1) Think ahead: Beginning six weeks ahead of allergy season start taking supplements containing quercetin. Mother Earth News reports this natural antioxidant also helps rid the body of cancer-causing free radicals. You can find quercetin in foods such as fruits, onions, tea, tomatoes, the spice turmeric and cruciferous vegetables.
2) Eat local raw honey: Make sure it is local. By taking a couple of teaspoons of raw honey daily you can boost your immune system to fight local allergens. Naturopathic doctors say this may take several months to work, but what a sweet way to combat allergies.
3) Eat foods with omega-3s: The omega-3s help reduce inflammation and can be found in cold-water fish, salmon, flax seed oil, walnuts and grass-fed meat and eggs. A study published in the journal Allergy reports omega 3s lowers the risk of developing hay fever.
4) Eat fewer foods with Omega-6 fatty acids: According to naturopathic.org, you can reduce Omega-6 fatty acids by cutting back on things such as highly processed seed oils like sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oil.
5) Increase your intake of anti-allergen nutrients: Naturopathic.org advises taking up to 10 grams per day of Vitamin C, up to 800 mg per day of Vitamin B5, up to 150 mg per day of zinc picolinate; and from 100 to 200 mg of essential fatty acids EPA and DHA per day – these are found in cold-water fish.
6) Drink more water: That is simple enough, right? Water allows the body to flush its system. Gulp up!
7) Improve your home environment: Change air filters often and use allergen-collecting HEPA air filters found at many big-box stores, remove products with added fragrances and synthetic ingredients and eliminate mold and mildew.
8) Nurture house plants: Plants filter impurities from the air while adding a warm feeling to a room.
9) Clean your sinuses daily: Using saline nasal spray can help keep the nasal cavity clean. A Neti pot, commonly available online, can be used to flush sinuses with a solution of one half teaspoon of non-iodized table salt to a cup of water.
10) Wear sunglasses: They protect your eyes from absorbing pollen.