A Functional Approach to Seasonal Allergies

At the start of spring, many of us start to enjoy outdoor warmer weather, more sun exposure, time with friends, brown landscapes filled with lush green color and watching dormant plants bloom again. Unfortunately for some people this time of year may bring on an onslaught of unwanted allergy symptoms such as sneezing, congestion, runny nose or other bothersome symptoms.

What are seasonal allergies?

Seasonal allergies are when some one’s immune system mistakenly sees environmental allergens as a danger and releases antibodies to attack the allergens. This releases chemicals in our body called histamine which causes symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy watery eyes and even asthma. Depending on the time of year, where you live in the country and what someone is allergic to determines the type of allergies and severity.

What are triggers to my seasonal allergies?

Some of the main triggers to seasonal allergies are airborne allergens such as pollen, animal dander, dust mites and molds. The most common allergens are pollens from wind-pollenated plants such as trees, grasses and weeds. If you have bad seasonal allergies, it may be best to get tested through skin tests or blood tests to find out what your specific triggers are.

Getting to the root cause of seasonal allergies

There are many conventional treatments for seasonal allergies that involve medications such as antihistamines, intranasal steroids, injections and inhalers. These medications can be helpful to reduce symptoms; however, getting to the root cause will help alleviate symptoms and help understand what may cause someone to overreact to their environment.

About 80% of our immune system is in our gut and our gut is a major source of histamine production. Gut health cannot be overlooked when considering treatment for seasonal allergies. Afterall, the father of medicine Hippocrates stated, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Looking at dietary & lifestyle factors are key components to mitigating allergy symptoms.

Consuming an inflammatory diet high in processed sugar and artificial ingredients, alcohol, gluten and conventional dairy can contribute to chronic inflammation. Other factors such as stress, lack of exercise, untested food allergies and sensitivities and even hidden infections such as mold should all be considered.

Other foods that can worsen seasonal allergies are alcohol, processed foods, wheat chocolate, conventional dairy and gluten. This is due to potential inflammatory properties

Believe it or not, there are certain foods that can exacerbate allergies. The reason for this is that there are proteins in some fruits and vegetables that are very similar to those found in pollen. These proteins can confuse the immune system and cause an allergic reaction or make existing symptoms worse. This is called cross-reactivity.

A good example is if someone is allergic to birth tree pollen, a person may have reactions triggered by pitted fruit, carrots, peanuts, almonds and hazelnut. If someone is allergic to grasses, they may have a reaction to peaches, celery, tomatoes, melons and oranges.

People allergic to ragweed may have symptoms when eating foods such as bananas, cucumber, melon and zucchini. Below is a list of common allergies and their associated cross-reacting foods.

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What are functional approaches to seasonal allergies?

First and foremost, allergy avoidance is the first line of defense against symptoms. It is important to identify the particular allergen one may be reactive to and to decrease the antigenic load. This may involve skin or blood testing through your doctor. Less exposures to allergens decrease the antigenic load to the immune system. Consider food sensitivity testing and or stool testing if there are concerns with gut health.

DIETARY INTERVENTIONS

Avoiding processed and inflammatory foods help decrease an overreactive immune system. It may be important to look for any underlying food sensitivities which are immunological responses to particular foods. Consider an Elimination diet that removes common triggers such as wheat, corn, dairy, soy and alcohol.

Consume a diet with fresh organic vegetables and rich in a variety of colors. Nutrient rich foods such as carrots, yams, pineapple, apples, berries, broccoli green tea, cabbage, beets and swiss chard are naturally high in Quercetin – a natural compound that fights inflammation.

Consume foods rich in natural probiotics such as Sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha that helps feed our gut bacteria and improves immune function.

GUT HEALING NUTRIENTS

Since the majority of our immune system resides in the gut, it makes sense to optimize the gut’s microbiome by eating an anti-inflammatory diet and replacing gut healing nutrients such as glutamine, zinc and curcumin. Other anti-inflammatory foods to consider are food rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as wild caught salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel.

NATURAL ANTI HISTAMINES

Natural antihistamines are substances that block histamine activity in the body. This is the protein that triggers allergy symptoms. Substances that are natural antihistamines are Vitamin C, Quercetin, Stinging nettle, Bromelain and Butterbur.

LIFESTYLE FACTORS

Managing stress may not seem related to allergy symptoms reduction but stress can wreak havoc in your immune system which makes your allergies worse. Consider stress reducing techniques like going for a walk, mediation, deep diaphragmatic breathing, exercise and even therapy.

Sleep is one of the most vital things that gets overlooked. Research shows inadequate sleep shortens your lifespan and increases inflammation. Try to aim for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

OVER THE COUNTER REMEDIES

Rinsing your nasal passages with saline solution is a quick and inexpensive way to help relieve nasal congestion. This also helps flush out mucus and allergens from your nose. Consider investing in a HEPA Filter which will help keep indoor air clean. Try staying home if it’s a windy day. Close doors & windows when pollen count is high. Clean floors often with a vacuum cleaner and HEPA filter. Shower before bed to remove pollen. Wash bedding more frequently.

What are some blood tests that can be helpful?

Blood tests that look for inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein may be able to provide information on hidden inflammation in your body. Other tests to consider are food sensitivity tests to see if you’re inappropriately mounting an immune response to particular foods. Gut or stool testing may be warranted if you feel there are digestive issues or underlying immune disease that may be affected.

Summary

Using a functional approach to allergies utilizes a multi-prong approach when considering immune reactivity, gut microbiome, chronic inflammation. Functional medicine seeks to look at bodily systems that may contribute to histamine production, chronic inflammation by getting to the root cause and help with healing.

Sources:

https://www.ifm.org/news-insights/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-allergies/

https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/outdoor-food-allergies-relate

Margaret Apostol MD, ABFM, ABOIM, IFMCP