Sneezing a lot lately? Itchy throat? Runny nose? Watery, itchy eyes? These are all common symptoms of hay fever. Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis occurs when your immune system overreacts to normally harmless airborne particles, usually pollen although it can be mould too, causing symptoms such as a runny nose, itching of eyes and nose, and sneezing.

Hay fever can make you miserable, sleeping and concentration could be a problem and your head may feel as if it is full of cotton wool. There are many types of pollen, which are released from spring to autumn and in the UK most suffers are allergic to grass pollen which peaks from early June to mid July.

You can’t avoid pollen but you can limit your exposure to it by checking the pollen forecast and staying indoors with the windows shut on days when it is high. The peak time for pollen is between 7 am and 10 am and 4 pm and 7 pm so spend as little time outside in these hours as possible. If you do go outside change clothes and have a shower to wash away the pollen. You may also want to use natural remedies, like those listed below, to ease your symptoms.

• The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a shrub-like plant that grows in northern Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. Butterbur is being studied as a natural allergy treatment. Although how butterbur works is still not known, it is thought to work in a similar way to allergy medications by blocking the action of histamine and leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals involved in allergic reactions. In a study involving 186 people with hay fever, participants took a higher dose of butterbur (one tablet three times a day), a lower dose (one tablet two times a day) or placebo. After two weeks, both the higher and lower dose relieved allergy symptoms compared to the placebo, but there were significantly greater benefits seen with the higher dose. Butterbur is in the ragweed plant family, so people who are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy, or chrysanthemum should not use butterbur. (The raw herb as well as teas, extracts, and capsules made from the raw herb should not be used because they contain substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys and may cause cancer.)
• Quercetin is an antioxidant that belongs to a class of water-soluble plant substances called flavonoids. Although there is still isn’t enough research to conclude that it is effective for hay fever, I have had good results with hay fever patients in the clinic. Quercetin prevents the release of the inflammatory chemical histamine from immune cells called mast cells. Histamine is involved in allergic symptoms such as sneezing and itching. Quercetin is found naturally in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea. Quercetin is also available in supplement form. A typical dose for hay fever is between 200 and 400 milligrams three times a day. (call 0845 88 00 915)
• Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments, the most popular being beta-carotene. Although no randomised controlled trials show that carotenoids are effective treatments for hay fever, a lack of carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation in your airways. Good sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, kale, butternut squash, and collard greens. (Call 0845 88 00 915 for a good carotenoid complex)
• Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of essential fatty acid that we must obtain through our diet. Research suggests that may they reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body (prostaglandin E2 and inflammatory cytokines). Although there are no randomised controlled trials showing that omega-3 fatty acids are effective treatments for hay fever, there are associations. For example, one German study involving 568 people found that a high content of omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cells or in the diet was associated with a decreased risk of hay fever. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish, flaxseed oil, and walnuts. The Omega 3 supplement I use in the clinic is Mega EPA which is high dose EPA and DHA and free from contaminants.

It’s well known that cranberries can help protect against cystitis but there are other foods for women with disease fighting properties:

1. Papaya. This tropical fruit packs about twice the vitamin C of an orange. After analyzing the blood of over 13,000 people, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that women who had lower levels of vitamin C were more likely to have gallbladder illnesses. One medium papaya (about ten ounces), with its 188 mg of vitamin C and a mere 119 calories, is a good source of the vitamin. The once exotic fruit now can be found in most supermarkets.
2. Flaxseed. Rich in oestrogen-like compounds called lignans which are a potential weapon against that lady killer breast cancer. You can add flaxseeds (also called linseeds) to cakes and bread, but the easiest and healthiest way to get the beneficial lignans is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your morning cereal. Look for the seeds in health food stores or in supermarkets and buy organic ones. They’re easy to grind in a blender or coffee grinder or you can get them ready ground in a vacuum pack and then store them in the fridge. Buy the seeds if you want the lignan-effect as there are no lignans in the oil.
3. Tofu. Foods high in soya protein can lower cholesterol and may minimize menopausal hot flushes and strengthen bone. Isoflavones, plant chemicals in soya beans that have a structure similar to oestrogen, may be the reason. A half-cup of tofu contains about 25 to 35 mg of isoflavones. Other beans like lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans etc are a good source of isoflavones too.
4. Collard Greens. This humble vegetable may help fight osteoporosis, which afflicts many women late in life. In addition to getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, some studies suggest that vitamin K may have a bone-protective effect as well. Based on data from one of the largest studies of women, the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers discovered that women who ate enough vitamin K-rich foods (at least 109 micrograms of the vitamin daily) were 30 percent less likely to suffer a hip fracture during ten years of follow-up than women who ate less. The researchers stated that dark-green leafy vegetables — Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli — are all good sources of the vitamin. But collard greens, with about 375 micrograms per half-cup, are among the best.

The food you eat doesn’t just provide you with energy it can have a powerful impact on your body’s ability to fight off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and weak bones. Study after study has shown that a diet high in plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables, beans and grains — is the body’s best form of defence against poor health. Here’s a round up of what research has to tell us about the disease-fighting power of food.

The cancer fighters

Study after study has consistently shown that approximately 30 to 40 percent of all cancers could be avoided if people ate more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods and minimized high-fat, high-calorie foods with little or no nutritional value. Although researchers are still not completely sure they’re beginning to focus their attention in particular on two components –antioxidants and phytochemicals.

The antioxidants (carotenoids, such as beta carotene and lycopene, and vitamins C and E) found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods fight free radicals, which are compounds in the body that attack and destroy cell membranes. The uncontrolled activity of free radicals is believed to cause many cancers. The carotenoids, in particular, which give fruits and vegetables their bright yellow, orange, and red colours, are now gaining recognition as cancer fighting super stars and numerous studies have also extolled the virtues of lycopene (the carotenoid that makes tomatoes red and also found in such foods as watermelon and red grapefruit) in preventing cancer.

The phytochemicals present in fruits and vegetables protect the body by stunting the growth of malignant cells. Phytochemicals, naturally occurring substances, include indoles in cabbage or cauliflower, saponins in peas and beans, and isoflavones in soy milk and tofu. Investigators aren’t really sure how phytochemicals work but they do believe that you can get enough anti-cancer nutrients by eating at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables with seven or more starchy or protein-rich plant foods such as grains, peas and beans.

Note: Supplements can help you get some of the benefits of these substances, but they are no replacement for real food. This is because when you take a supplement, you’re getting specific vitamins and minerals, but not the thousands of potentially life saving phytochemicals that might be present in fruits and vegetables.

Heart savers

What you eat, and choose not to eat, can have a dramatic effect on your risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Saturated fat, found mostly in meat and full-fat dairy products, is the major culprit in raising blood cholesterol, the main ingredient of artery-clogging plaque. Overindulging in these foods raises the risk of developing heart disease. But you can lower this risk by shifting the emphasis so that nutrient- and fibre rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains make up approximately two-thirds of what you eat each day.

Plant-based foods contain very little fat and provide complex carbohydrates as well as vitamins and minerals. Because they’re rich in indigestible fibre, they take up space in the intestines, which can help you control your appetite, your weight and, most important of all, your risk of heart disease.

Fibre comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre, found in fruits, vegetables, brown rice, oats, and barley, lowers blood cholesterol levels (and your risk of heart disease) and slows the entry of glucose into the bloodstream, an important factor in preventing or controlling diabetes.

Insoluble fibre, found mainly in whole grains, fruit and vegetable peels, keeps your digestive tract in order by soaking up water and adding the bulk that pushes possible cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) out of the intestine.

Studies show that simply adding two servings a day of oats or other cereals high in soluble fibre can reduce cholesterol levels by almost 3 to 4 percent. Although the reasons aren’t entirely clear, it may be that soluble fibre combines with intestinal fluids to form a gel that binds to fat or prevents it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.

The bone builders

Research has shown that a diet low in calcium can increase the risk of osteoporosis. Leafy green vegetables and seeds like sesame are excellent sources of calcium, the mineral that keeps your bones strong. Your body uses calcium for more than keeping your bones strong. Calcium permits cells to divide, regulates muscle contraction and relaxation, and plays an important role in the movement of protein and nutrients inside cells.

If you have a more acidic diet, your body’s demand for calcium will be high as your body will have to take calcium from your bones to neutralise the acid. So by eating a more alkaline diet with fruit and vegetables and less animal protein, especially red meat and cheese, you are not only giving yourself more antioxidants but also protecting your bones. (For more information on acid/alkaline balance for bone health see my book ‘Osteoporosis — the silent epidemic’).