Foods That Can Help Ease Your Allergies

Living with sniffles, itches and coughs due to allergies can get you down. You wonder whether there is anything you can do to interrupt your body’s inflammatory response and get your symptoms under control. 

Well, fortunately, it turns out that you have several options, including changing your diet.  

Did you know that certain types of food can ease your allergies?

Surprisingly, it can. What’s more, when you eat these foods, you’re automatically improving your overall health too. It’s a win-win. 

Onions

Many people immediately reach for over-the-counter medications when seasonal allergy symptoms strike. But there’s evidence that natural analogs from the grocery store may have a similar effect. 

Take onions, for instance. Like apples, they’re high in the flavonoid quercetin – a compound with many demonstrated health benefits. 

Some evidence suggests that quercetin is one of nature’s natural antihistamines, helping to interrupt the action of the immune system, providing immediate relief. 

Raw red onions have the highest concentration of quercetin, followed by green and white onions. Try eating them raw sprinkled on salads or in guacamole.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are another food that might help reduce symptoms for those living with allergies. Just like onions, they contain potent flavonoids that quell unwanted immune responses. 

Take lycopene, the compound that gives tomatoes their distinctive red color. Researchers believe that it may dampen inflammation and help to reduce symptoms like blocked sinuses and runny noses. 

For best results, cook your tomatoes. It helps to make the lycopene more absorbable. 

Turmeric

Turmeric has been celebrated for its medicinal properties in countries like India for thousands of years. Only now, though, is Western science catching up. Studies show that this root contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that douse inflammation and minimize swelling and irritation associated with allergies. 

Studies on mice, suggest that treating them with turmeric reduces their allergic response. 

You can take turmeric in capsule form or add it to your dishes directly. You don’t need to take a megadose to get the effects. 

Bee Pollen

We typically think of pollen as being an allergen. But it turns out that the combination of wax, honey and flower pollen that makes up bee pollen can help some people. For instance, in some studies, bee pollen prevented the activation of mast cells, which researchers believe are critical for the allergic response. 

Ginger

Ginger and turmeric are part of the same family of root vegetables. And like the latter, it too offers a host of health benefits. 

Ginger is good for allergies because it suppresses proinflammatory proteins that circulate in the blood. For instance, animal studies found that the herb improved symptoms in mice, suggesting that it may be able to combat seasonal allergies. 

Ginger has a strong track record dealing with a host of inflammatory conditions, such as joint pain. There’s also evidence that it may combat migraines. You can add it to all sorts of dishes, including curries, stir-fries and baked desserts.

Pineapple

Pineapple is another superstar anti-inflammatory. The fruit contains a compound called bromelain, which, according to some researchers, can treat a variety of irritation-related allergic conditions, such as asthma. 

You can eat pineapple raw or with yogurt as a dessert. It also works well in fruit salads and even as an accompaniment to meat. 

Kiwi

Kiwi fruits are a powerfully anti-inflammatory fruit that researchers believe may help to prevent DNA damage. It is naturally high in vitamin C and a host of other phytonutrients that researchers think may help reduce inflammation and improve how you feel if you have an allergic reaction. 

Citrus

Allergic rhinitis is chronic inflammation of the nose in response to pollen from blooming plants. It causes the nose to turn red and itchy, hurting your quality of life. Citrus fruits, however, may counteract the effect, providing ample vitamin C to keep the immune system in balance. Citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit and lychees. 

Kefir

There’s some evidence that the types of bacteria that live in your gut can have an effect on the severity of your allergic response. If you have a good enterotype, your allergic reaction might be muted. Similarly, if you have bad colonies living in your gut, they can actually add to the inflammatory response. 

The trick here, therefore, is to feed the good bacteria while starving the bad. Kefir is a yogurt drink that contains the type of bacteria that you want. When you regularly consume it, it helps adjust the balance, possibly preventing or treating seasonal allergies. 

To discuss allergies further, please get in contact with Mountain Ear, Nose & Throat Associates by calling us at Sylva (828-586-7474), Franklin (828-524-5599), Murphy (828-853-1014) and New Asheville (828-458-8100).