Five Foods to Prevent Hay fever

Hay fever can be really miserable, especially as it's often at its worst during summertime when it’s so nice to be outside.

But there are a few things you can do to help reduce the severity of your symptoms and keep annoying symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing and itchy eyes to a minimum.

How can you stop hay fever symptoms naturally?

Reducing the risk of hay fever and the severity of hay fever symptoms can be approached from a few different angles:
​
Step 1:

• Our aim is to reduce the histamine response so we'll include more foods that naturally contain anti-histamine. 

Step 2:

• Secondly, we want to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods to help tackle the excess histamine circulating throughout the body. 

​Step 3:

• Address the underlying issue, the immune imbalance which leads back to gut health.

 
Certain nutrients and foods can be really helpful in achieving these goals and I’ll take you through each step below.

But first, I've popped a very simplified explanation of how some of these foods may help balance the immune response (addressing the root of the issue). The link between gut health and certain types of allergies, like hay fever are closely intertwined. 

How come some people are more "allergic" than others?

Picture the T-cells of your immune system as a see saw. On one side of the see saw you have T-Helper 1 cells (TH1), and on the other side of the see saw, T-Helper 2 cells (TH2). In an ideal world we want this see saw to be balanced.

With high levels of inflammation in the body, TH2 goes up and TH1 comes down. This increase in TH2 cells leads to inappropriate immune responses, with some people becoming more “reactive”.

​People with certain types of allergies, including:

• Hay fever
• Asthma
• Sinusitis
• Inflammatory skin conditions 

are thought to be TH2 dominant. Put simply, their immune response (see saw) is out of balance. The foods I've listed below work towards balancing this see saw. 

What causes this heightened reaction in the first place?
Regulation of the immune system takes place largely in the gut so supporting gut health in general and reducing the risk of leaky gut would be helpful here.

​Probiotics are helpful for supporting the lining of the gut wall and may be a helpful adjunct to the hay fever nutrients discussed below in this blog post. I cover all areas of gut health and gut healing at my Learn to Love your Gut event and you can read more about leaky gut here. 

Be mindful that anti-histamine medications, (especially steroids) while essential at times, deepen this imbalance in the natural see saw system.
​

What foods and supplements help hay fever symptoms?

1. Reishi Mushrooms

Reishi is a Japanese mushroom shown to suppress the inflammatory TH2 response and support balance in the immune system.

This is great news because by dampening down the TH2 response, we are addressing the symptoms of hay fever (inflammation), as well as addressing the underlying issue of hay fever - the immune imbalance. 

​The mushroom polysaccharide extracts move the immune balance away from TH2 and towards TH1, overall supporting a balanced immune response. 

And the benefits of reishi don’t stop there. Reishi mushrooms also contain a bioflavonoid (triterpene) which inhibits histamine release. 

Reishi is also rich in antioxidants which help mop up inflammation debris, minimising damage to nearby healthy cells.  

Powell, M, 2014, Medicinal Mushrooms A Clinical Guide. 2nd edition, Mycology Press, UK.

2. Red Onions

Red onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid found in certain fruits and vegetables. Quercetin acts as a natural anti-histamine because it helps stabilise the cells that release histamine in the first place. (Histamine is what triggers the hay fever symptoms – runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing). 

What foods contain quercetin?

• Red onion
• Garlic
• Apple
• Elderberry

3. Pineapple

The core of a pineapple contains a plant based enzyme called bromelain. Quercetin (mentioned above) is often found alongside bromelain in supplement form because bromelain has shown to support the effectiveness of quercetin. Together they may reduce the inflammation associated with hay fever. 

What foods contain bromelain?
Bromelain is found inside the core of a pineapple. So not the nice fleshy, juicy part of a pineapple unfortunately but the actual core (the hard part at the centre of a pineapple).

If you have a high speed blender you could pop the pineapple core in the blender with some ginger and make a lovely anti-inflammatory smoothie, for example.

Pineapple is also a fantastic source of vitamin C – another potent anti-histamine nutrient.

Vitamin C prevents the secretion of histamine and may increase the elimination of histamine from the body. Other sources of vitamin C rich foods to include are a kiwi, broccoli, bell peppers and cabbage. 

​Thornhill, S., & Kelly, A. (2000). Natural treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis. Alternative Medicine Review : A Journal of Clinical Therapeutic, 5(5), 448-454.

4. Nettles 

Stinging nettles are maybe not the most appealing leafy green that springs to mind but yes this common garden weed is a priority when it comes to reducing the severity of hay fever symptoms. And it's free and ready to pick in spring, perfect timing!  

Nettles prevent the production of prostaglandins (inflammatory chemicals) by blocking two inflammatory pathways in the body, COX-1 and COX-2. This has shown to prevent allergy symptoms including: sneezing, nasal congestion, itchy and watery eyes and related discomfort.

This is my favourite hay fever food because it is natural, it grows wild and organic (so it costs nothing) and aside from helping with hay fever, it is a fabulous source of iron, calcium and vitamin C. 

Roschek, B., Fink, R., McMichael, M., & Alberte, R. (2009). Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis. Phytotherapy Research, 23(7), 920-926.

How do I cook nettles?

Nettles need to be cooked in order to eat them, or at least blanched (e.g. added to boiling water to make tea).

I would recommend using them in any dish as a replacement for spinach. They also work really well added to a traditional potato and leek soup. 

Favourite Nettle Recipes:
Here's a delicious nettle pesto recipe I would recommend. It's so good on pasta, or as a dip. It contains parmesan which is also a source of probiotics for gut health. And for a vegan or dairy-free nettle pesto try this one. 

It goes without saying, but make sure you wear rubber gloves when you cut, wash and prepare the nettles to avoid getting stung. They lose their sting once cooked or blanched.

Go for the nettle tops, where the younger leaves are, and avoid nettles growing on the verge of busy roads to reduce risk of contamination. Like all fruits and vegetables, wash them before use.  

How much nettles do I need to eat for hay fever?
If you have hay fever, aim to eat some nettles daily as well as drinking nettle tea, at least three cups per day. Nettle teabags are also readily available to buy for convenience.

​Dose and consistency is really important in order to see an actual improvement in hay fever symptoms. Taking these foods sporadically won't work. If cooking and eating nettles is not convenient or realistic for you (totally understandable), do consider a nettle supplement for a stronger, more therapeutic dose. Drop me a message if you are unsure what to order.

Milani, Duranti, Napoli, Alessandri, Mancabelli, Anzalone, . . . Milani, Christian. (2019). Colonization of the human gut by bovine bacteria present in Parmesan cheese. Nature Communications, 10(1), 1286.

5. Bee Propolis 

Bee propolis is an adhesive substance produced by honeybees and stored inside their hives to protect them from rain and bacterial infections (so clever!!)

Bee propolis has been found to effectively regulate the immune response without over stimulating it. The combination of these actions may be helpful for hay fever sufferers.

You'll often find it added to hay fever supplements in combination with reishi, vitamin C and other nutrients to help support the immune system and reduce the risk of hay fever symptoms. 

Bachiega, T., Orsatti, C., Pagliarone, A., & Sforcin, J. (2012). The Effects of Propolis and its Isolated Compounds on Cytokine Production by Murine Macrophages. Phytotherapy Research, 26(9), 1308-1313.

So what supplements should I take for my hay fever?

Get in touch with me if you need help choosing the right hay fever supplements for you or a loved one. I can provide a comprehensive hay fever supplement plan as part of a consultation. 

For best results you want to get ahead of allergy season. So start before hay fever symptoms flare-up with pollen exposure. Try to incorporate these natural approaches for hay fever in January, and use them daily leading up to the spring and throughout allergy season.

If you suffer from allergies or if you are on medications, as with other supplements, always seek professional advice before supplementing. Get in touch with me here and find out how we can work together. 

Tried everything for hay fever and nothing works?

If you experience chronic, year-round hay fever or sinusitis, it's maybe time to rule out histamine intolerance and work on gut health. 

The next steps could be to start a low histamine diet for four weeks and reduce your histamine intake by eliminating the following foods for a month – aged foods e.g. cheese and fermented foods like sauerkraut, alcohol, sausages and other processed or cured red meats. 

If this resonates with you please get in touch with me or check out the various packages I offer as there's lots we can do to help.