Allergies!


Your Food IS Your Medicine


By Pauline Weissman, MS, CNS, LDN I


t’s spring...the trees are green, the grass is lush after a wet winter, and the flowers are blooming beautiful colors. With this being so, your allergies may be blooming too! If this is you, you


know the drill: red, itchy, watery eyes; sinus congestion; trouble sleeping; loving the looks of the outdoors, but having to keep your windows closed to keep that pollen out; and...having to minimize your time spent outdoors to keep your symptoms at bay. What a hassle!


Allergic Rhinitis That’s the technical term for all those lovely allergy symptoms. It is what happens when inhaled allergens come into contact with IgE antibodies and trigger acute symptoms such as watery eyes, sneez- ing, nasal congestion and sinus congestion. Accord- ing to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States, 17.9 million adults and 7.1 million children were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis in 2010. Traditionally, antihistamines are prescribed to treat and relieve these symptoms, but they come with many side effects: restlessness and moodiness, drowsi- ness, nausea and vomiting, dry mouth, and blurred vision for some.


Food Allergies You may be exacerbating your allergies by eating foods from


certain plant families. When we discuss genus and species of plants, the families are complex. They are not limited to items we can safely call “seasonal” issues. Many plants, trees, grasses and shrubs are in the same family as many commonly consumed foods. If your body is sensitive or has an allergy to one species, it may be wise to limit consumption of foods in that species as well to lessen your symptoms. Now, you may ask: But I’m not allergic to any foods, how can avoiding certain foods help? Let’s begin this discussion by talking about the different types of allergic responses that can occur.


Allergic Responses Our bodies produce antibodies as a natural part of our immune


system. They are designed to help the body mount an immune response to any type of foreign substance. This could be a substance that is viral or bacterial in nature. Often times the body produces specific antibodies in response to a particular food or plant sub- stance. The antibodies we will be discussing here are IgA, IgE and IgG antibodies.


IgE responses are immediate immune responses that signify


a true allergy. Hives, throat swelling, anaphylactic reactions are common when this response is triggered by an inhaled element or ingested food one to which you are allergic. Other symptoms can


30 Natural Nutmeg - April 2018


include coughing and wheezing, vomiting, swelling of lips and tongue, and in severe cases weak pulse or loss of consciousness.


IgA reactions are generally a delayed response in the system and can take up to 48 hours to present themselves. These immuno- globulins are present in our mucus membranes and help the body fight against viruses and bacteria. If the foods we consume cause inflammation, or if the body is under stress, this response can be triggered.


But what if


there were dietary modifications


you could make that would help lessen your symptoms?


IgG reactions are also known as a delayed re- sponse reaction and are generally a reaction to food proteins. Repeated exposure, inflammation and im- mune reactivity can contribute to food sensitivities.


IgA and IgG responses cause symptoms such as


digestive distress (constipation, diarrhea, nausea), skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, headaches, fatigue, brain fog and joint pain.


You may have an IgE response (true allergy) to a plant/tree, and have a response to the foods produced by some of the trees in that same species. There can be


cross reactivity that occurs and when this happens, avoidance of those foods is a wise choice and can lessen symptoms of seasonal allergies. For example, if you are allergic to grass, cross reactivity can occur with melon, tomatoes and oranges. If the issue is an al- lergic reaction to ragweed, avoiding banana, cantaloupe, cucumber, zucchini, honeydew and watermelon may be wise. Other common allergens that cross react with various foods are Alder tree pollen, Birch tree pollen, and Mugwort pollen. Check out the possible cross reactivity list below:


Alder tree pollen: almond, apple, celery, cherry, hazelnuts,


peach, pear, parsley Birch tree pollen: almond, apple, apricot, carrot, celery, cherry,


coriander, fennel, hazelnut, kiwi, lychee, nectarine, orange, parsley, parsnip, peach, peanut, pear, pepper, persimmon, plum, potato, prune, soy, wheat, possibly walnuts


Grass pollen: melon, tomato, orange Mugwort weed pollen: broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower,


celery, coriander, garlic, fennel, mustard, onion, parsley, pepper, sunflower


Orchard: cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, peanut, white potato, tomato Ragweed pollen: banana, cantaloupe, cucumber, zucchini,


honeydew, watermelon, chamomile tea Timothy: Swiss chard, orange


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