![\"allergies\"](\"http:\/\/i247.photobucket.com\/albums\/gg158\/MDA2008\/MDA2009\/Sidebar%20Banners\/allergies.jpg\" "\\"Allergies\\"")
By numerous accounts, this spring has been the most brutal in years for seasonal allergy sufferers. (Do I see some nodding heads out there?) As much as everyone looks forward to spring, some folks grit their teeth for several weeks or live on a steady dose of allergy pills. I always get questions this time of year from folks who are looking for ways to get through spring a little happier and maybe less medicated. Here\u2019s one such email from reader Joyce\u2026.<\/p>\n
Dear Mark, <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m from the Upper Midwest where spring came early this year. No complaining about that, mind you \u2013 we earn our warm season! I\u2019ve always had problems in spring, but this year I\u2019ve been in really bad shape (like everybody what I hear). I\u2019m relatively new to your site, and I\u2019m slowly adopting elements of the Primal Blueprint. So far, it\u2019s been going great! It\u2019s got me thinking though about diet and whether what I eat\/don\u2019t eat can make any difference. What\u2019s your take on this? I\u2019d love any recommendations that could get me in the garden earlier!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Although the extent of people\u2019s allergies (as well their sources) span a wide spectrum, anyone who spends whole months blowing through Kleenexes can likely benefit from a few adjustments \u2013 especially those new to the PB.<\/p>\n First, what to avoid\u2026 One of the best strategies to alleviate those miserable symptoms is to steer clear of alcohol<\/a> and other histamine containing foods<\/strong>. As far as alcohol goes, wine (both red and white) seem to be the worst instigators. Sulfites are part of the issue with these drinks, but histamines that result during the fermentation process also wreak havoc. If you have allergy issues, consider avoiding other foods subject to aging and fermentation<\/a> like aged cheese<\/a>, pickles, and sauerkraut<\/a><\/strong>. And as for yeast, it\u2019s one more reason to ditch bread. Grapes and ciders can be culprits as well.<\/p>\n Also, if you know the source of your particular allergy, you can further pinpoint foods that tend to trigger what\u2019s called \u201coral allergy syndrome,\u201d<\/strong> a reaction to allergen-related foods that affects primarily the lips and mouth. Check out the Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia information on cross-reactive foods for those with seasonal allergies<\/a>.<\/p>\n As for what to <\/em>eat, think anti-inflammatory. It just so happens that the PB delivers just that. Research supports the particular benefits of fresh produce, fish<\/a> and nuts<\/a> for reducing both the symptoms of existing allergies as well as the development of allergies later in life. Research on the pregnancy and childhood diets of Spanish children found that a higher intake of certain vegetables (like tomatoes and eggplant) and fish offered protective benefit from allergies<\/a> and asthma. Another study<\/a> with Greek children linked high intake of nuts, fruits and vegetables with a lower risk for respiratory allergy. The EPA and DHA in fish and fish oils<\/a> has been shown to be among the best preventative options<\/a> for allergic disorders. <\/strong><\/p>\n Want more? Tea, particularly green or white, offers a big flavonoid boost that reduces inflammation and supports general immune function. For raw dairy enthusiasts out there, farm milk consumption was shown to provide similar protective advantage against allergy and asthma<\/a> whether or not the children drinking it lived on the farm or not.<\/p>\n Although antioxidants and flavonoids in general offer therapeutic benefit, certain nutrients like vitamin C and quercetin<\/a> are potent natural antihistamines<\/strong>. An extra dose of magnesium can help alleviate wheezing symptoms. Some folks report success with spirulina as well. As for herbal remedies, butterbur shows good promise, but isn\u2019t for women who are pregnant or nursing.<\/p>\n Another recommendation? Buy some wild \u2013 and local \u2013 honey.<\/strong> Because bees pick up the pollen of their environment, the resulting honey can offer something of a therapeutic dose for gradual desensitization \u2013 much like an allergy shot. It\u2019s important to start small (1\/4 teaspoon daily \u2013 max) and work your way up to gradually build tolerance.<\/p>\n Last, my own nearly debilitating seasonal allergies literally disappeared when I got rid of grains<\/a> (and cut the chronic cardio<\/a>). It may have been related to the autoimmune connection between anti-nutrients\/leaky-gut and hypersensitivity to proteins in grass seeds and pollen (grains are grass seeds). Many MDA readers report a dramatic reduction in hay fever or allergy symptoms when cutting grains<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Good luck to Joyce and everyone else who\u2019s laying low for another couple weeks. Let me know your thoughts, and do share any other anti-allergy strategies that have worked for you! As always, thanks for the great questions and comments, and keep \u2018em coming. Have a great Monday everybody!<\/strong><\/p>\n Related posts:<\/p>\n By numerous accounts, this spring has been the most brutal in years for seasonal allergy sufferers. (Do I see some nodding heads out there?) As much as everyone looks forward to spring, some folks grit their teeth for several weeks or live on a steady dose of allergy pills. I always get questions this time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-543370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=543370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543370\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=543370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=543370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=543370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts<\/a> Delivered to Your Inbox<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/h4>\n
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