“Hah-choo,” once again. And what is it? A runny nose and watery eyes. Well, these are the symptoms of hay fever which people generally call seasonal allergy.
How will you know you have a seasonal allergy?
You will see the same symptoms at the same time each year.
Why does it happen?
It usually happens when the molds outdoor release the spores. Or when there is the release of pollen particles in the environment.
Our immune system can’t fight every other thing that invades our body. When they enter the body, chemicals are released which include histamine. This is done to fight the invaders. Because of the release of such chemicals, we get to see some different symptoms.
Why does food trigger it even more?
Some foods have histamine in them. If the food is pickled or is stored for a long time and fermented, the yeasts that develop produces histamine. This causes sneezing or coughing along with a headache or sometimes itching. So, don’t try any fermented foods if you have any seasonal allergy.
Some other foods that should be avoided if you have seasonal allergies are :
1) Parsley.
Alder or birch are some trees which release pollen. If you find yourself allergic to this pollen, you have to do away with parsley. It is a cross reactor to this pollen. You can have OAS or oral allergy syndrome if you consume parsley. There will be a burning sensation in your throat if you are suffering from it.
2) Tomatoes.
This is a cross reactor to both grass and Silver Birch Tree Pollen. If you are allergic to either of them, you have to do away with tomatoes. It is also very rich in histamine which even worsens the case. If you have allergy with Latex rubber, even then you must avoid it. At times, even if you are allergic to ragweed, tomatoes affect you badly.
3) Blue cheese.
They are rich in histamine and can cause inflammation. Having them would invite symptoms like itchy throat and eyes watering. You will sneeze a lot, and there will be nasal congestion.
4) Almonds.
Isn’t this a favorite one among so many dry fruits and nuts? If you are allergic to pollen from the tree, i.e., alder or birch tree, then avoid this. In real life, the cross-reaction can be more than the blood samples, too. Don’t go for almond milk or almond flavored cookies either when it is the peak season of allergies.
5) Wine.
Fermented things mean there be will bacteria or fungi in it, which means there will be histamine too in it. The wine has a high content of histamine because it has grapes fermented in it. It has also got sulfites which can trigger asthma which is again another symptom of an allergy.
6) Banana.
If you are having allergy from ragweed pollen, you are supposed to avoid having banana completely. They make you even more affected. You will go on sneezing and coughing.
7) Celery.
Used to flavor a lot of dishes but then, at times, it can make the symptoms of allergy go worse. If you have allergies to the pollen of tree or weed, you are supposed to avoid it. When you find the seasonal allergy is worsening, then completely stop having celery.
8) Chamomile Tea.
At times, you may feel a hot cup of tea can give you relief from the sore and itchy throat. At times, when you are sneezing and coughing too much, you want to have it then. It is good during seasons of allergy but then if you have allergies from the pollen of ragweed, don’t go for the chamomile tea as they will worsen and make you even more affected.
9) Cantaloupe.
If you are having allergy from the ragweed, you should not have cantaloupe. They increase the production of chemicals against this pollen, and the symptoms may find the peak then.
10) Cucumber and Lemon.
In the hot summer, it is really nice to consume cucumber and lemon but then if ragweed pollen increases the symptoms you have to avoid it. Even lemons increase production of histamine to fight the invaders. So, keep away that too.
11) Fennel.
Mugwort weed also can be an allergy trigger. If that is your case, don’t keep fennel in your diet chart.
12) Oranges.
You need to say goodbye to oranges if pollen of grass makes you feel allergic. Even figs could not be consumed in severe cases as they tend to show the symptoms even more.
13) Zucchini.
Don’t have them when you have ragweed pollen allergy. At times, it can decrease your level of concentration. This can lead to wrong decisions. You can have mood swings and feel irritated at times.
14) Apple.
You must have heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Not true, always. If your allergy trigger is tree pollen, you shouldn’t have apple as it a cross reactor.
15) Cherry.
Early spring or a little cold is the onset of seasonal allergies. Cherry blossoms are really beautiful, and it blooms in Washington during the end of March time. But if you see your nose is itching when you are near, you have an allergy from it. Also, if the pollen is of the alder tree, that you are allergic from, you can’t have cherries in your meal.
16) The other nut, Hazelnut.
Hazelnut must also be avoided if any tree pollen is the reason of the sneeze and allergy.
17) The ‘Ps.
Yes. Peach, parsley, pear, pepper, potato, prune, parsnip, plum, persimmon is all that you have to avoid if tree pollen triggers your allergies. So, next time you want to have anything whose name starts with ‘P’, do check the chart beforehand.
18) Coriander.
Another veggie which should be out of your food list, if you have allergy from weed pollen. It crossreacts in blood and makes you sneeze even more. There can also be burning in your lip line. You will also have watery eyes after consuming this.
19) Watermelon and Honeydew.
You may want to have some watermelon this dry summer. But, you have allergy from ragweed pollen then, you shouldn’t have watermelon or honeydew too. They will increase your symptoms even more.
20) Sunflower.
If exposure to Mugwort weed pollen makes you sneeze too much, then don’t have sunflower oil or anything that has sunflower as its ingredients.
Seasonal allergy is very common, and you don’t need to worry about it if you have it. Just make sure that which pollen is causing your allergy symptoms and avoid the foods that worsen the symptoms more. With these simple tricks, you can stay fit n fine even at the time of seasonal allergies.
