Hay Fever Site

Wholefoods are simply those that have had nothing taken away (nutrients and fibre, for example) and that have had nothing added (in the form of colourings, flavourings or preservatives). In short, they are foods in their most natural form. Wholefoods that are organically produced – without the use of potentially dangerous chemical fertiliz­ers, pesticides and herbicides – are even better for us.

If a streaming nose and watery eyes mean that you find it difficult to think about cooking in the conventional way, a range of organic convenience foods using wholefood ingredients is now available from health food shops and some supermarkets. You could try these, per­haps, until you are feeling more able to get back to normal.

Fresh vegetables

Fresh vegetables not only have alkalizing properties, they are rich in vitamin C and other important vitamins and minerals. It is therefore recommended that you try to eat as many as you can, selecting locally grown, organic vegetables that are in season – these have the highest nutrient content and the greatest enzyme activity. Enzymes are to our body what spark plugs are to the car engine. Without its ‘sparks’, the body doesn’t work properly. Organically grown vegetables may not look as perfect as those that are processed, but they are superior – pro­cessed foods are devitalized of their ‘sparks’. Try to eat as fresh and as raw as possible; make a variety of salads and aim to eat one every day. When you do cook vegetables, use as little water as possible (preferably unsalted, or only lightly), and cook for the minimum length of time. Lightly steaming and stir-frying are healthy alternatives. Scrub rather than peel your vegetables.

Legumes (peas and beans)

Legumes contain high amounts of protein, and they are inexpensive. The soya bean is a complete protein, and there are many soya bean products, including soya milk, tofu, tempeh and miso. Tofu is very ver­satile and can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes. Soya milk can be used as an alternative to cow’s milk, which due to its mucus-form­ing components, is not recommended in hay fever.

Seeds

Seeds – sunflower, sesame, hemp, flax and pumpkin, for example – con­tain a wonderful combination of the nutrients necessary to start a new plant, and are very important to strengthening the immune system. They can be eaten as they come as a snack, sprinkled on to salads and cereals, or used in baking. For more flavour they can be lightly roasted and coated with organic soy sauce. Cracked linseed and pumpkin seeds are highly nutritious and useful for treating constipation. They can be used in baking and sprinkled on to breakfast cereals, over salads, in soups and added to porridge oats.

Nuts

Nuts, too, are an intrinsic part of strengthening the immune system. All nuts contain vital nutrients, but almonds, cashews, walnuts, brazils and pecans perhaps offer the greatest array. Eat a wide assortment as snacks, with breakfast cereal and in baking.

As peanuts are capable of provoking violent life-threatening allergic re­actions in some people, you may wish to avoid nuts completely. However, many hay fever sufferers never experience adverse reactions to nuts of any kind. They are a valuable addition to your diet, but whether or not you eat nuts is entirely up to you – and it is just as well to be cautious.

Grains

Wholegrains and wholemeal flours provide the complex unrefined car­bohydrates that our bodies require – and again organic is best. Many types of grain are good for us, but wheat – our staple in the West – con­tains gluten and can be highly allergenic, so should be avoided. Barring wheat, aim to consume a variety of grains, including oats, rye, barley (generally available as pearl barley), corn, buckwheat, brown rice and mixed grains. Brown rice, millet, buckwheat and maize/corn are all gluten-free and invaluable to people with a gluten allergy/sensitivity.

Fats and oils

Fats (fatty acids) are the most concentrated sources of energy in our diet; 1 gram of fat provides the body with nine calories of energy. They are also a good source of vitamin E, which is a natural antihistamine. There are two distinct types of fat, saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fat is believed to be implicated in the development of heart disease, and comes mainly from animal sources. It is generally solid at room temperature. Although for many years margarine was believed to be a healthier choice over butter, nutritionists have now revised their opinion; some of the fats in the margarine hydrogenation process are changed into trans-fatty acids, which the body metabolizes as if they were saturated fatty acids – the same as butter. Butter is a valuable source of oils and vitamin A, but should be used very spar­ingly. Margarine, on the other hand, is an artificial product containing many additives, and not recommended in hay fever.

Unsaturated fat, also called polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat, has a protective effect on the heart and other organs. Omega-3 and omega-6 oils occur naturally in oily fish (mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna), nuts and seeds, and is usually liquid at room temperature. It is recommended that people with hay fever eat oily fish at least three times a week and use cold-pressed oil (olive, rapeseed, safflower and sunflower oil) daily, in salad dressings and cooking.

Eggs

You’re no doubt aware that eggs are high in cholesterol, which is a type of fat. However, they also contain lecithin, which is a superb bio­logical detergent capable of breaking down fats so they can be utilized by the body. Lecithin also prevents the accumulation of too many acid or alkaline substances in the blood and encourages the transport of nutrients through the cell walls. Eggs should be soft-boiled or poached as a hard yolk will bind the lecithin, rendering it useless as a fat deter­gent. Try to eat two or three eggs a week.

Garlic

Eating garlic on a regular basis can help to reduce excess mucus pro­duction. It is recommended that, if possible, people with hay fever eat two raw cloves a day – perhaps on toast or stirred into food in the latter stages of cooking. If you really can’t bear to eat your garlic raw, or don’t like garlic at all, try taking a garlic supplement, available from most supermarkets, health food shops and chemists.

Fish

Try to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating plenty of cold-water fish, especially oily fish such as sardines, fresh tuna, anchovies, mackerel, trout, salmon, herring (kippers) and pilchards. Such fish also provide gamma linoleic acid (GLA), a deficiency of which can encourage inflammation and so aggravate allergic con­ditions. GLA deficiency is often evident as dry skin, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women and sometimes eczema.

For maximum benefit, try to avoid frying your fish or covering it in breadcrumbs.

Sprouted foods

When foods are sprouted, dormant enzymes spring into action, pro­viding more nutrients per gram than any other natural food. They can therefore help to normalize all the body’s systems, including the immune system which is weakened and hypersensitive in hay fever. A mixture of different sprouts is capable even of supporting life all on their own – although this is not recommended! Sprouted foods are also very inexpensive. You could try sprouting seeds and beans yourself so that you have your own supply.

Fresh seeds, beans and grains will sprout when rinsed and placed in pure water in a plastic bowl or polythene bag. The container should be sealed and placed in an airing cupboard or by a radiator for three to four days, changing the liquid twice a day. A dose of light and sun­shine will make them ready for eating. Eat your sprouted foods in sal­ads and soups.

Be aware, however, that seed potatoes and tomatoes should not be sprouted – they belong to the deadly nightshade family. Kidney bean sprouts are poisonous too.

Yogurt

Yogurt can slightly reduce the amount of histamine produced during an allergic reaction. It also helps to cool and soothe a sore throat. For hay fever, eat plain (unflavoured) organic acidophilus yogurt – one or two tubs a day, if possible. It is particularly useful to use this kind of yogurt after taking a course of antibiotics. Organic acidophilus yogurt is available from most health food shops and some supermarkets.

Wheat

Although wheat is the staple grain in Western societies, its gluten content is often identified as an allergen by a hypersensitive immune system. If you are allergic to the gluten in wheat, you are likely to experience a streaming nose and other symptoms that are reminiscent of hay fever, as well as possibly asthma and itchiness in the scalp, skin and throat.

Many people with hay fever have a reaction to wheat and find that eliminating it from their diet and replacing it with oats, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, brown rice and mixed grains helps to alleviate their symptoms.

Oats

Mentioned briefly above, oats warrant further attention here as they have many benefits. They provide a slow release of energy, which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels; they also nourish the central nervous system and are rich in minerals and the B vitamins. Therefore they help the body to normalize itself and reduce its overreaction to normal en­vironmental substances, such as pollen. Try to eat a bowl of porridge for breakfast every day, and buy oatmeal biscuits and oat cereal bars.