Allergies

         With the spring in full effect A LOT of people are suffering from seasonal allergies. Personally without my medicine every morning I will not make it through the day. There are certain foods that you can eat that can help control them and keep them at bay.  For example if you eat locally made organic honey it can help with pollen allergies, because the bees use the pollen that you encounter every day to make that honey., and it’s kind of like the flu shot theory, put a little in your body and you can help prevent it from getting to bad.

        Eating fatty fish can also help ease the symptoms because of the omega-3 fatty acids. Eating these fish is proven to be better than taking the supplement and when you do but the fish go for wild, not farmed. Omega-3 fatty acids in its pure form (right from the fish) are a great source of vitamins and minerals.  Omega -3 fatty acids can also be found in tree nuts such as flax seeds and walnuts, unlike the omega-3 found in fatty fish, tree nuts contain the Alpha-linolenic acid chain that help in the production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). All these components of omega-3’s aiding in the lessening of allergy symptoms.

        Onions, cabbage and cauliflower contain quercetin, a flavonoid that is said to help prevent cells from releasing histamines into the body.  Histamines being the main property in the body that activates your allergies.

        Vitamin C is also helps control the symptoms allergies produce.  Like the omega-3 fatty acids, eating foods with vitamin c is MUCH better than taking a supplement; oranges, red peppers, strawberries and broccoli are some if the best foods with vitamin C in them.  

       Lastly yogurt has probiotics that are said to reduce the allergic reaction to pollen. Probiotics help decrease the body's immune response to allergens, reducing inflammation in the body. I have also known certain people whose allergies get worse by eating/drinking dairy. This would be where everyone is different and you can eliminate things and start to add them back in and see how you feel comparing having and not having that food. This can also be done by adding foods to see if they do help with your symptoms.

       I hope you can use one of these suggestions and help to relieve your allergies this spring, because from someone who suffers from bad allergies I know I will try anything to get some relief.

Live Healthy,

     Nadia