Oilseed Rape

I've been having a teaspoon of local honey from a small local producer once or twice a day - and it has made a difference! I'm still coughing a bit and my eyes run when I'm outside near the horrible stuff. But I'm definitely better. A lot better!

Always suffer this time of the year stinging eyes and really bad headaches sore and itchy throat , always blame the oil seed rape which almost surrounds the town where I live. The symptoms increase when I have to drive on the dual carriage way where the fields border on either side.

No rape seed grown near here fortunately. However if ever we drive through an area where it is I get itchy eyes, sore throat etc. Of course the government will say there is no link. They think only of the money they get from whoever.

I certainly think there is a link, I also suffer from allergies when around rape seed flowers, I live in the Peak District where there isn't much grown, but when I go back to Warwickshire (most weekends) my symptoms increase dramatically, so much so that when driving past the fields I am constantly sneezing with runny eyes and dry throat. I have recently started cooking with the oil to see if I can build up an immunity.

As usual at this time of year, I have a runny nose and constantly need to clear my throat.

I love the oil for cooking, gives the crispest roast potatoes!

I always get a dry cough and feel just a bit under the weather at this time of year, and think it has something to do with the rapeseed flower, but I am never that unwell, to make further investigations necessary. I do not normally suffer in any way from asthma so it might just be an association of ideas for me.

Standard sweep it under the carpet phrase 'no proven link'

Now off for a spoonful of honey before bed!

My breathing is really worse!

I'm sure I read once that as oil seed rape was grown in more and more parts of Europe the incidence of asthma increased in the same areas. I've noticed that our farmer now has lots of bee hives on his farm; it is said that if you eat honey made in the area where you live it lessens your hay fever. Don't know if it's true but worth a try perhaps? It is growing incredibly well round here and flowered very quickly. Hope we get lots of poppies later in the year [even though it is meant to be a sign of bad farming]. Sometimes get beautiful fields of linseed also.

It's early this year as well.

Does anyone take any notice of government reports? Rape grown in the eighties seemed to cause more problems. Over the years the varieties of rape have been bred to change the type of oil that's produced. We can now use rapeseed oil for cooking and very good it is too.

My poor brother has the same problem.

I am sorry you get this - but I do love the sunny yellow fields.