July 7, 2020
Seasonal allergies are a cause close to my heart, as well as my itchy, watery eyes, my sore throat and my sneezing, running nose. I’ve tried many over the counter medications, eye drops, nasal sprays and while they are effective at diminishing the symptoms, I have become more interested in treating the problem itself.
Once I started delving deeper, my suspicions were confirmed: you can absolutely heal allergies with diet. 80% of our immune system is housed in our gut. So it makes sense that the majority of our allergies would stem from there.
Inflammation seems to be key here. Avoiding inflammatory foods and boosting your intake of anti-inflammatories should help you see a big difference.
Seasonal Allergies & Diet
Foods to avoid
- Dairy, one of the biggest culprits of inflammation
- Unsoaked grains
- High sugar fruits
- Sugar & artificial sweeteners
Food to include
- Garlic
- Turmeric
- Green Tea
- High in carotenoids: sweet potato, carrots
- Omega-3 sources: flax, walnuts, soy
- Magnesium sources: cacao, cashews, pumpkin seeds
Bonus tip! To alleviate symptoms without reaching for the pharmacy-bought medications, try diffusing or sniffing an equal parts blend of these essential oils: lavender, lemon, peppermint. My husband tells me this is the only thing that stops me from snoring in allergy season.
