While taking allergy medication is a must to manage some of your worst allergy symptoms, eating an allergy diet that incorporates strategic choices can help you feel better. This is because many allergy-fighting foods provide properties that can minimize inflammation and address nasal congestion and respiratory symptoms.
Best Allergy-Fighting Foods
Add these five allergy-fighting foods to your meals—you probably have them in your kitchen:
1. Soup: Most broth-based soups can help manage troublesome allergy symptoms. The warm liquid can soothe a raw throat and the steam can relieve a stuffy nose and sinus pressure.
2. Yogurt: If you look for probiotic blends, yogurt is a good choice. Probiotics can balance your digestive system and may help prevent and reduce allergies. Yogurt and other fortified dairy products also contain vitamin D, which can reduce your risk of asthma and wheezing.
3. Nuts: There's been increasing evidence that adding nuts to your allergy diet every day can be a good move. This food can help fight inflammation that's related to allergies and asthma. Nuts can also strengthen your immune system, improve lung function, and reduce your risk of wheezing. These benefits can be traced to magnesium and vitamin E found in nuts.
4. Fruit: Apples, oranges, tomatoes, and grapes are allergy-fighting foods. The first three fruits are rich in vitamin C, which has been found to strengthen their immune system. Grapes contain resveratrol, which is known to fight inflammation.
5. Fish: The latest research reveals that Omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in salmon and other fish, can reduce allergy-causing inflammation and increase lung function.
A Spicy Suggestion
Adding spices to some dishes can also help lessen uncomfortable allergy symptoms. This is because "hot" flavored foods can help thin your mucus and clear your sinuses. Some flavorful spices to welcome into your allergy diet include ginger, curry, turmeric, and cayenne. Just know that some people with allergies may have a reaction to certain spices or find that they irritate their sensitive throat and nasal passages, so experiment cautiously.
Sources:
Akabas Sharon R. "Supplement: n-3 Fatty Acids: Recommendations for Therapeutics and Prevention." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83 (6) (June 2006): S1536-1538S. Web. 11 April 2012.
http://www.ajcn.org/content/83/6/S1536.full
Litonjua Augusto A. et al. "Maternal antioxidant intake in pregnancy and wheezing illnesses in children at 2 y of age." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 84 (4) (Oct. 2006): 903-911. Web. 11 April 2012.
http://www.ajcn.org/content/84/4/903.abstract
Wong, Ka W. "Clinical efficacy of n-3 fatty acid supplementation in patients with asthma." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 105 (1) (January 2005): 98-105. Web. 11 April 2012.
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/yjada/article/S0002-8223%2804%2901655-4/abstract
