Hay fever : 7 natural tips

After the delay of Spring, sniffling and sneezing season now seems to have started with a vengeance.

You don’t have to suffer stoically though – there are actually a few simple things you can do to manage symptoms of hay fever.

REDUCE OR ELIMINATE

1. Reduce cow’s milk dairy products as much as possible, including milk, cheese and ice-cream. Dairy has actually been shown to increase mucus in some people. Sheep and goat’s milk products are better tolerated and butter in small quantities is usually OK too.

Alternatives: Almond, quinoa, oat or rice milk to replace milk, sheep and  goat cheese to replace cheese and yoghurt.

2. Try to eat as clean a diet as possible, reducing sugar, white flour products and artificial ingredients and eating more vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetables.

INCREASE OR INTRODUCE

3. Foods rich in quercetin,  Vitamin C and bromelain which act as natural anti-histamines to help manage symptoms of hay fever.

Sources: Citrus fruits, garlic, pineapple (the core is a good source of bromelain), apples (unpeeled), broccoli, onions, grapes, berries, cherries, capers, tea.

4. Omega-3 fatty acid rich foods to help reduce the inflammation brought on by allergic reactions.

Sources: Wild salmon, flaxseeds (always eat them freshly ground), chia seeds, walnuts or a good quality fish oil supplement.

5. Nettle infusion or capsules – this has been shown to help reduce symptoms of hay fever.

6. Probiotics – the gut is being increasingly linked to allergies of all types, so taking a good probiotic supplement or eating probiotic foods can make a difference.

TRY

7. Eliminating toxins in the body has been shown to help decrease allergy symptoms. You could try colon hydrotherapy or a juice fast/detox to help eliminate toxins. Eating a clean diet will also make the detox more effective.

I would love to hear about your experience with hay fever – have any of these tips worked for you? Is there anything else you have found beneficial?