Seasonal allergies, hayfever, allergic rhinitis … whatever you want to call it, the symptoms can vary from mildly annoying to downright debilitating. In this post, I’ll be sharing some nutrition recommendations that can alleviate symptoms, as well as a new allergy product – in fact, the only clinically proven natural health product that offers multi-symptom allergy relief.

A Season For Every Allergy

For some folks, it’s a reaction to tree pollen, for others, the pollen from grass and/or weeds, for others, mould … or a combination of any of the above.

While Canadians are blessed with all of the beauty that comes from having four seasons, for many, that also translates into many seasons of hay fever…and lots of Kleenex.

At this time of year, ragweed is the common culprit that causes allergic reaction. Many sources say that ragweed season is from August to October – but it can be longer due to warmer weather, especially in the city. In 2011, CBC News shared the findings of a research paper that stated that between 1995 and 2009, the ragweed pollen season grew by 25 to 27 days in certain cities in Canada (by the way, the worst Canadian cities for allergies are Toronto, Windsor, Halifax, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Yellowknife – so if you know anyone in those cities, please share this article with them!). This same news piece said that allergies result in U.S. health-care costs ‘reaching $21 billion each year’.

Relief Through Nutrition

Many people who suffer from seasonal allergies feel that over-the-counter antihistamines are the only way to get relief; however, making certain changes to your diet can help to alleviate symptoms. Here are just a few suggestions that may help:

• Avoid/limit dairy, sugar and gluten-containing foods(e.g. wheat, rye, oats, barley). These foods cause the creation of mucus in the body. While mucus can actually help to get allergens out of the body, when it gets too plentiful and too thick (as is the case when we eat too many mucus forming foods) allergens can get stuck in this thick, slow moving mucus, causing allergy symptoms to be worse.
• Avoid foods high in histamine. Since allergy symptoms are caused by histamine, it makes sense that we would want to avoid putting more histamine into our bodies through the food we eat. The digestion of certain foods can increase histamine in the body since certain bacteria found in the digestive tract can convert the amino acid histidine in these foods into histamine. Histidine is found in many protein-containing foods, but especially in higher protein-containing foods that have been aged such as fermented soy sauce and tofu, certain cheeses (e.g. Camembert, Brie, Gruyere, Cheddar, Roquefort/Blue Cheese, Parmesan), alcohol, vinegars, aged meat and canned fish (apparently, the longer a fish remains ungutted, the higher the levels of histamine in its flesh – so the fresher the better!).

• Eat foods that are high in vitamin B6. While certain bacteria in our digestive tract can convert the amino acid histidine into histamine, we also have cells in the lining of our digestive tract (and in other parts of the body) that can break down histamine into other substances before it gets absorbed into the bloodstream. These enzymes require vitamin B6 in order to function. To make sure you’re getting enough vitamin B6, you can supplement with it or eat good food sources, such as dark leafy greens, garlic, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and bell peppers.

Relief Through Allergy-FX

A few weeks ago, I attended the Canadian Health Food Association’s annual trade show in Toronto. I was looking forward to learning about some great new products that could back up their claims with clinically proven results. I found one in Allergy-FX.

Allergy-FX is a 100% drug-free, licensed health product. It is the ONLY licensed natural health product that has been clinically proven in a double-blind placebo-controlled human study (the gold standard as far as research studies go) to provide effective, fast-acting (within 15 minutes!), multi-functional (eyes, nose, ears, throat) relief from allergies.

The active ingredient comes from the eggs of organically raised quails, and unlike most over-the-counter products which simply mask allergy symptoms, Allergy-FX works to proactively inhibit the release of histamine, which translates in to fewer symptoms.

I am always hesitant to start stocking a product unless I have tried it myself, or have received plenty of positive feedback from those who have tried it. Thankfully, I can’t share any personal experience with you as I don’t have seasonal allergies, but I have already received positive feedback from others.

If you or someone you know suffers from seasonal allergies, and would like to try Allergy-FX, I am happy to say that you can now order it from Perfect Resonance Natural Health Counselling. For a limited time only, it will be available for a special introductory price of $14.99 + HST.

To order, please email info@perfectresonance.com and put ‘ALLERGY-FX’ in the subject line. You will receive a confirmation email with payment instructions when your order is ready for pick up through Perfect Resonance Natural Health Counselling, located in the Marshall Health Clinic at 2605 Carling Avenue, Ottawa ON.

Take control of what you can!

You say potatoes, I say no thank you.

For years, I’ve avoided potatoes. It initially started as an attempt to improve my digestion by avoiding the protein-heavy-starch-heavy ‘meat and potatoes’ typical meal combo – one of the most challenging food combos for the tummy from a holistic nutritionist’s perspective. Food combining aside, I avoid potatoes for a number of other reasons.

#1 – Starch

Potatoes contain a lot of starch, and starch is nothing but a whole bunch of glucose (sugar) molecules all lumped together. Most plants produce starch as a way to store energy, and it’s contained in large amounts in potatoes. When we eat foods that are high in starch, our digestion breaks the starch down into glucose. Glucose is very quickly absorbed from our digestive tract into our blood stream, so it can very quickly spike our blood sugar, causing a reflexive spike in insulin, our fat-storing hormone.

How quickly a food spikes our blood glucose is measured by something called the ‘Glycemic Index’. Glucose, the benchmark for the glycemic index scale, has a glycemic index of 100. Here are the glycemic index values of various potatoes:

• Unpeeled, boiled red potatoes – 89
• Peeled, baked white potatoes – 98
• Baked Russet potatoes – 111 (that’s higher than glucose!)

When you look at glycemic index values, potatoes are pretty high up there. Remember that foods with a high glycemic index can cause blood glucose levels to rise very quickly, which means blood insulin levels will also rise very quickly. When this happens over and over again, we can set ourselves up for blood sugar problems, which affect multiple areas of our health and vitality.

If you are going to eat potatoes, here are a couple of tips to lessen their rapid blood sugar raising potential. First, go for what I refer to as a ‘high-peel-to-starch’ ratio. Potato peels are full of fibre and other nutrients that will help to prevent a quick spike in blood glucose. Small red potatoes and/or fingerling potatoes fit this bill. Compared to a big ole baking potato, you’ll get a higher peel-to-starch ratio with smaller potatoes. If you’re going to eat the peel, look for organic potatoes (see #3). Second, lay on the fat! Generously mash in or melt on the butter or olive oil. Fat, like fibre, will help to slow down the rate at which glucose enters the blood from the intestinal tract.

#2 – Solanine

Potatoes are part of the ‘nightshade’ family. Nightshade plants (which also include tomatoes, paprika, eggplant, tobacco, and peppers) are often cited as containing chemical substances called alkaloids, specifically one called solanine. Solanine levels are higher in potatoes that are green and/or are sprouting, so at the very least, avoid these potatoes. Interestingly, green and sprouting potatoes are both related to light exposure, so if you’re going to have potatoes in the house, store them in a dark, cry, and cool (7-10C) place. Over the years, I have read many articles that suggest that solanine promotes inflammation in the body and can contribute to joint pain, joint swelling, and all forms of arthritis, especially among individuals who are especially sensitive to it. Solanine can also cause digestive discomfort.
Not everyone who has joint pain and/or swelling is sensitive to nightshades – and many nightshades are also loaded with health-boosting nutrients – however; if you have joint pain and/or swelling, you may want to consider avoiding nightshades for several weeks and see if you notice a difference.

#3 – Pesticides

Conventional potatoes (e.g. non-organic ones) are loaded with pesticides. According to the Environmental Working Group, the conventional potato tested positive for 35 different pesticides, including: 12 suspected hormone disruptors, 9 honeybee toxins, 7 neurotoxins (negatively affect the nervous system, including the brain), 6 known or probable carcinogens, and 6 developmental or reproductive toxins (sung to the tune of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas…). Interesting and sad fact – this is more pesticides by weight than any other vegetable, and unfortunately, some of these pesticides are still present after potatoes are peeled and washed. So, if you absolutely must have potatoes, look for organic ones. I’ve read that less than 1% of potato production is organic.

For those of you who are saying “YIKES! What am I going to eat if I can’t eat potatoes?” How about cauliflower, which is abundant locally and organically and economically at this time of year at your local farmers markets. I have a great recipe for Roasted Cauliflower in the Recipe Section of my website. Check it out and stay tuned for a great cauliflower side dish recipe that I hope to have ready for you just in time for Thanksgiving!

Take control of what you can!

References
http://www.onlyorganic.org/the-potato-one-of-ewgs-dirty-dozen/