of food, or foods containing the same sources of protein. The body dealing with these same ingredients or proteins over and over leads to allergies to the food. This is why food allergies are more common in dogs over the age of two.

The most common food allergens for dogs are beef, milk, cheese, chicken, and wheat. Eggs, corn, lamb, soy, yeast, spices, and additives are also suitable candidates.^[4]

6 Airborne Particles Cause Allergies To Air Conditioning

It is impossible to become allergic to air conditioners. People who think they are allergic to air conditioning are actually reacting to whatever is in the air the air conditioner blows. The so-called air conditioner allergy is often caused by pollen, dust mites, dander, mold, toxins, bacteria, viruses, air pollution, or toxic chemicals.

Air conditioners do not create but only spread these allergens around the room. Pollen enters the building through open doors and windows or via the clothes and shoes of people entering the building. It could also be from the plants inside the building. Toxic chemicals are often expelled from certain products like household cleaners.^[5]

5 Baby Wipes Could Cause Food Allergies

Baby wipes are the latest products said to be causing food allergies in babies. Researchers say this happens because the soap and soap-like materials in baby wipes may disturb the chemicals in the top layer of the skin.

Some children have genes that could cause any interaction with these chemicals to lead to food allergies. This is why researchers have suggested that parents avoid wipes entirely and use water to clean their babies instead.

However, the research is not conclusive, and others have suggested that baby wipes do not cause food allergies in children. This is because a widely reported study which indicated that baby wipes cause allergies was conducted on newborn mice and not newborn humans.^[6]

4 Dead Skin Causes Allergies To Birds And Dogs

Some people often report that they are allergic to dogs. However, they are not actually allergic to dogs but to the dander, as in the dead skin on the dog. They could also be allergic to the saliva and urine of the dog or the pollen or mold that is usually on dog fur.

Dander is carried in the air and is often littered around the home or wherever the dog visits. This is why people allergic to dogs usually also have reactions to areas dogs frequent—even when the dog is not around. Researchers have discovered that people who are allergic to dogs have a highly sensitive immune system that reacts to dog dander, urine, or saliva as if it were some form of pathogenic invader and attacks it promptly.^[7]

Similarly, people aren’t truly allergic to birds, either. They’re really allergic to the dander on the feathers of the birds as well as the dust mites that feed on it. The dander and dust mites are often spread when the birds flaps its wings.

3 Parasites Cause Swimmer’s Itch

Chlorine rash is often confused with swimmer’s itch. While both are caused by swimming, it is virtually impossible to get both from the same body of water. Chlorine rash only appears after swimming in water that contains chlorine, while swimmer’s itch only happens in water without chlorine.

First, swimmer’s itch is an allergic reaction, while chlorine rash is not. Humans cannot develop allergies to chlorine. Instead, we can only become sensitive to chlorine. A continuous reaction between our skin and the chlorine causes chlorine rash.

Swimmer’s itch (also known as cercarial dermatitis) is caused by a parasite. It often appears after swimming in lakes, ponds, and sometimes salt water. However, it rarely happens in swimming pools because chlorine prevents the parasites from thriving.

The parasites are first dumped into the water as eggs in the feces of beavers, muskrats, waterfowl, and several other animals that live near the water. Then they hatch and are picked up by a kind of snail before they are ultimately released into the water again.

The parasites burrow into the exposed skin of human swimmers, causing an allergic reaction in the swimmer. Fortunately, humans are not every good hosts, and the parasites die off after a few days.^[8]

2 Folic Acid Could Cause Allergies In Unborn Children

Pregnant women are often advised to ingest a number of vitamins and minerals to have a healthy baby. Folic acid (also called folate) is one of the most important. It is basically the artificial version of vitamin B9.

Women are advised to ingest folic acid in the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy. However, research by the Robinson Research Institute of the University of Adelaide indicates that ingesting folic acid after the first trimester could cause allergies in the unborn child.

However, like the baby wipe entry, this, too, was declared inconclusive because the study was limited to sheep. Researchers discovered that lambs often had allergies to dust mite and egg albumen if their mothers ingested folic acid late into pregnancy.^[9]

1 Allergic Eczema Is Linked To Food Allergies In Children

Allergic eczema appears when a part of the skin touches whatever a person is allergic to. It is indicated by a dry, itchy rash that may be painful and accompanied by blisters.

However, recent research indicates that the eczema is linked to allergies in children. Today, 20 percent of children are affected by allergic eczema. Curiously, 30 percent of those children suffer from food allergies.

Researchers have discovered that the skin closest to the eczema spots usually have different molecular structures than other areas of the skin in children who have food allergies. However, the skin around the eczema in children with no food allergies is the same.

Researchers believe the difference in the molecular structure is the reason some children with allergic eczema have food allergies, and others don’t. They also believe an understanding of the molecular structures could allow them to detect food allergies in children earlier.^[10]