Salt therapy – All you need to know
- 24 Feb - 01 Mar, 2024
The weather is warmer, the birds are chirping, and the flowers are blossoming. But you? Your eyes are itchy, your nose is runny, and your head feels like it's under so much pressure. And you're not alone. Many people suffer from seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever or an allergy to pollen. But besides popping an antihistamine pill every day and limiting your time outside, what else is a seasonal allergy sufferer to do? Make some tweaks to your diet, that's what.
If you're sick and tired of being sick, and tired, we have your back. We've put together a list of the surprising foods you're probably eating without knowing they could be making your nose runnier and your eyes itchier, and which foods you can replace them with to help part with that post-nasal drip.
We're always one to recommend spicy foods, like paprika, to enhance flavour and boost your metabolism, but if you're a seasonal allergy sufferer, it's best to steer clear of them when pollen counts are high. That's because spicy foods create histamine in your body, adding to what's already an increased amount because of your allergies. Histamine is an inflammatory compound produced by cells when your body is undergoing an allergic reaction. It's the thing that causes the tissue in your nose to both run and swell (which makes it stuffy) and your eyes to itch. Fennel, on the other hand, has been found to act as a natural decongestant, offering allergy relief by stimulating the mucosal cilia to help break up congestion. Use the herb to season your grub instead.
When you're experiencing an allergic reaction, your body creates mucus to help get rid of the invading allergens. However, certain types of food, like dairy, can temporarily thicken this mucus, making it harder for it to travel out of your body, which causes the allergens to stay in your system. And while not all dairy causes excessive mucus production, studies have found that one type, in particular, A1 milk – which is rich in a specific type of casein protein – has been shown to stimulate mucus production on top of thickening it. So, it's best to avoid dairy products just in case and pick up a casein-protein-free almond milk.
Beat the inflammation-causing histamines with a healthy dose of vitamin C. This vitamin indirectly inhibits inflammatory cells from releasing histamine, and studies have shown that high levels of vitamin C can help histamines break down faster once they're released, which may provide allergy symptom relief. On top of fighting histamines, vitamin C foods also reduce inflammation – key to combating allergy suffering. Pick strawberries over oranges when it comes to vitamin C. Ounce-for-ounce strawberries are actually higher in the vitamin, but that's not the only reason why to eat them over oranges. Oranges have been known to possess proteins that mimic grass pollen, which can exacerbate allergy symptoms even more in the late spring.
Magnesium-rich foods, such as cashews, help relieve allergy symptoms because magnesium is a natural antihistamine. While many nuts are high in magnesium, be sure to steer clear of hazelnuts and almonds; both nuts contain proteins similar to birch pollen that may cause oral allergy symptoms.
DHA and EPA, the two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, have been found to ease allergy symptoms through their anti-inflammatory properties. So eat your threes! Pick up wild pink salmon, which is high in EPA, over tuna fish. Even though tuna is high in EPA, it's also high in inflammation-causing histamines.
Carrots are superfoods that pack a powerful punch against allergies. That's because they're rich in the carotenoid department. One of the forms of vitamin A it possesses, beta carotene, has been linked to easing allergy issues. But raw carrots possess a protein that could trigger OAS (oral allergy syndrome), so if you want to snack on them, be sure to boil them. Not only will boiling them kill off the allergen-mimicking protein, but it also will increase their carotenoid content. Add a healthy fat such as coconut oil or olive oil, to further extract these fat-soluble vitamins.
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