Allergies Support Group
When the immune system responds to a foreign substance in an abnormal way, it is classified as an allergy. When the body first contacts the substance, it will not cause any reactions, but the immune system will start to produce antibodies to it and subsequent contact will trigger more dramatic responses. Depending on the allergy, the response could be mild or very severe...
"Dietary recommendations for allergies:
* Supplement with Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). People with severe allergies in almost all cases have low levels of CoQ10. Supplementing with CoQ10 may prove helpful for those with severe allergies. CoQ10 has also been shown to reduce yeast overgrowth.
* Manage your symptoms with herbs. Garlic, goldenseal, goldenrod, and stinging nettle have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects that may be useful for anyone suffering from allergies.
* Increase your intake of vital minerals like magnesium. Magnesium is needed in the body to reduce histamine levels, and can greatly help the allergy sufferer.
* Selenium and zinc are also helpful for stimulating the immune response.
* Vitamin C is useful to combat allergy symptoms because it is considered a natural antihistamine. Eat foods rich in vitamin C, like grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines. Studies that have shown that high levels of vitamin C help clear congestion.
* Supplement with vitamins. Betacarotene, pantothenic acid (a B vitamin), and vitamin E are other powerful antioxidants that can eliminate free radicals and boost the immune system for allergy relief.
* Add chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and/or horseradish to your daily recipes. These foods contain agents that break up mucus and relieve congestion.
* Eat pineapple. It contains bromelain, which helps reduce inflammation in the nasal passages.
* Choose high-quality, organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free grass-fed meats.
* Essential fatty acids reduce inflammation associated with the allergic response. Increase your essential fatty acids by selecting high-quality wild-caught salmon, miminal-mercury albacore tuna, fish oil, avocados, and sprouted walnuts.
* Eat raw, organic vegetables.
* Add high-quality fiber to your diet, such as ground flax seed.
* Add healthy saturated fats to your diet, such as organic virgin coconut oil.
* Choose sprouted, whole-grain products, but watch for gluten if you have gluten intolerance.
* Add nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods, such as sprouted nuts and seeds, to your diet (unless you're allergies to nuts).
* Drink purified water throughout the day.
Foods to AVOID include:
* Common allergy-causing foods such as dairy products (lactose), eggs, wheat, rye, barley (gluten), corn, peanuts, and soy (to name a few). Be careful of food products created in manufacturing plants that also process peanuts, nuts, soybeans, and milk. The FDA now requires allergy warnings on all food products and supplements.
* All simple or refined carbohydrates (white flour, white rice, white bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, crackers, processed snack foods, etc.) Read more about good cards and bad carbs.
* All foods containing refined sugar or artificial sugar-substitutes such as aspartame, Splenda, etc. Choose a natural sweetener like Xylosweet instead.
* Alcoholic beverages in excess, since they hinder the functioning of the immune and digestive systems
* Limited cheese and wine
* Fungi such as mushrooms
* Pickled foods
* Sweetened fruit juices that spike blood sugar levels too rapidly
* Fruit juices, since they spike blood sugar levels too rapidly
* Carbonated soft drinks that cause blood pH levels to become acidic
* Bottom crawlers such as oysters, clams, and lobster that may contain toxic levels of mercury
* Deep-sea fish such as tuna, mackerel, and swordfish that may contain toxic levels of mercury. Choose minimal-mercury albacore tuna instead.
* Farm-raised fish that contain PCBs and not enough omega-3 essential fatty acids, due to their land-based diets. Choose wild-caught salmon instead.
* Sodium nitrite found in processed foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, and bacon
* Monosodium glutamate (MSG) found in many foods as a flavor enhancer
* Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils found in many processed foods, deep-fried foods, fast foods, and junk food Read more about good fats and bad fats.
* Limited caffeine intake from sodas, energy drinks, coffee, tea, and chocolate. While moderate amounts of caffeine may be beneficial, excessive consumption of caffeine may aggravate the inflammatory response."
source: http://www.jigsawhealth.com/articles/allergies.html