Not all allergies are created equal.
For some people a whiff or taste of the offending substance can kill. A bit of peanut dust in the air or a hidden morsel of shellfish in a marinara sauce can turn into a full-blown medical emergency.
At the other end of the spectrum, some people aren’t even sure whether they have allergies. Is that seasonal “cold” that shows up every fall just a pesky virus, or does tree pollen trigger that stuffy nose and watery eyes? And what about the troubled tummy after that healthy edamame snack? Any chance that it’s an allergy to soybeans?
Most people who have allergies lie somewhere between those two extremes. They know they’re allergic, but often don’t have the full picture of everything that they’re allergic to or how it all ties together, not to mention what they can do about it. (A great deal, actually!)
Allergies are generally divided into two main types: food allergies and allergies to substances that you breathe in. Although airborne substances generally don’t trigger digestive disturbances, both kinds of allergies otherwise can trigger many of the same uncomfortable symptoms. These can include stuffy nose, runny nose, itchy eyes, itchy skin, hives, headache, fatigue, and postnasal drip.
In both cases, your overly sensitive immune system is to blame. It recognizes as a potential threat substances that to other people are innocuous. And in response it launches defense measures that include the release of biochemicals (histamines, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes) that cause a variety of symptoms that we associate with allergies, including inflammation.
Inflamed mucous membranes in the nasal passages, lungs, and sinuses can contribute to or worsen conditions such as chronic sinusitis, according to Robert Ivker, DO, author of Sinus Survival. In fact, he notes, half of all people who have a problem with chronic sinusitis also have allergies.
Any substance that triggers an immune response—whether it’s a food or something in the air—is known as an antigen. To a degree, you can avoid at least some of the airborne substances that you’re allergic to, but admittedly doing so can be a challenge. It includes doing things like regular vacuuming, using non-irritating cleaning products, and making sure that household renovations are done with green materials. There’s a limit to what you can do to avoid outdoor antigens, however. Regular medical treatment may help you identify those and possibly desensitize you.
Dealing with food allergies is easier, because you can more easily identify what you’re allergic to and banish the offending items from your life, according to Tamara Trebilcock, ND, a naturopathic physician who is on the board of directors of the California Naturopathic Doctor’s Association and medical director of the Integrative Health Institutes in Santa Monica and Dana Point. In her private practice, Dr. Trebilcock sees many patients with a variety of food and environmental allergies.
Beyond the immediate discomforts of allergic reactions to specific foods, there are other significant reasons to pay special attention to identifying problematic foods, says Dr. Trebilcock. “There are hundreds and hundreds of individual symptoms that can be affected by food allergies,” she explains. In adults, she says, unrecognized food allergies can contribute to such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, acne, chronic fatigue, chronic headache, anxiety, and depression. (In children, she says, food allergies can contribute to such conditions as chronic ear infection, eczema, and asthma.)
Simply paying attention to which foods cause you discomfort, unfortunately, is not an adequate method of determining which foods you are allergic to. What to do?
One approach, says Dr. Trebilcock, is to have your health care provider—either a naturopath or a holistic MD—administer a blood test that looks at your reaction to a number of likely suspects.
You can also try an elimination diet on your own, says Dr. Ivker. To conduct a successful elimination diet, he says, banish all of the most common food antigens from your diet for 3 weeks. Here’s the list.
Aspirin
Beer
Bell peppers
Black pepper
Chocolate
Cocoa
Coffee
Corn
Dairy products
Eggs
Fish
Foods containing artificial colorings
Garlic
Nuts
Onions
Oranges
Peanuts
Red meat
Shellfish
Soy
Tea
Tomatoes
Wheat
White potatoes
White sugar
Wine
Yeast
It’s a long list, to be sure, but the total elimination portion lasts only 3 weeks, and the information you get is worth it, says Dr. Ivker. After 3 weeks, reintroduce these foods one at a time, adding one back in every 3 days. As soon as you notice unpleasant symptoms, such as a stuffy nose, headache, nausea, gas, or diarrhea, you’ve homed in on a likely culprit or culprits. It’s not uncommon to be allergic to several different foods.
And don’t be surprised if the offenders are your favorite foods, says Dr. Ivker. Often people crave and eat on a daily basis the very foods that trigger allergic reactions for them, he says. After you’ve completed the full elimination diet, you can go back and experiment to see whether avoiding the problematic foods and then returning them to your diet triggers symptoms each time. If it does, you should strictly limit or completely eliminate those foods from your diet.
Dr. Ivker recommends one more method that can help you home in on individual foods that you suspect you might be allergic to. This technique, he says, was developed by Doris Rapp, MD, author of Allergies and Your Family. To begin, take your pulse first thing in the morning before you’ve eaten anything. Count your heartbeats for a full minute and note the number. Then eat a portion of the suspect food, wait quietly for 15 to 30 minutes, and take your pulse again. If your pulse has increased by 15 to 20 beats per minute, there’s a good chance that you’re allergic to or sensitive to that particular food.
It’s worth noting that avoiding foods that many people are sensitive to early in life may be helpful in preventing allergies from developing in the first place. Several studies have even shown that when pregnant and nursing mothers avoid consuming foods likely to trigger allergies, their infants may be less likely to develop allergies later in life.
For example, in one small study, researchers found that infants of nursing mothers who avoided such foods as cow’s milk, eggs, and nuts were less likely to manifest allergies later in childhood. These are all healthy foods, however. Unless the parents and siblings of the infant have allergies, avoiding such foods would be a drastic step to take. If other family members have allergies, however, it might be worth discussing such a strategy with an allergy specialist.
Aside from identifying your personal antigens and doing your best to eliminate exposure, there are several individual nutrients that might prove helpful in dealing with allergies.
Bioflavonoids are colorful substances found in foods. Many of them have a natural antihistamine action, says Dr. Trebilcock. Aim to put a lot of colorful fruits and vegetables on your plate and also enjoy green tea, she says. You might also take 900 to 1,800 milligrams of a mixed bioflavonoid supplement. In addition, she suggests considering taking a grape seed extract supplement.
Dr. Ivker recommends grape seed extract as well. “In Europe,” he says, “that’s probably the number one treatment for allergies.” The active nutrient, which is a powerful antioxidant, is a bioflavonoid known as proanthocyanidin. He suggests taking 100 to 200 milligrams three times a day on an empty stomach to treat allergies. (Taking 100 milligrams a day can be part of a good preventive health regime when you’re not experiencing allergic symptoms, he notes.)
The nutrient bromelain is an enzyme that comes from plants. Bromelain breaks up mucus, decreases congestion, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory, says Dr. Trebilcock. She suggests taking a 300-milligram supplement.
If you take a quercetin supplement, which Dr. Ivker recommends that you do, you’ll need to take bromelain in order for the quercetin to work effectively, he says. (It is possible to get the two nutrients together in one supplement.)
Carotenoids are helpful pigments found in orange, red, and yellow foods, says Dr. Trebilcock. These help maintain the integrity of the lining of the respiratory passages. This is yet another reason to eat more colorful foods. You might also take 2,500 IU daily of a mixed carotenoid supplement, she says. Look for one that contains beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein.
The nutrient N-acetylcysteine (NAC) helps break up mucus. This means it’s good for helping with postnasal drip, watery eyes, runny nose, and sinus congestion, explains Dr. Trebilcock. She suggests taking 500 milligrams three times a day.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish, help reduce a substance in the body (arachidonic acid) that contributes to inflammation, notes Dr. Trebilcock. They also help tame the actions of cells known as leukotrienes that cause shortness of breath and contribute to coughing, she says.
In addition, says Dr. Ivker, omega-3s can help you deal with the problem of excess mucus production.
The key ingredients in omega-3 fatty acids that are helpful for anyone dealing with allergies are two essential fatty acids—DHA and EPA. Fish oil supplements contain both. If you take a supplement, Dr. Trebilcock suggests aiming to get 3 grams of each of these fatty acids. The amounts vary from product to product, so you’ll have to read labels to determine how much you need to take. You can also get more omega-3s by eating fish like salmon, tilapia, anchovies, sardines, and tuna.
On a related matter, you might also want to limit your consumption of omega-6 fatty acids. In 2001, Japanese researchers found that people who ate more foods containing omega-6 fatty acids had an increased likelihood of experiencing seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. That’s the medical term for the combination of red, watery eyes and runny nose that we associate with hay fever. Which foods contain the most omega-6s? Vegetable oils other than olive oil, margarine, and many processed foods.
Quercetin is a nutrient that acts like an antihistamine, helping to prevent congestion, says Dr. Trebilcock. It also helps vitamin C work better, she says.
Quercetin works best, notes Dr. Ivker, if you take it as a preventive before the allergy season gets under way. He suggests taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams on an empty stomach in divided doses spaced throughout the day. Taking bromelain along with quercetin will make the quercetin work more effectively.
Vitamin C has a strong antihistamine effect, says Dr. Trebilcock. During an active allergy attack, she says, you can take as much as 1,000 milligrams every 2 hours. (Note, however, that such a high dose could potentially cause diarrhea. If so, reduce the dose until you no longer experience discomfort.)
Dr. Ivker also recommends high doses of vitamin C. As a preventive, he suggests taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams three times a day.
Bromelain |
300 milligrams |
Grape seed extract |
100 to 200 milligrams three times a day on an empty stomach |
Mixed bioflavonoids |
900 to 1,800 milligrams |
Mixed carotenoids |
2,500 IU |
N-acetylcysteine |
500 milligrams three times a day |
Omega-3 fatty acids |
Read labels and take enough fish oil to get 3 grams each of DHA and EPA* |
Quercetin |
1,000 to 2,000 milligrams on an empty stomach, divided into three to six doses and spaced throughout the day |
Vitamin C† |
1,000 to 2,000 milligrams three times a day (Increase the dose to 1,000 milligrams every 2 hours during an active allergy attack.) |
*Fish oil has a blood-thinning effect. If you’re taking any kind of blood-thinning drug, talk to your doctor before taking fish oil supplements.
†These are high amounts of vitamin C, which may cause diarrhea in some people. If you experience diarrhea, back off on the dose until you reach an amount that does not cause discomfort.