Spring is usually one of my favourite times of the year because it marks the end of hibernation, wearing 50 layers of clothing just to stay warm and also because it represents the notion of resurrection…except for that one year.

That year my nose was dripping almost 24/7 and just like the continuous sound of water leaking from a tap, it drove me CRAZY. Did I mention that I also looked like I lost a fight with killer bees because my eyes were so itchy and swollen?

I gained a whole new level of empathy for those that suffer from allergies and ever since then, I have made sure to manage 3 important factors to prevent allergies:

1. Get The Gut Right

Who would’ve known that the gut played a crucial role in the development of allergies and intolerances?

It makes sense once you realise that allergies occur due to an immune dysfunction where it overreacts to a substance that’s commonly harmless to most people, (i.e. dust, cats, grass, pollens) plus 70% of the immune system resides within the gastrointestinal tract.

In the past decade, research has highlighted the intimate correlation between exhibiting a healthy immune response and the integrity of the gut. The exposure to certain food allergens, stress, medications and toxicity can trigger gut inflammation leading to increased intestinal permeability, otherwise known as ‘leaky gut’.

Another reason why the gut microbiome, the trillions of microorganisms and their genetic material that live in the intestinal tract also plays an important role in the development of immune intolerance.

2. Put The Histamine Fire Out

Inflammation is the body’s innate response to help fight illness and protect itself from further harm. In fact, inflammation is a necessary part of the healing process in most cases!

An allergic reaction, on the other hand, involves a complex interplay between trigger substances, immune cells and the release of histamine, resulting in an inflammatory response with localised and systemic symptoms. Consequently, the sustained inflammation can be problematic as it can exacerbate other chronic conditions and allergic symptoms such as itchy skin, swollen eyes, shortness of breath, stomach pains, sneezing or fatigue.

The release of histamine can have a vicious snowball effect because it can cause the body to become even more sensitive to allergens, setting off the release of more histamines and perpetuating the chronically elevated inflammatory markers. Therefore, an effective approach to relieving allergic symptoms would involve extinguishing a heightened inflammatory response.

2. Avoid Allergy-fuelling Foods

Now that it’s clear that gut-immunity and inflammation are essential components for modulating allergies, one would assume that certain foods would have an impact on these factors.

One of the best measures you can take to prevent or reduce your allergies is to try an anti-inflammatory diet. The anti-inflammatory diet involves eating certain foods and avoiding others in order to reduce gut permeability and the inflammation cascade.

Overall, the anti-inflammatory diet emphasises on replacing sugary, refined foods with whole nutrient-rich foods such as fruits vegetables, lean protein, nuts, seeds and healthy fats which also contains high amounts of antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the number of free radicals which are molecules in the body that may damage cells and increase the risk of certain diseases.

Hellooo Spring!

Addressing these three factors for both myself and for my patients has drastically reduced the allergic response so that spring can be enjoyed the way life intended without a long term restrictive diet or lifestyle.

I hope this article has given you some insight on how to improve your symptoms, but as with any health condition, my philosophy as a healthcare professional is to appreciate that everyone is unique.

Therefore healing is about assessing each person as an individual, identifying the cause of the problem and addressing it with treatment that supports the body’s natural processes.

There are more ways to continue feeling great about your mind and body health. Find out how with this 7-week self-development course, ‘7 Steps To Overcome Fear and Win At Life‘.