Nutrition and Seasonal Allergies

Spring has sprung and it isn’t just all sunshine and rainbows. For some people, spring means constant sneezing and runny noses. Spending time outside may just mean misery for people with seasonal allergies. But have no fear, mindful nutrition is here to help ease some of your symptoms. Just like many diseases and conditions, diet changes can be beneficial to fighting off symptoms of seasonal allergies. 

Cue the most well-known vitamin, vitamin C, to help with some of your symptoms. Vitamin C has an anti-histamine affect. This means that it can help reduce the amount of histamine in your body that is produced in response to an allergen. This means less runny noses, itchy eyes and scratchy throats. Yay! Now, this does not mean you should eat an entire jar of vitamin C gummies. Here are some natural ways to add vitamin C into your diet:

Add a citrus fruit to your breakfast like an orange, grapefruit or kiwi.

Include bell peppers in your veggie omelet or stir fry

Make a smoothie with strawberries for a mid-day snack

Antioxidants are another diet addition that can help ease some of the seasonal allergy symptoms. Antioxidants reduce inflammation and inflammation is a response to the release of histamine. This will help reduce symptoms such as congestion or a sore throat. Antioxidants are found in many different foods. Here are some examples of ways to add more antioxidants into your diet:

Add some pecans into your morning oatmeal or on top of Greek yogurt

Make some whole grain blueberry muffins to have as a snack or with breakfast

Have some sautéed Kale alongside roasted potatoes and a lean protein with dinner

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant and can be helpful in minimizing your dreaded seasonal allergy symptoms. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, so overconsumption can be harmful to the body. Only take vitamin E supplements if your doctor recommends it. The best way to get vitamin E if you are looking to minimize some allergy symptoms is through diet. Here are some ways you can add more vitamin E rich foods into your diet:

Swap out white bread for wheat bread when you make a sandwich

Sprinkle sunflower seeds to the top of your salad for an extra crunch

Include spinach in a salad, on top of a sandwich or maybe in some scrambled eggs

Though there are ways to help ease symptoms through food, please also consider seeing your doctor or an allergist to help treat seasonal allergy symptoms. Hopefully these tips can help you take a breath of fresh air more comfortably as the flowers bloom for spring.