With spring right around the corner, many of us look forward to getting more time outside in the sunshine. Yet if you are a seasonal allergy sufferer, the early signs of spring such as green tree buds and blooming flowers can spell disaster for your ears, nose and throat.  Research has been conducted to determine if there is a specific diet or diets that allergy sufferers can follow to reduce their allergy symptoms, but to date no scientific evidence points to any one diet to alleviate symptoms. Common homeopathic medicine methods for allergy symptoms include ingesting locally grown honey to help boost the immune system, or taking a variety of nutritional supplements. Unfortunately, even the sweetest honey can’t always soothe a runny nose or watery eyes.

While there isn’t a specific diet plan to help combat the spring time sneezes, research has shown that there are a few particular food items that contain similar proteins to those found in tree pollen and grass pollen. These foods include:

Fruits:

Peaches, Figs, Kiwi, Nectarines, Apples, Apricots, Plums, Pears, Prunes, Cherries

Vegetables:

Carrots, Celery, Parsnips, Fennel, White Potato, Green pepper, Parsley

Nuts/Seeds:

Peanuts, Walnuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pumpkin Seeds

Allergic to ragweed? Avoids these foods: Cucumbers, Melons, Bananas, Zucchini

If you are a seasonal allergy sufferer, be advised that eating these “off limits” foods items might cause oral allergy symptoms such as facial swelling and itching. Eliminating these foods from your diet might help to minimize your allergy symptoms. At the very least avoiding these foods could help prevent a potentially life threatening allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis.   

So when the weather gets warmer, choose sneeze-free food items to help minimize your allergy symptoms and maximize your outdoors fun!