Ted Fischer wrote:
 
> But is there any logic behind these requests?  What is the relation
>between inhaling an antigen (which is picked up directly in the lungs by immune
>cells) and ingesting a protein containing particle (pollen) which then
>immediately goes into the digestive tract and is broken down into its basic
>components before the body  is ever exposed to it?  I can't see the logic at
>all.  And, even if it would work, why would one want to self-dose with an
>antigen that could possibly kill you with a general allergic reaction?
 
Antigens can affect the body through the digestive tract.  After all, isn't
that how food allergies work?  However, in the case of hayfever, the antigen
is picked up by the respiratory system, and the histamines produced affect
the respiratory system.  But your own post indicates that the digestive
system is a much more resistant system and tends to break down the antigens.
I always figured that was why eating the antigen was a slow way to
acclimatize the body to the antigen and get it to stop producing so much
histamine.
 
The fact that beekeepers get resistant to stings shows that the body can get
used to antigens and reduce its production of histamines.
 
Anyway, that is just my layman's two cents worth.  But I would not be quick
to dismiss persistent folk remedies.  They arose from experimentation and
experience.
 
Regards, Stan