Allergies are your immune system responding to the environment. Approximately 80% of your immune function resides in your small intestine. Eat to support a healthy digestive systems and help ward off or reduce the severity of allergies. Fight back with these tips and take the edge off allergy season, naturally.Key Point to Remember: A healthy diet and digestive system support your power to fight back.
Reduce sugar intake - both "real sugar" and artificial sweeteners feed the "bad" bacteria in your gut creating flora imbalances that impair immune function.Put down the package- processed foods are nutrient depleted and actually steal resources from your body to be digested and assimilated. Seems a little counter productive to me!
Swap traditional dairy for alternatives - nut milks like almond and coconut offer anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids, in addition to a shot of protein, vitamins and minerals. Dairy encourages the formation of mucous which offers a welcome home for allergens.
Sleep - 7-8 hours a night- give your body time to regenerate to boost immune function. Ditch the bright lights in favor of a good read 30 minutes prior to sleep to allow that melatonin to naturally sedate you for a restful night.
Swap out some beverages - Specifically caffeine, alcohol, energy drinks and sugary beverages. Caffeine stimulates cortisol, the stress hormone. Look to alternatives like green tea or a Kombucha drink. For the total reformist, green drinks and the line of flavored beverages from Braggs are healthy alternatives to support rather than deplete resources. Hydrate and Move- Water combined with light exercise keeps lymph and blood flowing smoothly. It is also essential to regulating temperature and blood pressure.
Snack on Fruits and Veggies- the vitamin packed antioxidants will be your best scavengers against invaders. Focus on vitamin C rich foods like cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes and spinach.
Fruits include: kiwi, strawberries, oranges, pineapple, honeydew melon, mangoes, plums and watermelon.
Antimicrobial foods- these are natural antibiotics that kill the offenders but unlike a pharmaceutical antibiotic, they leave the healthy bacteria in place. Coconut oil, garlic, onions, honey, oregano, cumin, cinnamon rosemary, parsley, mustard, ginger, mint. Many also double as natural anti-inflammatories.
Fermented foods - promote balanced gut flora with healthy bacteria, naturally replenishing what a poor diet and medications have depleted. Examples: yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, Kombucha.
Anti-Inflammatory foods - walnuts, flax seed/oil, olive oil, wild fish, asparagus, cinnamon, ginger, dandelion, turmeric, shiitake mushrooms, green tea, sweet potatoes, blueberries, papaya.
Supplements and Allergy Formulas Supplements can boost immune function in the absence of adequate whole food sources. The short list would include Vitamin D, fresh ground flax seeds, fish oil, and some probiotic support if you are not a fermented foods eater.
Herbal allergy formulas are powerful allergy support. Histamine inhibitors like Nettles, Chamomile, Echinacea, and Quercetin.