Feeling stuffed up from allergy symptoms? Try changing your diet to include foods that might help.
Recently, research has suggested that certain foods can help fight allergies by controlling underlying inflammation, dilating air passages, and providing other relief effects. Anti-inflammatory foods include foods that contain healthy fats, such as olive oil and fish like tuna and mackerel that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of inflammation-fighting nutrients. One study found that the staples of a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, particularly nuts, grapes, oranges, apples, and fresh tomatoes, could provide allergy relief. Researchers focused on Greek children who followed this particular diet and were less likely to show allergic nasal symptoms or asthma.
Blame itchiness, hives, and other discomfort you feel during an allergic response on histamine. Vitamin C can help you with that. “Vitamin C indirectly inhibits inflammatory cells from releasing histamine,” says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, medical director of the Nutritional Magnesium Association. Studies have shown that high levels of vitamin C reduce histamine and help it break down faster, once it’s released, providing allergy symptom relief.
In addition to its histamine-fighting power, vitamin C foods also provide allergy relief by reducing inflammation — the key to underplaying allergies. “Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it counteracts the inflammatory effects of free radicals,” Dr. Bielory says. Simply put, foods containing vitamin C, such as oranges, strawberries, apples, and watermelon, counteract the inflammatory allergic response.