Birds, bees, flowers and trees…oh how
I love springtime! However, I’ve had years where I’ve cursed the
coming of spring sunshine due to the allergies it brings.
This year I’m very happy to be allergy free so far. I’ve tried
the approach of eating my antihistamines, and it seems to be
working so far.
Building a strong immune system and eating certain foods with
high concentrations of natural antihistamines can prevent and help
treat allergy symptoms, rather than just mask them as allergy drugs
do. Below is a list of things that can help prevent and alleviate
the torture allergy season can bring on.
My favorite way to get a bunch of these allergy fighting foods
into my body is with a smoothie every morning. My tasty
anti-allergy smoothie recipe is at the bottom of this
post. I also incorporate fresh, raw foods from the lists
below into as many meals as possible throughout the day.
This winter and spring I’ve paid close attention to what I’m
eating and have included some of the things listed below in my
daily diet for many weeks. I’ve also cut down on foods that can
cause inflammation, like dairy, sugar and wheat (though I have a
really hard time with sugary snacks!)
I admit I still have my neti pot ready
just in case my body decides to freak out and start oozing from my
nose and eyes, but I’m holding onto faith that I’ll make it through
the season sniffle free.
There are many options to try for natural allergy prevention and
relief. It helps to get these built up in the body at least six
weeks before allergy season, but they’re good for overall health so
they may as well be eaten as often as possible, right?
Here are a few natural allergy fighters:
Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant
that is an overall health superstar. You’ll get the highest
concentration if you eat foods raw and fresh.
Some foods with Vitamin C: leafy
greens (like chard, kale and watercress), bell peppers,
brocolli, strawberries, citrus fruits (we can grow Meyer Lemons here!),
apples, blueberries, parsely, and my new favorite –
dandelion greens.
Omega-3 fatty
acids (or EPA) have natural anti-inflammatory
properties.Western medicine hasn’t found solid proof, but Omega
3’s are considered by some naturopaths to be another superstar
for overall health.
Some foods with Omega
3’s: oily, cold
water fish such as cod, herring, mackerel, salmon and
sardines; flax seeds (can be found as oil, whole or ground),
walnuts, almonds and avocados. (Get wild caught rather than farmed
fish when possible).
Quercetin is
an anti-inflammatory bioflavonoid that is becoming an
anti-allergy superstar.
Some foods with
Quercetin: garlic, red wine, apples, onions,
grapefruit, tea, green vegetables, Turmeric (a tasty
spice), and beans.
A note on nasal
cleansing: Last year I used my funky little
ceramic Neti
Pot, which saved me when I thought I was going to
sneeze my way to oblivion. Yes, it feels weird at first, and no,
you won’t want to do this in a public bathroom, but I swear it
helps relieve the agony of allergies! Make sure to fully understand
the sterile saline solution for this before using.
Incorporating as many foods from the lists above may help
prevent and avoid allergies not just to springtime allergens, but
to things like mold and dust. They’re also just good foods to give
to our bodies – most of these foods contain numerous vital vitamins
and minerals to keep us healthy year-round.
As promised, here’s my anti-allergy smoothie
recipe – I use all organic ingredients and I pick the
greens from my garden…
Spring Smoothie:
- 3 fresh kale leaves
- 4-8 lemon balm leaves
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups fresh carrot-apple-ginger juice (enough to make
the smoothie smooth, any juice or milk alternative works)
- sprinkle of cinnamon, more if I’m feeling spicy
- 1 -ish tablespoons of ground flax
- 1/2 – 1 cup of frozen blueberries and/or strawberries
- 1/4 inch of chopped, fresh ginger
- 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon juice (I cut it from the skin so I get
all the goodness)
- a few sprigs of fresh parsely
- a small handful of chopped walnuts
- a teaspoon of molasses (great source of iron and
sweetness)
- pinches of lemon thyme and rosemary
- handful of fresh, young dandelion greens (if you pick them –
make sure it’s not in a high foot, dog or car traffic area and make
sure to wash them)
Blend all ingredients together thoroughly and enjoy your
anti-allergy deliciousness!
Thank you to these sources for help with my
list:
Do you suffer from allergies? What do you do to
fight them?
