- Sep 1, 2015

Is your NOSE ready for SPRING?

TOP TIPS TO PREVENT HAYFEVER…

Why Seasonal allergies aren’t just about what’s in the air.

How do you look after your body to alleviate spring allergies.

Springtime is nearly hear and pollen becomes fad news for hayfever sufferers.

Hayfever is usually a reaction to pollen from trees, grasses and weeds. The immune system goes into overdrive triggering the production of antibody and immunoglobuline E.

This results in histamine release causing inflammation and swelling of the nose, itching, sneezing and itchy eyes and skin.

Before you reach out for medication here are a few things that you can do..

Here are some foods to avoid during the allergy season.

Certain foods can aggravate seasonal allergies.

These include :

Dairy:

Cows Milk products.

Cows milk products thicken mucous in your body. Allergens become trapped in thick mucous and this becomes a predisposition for hayfever.

Eliminating dairy will lessen this.

Raw fruits and vegetables:

Unfortunately sometimes you body can mistaken proteins in raw fruit and vegetables for pollen that triggers an allergic reaction. When this happens you can feel an itchy throat, itchy mouth and itchy lips.

Its best to enjoy fruits and vegetables cooked over the allergy season as this helps break down the protein triggers.

Histamine promoting foods:

Foods like processed meats, smoked products, cheese, dried fruits, vinegar containing foods, mushrooms, chocolate, oranges, coffee, eggplants, alcohol and beer all tend to promote a histamine release.

Histamine can make you sneeze, wheeze and produce itchy eyes and nose. Avoiding these foods can help to reduce the amount of histamine in your body thus reducing the allergy symptoms.

Other things to consider:

When you visit a naturopath we look at how your body is eliminating toxins and if your immune system is being compromised . We also address stress and anxiety.

An important point to consider is how acidic your body is.

Naturopathic science indicates that any Hayfever is a an accumulation of waste materials in the system and body refuse. These accumulate slowly due to wrong living habits, wrong nutrients, nervous exhaustion, excesses and abuse of all kinds and improper care of the body. The symptoms of hayfever are the body’s attempt to get rid of waste material.

Hence what we do outside of the hayfever season will affect how strongly you are affected when the time comes.

Following the principles of clean eating and also understanding what foods your body is sensitive to (with a blood test) and eliminating these foods can really help you over the hayfever season.

Here are some food and herbs to include that may help you allergy symptoms however note that prevention is the answer:

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids:

This is an effective natural anti-histamine that supports immune function and inflammation.

Great sources of vitamin c and bioflavonoids includes kiwi fruit, citrus fruits, strawberries, red capsicum and broccoli.

Probiotics:

Probiotics contain beneficial bacteria and taking them helps to boost our immunity by restoring a balanced response to pollen.

With a proper balance of good bacteria in our gut we are less susceptible to develop allergies.

Consuming pickled vegetables, sauerkraut and miso is the best way to raise the good gut flora levels .

Bromelain:

Bromelain enzymes are usually found in pineapples. Bromelain has a strong anti-inflammatory effect decreasing inflammation of the mucous membranes and any congestion caused by hayfever symptoms.

Vitamin A:

Vitamin A helps to promote immune function and reduce inflammation.

Foods that include Vitamin A are carrots, pumpkins and leafy greens.

Curcumin:

Curcumin is found in TUMERIC. Curcumin is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory that inhibits the relase of histamine.

The recommended dose is two teaspoons daily and preferably organic.

Garlic:

Garlic is a potent antibiotic and natural antihistamine. Use in cooking.

Horseradish:

Horseradish acts as a natural decongestant. Use in cooking.

Ginger:

Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It helps to reduce the swelling of the nose. Use in cooking or add to juices.