Sneezing and wheezing?
Before you head to the drug store for relief, check your food choices and other habits to see if you can cut your body a break.
Allergies are an inflammatory response to environmental triggers so the first thing to do is limit your exposure to these triggers.
FIX FOOD FIRST
1. AVOID FOODS THAT CAUSE INFLAMMATION
This is a great time to eliminate gluten, dairy and sugar to give your body a break. Your immune system will thank you and you will have more energy to fight off the other offenders like leaf mold.
2. EAT FOODS THAT CALM INFLAMMATION
Bone broth, dark leafy greens, pasture-raised meats, wild-caught salmon, nuts and berries are the best.
3. DRINK GOOD FOOD
This is the time of year that juicing fruits and vegetables make the most sense. The harvest is in and prices are low. Aim for quercetin-rich foods like apples, spinach, garlic, cherries and plums combined with chard, celery, cucumber, ginger and lemon. Only organic, always.
START SUPPLEMENTING NEXT
1. MULTI VITAMIN/MINERAL
Symptoms are a result of deficiencies and toxicities. Fill the gaps efficiently with a high-quality multi. Liquid or capsule form is best, not a Costco tablet. The best multi-vitamins must be taken several times a day and have expiration dates
2. PROBIOTIC
The importance of a healthy gut cannot be overstated. if you are suffering with allergies it means your gut needs help. Start by populating it with good bacteria to fight off infection and strengthen your immunity. Eat a forkful of lacto-fermented vegetables like kimchi or raw sauerkraut a few times a day, even better.
3. FISH OIL
Omega 3 fats lower inflammation and are strongly linked to reduced hay-fever symptoms.
4. VITAMIN C
The perennial favorite of Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling, all the smart docs and grandmothers everywhere. Buffered ascorbic acid - or a liposomal form is best, if an IV infusion is not available to you. If you just do one thing, order THIS and take it as directed.
MAKE THESE NEW HABITS
1. TAKE A SHOWER BEFORE BED EVERY NIGHT
Your hair and skin catch environmental allergens all day long and then you breathe them in all night. Keep your sleep as clean as possible.
2. SAUNA OR STEAM A FEW TIMES A WEEK
These tools help you clear congestion with heat therapy and boost your nervous system, which is under assault by the chronic stress of allergens.
3. RINSE YOUR EYES AND NOSE REGULARLY
Use an old-fashioned eye cup and a Neti pot. If eye drops and tissues are the best you can do, at least get homeopathic type.
If you do all of these things and still feel lousy, take heart that winter's coming, and you are better prepared to fight the flu with all of these strategies in place. ;)
