Allergic Rhinitis is estimated that around one in three people in India suffer from allergic rhinitis but what exactly is this? Well, in someone with this condition the immune system can over-react to things like fur, mold, pollen and dust. Instead of just ignoring them as would normally be the case, the body sees them as a threat and so does its best to prevent them from causing damage. Unfortunately, this results in symptoms like congestion, sneezing, coughing, itchiness and a sore throat.

In response to an allergen, huge amounts of histamine are produced by the immune system which causes problems like inflammation, skin irritation, swelling and itching. So, if you eat foods with high levels of this compound it’s likely to worsen the problem. This shows that there could be a link between your diet and the severity of your allergic rhinitis symptoms. Therefore, it’s important to opt for foods low in histamine such as:

• Fresh fish
• Herbal teas
• Fresh chicken
• Eggs
• Fresh fruits
• Fresh vegetables 
• Herbs

To know more about anti allergic foods check our blog 8 Food that can help you to fight against Allergies

At the same time though, you should ignore foods high in histamine:

• Alcohol
• Foods high in sugar
• Milk and white chocolate
• Foods containing artificial coloring
• Walnuts and cashew nuts
• Smoked meat

A Brief Detail How These Foods Helps.

Fish

So, there may be a question that how might fish help? Well, oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines all contain omega 3 which can influence the immune cells and enzymes that are key in creating the body’s inflammatory response^. These anti-inflammatory properties inside fish may, in turn, help with allergic rhinitis symptoms.

Honey

There is some scientific evidence to back up this theory that honey could help a pollen allergy, with one study suggesting that a high dose of honey could improve allergic rhinitis symptoms. Unfortunately though,

So, with conflicting reports about the effects of honey on allergic rhinitis symptoms, I think the best thing to do is to try it out for yourself! Try adding some local honey to your diet and see if it makes a difference. If it does not, well at least you’ve had an excuse to eat some delicious honey!

Stinging Nettles

This one really is surprising but there is some evidence to suggest that nettle may be helpful for those with allergic rhinitis! That’s because it could be effective in reducing symptoms caused by the production of anti-histamine such as anti- inflammation.

Nevertheless, nettle is full of iron, calcium, antioxidants and even vitamin C which can help to support the immune system. This may give further support to the idea that it may help allergic rhinitis.

Exercise

According to a study on Allergy Rhinitis used 13 allergic rhinitis patients and 14 healthy patients to test the effects of strenuous exercise and light exercise on symptoms of this condition. By making a comparison against the placebo group, the study found that moderate exercise was more helpful in reducing the physical symptoms of allergic rhinitis than strenuous exercise.⁸  Sneezing, congestion and nasal itching all decreased by more than 70% – the researchers thought this was because of cardio which helps calm inflammation in the nose. This suggests you can keep fit and help your troublesome condition!

• However, there are a few things to remember when exercise with allergic rhinitis: Watch out for pollen count – if you’re going for a run outdoors, find out what the pollen levels are so that you don’t worsen your symptoms. For more information you may check our blog 7 Secret Remedies to fight Spring Pollen Allergies
• Exercise indoors – this means you are less likely to come into contact with common allergens like pollen.

Dark Chocolate

We don’t usually need an excuse to munch on some chocolate but I’ll give you one anyway. According to a study found that the polyphenols (a chemical compound) contained in cocoa makes it antioxidant and potentially anti-allergy. The study also states that cocoa has anti-inflammatory properties which could help with problems that accompany allergic rhinitis.

However, there are a few things you must remember about chocolate and allergic rhinitis!

• As always, eat chocolate in moderation.
• The chocolate must be at least 70% cocoa.
• Dark chocolate is best – milk and white chocolate won’t do the trick as these are high in histamine.