Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Top 6 Allergy-Busting Foods


Certain nutrients support the immune system, helping your body to more efficiently respond to insults - including pollen, dust and other nose-tickling allergens. 

Some nutrients can reduce inflammation associated with allergies, ultimately helping improve your symptoms. Here are my top 6 allergy-busting spring foods:

Rhubarb (Vitamin C)

A spring favourite and great source of vitamin C (as are strawberries). Vitamin C has an anti-histamine effect.

Yogurt (Probiotics)

Probiotics are helpful microbes that live in and on your body. Along the lining of your gut, probiotics can talk to your immune system which lies just underneath the lining. In fact, probiotics are such good friends to the immune system, they help calm it and support it. In other words, probiotics help get your immune system to stop over-reacting to allergens and launch a more appropriate assault that doesn't leave you itching and sneezing.

Spinach (Magnesium)


A source of magnesium and vitamin E, which helps with the growth and transformation of B-lymphocytes, and promotes antibody production respectively.

Mushrooms (Selenium)


A source of many minerals including selenium which is required for antibody formation, as well as zinc which supports lymph tissue and T-cell populations.

Fiddleheads (Vitamin A)

An excellent source of vitamin A needed for thymus and spleen health, which are both locations for white and red blood cell formation.

Chia Seeds (Omega-3s)

A low allergy alternative source of omega-3s. Omega-3 fats are converted into a hormone-like substance called prostaglandins, which affect the immune system - including the ability to help control allergic manifestation by blocking the release of inflammatory products from mast cells.

My Confession - each blog I like to add a little personal tid-bit. Perhaps an "ah-ha" moment or just a little secret about myself that reminds everyone that even the "experts" in nutrition are everyday people with imperfect lives that include giving into guilty-pleasures on our plates. As for allergies, I don't suffer from them but I know people who do. It's like having an endless cold - pressure in your head, a runny nose, the agonizing desire to itch places in your nose you just can't itch...argh! To all with allergies, I send my sympathies.

1 comment:

  1. Lucky me has been drinking fresh watermelon, strawberry and rhubarb juice for the last 4 days. I better get some chia seed :)

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