Just a note that this worked wonders for me in the Pollen Capitol of the World: Minnesota. Most days I forgot I was deep into the sneezing season. Absolutely made a convert out of me - food is medicine, folks! Copyright 2006 Margaret Chayka
Everybody seems to agree (“everybody” meaning medical pros and paraprofessionals) on certain foods and food stuffs that just might help with allergy suffering. This here’s the lowdown:
Foods naturally rich in vitamin E including nuts, such as almonds, vegetable oils (sorry – olive oil seems to be a no-no), seeds, wheat germ, spinach and other dark, green leafy vegetables, plus egg yolks. There are no studies proving that taking a supplement works any better than getting your E from foods.
Everyone agrees on Omega 3s. Lots of studies have been conducted on the links between Omega 3s and asthma, allergies, and the dreaded eczema (or, at least I dread it, as I’ve suffered with it since my early 20s; less as I grow older). Not only in relieving symptoms, but to prevent them as well. Get your Omega 3s in the foods below. Cabbage and above, in bold, are the best sources, but all are in the “good” category:
Flax Seeds
Cloves, ground
Nuts, Walnuts
Salmon
Oregano, ground
Cauliflower
Scallops, Baked, Broiled
Peppermint leaves, fresh
Mustard seed
Cabbage
Lettuce, Romaine
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Squash, Winter
Tofu
Squash, Summer, All Varieties
Halibut
Collard Greens
Spinach
Kale, Fresh, Boiled
Soybeans, Cooked
Shrimp
Greens, Turnip
Cod
Strawberries
Green Snap/String Beans
Snapper
Tuna, Yellowfin
Chamomile is naturally antihistaminic and helps to reduce the body's reaction to pollen. Try some tea.
There seems to be conflict in the use of foods rich in beta-carotene. It’s found in many foods that are orange in colour, including sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, pumpkin, and mangoes. Some green leafy vegetables including spinach, are also rich in beta-carotene.
I imagine some of the conflict comes in through our old friend, mucus. Foods that produce mucus will of course increase your hayfever symptoms. Sugars will do that, and orange means sugar! Logically, then, I’m guessing the beta-carotene is best coming from the dark green veggie variety. Other mucus-producing foods are dairy products, citrus, wheat, and bananas. Avoid alcohol; use vinegars instead.
Folks with hayfever might also benefit from eliminating the use of tomatoes, peanuts, wheat, apple, carrot, celery, peach, melon, eggs (so much for the beneficial egg yolk) and pork. Many of those foods fit into the fairly-common-food-intolerance category, and if you don't know you have an intolerance, avoiding these can possibly make you feel better.
Vitamin C is also questionable, since many fruits contain it, but are also on the “bad” lists. Oh – looks like we’re back to green veggies again! I’ll stick with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for fruits; maybe a star fruit once in a while, or a custard apple.
Nothing like planning ahead! Here’s my hayfever menu plan for Week One:
Breakfast:
I’ll stick with soy milk smoothies, using
strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, with a couple teaspoons of
ground flax seed.
Lunches are my big meal these days, as I’ve decided that getting a chance to work off the meal during my busy day is better than sleeping on it:
Cod with wilted greens, almonds, oregano and a balsamic vinegar drizzle
Chicken (nobody says you can’t have chicken!)-Green Bean-Walnut lettuce wraps with mint, mustard, and a touch of mayo
Mashed
cauliflower with sauteed cabbage; basil, thyme, maybe adding a bit of
ground cloves and curry into half of it, and a few chickpeas thrown in
– sort of bubble and squeak. I could eat a ton of cauliflower “mashed
potatoes”. Skip the butter and sour cream, folks – salt and pepper will
do ya. If you MUST have stuff in it, make it a soy product.
I don’t normally eat leftovers, but when you get a cabbage or a pile of greens, you usually have to buy more than you need, so leftovers it is!
Dinners:
Green salads with soy cheese, leftover nuts or
seeds; vinegar and oil dressing is what I usually do anyway, with salt
and pepper. My needs are simple ones.
A couple of soups made from vegetable stock or broth with combinations of Brussels sprouts, broccoli, scallions, greens, a few lentils or black beans for oompf; I’ll keep some shrimp or scallops around to add if I get bored, and some saffron to go with it. Otherwise, a blend of your fave herbs and spices will do the job.
Desserts:
Dang, forget the ice cream! I’ve gotten quite a
sugar-free popsicle obssession going on right now. I’m pretty sure my
body doesn’t know the difference between real and artificial sugar, so
maybe it’s time to attack my weaknesses and give it up.
Good luck to you! Happy Sneezing!