Hayfever season is upon us with allergy symptoms affecting millions of adults, usually between late March and September, when the months are warmer in the northern hemisphere.ย
Typical hayfever symptoms include sneezing, coughing, runny or a blocked nose, along with itchy, red or watery eyes. You may even experience other symptoms such as loss of smell, pain around the forehead or temples, along with headaches or earaches.
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What Causes Hayfever?
Increased levels of pollen in the atmosphere are the main reason behind the rise in summer allergies such as hayfever. Grass pollen in particular is one of the most common hay fever triggers, with 95 per cent of hayfever sufferers being allergic to it.
In the UK this year, โsuper pollenโ as it has been termed, has caused very high pollen count warnings that the Met Office has even warned people in advance so that hayfever sufferers can make preparations in case of a flare-up.
Anti-histamines are considered the go-to solution for anyone with hayfever symptoms. Histamine is normally released when the body detects something harmful, such as infection.ย
Histamine is made and released by your immune system to help protect you from infections. Anti-histamines work by blocking the effects of a chemical called histamine.ย
If you have an allergy, your immune system reacts to something that isnโt harmful like pollen, so may then release too much histamine. This can result in inflammation in your lungs, nose, throat, sinuses, along with your digestive system and skin.
For anyone with mild-moderate allergies such as hayfever, antihistamines may help. You may also want to consider these natural solutions for relief tooโฆ
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1. Vitamin C
As a natural antihistamine, Vitamin C can reduce the amount of histamine that your body produces in response to an allergen. Studies show that Vitamin C is helpful for allergies, which are immune reactions to substances in your environment. [1] It may also decrease inflammation, swelling and related symptoms that are triggered at the site of an allergic reaction. [2]
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2. Quercetin
Research shows that as a potent flavonoid, Quercetin has numerous benefits for the immune system. In particular, Quercetin can help to relieve allergy symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes, hives, or swelling of the face and lips. Quercetin can therefore help hayfever due to its anti-allergic and antihistamine properties. [3]
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3. Probiotics
A review of 23 studies have found that probiotics can decrease the severity of hayfever symptoms. [4] Research has also found that children allergic to mould and fust can benefit from a probiotic. This connection between beneficial gut bacteria and eye and nose irritation, suggests that healthy gut bacteria can improve immune regulation, preventing immune cells from overreacting to allergens.ย
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4. Serrapeptase
Anyone with hayfever may want to consider taking a naturally occurring enzyme such as Serrapeptase to safely dissolve inflammation and dead scar tissue anywhere in the body. By reducing inflammation in the sinus area, Serrapeptase may therefore help to improve hayfever symptoms.
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5. Zincย
As a mineral that supports the immune system, taking Zinc could potentially help toย relieve respiratory allergies and symptoms of hayfever. According to different studies, Zinc is an essential mineral and nutrient that can promote a healthy immune system and may help asthma and allergic rhinitis, along with symptoms of the common cold. [5, 6]
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Lifestyle Factors To Considerย
Anyone who suffers from hayfever symptoms may also want to consider the following lifestyle considerationsโฆ
- Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetablesย
- Cut out whole grains, starchy carbohydrates and all sugars
- Reduce or cutting out dairy foods
- Minimising your exposure to pollens and moulds where possibleย
- Avoid going outside when the pollen count is high, especially during spring months and on windy daysย
Itโs worth considering taking all of these nutrient recommendations and lifestyle factors into account when trying to find natural relief for hayfever symptoms.
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References:
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6273625/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25899251/
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8759868/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273967/
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