Sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat, red eyes. If you've been a sufferer of seasonal allergies like me, you may have experienced one, or more, of these symptoms. Seasonal allergies, also known as allergic rhinitis or hay fever, are your body's overreaction to environmental stimulants such as mold spores and pollen1. Your body will produce and send chemicals such as histamine to ward off "invaders," thus causing the symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat, etc1.

More research in the nutrition world is discovering that our immunity, emotions, and the development of certain diseases are all linked to our gut2. Though the gut makes up the stomach and small intestine, the primary microbiome, or collection of bacteria, is found within the large intestine3. The question remains: are seasonal allergies linked to the gut, as well?

Simply, yes. Nutrition can not only influence your reaction to seasonal allergies, but it can also help to prevent or lessen their severity. Certain foods, in particular, can help to grow and diversify bacteria in your large intestine, thereby improving immune response. Why is that important? In a 2021 study, it was found that adults with allergic rhinitis have a less diverse bacterial collection in their gut compared to a control group4. That is, having different types of healthy bacteria is more important than simply having healthy gut bacteria. Furthermore, the gut can "communicate" with the lungs via the lung-gut axis, which plays a role in health and disease5. Therefore, impacting your gut bacteria can cause positive or negative effects on your lung and respiratory health and vice versa with your gastrointestinal health.

How can you grow and diversify your gut bacteria to help improve your immunity and potentially improve seasonal allergies? Through your diet! Bacteria, like us, need to eat to survive. By giving the bacteria a good source of food, they will flourish. Here are ways to improve and diversify the gut bacteria through diet:

• Prebiotics are foods that get broken down in the small and large intestine to be used as fuel for bacteria.

Examples: Fruits and vegetables: Getting a variety of different fruits and vegetables will provide food for different bacteria within your gut to grow.

• Probiotics are live microorganisms, typically bacteria.

Examples: yogurt, sauerkraut (raw), kefir, kombucha, fermented foods.

• Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that is broken down in the large intestine.

Examples include whole grains, whole fruits (including the outermost layer/skin/peel), whole vegetables (including the outermost layer/skin/peel), nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and seeds.

• Polyphenols are plant compounds that act as antioxidants.

Examples: Dark Chocolate and cocoa, Red (dry) Wine, Grapes, Green Tea, Almonds, Blueberries, Onions, Broccoli.

Please keep in mind that nutrition is just one part of treating and preventing seasonal allergies, and if you experience severe allergies, please speak with your doctor about treatment options. For more nutrition information, contact Pomerene Hospital Dietitian, Jackie Kaufman, at 330-674-1584, ext. 1090.



Sources: 

1.) Yale Medicine. (2019, November 20). Seasonal allergies (allergic rhinitis). Yale Medicine. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/seasonal-allergies2.)

Robertson, R. (2021, August 4). 9 ways to improve your gut bacteria, based on science. Healthline. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/improve-gut-bacteria#TOC_TITLE_HDR_113.)

Gorbach, S. L. (n.d.). Medical Microbiology , 4th Edition - NCBI Bookshelf. Chapter 95 Microbiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7627/4.)

Watts, A. M., West, N. P., Zhang, P., Smith, P. K., Cripps, A. W., & Cox, A. J. (2020, September 24). The gut microbiome of adults with allergic rhinitis is characterised by reduced diversity and an altered abundance of key microbial taxa compared to controls. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/5105365.)

Enaud, R., Prevel, R., Ciarlo, E., Beaufils, F., Wieërs, G., Guery, B., & Delhaes, L. (2020, February 19). The gut-lung axis in health and respiratory diseases: A place for Inter-organ and inter-kingdom crosstalks. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. Retrieved June 13, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7042389/