7 nutritional tips to help you survive the allergy season

What should you be eating this allergy season?

Allergies | Healthy Eating

asktheexpert
Sonia Chartier
@AVogel_ca


21 March 2019

7 simple seasonal allergy nutrition tips

  1. Cut your coffee intake
    Curb caffeine and opt for anti-inflammatory green, white or nettle tea if your nasal passages are pouring. Caffeine triggers histamine release, which can bring the skin up in a red, itchy, angry looking rash and dilate your blood vessels until everything feels inflamed. To reduce your coffee consumption gradually, make a cup with half coffee substitute and half your regular coffee.
  2. Avoid dairy products
    Be wary of mucus-inducing dairy products such as milk and cheese. People prone to allergic reactions often struggle with dairy so instead investigate the dairy free offerings at your local supermarket and health food store.
  3. Add some spice to your life
    Add some fresh ginger to your diet. It acts as a natural decongestant by calming inflammation. Drinking ginger tea is a great way to add this spice to your daily diet. To make ginger tea add 3 to 4 slices of fresh, peeled ginger (or more, depending on how strong you want it) to 1 cup of hot water, then add 1 tbsp of honey (optional).
  4. Reduce the sugar
    Refined sugar triggers a dramatic rise and fall in blood sugar levels, which causes an adrenalin surge that activates histamine release. Opt for sweet dried or fresh fruit for a natural sugar fix instead.
  5. Top up on vitamin C
    Fill your diet with fresh fruit and vegetables to ensure a steady intake throughout the day. Your body can’t make or store vitamin C, so it has to be available in low, consistent doses to support your nasal lining and reduce the amount of histamine in blood.  Some fruit and vegetables which are rich in vitamin C include:

TIP: Smoothies are a good way to include several vitamin C-rich foods in your daily diet. Try this delicious and refreshing Hayfever Blasting Smoothie.

  1. Eat anti-inflammatory foods
    Fill your diet with tasty anti-inflammatory foods to help counter inflammation, including:
  • Blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, blackcurrants
  • Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash
  • Mangoes, apricots, peaches, nectarines, papaya, pears, pineapples
  • Prunes, plums, raisins, figs, avocados
  • Fish such as herring, pilchards, sardines, salmon
  • Oils such as pumpkinseed oil and flaxseed oil

Many of these contain beta-carotene which is excellent for the respiratory tract.

  1. Reduce alcohol intake
    A glass of wine (or two!) increases your likelihood of allergic rhinitis all year round, not just during allergy season.

What else can help?

Using natural remedies and keeping an eye on the pollen levels in your area can also help you keep your seasonal allergy symptoms under control.

A.Vogel Allergy Relief tablets, a natural remedy containing seven tropical herbs that work on all the symptoms of hayfever and allergic rhinitis, without the drowsy side effects associated with some antihistamine medication.

 

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