Do you have a constantly runny nose, an itchy throat, sore eyes; maybe you live with eczema or have an annoying skin rash that flares up every so often? Perhaps you carry an epipen because an allergic reaction to something is life-threatening for you. Well, you're most definitely not alone. 1 in 3 UK adults currently experience allergic reactions at some point during their lifetime and the numbers have been rising at an alarming rate...

* Peanut or tree nut allergy now runs at 1 in 70 kids, versus 1 in 250 in 1997
* Food allergy anaphylaxis increased by 5.7% between 1998 and 2018
* US hospital admissions for asthma tripled between 1970 and 1990
* Every two hours in the US someone is admitted to hospital with a severe allergic reaction
* There are under 20 trained allergic specialists in the UK - the field is tiny for a growing epidemic
* Allergy UK are campaigning to introduce an allergy nurse and dietitian within all GP practices

Allergies are a complex and under-funded area of medicine, and there are few books out there to support families and patients. This book provides the answers and information that they need, while making the existing science accessible and easy to understand. Journalist Rebecca Seal has interviewed a wide range of clinical experts about the most recent developments in understanding and treating allergies, as well as parents, young people and children about their experiences of living with allergies.

Irritated gives an overview of allergies, their symptoms and how they affect the body and looks at why they have become so prevalent in recent years. Rebecca writes about the difference between allergies and intolerances, the role of gut health in the development of allergies, the different types of allergy (food, skin, environmental, chemical) and offers up practical strategies for symptom management.

'Rather than panicking about how best to support ourselves and our families when it comes to allergies, Rebecca's fact-filled, widely researched book is a mega manifesto with actionable questions and empowered prompts to ask of our specialists and institutions. With a third of the population affected, whether we are directly touched by allergies or not, certainly someone we love is and it's, therefore, vital we should all understand how to take care of each other as a society.' Melissa Hemsley, author of Sunday Times bestseller Real Healthy: Unprocess your diet with easy everyday recipes
'Irritated is one of the most clear-eyed, science-forward accounts I've read of the allergy epidemic. By weaving immunology, microbiome science and social context, Rebecca Seal shows how modern environments shape immune development, and why prevention must begin early in life.' Professor Jack Gilbert, microbiome scientist, UC San Diego School of Medicine

'This book is an absolute joy. Easy to read, it takes you on a journey covering all the important angles. It's full of stories and a range of diverse views, rather than being too heavy on science, which is still in there and very clearly explained. I will be recommending it to my patients who want to better understand their allergies.'
Adam Fox OBE, professor of paediatric allergy and Chair of the National Allergy Strategy Group

Rebecca Seal is an author, journalist and broadcaster who is a former assistant editor of Observer Food Monthly and Observer Woman. She has been writing professionally for over 20 years and is a freelance feature writer for all the UK broadsheet newspapers. She has written a number of personal development and cookery books, including Be Bad, Better (2023) and The Ginger Pig Christmas Cook Book (2023). She has also authored or co-authored cookbooks with the Leon restaurant group (published by Octopus). Rebecca was a regular presenter on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch for five years and has also appeared on national and local radio shows as well as podcasts. She also has personal experience of allergies in her family.