Aggravated by Allergies

Aggravated by Allergies

Allergies are very common, with one in four people in the UK having suffered from one in their lifetime. A combination of pollution and poor diet has increased the amount of people with allergies.

Pollen count is expected to be high for the next couple of months due to the long awaited summer arriving causing pollination, which can increase allergy related symptoms.

Most allergies tend to be treated in a very similar way as the main aim is to bring down the inflammation caused by a histamine response. Below are some common allergies and how to aim at alleviating the symptoms.

Allergies

The immune system is primed early on in life and can be compromised by a low level of gut bacteria from birth possibly due to a Caesarean, antibiotic use or a leaky gut commonly caused by yeast and bacterial infection.  Parents who are prone to allergies such as eczema and asthma have a 60% increase in the chance of their children having an allergy.

Common types of allergies:

• Pet allergies • Hay fever • Eczema • Asthma

• Food • Drug • Topical creams and hair dyes • Nickel

Common allergic reactions:

• swelling • runny nose and eyes • itchy skin and eyes

• diarrhoea and vomiting • dry skin • stomach cramps

Beating an allergy the natural way

There are plenty of anti-histamine foods that you can have:

Vitamin C can be found in broccoli and most vegetables and fruit, and has an anti-histamine response. Ideally have at least 1g per day when you are suffering with allergy symptoms as vitamin C is rapidly used up by the body to counter the effect of pollution.

Quercetin is a flavonoid which can be found in onions, berries, apples and sweet potato and may act as an anti-inflammatory. It has been commonly used to bring down other allergy symptoms.

Probiotics  The gut is one of your first lines of defense, preventing pathogens entering the body. By having a healthy level of beneficial bacteria in your gut, you can support a healthy immune response.

Lifestyle choices for those with green fingers

If you enjoy gardening but suffer from allergies such as hay fever or asthma opt for low allergy pollen plants such as Geraniums, Crazy Daisy, Nikko Blue Hydrangea and female shrubs and trees as these are not going to produce pollen and will trap pollen that is around.

Have a healthy week,