Foods and Herbs for Treating Seasonal Allergies
Natural Choices in Everday Living to Prevent Symptoms
Sep 21, 2009
Foods and Herbs for the Treatment of Allergies - Normally harmless substances can sometimes cause our body to overreact. When you have allergies, your immune system is reacting to pollen, dust, mold, pet dander, or other substances instead of saving its efforts for fighting off bacteria and viruses. The next time allergies have you sneezing, consider foods and herbs to treat your allergies.
Foods for Treating Allergies
Quercetin is pigment that gives fruits and herbs their colorful hue. Quercetin also inhibits the release of histamine. Some foods loaded with Quercetin include cabbage, cranberries, kale, grapes, pears, apples, spinach, garlic, onions, stinging nettle, and grapefruit. Do not take Quercetin capsules if you are already taking stinging nettle. Stinging nettle contains quercetin, so you would be double dosing.
Most Americans don't have enough Omega-3 fatty acid in their diet. Omaga-3 comes from the meat that you eat and some nuts and seeds. Omega-3 has the ability to counter inflammatory responses in your body, such as allergies. To increase the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, eat plenty of fish, or consider taking fish oil supplements available from natural food stores. Flaxseeds are also an abundant food source of Omega-3.
Local raw honey is a time tested and traditional remedy for allergies. It is important that the honey be unpasteurized and produced in your local area. Bees produce honey from the pollen of flowers. Small doses of the pollen, found in local, raw honey, reduces your body's reaction to the pollen.
Yogurt is another food that works well for the treatment of allergies. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria that are always present in your digestive system. Helping to populate your digestive system with more good bacteria found in yogurt will improve the overall function of your immune system and minimize your allergies. Probiotics are available in pill form at natural health food stores and are another good source of these bacteria.
Herbs for Treating Allergies
Nettle (Urtica dioica), also called stinging nettle, contains a naturally occurring antihistamine. The dried herb can be dried and ground at home and taken as herbal tea. If you prefer to purchase nettle, it can be found at natural food stores. Always purchase the freeze-dried form of the capsules.
Gingko Biloba is another herb that works well for treating allergies. It contains "ginkogolides," which have been shown in studies to stop or limit allergy attacks. Ginkgo Biloba is also well-know for its memory-boosting abilities, but that is an extra bonus.
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