There is no need for us to come to say this. anyone who suffers pollen allergy andYou will notice that this year is especially busy. But why?
The truth is that this is a special year in many ways. A terrible drought in many parts of the world, heat in April, unusual rainfall, extreme temperatures breaking records… All this can be attributed to changing of the climateso it is not strange to consider him the first culprit.
If we do this, we will not be mistaken, because it is true: climate change is behind this deterioration. Allergy to pollen. And the worst thing is that it has only just begun. The reasons are very different, from drought to changes in the timing of pollination. There is little we can do other than protect ourselves as we do and, of course, fight climate change.
Drought, the enemy of people with pollen allergies
Like any other allergy, pollen allergy occurs when the immune system identifies as a hazardous agent a substance that in fact is not. In this case, the erroneous foreign agent is airborne plant pollen, especially when they pollinated by the wind.
The immune response releases substances called histamines, which are responsible for a wide range of symptoms: mucus, coughing, sneezing, rash, difficulty breathing…
Initially, we might believe that drought prevents pollen allergy. After all, if there is no rain, the plants will grow less and it is expected that this will affect flowering and pollination. However, rain for allergy sufferers is more of a friend than an enemy.
And the fact is that when it rains, grains of pollen they get wet. Thus, when they weigh more, they fall to the ground and accumulate there. If the environment is dry, they remain suspended in the air, and it is easier for us to breathe them.
Changes in pollination
While we experience pollen allergies more in the spring, pollination actually occurs throughout the year. This is actually convenient for the plants, since since each group has its own season, they do not compete with everyone else for pollinators, especially when they animals such as insects or birds.
There are people who are only allergic to pollen. several groups of plantsso they don’t experience it all year long. The problem is that pollination periods, which are usually limited by changes in temperature, vary greatly. Those that start with the warm seasons, getting stronger and longertherefore, pollen allergy is exacerbated.
Other Factors Affecting Pollen Allergy
Climate change is directly related to Emission of polluting gasessuch as carbon dioxide. They contribute to the greenhouse effect, which in turn exacerbates global warming, causing all the effects we have already seen with respect to pollen allergy.
But that is not all. The pollutants themselves can also exacerbate allergies. Even if they didn’t cause drought and rising temperatures. This is because, in some cases, plants that are regularly exposed to pollutants eventually develop certain Defense mechanisms. Among them is the modification of your metabolism to create new proteins that also cause allergic reactions.
If you add a classic pollen allergy to them, the consequences can be much more intense. For all this, many people dusted off the masks that they wore only to go to the pharmacy or clinic. Allergies are strong this year and will continue unless we do something to stop this situation. We have already said many times: the reasons for cope with climate change.
Source: Hiper Textual
