Spring is a very beautiful time of the year. It is the time when flowers blossom and we enjoy their lushness. But it is also a season of hosts of allergies mostly caused by pollens in the air.
Millions of people suffer one allergy or another, but it is heightened during this time of the year as there are lots of triggers around us. Trees, weeds, grasses, and so on release tiny pollens in the air for us to inhale. Once the immune system sees them, they mistake them for danger and release antibodies which result in the release of histamines into the bloodstream.
That is what triggers the many allergic reactions we experience like the runny nose and itchy throat. Because these pollens don't have to originate from one's immediate environment seeing that they can travel long distances, there’s usually not much one can do to avoid it completely apart from staying indoors for much of the season.
However, there are foods that either cause these allergic reactions at this period or worsen them. Here are some of the foods that you might want to avoid totally till the end of the season or just tone down on.
1. Tomatoes
Because during spring and fall, your body tends to mistake plant protein as pollens, you may not be able to enjoy tomatoes at a time when you could grow them locally and enjoy their freshness.
It is sad but rather than endure the endless itchiness and watery eyes that come with allergic reaction, you might want to remove these beautiful vegetables from your list at least till the end of the season. This practice will remarkably reduce your chances of having a reaction.
2. Melons
If you have a history of being irritated by grass and ragweed, you’re likely to be allergic to watermelons or they’ll exacerbate your allergies. Before ingesting melons, make sure to get tested for allergies so you’re not caught with your pants down. The same goes for cantaloupes and honeydews.
3. Spicy foods
You'll most likely think you’re having a heart crisis if you ingest spicy foods during spring when you have a history of allergy for them. But that’s only because spicy foods trigger a reckless release of histamine into your bloodstream which meets with the ones already induced by the season's influx of pollens.
Let's just say that often, the result isn't ever worth it. Best case scenario, they result in an intense and unpleasant sinus cleaning while a worst case scenario could be a full blown sinus problem. Pepper, curry and wasabi are only a few of some of the spicy foods you'd want to stay clear of for now.
The best heart health advice remains simple: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Or more aptly in this instance, an avocado a day keeps the heart doctor away.
4. Alcohol
The histamines introduced into alcoholic beverages during fermentation and the sulfites in beer and wine cause sneezing, runny nose, great irritation and outright asthmatic attacks for those who suffer allergies. It is found that women are most affected by alcohol induced allergies.
5. Nuts
Be very careful around nuts or food with nuts this season as they can have you sneezing all day. Almonds, peaches and soybeans are the ones you should never go near, no matter how mild you feel your allergies are this season and no matter how tempting they look. They are not worth it. If you find yourself craving some of these, try dried fruits instead to quench your craving.
You can also reduce the disaster of ingesting a nut-like peach by cooking them. Which is why a peach pie will not cause you as much discomfort as eating just the nut itself would. Another nut-life fruit that is safe to use is olive especially in its extracted EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) form, as it has been linked to a sharper mind and reduction to the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Dairy foods
When there’s excess mucus in the body – the substance that’s meant to remove foreign particles from your body – , there tends to be no movements. To add to the already sad bargain, dairy foods like yogurt thickens to mucus and worsens it. So, you should probably stay away from these for now.
