Enjoy the fresh air with foods that help with allergies
Spring and fall can be an allergy sufferer’s worst nightmares. The sniffling, sneezing, congestion and sore throat. It’s that awful feeling you get with the onset of a cold, except it lasts the whole season. Eating foods that help with allergies can make a bigger difference.
The right foods can help reduce inflammation, strengthen immunity and help relieve the symptoms that come with allergy season.
Here’s 4 Foods to Eat This Allergy Season:
1. Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green algae that was traditionally used by the Aztec civilization. It’s often highlighted for its plant-based protein and iron content. What many people don’t know, is that spirulina can also help to relieve symptoms associated with hay fever. That includes symptoms like sneezing, sniffing, or nasal congestion. Test tube and animal studies have shown that spirulina functions by stopping the release of histamine that causes symptoms.
2. Honey
Though there hasn’t been much research to prove its effectiveness, anecdotally, local raw honey may help to reduce the intensity of seasonal allergy symptoms. The idea behind it, is that the honey will introduce your body to small amounts of pollen from your area, allowing your body to slowly adapt. It’s an easy enough little experiment to try if you’re an allergy sufferer yourself. But remember, it’s key that you’re choosing local so the pollen you’re exposed to is consistent with the pollen in your region. It’s also ideal to start this prior to allergy season so your body has that period of low exposure with the time to adapt.
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids are fats you need to eat because your body can’t make them. There are two types of essential fatty acids, Omega-3s and Omega-6s. And while we often eat enough omega-6 in our daily diets, our consumption of omega-3s is often far too low.
Eating more omega-3 fatty acids is important because omega-3s help to regulate the inflammatory response. Omega-3s are in fish, nuts and seeds. Chia seeds and flax seeds are particularly great plant-based sources. You can also supplement with omega-3s if you don’t eat these foods often enough.
4. Pineapple
Pineapple is a great source of bromelain, an anti-inflammatory proteolytic enzyme. The highest concentration of bromelain is found in the core of the pineapple, which can be great juiced or added to smoothies with the help of a high speed blender.
