Allergies abound

Allergies are rife and affect more people with greater severity than previous generations. In Australia, hospital admissions for allergies have doubled in the last decade.

Personally I am allergic to onions and garlic, stupid people, routine and weeding. But seriously, it's a growing concern. Both my children are allergic to gluten. Being coeliac sucks but there are so many places that will cater for gluten free diet these days (the fashion of the day helps). Hell, even the Pancake Parlour now has "glutton" free pancakes (fuck how I hate those ads).

There are various theories about why allergies are on the increase - hygiene hypothesis, the age of introducing solids and the types of first foods and lower breastfeeding rates. Personally, I believe that the way our food is grown has a bearing on allergies. Monsanto has a lot to answer for.  The commercialisation of food crops to the extent that Monsanto has taken things is just too frightening for words. The evils of Monsanto are too numerous to mention but include the deliberate sterilisation of crops so farmers are forced to purchase seeds rather than save them from the previous year and genetic engineering of seeds to ensure farmers have to not only purchase seed but herbicide and pesticide to ensure optimal growth.

There is a place for organic produce. Not only do small mixed farming business spread our risk when compared to massive monocultures but the food they produce is of higher nutrient content (therefore we need to eat less of it to get the same nutritional value). I truly believe that fresh is best. If I could afford to buy entirely organic produce I would.

I once shared a dream of owning a farm and growing all our own produce but, even with a surburban block and a brown thumb, we can all grow something. I have fresh parsley from my garden in pasta and soups.  This weekend the kids and I will be planting strawberries so we can harvest to our hearts are content later in summer.