You
wake with watery eyes, sniffle your way through the day, and end the
night with a nonstop sneezefest before you collapse into bed clinging to
a box of tissues: Welcome to allergy season. If you're among the 20
percent of Americans who suffer from spring allergies, the good news is
that relief could be as close as your kitchen.
"A
number of foods can help ease allergy symptoms without the side effects
of drugs," said Beth Reardon, a registered dietitian and director of
integrative nutrition at Duke University Integrative Medicine in Durham,
North Carolina. Reardon said natural allergy relief is most effective
when you make changes to your diet a few weeks before the allergy season
even begins. Just a few tweaks can counter the spring pollen invasion.
Say Yes to Yogurt
Probiotics, the
healthy bacteria in yogurt, have received a lot of buzz for alleviating
everything from intestinal woes to colds and flu. And research shows the
good bacteria in yogurt could help give spring allergy symptoms the
slip too. In fact, this creamy dairy treat may stop your allergy
symptoms before they even start.
“Probiotics
seem to steer the body’s immune system into a nonallergic mode,” said
Dr. Michael Welch, co-director of the Allergy and Asthma Medical Group
and Research Center in San Diego and clinical professor at the
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
When University
of California researchers fed patients 7 oz. of live-culture yogurt a
day, their allergic symptoms declined by 90 percent. Just be sure the
container carries the words “live cultures”; they’re the
allergy-fighting powerhouses, Welch said.
The
probiotic species Lactobacillus appears to be the most effective
bacteria for easing the misery of seasonal allergies, according to
Reardon. Look for it mentioned on the front of the yogurt container or
in the ingredients list on the back.
Spice It Up
Any cook worth
her salt knows that spices can jazz up the flavor of food, but spicy
dishes may be helpful for allergy sufferers too. The spicier the dish,
the more likely it is to thin mucous secretions and clear nasal passages
by encouraging the sinuses to run. Try Indian or Thai dishes – they’re
loaded with nasal-clearing spices.
Spices
also have other allergy-easing properties. “Turmeric, a spice sometimes
known as curry powder, is a powerful anti-inflammatory that works as
well as some prescription medications but is much safer,” said Reardon,
who also recommends ginger for the same effect.
Since
allergies are a short-term inflammation of the mucous membranes, the
anti-inflammatory action of these spices can help ease your symptoms.
Though not technically a spice, butterbur may also be worth a try. Welch
said this herb has been shown effective in reducing the severity of
seasonal allergy symptoms. A study published in the January 2002
"British Medical Journal" indicated that butterbur was as effective as
the popular antihistamine drug cetirizine for treating hay fever --
without the drowsiness sometimes caused by this type of drug.
Go Fish
Another powerful
dietary prescription for your seasonal sniffles and sneezes is a dose of
fresh fish in your meal plan. The omega-3 fatty acids found in many
varieties of seafood are natural anti-inflammatories that can help
shrink nasal passages and chase away allergy symptoms, said Reardon, who
recommends eating fish two to three times a week.
“Omega-3
fatty acids found in fish contain EPA and DHA, which are building
blocks for a series of anti-inflammatory hormones," Reardon said.
Cold-water fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and sardines,
are the best sources of omega-3s, but they are also found in flaxseeds,
flaxseed oil and walnuts. Your body can’t manufacture these essential
nutrients, so you must get omega-3s from food or fish oil supplements.
For
best effect, prepare fish by baking, steaming or poaching. “Frying
could alter the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3s due to the high
heat,” Reardon said. Fish is a better choice than red meat for allergy
sufferers because saturated fat found in red meat increases the
inflammatory response, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
An Apple a Day
Mom knew what she
was doing when she sent you to school with an apple. This crisp red
fruit has a wealth of good-for-you ingredients, including a specific one
that can help seasonal allergies.
Quercetin,
a flavonoid found in apples, helps put the brakes on allergy symptoms
by inhibiting the body’s release of allergic compounds called
histamines, which contribute to your runny nose and watery eyes.
“Flavonoids in many fruits and vegetables have an anti-allergy effect,
but quercetin is particularly good at this,” Reardon said. And according
to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, quercetin is thought to have
both antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties, which means it
packs a double punch against your allergy distress. But be sure to eat
your apple with the peel because most of the quercetin is in the peel.
Other sources of quercetin include citrus fruits, onions, parsley, tea
and red wine.
The Fluids Prescription
Perhaps the
easiest way to wash your allergies away is to simply sip water. Drinking
water helps clear the airways by hydrating the mucous membranes.
"When
you're dehydrated, the nose produces more mucus," Welch explained.
"Staying hydrated has the opposite effect, so you'll feel less plugged
up." Warm fluids also help congestion by producing steam. If your nose
is stuffed because your allergies are acting up, opt for a bowl of
chicken soup, as this dietary decongestant can relieve upper-respiratory
ills.
Good News for Dessert Lovers
You now have an
excuse to indulge in that pie or pastry calling your name. Baked fruits
in pies, tarts and other pastries could actually be beneficial for
allergy sufferers. In what's known as oral allergy syndrome, some fresh
fruits, including cherries, peaches and plums, can bring on allergic
symptoms because they're cousins to plants that produce pollen. However,
baking the fruits will eliminate the problem. "The high heat of baking
causes the allergic proteins to come apart so they're not seen as
allergens by your body," said Dr. Beth Corn, an allergist at Mount Sinai
Medical Center in New York. And there's an added bonus: The pie crust
may help you sleep better. According to a 2007 study in the "American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition," consuming carbs within four hours of
bedtime will help you fall asleep faster, possibly because they boost
levels of two brain chemicals involved in sleep.
It’s
best to eat homemade desserts made from scratch. “Frozen and packaged
pies and pastries usually have trans fats, which speed up inflammation,”
said registered dietitian Beth Reardon. Ditto for boxed cookies and
bagged snacks. Steer clear of processed and packaged foods to give your
allergies a holiday.
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