Can you EAT your way around HAY FEVER?

From honey to red apples, light lasers and probiotics, the treatments that could stop your sniffles...

THE weather is getting better, which can mean only one thing. Hayfever season is almost upon us, and for the thousands of sufferers in Ireland, that makes fun in the sun increasingly difficult.

The effects of its scientific name, allergic rhinitis, differ in terms of severity, ranging from a mild sniffle and sneezing to debilitating symptoms of streaming eyes, wheezing and coughing. A recent survey among 1,000 people by Scope Healthcare revealed that hay fever is a major problem in Ireland, with one in five people affected here.

These allergies are not just a bit irritating, they are limiting day-today activities for sufferers, with more than one third reporting problems with sleep and mood.

One in five people have even taken sick days as a result of their allergies, and almost half (46%) of respondents believe avoidance is the only way to improve allergies while 17% claim that allergies affect their social lives. That makes sense; going on mountain walks or cycling in the park is no fun when you’re struggling with hay fever symptoms.

Almost one in 10 (9%) said that allergies affect their driving. Half of those with allergies class their symptoms as moderate, while one in ten say they experience severe symptoms.

The recent survey revealed that of those who do take medication such as anti-histamines, there is a lot of confusion over the best way to treat, manage and prevent symptoms. The majority (84%) said that they don’t know what products will help, while the remaining 14% claim they have tried everything.

In order to best treat hay fever, it’s important to understand its physiology.

POLLEN is basically the fine, powdery substance produced by plants and trees in order to fertilise other plants of the same species, and the reason why the hay fever season continues for many months — from March to its peak during summer, and continuing into September — is because plants pollinate at different times. Tree pollen season begins in late March, grass pollen from May while weed pollen disperses around the end of June until September.

When the weather is drier, the pollen count is higher, because the less moisture that’s in the air, the easier it is for pollen particles to be blown about by air currents.

When an individual has an allergy, his or her immune system mistakes an otherwise harmless allergen, such as pollen, for an invader. In response, the immune system tells cells to produce chemicals like histamine, which are responsible for all the discomforts of an allergic reaction.

‘All the symptoms of hay fever, the woolly-headedness, constant sneezing and itchy, watery eyes, that’s basically our immune system trying to dislodge pollen,’ says nutritional therapist Eva Hall Hamilton.

‘What’s interesting is that over 70% of our immune system is in our gut. If you think about it, it’s how we connect with the outside world — through our mouths, skin, eyes. Think of how a baby learns — he puts everything in his mouth. If we don’t have a diverse microbiome — the microbes in our gut that are made up of bacteria, yeasts, fungi and viruses — we have little protection there.’

Increasingly, gut health is being advocated for optimum wellness, with the belief that an imbalanced immune system can cause of host of health conditions, such as autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, skin conditions, cancer and mild allergies such as hay fever.

‘If our microbiomes are not diverse

or are out of balance, then our cells are basically communicating that something is wrong when we come across foreign invaders,’ explains Hamilton. ‘Our microbiomes is necessary for regulating and repairing cells and for the general good health and funcng of our systems.’ Last year, a University of Florida study showed how a probiotic comtion might help reduce hay-fever symptoms, if it’s taken during allergy season. According to Science Daily, probiotics might work by increasing human body’s percentage of regulatory T-cells, which in turn might increase tolerance to hay fever symptoms. researchers noted that this study did not include severe allergy sufferBut the combination of probiothowed clinical benefit for those with more mild seasonal allergies, according to the study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

‘Hay fever is associated with an oversensitive immune system,’ says Hamilton. Because of this, she advises supplying the body with beneficial bacteria and creating an environment for them to colonise and work for our benefit.

‘Hay-fever symptoms can be reduced — or even prevented — if good gut health is maintained. Some ways to maintain a healthy gut are by taking a multi-strain live bacteria supplement like Bio-Kult, swapping pro-inflammatory foods like sugars, alcohol and trans-fats with antiinflammatory essential fats and antioxidants, and introducing gentle herbal teas with anti-histamine properties such as nettle, liquorice or peppermint,’ she says.

There’s also a host of gut-loving food that we are missing out on when it comes to helping ourselves heal. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and natural yoghurt are rich in re-balancing probiotics.

‘It’s only recently that these foods are gaining popularity in Ireland, whereas in Northern Europe they are eaten all year round,’ says Hamilton, who is originally from Hungary.

‘If you keep feeding on fermented foods, you may notice that your allergic rhinitis is reduced the next hayfever season, and your quality of life improves.

‘All allergy symptoms — including hay fever — are the result of inflammation, which is the natural response of the immune system when it feels under attack. Include anti-inflammatory essential fats and antioxidants derived from oily fish, avocado, soaked nuts and seeds, strongcoloured vegetables and fruits, and herbs and spices in your diet.

‘Dark green and orange-coloured vegetables, which are rich in carotenoid, can also help to strengthen the mucus membranes covering the respiratory system.

‘The natural anti-histamines found in red onion, red apple, red cabbage (quercetin) and vitamin C from lemon, orange, tomatoes, peppers, and parsley can help ease symptoms without any side-effects. Another fruit that is great at reducing inflammation is pineapple — but only the middle part. The tough part in the middle of the pineapple is rich in bromelain, a natural enzyme that reduces inflammation,’ says Hamilton.

Popping an anti-histamine pill daily may reduce hay-fever hell for many sufferers, but, says Dr Hamilton, it’s not an ideal solution. ‘With antihistamines, you are using neurotransmitters to aggressively stop a process which is highlighting a problem and not getting to the root cause of it. They can also cause drowsiness, skin rashes, headaches and digestive issues, and adversely affect the mucus membranes in the body.

‘A good immune system has less tendency to over-react to potential allergens,’ she says.

Creating a barrier, in the blood, the gut and on mucous membranes such as the nose and eyes, can help lessen hay fever symptoms too.

“Certain eye drops form a barrier in front of the eye, preventing pollens to get access, while nasal rinses with saline solutions can remove aggravating trapped allergens,’ says Hamilton.

Dr Paul Carson from Slievemore Clinic uses phototherapy — among other treatments — to alleviate hay fever symptoms for his patients. The phototherapy device, Rhinolight, directs a combination of UV light into the nasal cavity and, says Carson, allergic rhinitis sufferers can reap the benefits for months without the need for medication.

Other alternative treatments include immunotherapy through honey — where the hay-fever sufferer takes two tablespoons of honey every day three months before the hayfever season kicks in.

WHILE honey contains traces of pollen it doesn’t give you hay fever or worsen symptoms. This is because honey is made from the heavy-grained pollens that don’t trigger allergies,’ Dr Carson explains. However, like all alternative therapies, there’s no guarantee that this will give relief.

‘It has worked for thousands of people but hasn’t for others,’ he says. ‘But it’s worth a try.’

Another more pungent hay-fever alternative is garlic. ‘It is thought to boost your immune system while also providing a natural anti-inflammatory and antihistamine effect because it contains quercetin — but garlic’s healing properties are best absorbed when ingested crushed or raw,’ he says.

Dr Carson also recommends upping your vitamin C intake during the warmer months by eating dark, leafy greens and bioflavonoid-rich berries to ease inflammation in the nostrils, trying acupuncture for four or five sessions before the summer, and examining your food sensitivities.

‘Food groups such as dairy can cause extra congestion in some people. Also, if you’re allergic to birch pollen you may also react to celery, curry spices, raw tomato, raw carrot, apples, pears, and kiwi fruit. If you’re allergic to grass pollen you may react to oats, rye, wheat, kiwi fruit and raw tomato. If your allergy is to weed pollen you may react to raw carrots and curry spices.

‘Foods high in histamine such as tinned fish, cheese, cured hams and tomatoes should be avoided. And alcohol can worsen hay-fever symptoms due to the yeast and bacteria in the fermentation process. The sulphites in wine are a particular culprit, so it’s best to stick to spirits such as vodka if you want a drink.’