Spring Immunity & Natural Allergy Relief

Spring is in the air! And while it’s a beautiful time of year, it also means there are more potential allergens that can strain on our immune systems, cause allergy symptoms, and make us feel downright crappy.

And honestly, all we want is to enjoy the mild weather, breathe normally, and stay healthy. Wouldn’t you agree?

Well… the good news is: There are simple nutritional strategies you can use to support your body’s natural immune response on a daily basis. Often, we forget the potential of the foods we eat. Many—in fact, all—whole foods contain a combination of vitamins, minerals, nutrients, antioxidants, and more. All of these things are information for our cells and, at a deeper level, our genes.

Today I want to share some of my favorite nutritional strategies you can start using to help reduce inflammation, support your immune system, & provide relief from seasonal allergies naturally.

Three Simple Nutritional Tips for Allergy Relief

Optimize Omega-3s: Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in modulating the inflammatory response—part of the immune system. Realistically, most of us don’t get enough omega-3 fats in the diet. They’re found in foods like fatty fish (such as salmon and anchovies) and certain nuts & seeds (like flaxseeds and hemp hearts). Including a regular source of these fats in your diet will help your body resolve inflammation (goodbye, congestion) and defend from the effects of allergens.

Use Anti-inflammatory Spices: Many spices have been used traditionally for hundreds, even thousands of years. Now, modern science is allowing us to understand how these culinary plants affect our health! Three of my favorite culinary spices are turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has been extensively studied for its ability to reduce inflammation and allergy symptoms. Ginger contains compounds that can also help to alleviate inflammation and support a healthy respiratory tract. Black pepper actually helps the absorption of the active components of these spices. So make sure you add a bit when using turmeric or ginger. Many herbs also have medicinal properties. Peppermint and rosemary can be used in cooking but also to make a tea for rapid allergy relief—just make sure to deeply inhale the aroma of the tea while you enjoy.

Hydrate Adequately: Staying well hydrated is essential for overall health and can be particularly beneficial for allergy support. Adequate hydration helps to thin mucus secretions, making them easier to expel and relieving congestion. Water also supports whole-body health. Most of us think water is only beneficial for staying hydrated—but, did you know that water also plays a critical role in liver detoxification? Yup! Water is used in a process called hydrolysis that assists in removing toxins (allergens) from the body. Drink water throughout the day and include hydrating fruits and vegetables like cucumber and melon often.

BONUS TIP: As a thank you for taking the time to read the full blog article, I wanted to include one additional nutritional strategy to support a healthy immune system response. Upwards of 80% of the entire immune cells in your body live in the gastrointestinal-associated lymphatic tissue (GALT). So, supporting a healthy GI tract and microbiome is one of the quickest ways to boost immunity. One of the most simple, and most powerful, ways to support gut health is to include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables in your weekly diet. Variety helps promote a diverse collection of microbial species and keeps things interesting. Fruits and vegetables are typically packed with fiber and polyphenols, which help feed the microbes living in our GI tract and, in turn, help them create health-promoting compounds like short-chain fatty acids that our intestinal cells can use as fuel.

And remember, you don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to make an impactful difference. Small, sustainable changes add up and compound over time to produce big improvements in how you feel, think & thrive. You’ve got this!

Yours in health,

Dr. Clay, DC, CFMP