Changing diet may improve seasonal allergies
- col-bobbie-randall
- April 28, 2023
- 772
Springtime is my favorite season. After the dull days of winter, no matter how severe or mild, a bright, sunny day and a light jacket make me smile.
Watching the world color itself green with splotches of yellow and red and purple and orange is as satisfying as the browns of autumn. Springtime is a treat for the senses: color to see, birds to hear, asparagus and strawberries to taste, newborn animals to touch, and earthy soil to smell.
Along with all the magic of spring comes pollen. Pollen is a fine powder produced by certain plants and trees when they grow and reproduce. Pollen season runs from March to May.
We’re in the middle of pollen season. Everything is painted a bright yellow, signaling the sign of spring and misery for seasonal allergy sufferers across the country. I just love springtime, but it does not love me.
Itchy eyes, excessive sneezing, mucus buildup and congestion are just a few allergy symptoms. Luckily, there are a few changes in your eating habits that will help treat and ease the pain of seasonal allergies.
It is a fact certain foods can make your seasonal allergies worse. Consuming alcoholic beverages, eating peanuts and peanut butter, preparing processed foods, eating wheat products, enjoying chocolate and sugar, and even drinking your morning cup of coffee can act as hay fever stimuli.
Some people also find relief in limiting foods that thicken mucus production such as some dairy products and gluten. Also, if you have a ragweed allergy, avoid melons, bananas, cucumbers, sunflower seeds and chamomile tea; they can cause allergic reactions and make seasonal allergies worse.
Don’t eliminate all these foods completely. Just be mindful of your intake and how it may affect your seasonal allergies. While the list of foods above may have you clearing out half your pantry, there are plenty of foods to say yes to this season.
If you’re suffering from congestion, cooking with curry helps thin out mucus. Cayenne pepper, garlic, ginger and cinnamon are your friends. Ginger helps break down toxins in your body and is a great sinus decongestant. I have found that just breathing the aroma of pure ground horseradish can make breathing easier.
Choose nutrient-rich vegetables like carrots, yams, cabbage or beets. Red onions, tomatoes, broccoli, red grapes and cherries are high in quercetin. This is a natural compound that fights hay fever and inflammation.
A spoonful of local honey can help relieve watery eyes, congestion and most allergy symptoms because it contains the very pollen your seasonal allergies stem from. Drink green tea each morning. It contains natural antihistamines that have been proven to reduce allergic reactions.
Both bone broth and apple cider vinegar help break up mucus, ease breathing, reduce inflammation and boost immunity. Pineapple is bursting with necessary vitamins and enzymes that help reduce reactions to seasonal allergies. The pineapple core is especially loaded with healing properties. Enjoy springtime, despite the pollen.
Bobbie Randall is a certified diabetes care and education specialist and registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.