Foods That Can Fight Allergies

When people have allergies oftentimes they are advised to stay away from whatever allergen triggers their allergies.

Living with allergies almost always entails avoiding something but there are certain things that people with allergies should not avoid and listed below are the foods these people should eat in order to prevent allergic attacks.

Pineapple

Pineapples are best for people with asthma because the enzyme called bromelain is effective in alleviating irritations that could lead to an asthma attack. According to experts bromelain is effective in reducing nasal swelling and could even prevent the body from producing too much mucus, thereby helping the person breathe more easily.

Kefir

This yogurt drink is rich in probiotics that could help ward off seasonal allergies. According to medical experts people who suffer from seasonal allergies often do because they don’t have enough bacteria in their guts. Living in a pristine environment has turned these people’s guts into a clean environment, which is not good. People need to have some good bacteria in them otherwise their immune system will see every foreign agent getting into a person’s body as a threat, hence why people develop allergies. The probiotics in kefir helps by providing good bacteria in the person’s digestive system. Healthcare professionals conducted a study wherein two groups of people with seasonal allergies were told to take in probiotics regularly and they will monitor them for any changes. 

The first group was given real probiotics and after a few months into the study the scientists found that they were able to live more comfortably despite their seasonal allergies. Most of them didn’t totally cure their allergies but the symptoms were fewer and less intense.

The second group was given a placebo and after a few months of taking those placebos they told the scientists that there were no improvements to their condition. It’s still too early to conclude that probiotics could be used as a treatment for seasonal allergies but scientists say that it could help in alleviating the symptoms at least.

Kiwi

Kiwi is a fruit rich in vitamin C and this ingredient is what helps fight off allergies. According to scientists vitamin C helps fight off allergies by minimizing the amount of histamines in a person’s body. Vitamin C can break down the molecular structure of histamines so by taking in ascorbic acid regularly you’ll be reducing the amount of histamines in your blood thereby making you less susceptible to allergic attacks. A healthy and regular dose of vitamin C (500 to 1000mg a day, twice a day) is good for people with seasonal allergies.

Tuna and other seafood with Omega 3

Omega 3 fatty acids are found in tuna, mackerel and salmon and according to scientists recent studies found out that this chemical is capable of reducing chronic inflammation. According to their research omega 3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma. Hence, omega 3 fatty acids are a good source of relieving inflammation in people with asthma. Also, studies show that pregnant women who took omega 3 fatty acids regularly helped their offspring fight off allergies.

Onions

The important ingredient in onions for people with allergies is quercetin. This substance which can be found in other foods such as peppers, parsley and berries are effective in slowing down the release of histamines. Quercetin is more effective in curbing allergic attacks if it is combined with bromelain. So in order to effectively prevent allergic attacks try to eat pineapples and onions regularly.

Almonds et al

Magnesium which is abundant in almonds, cashews, wheat bran and kelp is an effective bronchodilator and antihistamine. Scientists have been studying the effects of magnesium in the human body and they discovered that it has the ability to calm the muscles of the bronchial tubes making it an effective cure for people with asthma.

Soybean oil

Another useful food to combat allergies is soybean oil. According to scientists soybean oil’s vitamin E is effective in reducing inflammation in the nasal passages. Although, researchers found that large portions of vitamin E is needed in order to effectively alleviate inflammation meaning people would have to ingest several gallons of soybean oil in order to implement a change. So doctors advise to use soybean oil regularly along with other foods that have a calming effect in bronchial tubes in order to alleviate the symptoms of an allergy.

Honey

This one is still up for debate since a lot of scientists are still unsure if it is truly capable of staving off pollen allergy. But according to some studies some individuals who took in local honey regularly said that their pollen allergy became more manageable. One study showed that people who ingested birch pollen allergy said that they had lesser allergic reactions to the birch pollen in their area as compared to people in their community who ingested regular honey. As mentioned earlier, the capacity of local honey to curb allergies caused by local pollen is still inconclusive but it may be able to help.

Vegetables and fruits

Lastly, vegetables are a great source for staving off an allergic attack. According to a study that monitored the diets of 4,000 children for a year scientists discovered that kids who ate more vegetables and fresh fruits had lesser incidents of asthma attacks as compared to kids who didn’t eat as much. Managing allergies takes lots of effort, but fortunately there are several ways to help anyone curb the symptoms and sometimes even prevent it completely. All it takes is a little bit of patience and a lot of research and you can manage your allergies effectively leading you to live a comfortable life.