Food - friend or foe for seasonal allergies?

By Gabbi Di Marino, content manager and fellow allergy sufferer

It’s no secret that the food we put in our bodies has a huge impact on our overall health and mood. The saying “you are what you eat” often comes to mind, but did you know that what we eat can also affect our seasonal allergy symptoms? It may be a bit shocking, but we’re not kidding - what you eat when pollen is around can either help or hurt your condition. One example of this would be avoiding products that increase mucus production (gross, we know, but there’s really no nicer way of saying it) like dairy products or snacks containing gluten.  

But those aren’t the only foods that need to be eaten with caution. Below you’ll find the other foods you may need to avoid to help out your nose during allergy season.

Foods that can make your nose’s life harder

• Alcohol (Uhh, how can we be expected to give up our end-of-the-day-wind down glass of vino?!!) 

• Peanuts 

• Processed foods

• Sugar (good lord, now we’re telling you that your go-to sweet reward is off limits?) 

• Wheat

• Chocolate (what’s next, telling you not to breathe?!) 

• Coffee 

Now, relax just a second. Before you go clearing out your whole pantry and swearing off these foods, remember that enjoying a cup of coffee or your favorite guilty pleasure dessert won’t be the end of the world for your nose - it’s moderation that’s the key.  So don’t let the list scare you into shying away from your fav snacks, just be aware of their possible effect on your symptoms and eat accordingly! 

But now with the semi bad news out of the way, here are a few yummy suggestions that can help ease the burden of a stuffy nose and itchy throat

Foods that can make your nose’s life easier

1. Spice up your diet 

Don’t shy away from that sriracha, guys! Spicy foods can help thin out mucus build up, so anything with a kick to it will be sure to help unstuff that nose of yours when other methods may fail. So, google a new spicy curry recipe to try and go to town. 

2. Fresh veggies are your friends 

I bet you can already hear your parents saying “I told you so!” Especially when it comes to seasonal allergies, veggies pack a ton of helpful, powerful proteins that will help your body fight inflammation and other nasty hay fever symptoms. 

3. Slurp on some soup 

Keeping your body hydrated is a must in everyday life, but with seasonal allergies, you need all the extra help you can get. Drinking lots of water can help to keep your immune system strong by lessening the amount of histamines you release, but water isn’t your only friend when it comes to taking control of your seasonal allergies. Liquids like bone broth can also help tackle pesky mucus buildups, help with any breathing troubles, and can give your immune system the extra boost it needs! 

So there you have it, fellow allergy sufferers - what you do or don’t eat when hay fever rolls its pesky head around can have a big effect on your overall symptoms. But that doesn’t mean you have to go to the extreme and avoid all your go-to snacks. Simply use this information as food for thought this upcoming allergy season and practice some good ol’ moderation if you notice your symptoms worsening.