If Your Spring Allergies Are Crazy, You Might Have A Gut Problem. Here's How To Tell (And How To Fix It!)

Numerous environmental suspects, like dust, dust mites, and pet dander, create or exacerbate allergies. Certain foods can trigger or make you more prone to developing allergic symptoms as well. As Brenda knew all too well, environmental factors including pollen were her nemesis. But many health care professionals overlook a common culprit for seasonal allergies: your foundation of health—the gut.

We spent several consultations focusing on the right nutrients and other strategies to heal Brenda’s leaky gut (much of which I condensed into my free Quick Start Guide to a Happy Gut), which subsequently helped tame her seasonal allergies. Here’s how I approached that healing process.

For Brenda that included gluten, but I also found sneaky sugar sources like agave-sweetened cookies and sugary almond milk in her journal. Cow dairy was also a big problem, even in the form of cheese. It was fueling her overreaction to the outside world. These and other food sensitivities can rev up your already-overactive immune system, keeping your inflammatory fire burning and increasing allergy symptoms. Brenda pulled these offenders for four weeks, and her symptoms dramatically improved.

Equally important to heal your gut and eliminate problems like seasonal allergies: Eat foods that help reduce inflammation and stabilize your histamine-producing mast cells. Those include wild-caught seafood, freshly ground flaxseed, walnuts, chia seeds, and plenty of nonstarchy vegetables. Brenda stocked up on wild-caught pre-cooked salmon in aseptic packaging, which she threw on top of a salad or cooked greens for an easy, satisfying meal. She also added freshly ground flaxseed into her morning smoothie. Quercetin-rich capers were a great addition to recipes and salads as well while helping to diminish the amount of histamine released in her body.

Probiotics, fiber, and prebiotics (a type of fiber that feeds your good gut bugs) are the trifecta for a happy gut. Brenda upped her leafy greens and snacked on sprouted nuts and seeds. Fermented and cultured foods supported the growth and proliferation of her "good" gut bacteria. For her that meant coconut kefir, fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, and cultured beverages containing favorable live bacteria, like kombucha. She also added prebiotic-rich foods like chopped raw scallions and sauteed Jerusalem artichokes into her salads.

While working out might not be high on your list when you’re stuffy and congested, research3 shows moderate exercise can help asthma. If you exercise outdoors, do it early in the morning or in the evening when pollen counts are the lowest. And remember, outdoor pollen counts are always going to be less after a fresh rain. That’s a great time to go for a run. Brenda found high-intensity interval training (HIIT) did the trick in just 20 minutes, three times a week, and as an added "bonus," she toned up in time for beach season.

A number of nutrients can help minimize or eliminate seasonal allergies and their miserable symptoms. For Brenda, those included fish oil to help reduce the inflammation associated with asthma. Research also shows curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support to alleviate allergy symptoms. And studies4 endorse vitamin D to support various immune-related conditions including allergy-related sinus infections. Consider, too, an immune-supporting, natural "antihistamine" formula that contains a synergistic blend of vitamin C, quercetin, bromelain, and zinc.

Researchers find about 50 to 75 percent of adults allergic to birch tree pollen get itchy after eating certain fruit or vegetables. That’s because the proteins in some produce resemble those found in pollen, confusing your immune system and creating or exacerbating an allergic reaction (called cross-reactivity). While I would rarely tell patients to eliminate nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, I had Brenda limit cross-reactive foods during allergy season to reduce her symptoms. In other words, be seasonal in your eating habits to match the times of year when certain foods are more likely to trigger an allergic reaction.

You could also try sipping on this tea, which really helps with itchy eyes and throats!