People who are often entangled by this disease can live long

People who suffer from long-term allergies may live longer, according to a new study presented at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Angelina, a physician in the Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Kaiser Medical Center in Los Angeles, said that patients with allergic rhinitis not only have a lower risk of heart attack and stroke, but more strikingly, their risk of all kinds of death is reduced.

To examine this topic, researchers searched a Southern California patient database that included 109,229 people with allergic rhinitis and 109,229 people without allergic rhinitis who were matched for age, sex, and race. The researchers then determined the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and all-cause mortality among these individuals from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2012.

After excluding factors such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, autoimmune diseases, kidney disease, dyslipidemia, smoking, obesity, etc., the results showed that compared with those without allergic rhinitis, patients with allergic rhinitis had a 25% lower risk of acute myocardial infarction, a 19% lower risk of cerebrovascular events, and a 49% lower risk of mortality from all causes.

Researchers believe that the immune system of patients with allergic rhinitis remains overly alert and actively fights the disease and related symptoms even when it is not necessary. This instinctive reaction may be the main reason for their longevity.

Further reading: How to prevent allergies?

1. Avoid exposure to allergens. Staying away from allergens is the first step to reducing allergies. Most allergies are caused by dust, and thorough dust prevention is the first key to avoiding allergies, especially in the bedroom. You can regularly wash the sheets, pillowcases, and quilt covers with hot water, and iron the clothes with hot water first; clean the air-conditioning filter frequently; thoroughly clean the bed with a damp cloth to avoid dust accumulation; avoid piling up books and documents, etc.

Eliminating indoor mold is also a key point. The fundamental solution is to thoroughly deal with the water leakage problem in the room and reduce the humidity. In addition to using a dehumidifier to reduce humidity, you can also open doors and windows to keep ventilation when the sun is out. In addition, disinfectant can also be used for sterilization. In addition, people with allergies are advised not to keep pets.

2. Eat right. Try to eat less processed or refined foods, eat less sugar as much as possible, and avoid high-fat, high-calorie foods. Make sure the food you eat is rich in the following nutrients that can reduce the risk of allergies: omega-3 fatty acids (fish such as salmon and sardines), protein (including chicken, fish, and legumes, but soy is a common allergen), and antioxidants (fruits and vegetables, such as vitamin C in green vegetables and carotene in dark vegetables). In addition, people with allergies should not drink ice water to avoid irritation that triggers allergies.

3. Drink enough water. When your body is not hydrated, the cells lining your respiratory and gastrointestinal tract shrink, creating gaps between the cells. Foreign substances like pollen can penetrate the cells and cause allergic reactions.

4. Do moderate exercise. Moderate exercise can activate your immune cells and improve your immunity. Medical experts recommend swimming more often. Swimming can train you to adapt to cold water, temperature and humidity; on the other hand, it can also improve your lung capacity and avoid allergic diseases caused by poor lung function.