Health Food against Allergies

 

Dear readers,

it is the 30th of January. Winter will maybe keep those flowers and buds in his icy grip for another month, but then...he will release spring's beauty and with it all the pollen that make our eyes itch and our noses run. At least for many of us it is like that in the meantime, especially people, who live in city environments. 
The other kind of allergies, which is increasing constantly, are food allergies. 

So in the end in order to escape these tiring, exhausting sneeze attacks and itches and after long and tiresome allergy tests we consume pills to find relief or worse cortisone as there seems to be no help from nowhere.

There is something we can do though. We can prepare our bodies during winter in order to be better able to fight off the attacks of springtime. We can do this by improving our nutrition, by eating natural, healthy food and thus build up a strong immune system, which will also be able to combat food intolerances. 

What is an allergy?
An allergy is an excessive response of the body to certain environmental substances known as allergens. Our immune system hyper reacts to these allergens, activates antibodies to combat this basically harmless substances and thereby harms the body. The symptoms of allergy are varied and range from a runny nose (mucous membrane), itchy skin, frequent sneezing on an impairment of the airways (asthma) or gastrointestinal symptoms to acute emergencies.

Almost all foreign substances are potential triggers of allergies. Common allergens are pollen, pet dander, dust, cosmetics, chemicals in soaps or detergents, drugs, metals but also food.


But never mind what it is you react to, it is always a consequence of a disturbed immune system. To keep the immune system up and running as we have learned earlier we need to cure our intestines as everything starts from there. A healthy nutrition supports the mucuous menbrans of our intestines, our airways and our skin. 


How do I support my immune system against allergies?

In our diet we have to take special care of an adequate supply of vitamins C, E and B. These vitamins bring the immune system back into balance by supporting the functions of immune cells. Simultaneously the allergic reactions of the body can be reduced by especially vitamin C, which degrades the mistakenly by the immune system produced histamine. 

Histamine is a substance that is produced by the immune cells as a consequence to the allergic reaction in large quantities and this histamine again triggers the allergic reactions. A vicious circle! Which we can only try to break through the right nutrition.

Also, zinc, calcium and methionine (an amino acid that is found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach and green peas) act as an anti-histamine, reducing the symptoms of hay fever. 

Very important is an adequate supply of magnesium and manganese (found in mustard greens, collard greens, lettuce, spinach, cucumber, squash and peanuts, pineapples, strawberries, millet and barley. Spices that contain manganese include turmeric, cinnamon, peppermint and thyme).
 
Deficiency of these substances can increase allergy tendency. Vitamin B3 (contained in calf liver, peanuts, tuna, chicken, halibut and mushrooms), however, slows the release of histamines, thus slows down the allergy.  

Pantothenic acid (in calf liver, peanuts, brown rice, watermelon, broccoli and chicken eggs) and gamma-linolenic acid  (in the oil of evening primrose plants, borage seed and blackberry seeds) reduce inflammation and also act against congestion.

 

Supporting the immune system should not only take place upon the occurrence of allergic reactions. It is crucial, to early pay attention to a balanced diet with those nutrients, so as to assist the body's immune system ideally. 

Best is a healthy, naturally based diet all around the year.