Allergies in (to?) Western Civilization

In today's Guardian, Prince Charles is weighing in on allergies and what he sees are two trends with some strking similarities: the more "civilized" we get, the more people seem to suffer from allergies. Coincidence? Prince Charles thinks not.

There is accumulating evidence that the rise in allergies could be directly linked to the way in which we live

What part of how we live?

We spend up to 80% of our time indoors, and the sealing of our houses to conserve heat and energy, the increase in soft furnishings and the rising numbers of pets all increase the chance of those genetically at risk becoming sensitised to domestic allergens such as dust mites, moulds, cats and dogs. Similarly, at work, increasing allergies give rise to the "sick building" syndrome.

The Prince has some ideas on how to reduce some of the adverse effects of being indoors so much:

Children raised on livestock farms have only one third of the incidence of allergy when compared to their non-farming rural peers. In Africa and Asia, allergy is much higher in urban than in rural populations. It seems that exposure to higher levels of bacteria, viruses and fungi stimulates the immune response away from allergy.

Of course, people in rural Africa and Asia have life expectancies that are about ten to fifteen years less than urban Brits living indoors, but if it's allergy one is trying to get away from, it's a tradeoff to consider.

Whether or not you accept the solution, Prince Charles believes he has identified the culprits:

Factors associated with western society, such as overeating, lack of exercise and an obsession with hygiene ... are conspiring to weaken our defence against the environment.

If you aren't ready to move to a livestock farm, much less rural Africa, for the full cure, is there anything to be done at home? Yes!

acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine and controlled breathing have shown benefit

He didn't mention it, but a little less bathing probably wouldn't hurt, either. For those with allergies -- you know who you are -- this essay is for you.