Seasonal allergies: a suitable diet can treat them

Seasonal allergies are affecting more and more French people every year… In 2017, asthma-allergies.org reported that 30% of the French population was affected by this disease, but since then this figure has continued to grow.

And for good reason, with global warming, spring starts earlier and sunny days last longer. Thus, whether you are sensitive to pollen or dust mites – which are more prevalent in summer – respiratory allergies now begin in March and can be felt until the end of August.

Allergy, an increasingly common scourge

A new reality, which the naturopath Nadia Rasamoely verified in her office : “I received patients who came to treat their allergies as early as March. As soon as the weather starts to be nice, allergies appear, but since it was mild throughout the winter, they appeared particularly early this year”.

As early as it is, the appearance of the first allergies in March did not surprise the speaker, who has observed a generalization of this phenomenon for several years. So, she points out,for the past twenty years, allergies have become more and more common”.

And if the milder temperatures explain this expansion, this is not the only possible explanation. According to the expert,this scourge is also closely linked to digestive disorders and therefore to the state of the intestinal microbiota and intestinal permeability. However, the consumption of more and more industrially processed foods and the increase in sensitivities to gluten cause a significant increase in digestive disorders which themselves cause an increase in allergies.”.

To get rid of seasonal allergies, or at least reduce their impact, the most commonly used method remains antihistamines. However, since they are not without side effects and dozing in the middle of the day is not pleasant, it can be very beneficial to use alternative methods to alleviate shortness of breath, watery eyes and other symptoms. of all kinds.

What foods to avoid (at all costs)

Overall, says Nadia Rasamoely, “from a food point of view, it is necessary to avoid food that is too inflammatory, such as prepared meals, for example. It may also be a good idea to take a test to find out if you are allergic to certain foods, especially if you have a breeding ground for digestive problems. Once the test has been carried out, it is then necessary to eliminate all foods likely to cause allergic reactions or intestinal disorders. Generally, if you are a victim of seasonal allergies, it is a good idea to remove gluten and lactose from your regular diet, at least before spring, as well as dairy products. Once this change has been made, we should already see a difference, especially in our mucus production.”.

On the other hand, adds the expert, “it is also important to watch your consumption of foods rich in histamine – a molecule naturally present in the body that plays an important role in allergic reactions – or foods that cause the secretion of histamines. It is therefore advisable to remove, among other things, fermented cheeses, cold meats, fatty fish, fatty meats, tomatoes, sauerkraut, spinach, chocolate and lentils from your diet in the spring.”.

Which foods and dietary supplements to favor

At the same time, certain foods and dietary supplements can help relieve seasonal allergies. Among them, the number 1 ally of any patient is Quercetin, an antioxidant that inhibits the action of histamine. How to cure it? It’s simple, answers the naturopath “eat, for example, a lot of red fruits, broccoli, green beans and especially red onions and garlic which contain a lot of them“.

The other unsuspected friend of major allergies, to everyone’s surprise, is the quail egg. Admittedly, it is not easy to find, but the specialist insists on its effectiveness: “A cure of three quail eggs for thirty days is a very good way to strengthen our internal balance and boost our immune system. It may come as a surprise, but the quail egg is an ancestral remedy against allergies because of its richness in proteins, vitamins B1 and B2, iron, phosphorus and enzymes”.

If it is difficult to obtain it, underlines Nadia Rasamoely, we can “buy them in the form of dietary supplements. There is, for example, a food supplement Quail eggs + Quercetin which is excellent because it regulates the immune system while acting on the inflammation of the mucous membranes”.

It can be good too”to take a course of vitamins as well as zinc and magnesium two or three months before the start of the season”, adds the naturopath. So, she explains, “magnesium is a natural antihistamine, when you have a big crisis you can take up to 900 ml; high-dose vitamin C can also relieve an allergy. In the form of food supplements zinc, magnesium and vitamins are protective and improve the regulation of the immune system”.

Moreover, in addition, notes Nadia Rasamoely, it is also useful to do “a cure of charcoal or desmodium – a plant sold in the form of a food supplement – in order to detoxify the liver”.

Finally concludes the expert, in addition to her diet and the intake of food supplements, “try to be in contact with allergens as little as possible”. So close your windows, protect your eyes and watch out for stress that can trigger inflammation!