Springtime is one of my favorite seasons, but many of my clients suffer from seasonal allergies and instead of enjoying the warm weather, they’re stuck inside hiding from pollen. Are you stuck inside from seasonal allergy symptoms? Symptoms of seasonal allergies can be anything from sneezing, itching, watery eyes, head pressure and more! Here are a few ways you can support your immune system to prepare your body for springtime allergies.

• Limit Histamine Foods. Histamine is made naturally in our body. It’s a chemical that’s one of the main contributors to allergies. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you can try eating a low histamine diet to help. High histamine foods are cheese, wine, shellfish, dried fruits and processed meats. Take a break from these foods and eat fresh, whole organic foods like fresh fruits, veggies, lean fresh proteins and healthy fats that are low in histamines to give you relief from your symptoms.
• Take Probiotics. I’ve learned from a decade of chronic illness that we need to support our microbiome in order to support our immune system. Our gut is filled with bacteria and we need more good bacteria than bad bacteria to be healthy! Try eating fermented foods such as chickpea miso, sauerkraut, kombucha and other fermented veggies for a dose of daily probiotics.
• Remove Sugar. We all know sugar leads to inflammation and can also lead to candida. Something I learned recently is that Candida can get into your sinuses and cause sinus issues. This happened to me and it took me 8 years to find a doctor who figured this out when every other doctor handed me drugs for allergies!
• Be Cautious of Cross Reaction Foods. If you are allergic to grasses, make sure you’re not reacting to oats, rye, wheat, corn, potatoes, beets, spinach and Swiss chard. If you are allergic to trees, make sure you’re not reacting to carrots, celery, peaches, pears, fennel, parsley, apples and parsnips. These foods can cross react with tree/grass pollens so be mindful when you eat them to ensure they’re not adding to your sinus problems.
• Get Your Vitamin D. Get outside and soak up that sunshine; you need Vitamin D for your immune system, sex hormones and neurotransmitters. Many clients who have spring allergies are low in vitamin D. Get tested for your vitamin D levels to make sure you are at a healthy range.
• Eat More Fruits and Veggies. Fruits and veggies are loaded with Vitamin C, which can help reduce histamine production in your body. Fruits and veggies are alkalizing and will help to reduce inflammation. Add berries to your breakfast smoothie, oranges and greens to your lunch and sweet potatoes to your dinner.
• Remove Your Shoes at Home. Take off your shoes when you walk into your home so you’re not tracking pollen and other allergens across your home, into your carpet and into the air that you’re breathing. The last thing you want is to be inhaling everything while you sleep.

How do you deal with springtime allergies?