How to Tackle Spring Allergies by Supporting Your Gut Health

Photo by Alexandru Tudorache on Unsplash

Spring is usually a welcome change in seasons, but for those who suffer from seasonal allergies, it can be downright miserable.  Sneezing, red and itchy eyes, congestion, itchy throat, postnasal drip, and coughing are some of the common symptoms associated with seasonal allergies, AKA allergic rhinitis or hay fever.

Gut Health and Seasonal Allergies: A Strong Connection

Supporting gut health is an important key to managing seasonal allergies.  Over 70% of our immune system is housed in our gut₁.  When our gut bugs are well-balanced and diverse, our immune system functions well.  But when our gut microbiome is not balanced (more of the bad guys than good guys) our immune system struggles to function like it should.  Abnormal or imbalanced gut bacteria often leads to a damaged gut wall, which results in gut permeability.  When that happens, hay fever, chronic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and asthma can start to show up. A well-balanced gut microbiome can help balance immune responses and decrease inflammation.  Our gut microbiome is an important key player in supporting our overall health. 

Essential Functions of the Gut Microbiome

A well-balanced microbiome plays several essential roles in supporting overall health, including:

• Digestion and absorption of nutrients
• Helping the immune system recognize harmful substances
• Creating neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and GABA
• Helps regulate mood
• Helps balance blood sugar and insulin sensitivity
• Supports liver detox pathways
• Helps offset toxins and chemicals
• Impacts estrogen metabolism
• Helps support thyroid hormone conversion

What Can Damage the Gut Microbiome?

Several things can contribute to a damaged gut microbiome or “leaky gut” (intestinal permeability) which can have an effect on our overall immune function.  It’s important to get to the root cause of gut dysfunction in order to fix the issues.  Some of the things that can damage gut health include:

• Overloaded “stress bucket”
• Lack of sleep
• Low stomach acid
• Environmental toxins
• Diet high in processed carbs and refined sugar
• Low protein intake
• Lack of variety in diet
• Overuse of antibiotics
• Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)
• Oral contraceptives
• Excessive alcohol use
• Dysbiosis
• Gut infections
• Dysfunctional digestion
• High endurance exercise

Gut-Friendly Strategies for Managing Seasonal Allergies

Supporting your gut health can go a long way in managing seasonal allergies. Here are some gut-friendly strategies that can help reduce symptoms of spring allergies:

• Reduce inflammatory foods: Avoid refined sugars, processed foods, and seed oils.
• Start your day with water: A glass of water with fresh lemon juice and a pinch of unrefined sea salt helps support the liver and mineral balance.
• Include anti-inflammatory, omega-3-rich foods: Foods like wild-caught salmon, sardines, pastured eggs, grass-fed beef, grass-fed dairy, cod liver oil, chia seeds, and flax seeds.
• Add foods with natural anti-histamines: Foods rich in quercetin, nettle, turmeric, and holy basil can reduce histamine levels.
• Stay hydrated: Histamine levels rise when the body is dehydrated, so make sure to drink water consistently throughout the day. Aim for half your body weight in ounces.
• Prioritize sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of good-quality sleep to keep your gut functioning well and reduce inflammation.
• Reduce stress: Incorporate stress-relieving activities such as gentle movement, diaphragmatic breathing, time in nature, prayer, and time in the Word.
• Supporting detox pathways: Proper detoxification helps the body process allergies and toxins better, reducing the burden on the gut and immune system. Movement, sweating, and hydration are a few of the ways that you can support drainage pathways and help decrease inflammation and histamine.
• Use a neti pot to rinse sinuses: Nasal rinsing with a neti pot helps sweep out allergens, pollen, and mucus, lowering congestion and helping with sinus drainage. Reducing sinus inflammation can help decrease the overall immune response and histamine.

Supporting a Healthy Gut Lining

A healthy gut lining is essential for preventing intestinal permeability, where unwelcome substances like allergens can pass into the bloodstream and trigger immune responses. To maintain a strong gut lining, consider adding the following to your routine:

• Bone broth or meat stock: Both are rich in collagen and gelatin, which are a couple of powerhouses for strengthening and repairing the gut lining. Side note: Bone broth is high in histamine and sometimes not tolerated well. If this is the case for you, switch to meat stock that is low in histamine and often tolerated well.
• L-glutamine: An amino acid that helps restore the gut lining.
• Zinc: A key nutrient for gut barrier function and helps decrease gut permeability₂. It’s also an important cofactor for stomach acid production. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, and spinach.
• Probiotics: While they can sometimes cause issues for some, lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains are known to help strengthen the gut lining and balance gut bacteria.₃
• Slippery elm and marshmallow root: Herbs that can soothe and support a healthy gut lining.

Supporting a healthy gut lining results in allergens and harmful substances being less likely to cross into the bloodstream, decreasing the risk of allergic reactions.

To Sum It Up: Your Gut is Key to Allergy Relief

By focusing on supporting gut health through diet, hydration, stress management, and lifestyle changes, you can help your immune system function better and relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies. A well-balanced gut microbiome and healthy gut lining are the name of the game when it comes to reducing inflammation and improving immune responses, ultimately helping you manage those miserable spring allergy symptoms more effectively.  

To get a deeper understanding of your gut health and how it may be affecting your allergies, functional testing like the GI MAP Stool Test or HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) can supply valuable insights into your gut microbiome, nutrient status, and any imbalances that may be present. These tests help identify specific areas that may need support, providing a customized approach to maximizing your health during allergy season.

Click here to set up a complimentary discovery call to find out more.

Resources:

1. Wiertsema, S. P., van Bergenhenegouwen, J., Garssen, J., & Knippels, L. M. J. (2021). The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies. Nutrients, 13(3), 886.
2. Wan, Y., & Zhang, B. (2022). The Impact of Zinc and Zinc Homeostasis on the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier and Intestinal Diseases. Biomolecules, 12(7), 900.
3. Rao, R. K., & Samak, G. (2013). Protection and Restitution of Gut Barrier by Probiotics: Nutritional and Clinical Implications. Current nutrition and food science, 9(2), 99–107.