Five Allergy-Alleviating Foods

Allergy season is ramping up, and with it comes sneezing, coughing, runny noses and tickly throats. If your symptoms are starting to take over, don’t despair! You can take steps to lessen the effects of the symptoms by tweaking your diet.

The sniffly, stuffy sensations that you get this time of year are traced to the immune system’s inability to eradicate allergens as they enter your body. At first, your body produces relevant antibodies to combat the allergens. However, it’s common for the body to overproduce IgE antibodies, leaving an excess of them in your system to bond with vulnerable cells. New allergens attach to the IgE antibodies. The buildup of allergens over time causes your body to release histamine into the bloodstream, which triggers an allergic reaction.

There are quite a few foods that can quell inflammation and nasal congestion, as well as boost your immune system so that it’s ready to take on allergens!

Here’s a list of our five favorite allergy-alleviating foods:

1)  Antioxidant-rich foods: Antioxidants help to reduce inflammation and neutralize free radicals that can wreak havoc upon your cells and your immune system. They give your immune system a serious boost, helping it combat the allergens sneaking into your body. Certain berries, vegetables, teas and nuts are the best sources of antioxidants. Try adding berry mix or antioxidant mix to your diet.

2)  Ginger: This spicy rhizome is a natural decongestant. The zest that ginger brings to the table really helps open up clogged nasal passages and quell coughing. It can also numb sore throats. Chow down on crystallized ginger as a snack, or drop a piece into your favorite hot tea to give it a kick.

3)  Citrus: Fruits like lemons, oranges and limes all contain huge amounts of vitamin C, which naturally blocks histamines and reduces inflammation. This can be of particular value to allergy sufferers who have coughs or breathing issues. Try adding some organic dried oranges to a hot drink, or even munching on them as-is, to increase your vitamin C intake.

4)  Omega-3 fatty acids: Foods with a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids contain a natural anti-inflammatory that can also aid in fighting congestion and wheezing. In fact, doctors often recommend that people with asthma consume omega-3 fatty acids for this reason. Though many types of cold-water fish are often seen as the primary food source of these acids, they can also be found in walnuts and flax seed.

5)  Spirulina: This blue-green algae reduces the number of IgE antibodies in your body. This allows the body to flush out the allergens that are causing histamine production to increase, thereby alleviating your symptoms. Adding a teaspoon of powdered spirulina to juice or a smoothie is a great way to work this food into your diet. However, you may need to adjust to the algae’s strong flavor.