The Allergy-Fighting Diet | Bottom Line Inc http://bottomlineinc.

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Date: May 15, 2016 Publication: Bottom Line Personal Source: Leo
Galland, MD, Foundation for Integrated Medicine Print:
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Relieves Allergies to
Pollen…Dust…Mold…Even Some
Foods
The right diet can help relieve your allergies whether you’re allergic
to pollen, dust, mold, certain foods or other allergens. And it can
relieve symptoms that you might not even know come from allergies

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—including fatigue, weight gain and depression. The key is to use

foods to improve your immune response. Here’s how…

BOOST YOUR T-REGS

Immune cells known as regulatory T-cells, or T-regs, limit
in×ammation and dampen the allergic response. The cells don’t
function properly in people with allergies, which can lead to a host of
allergic symptoms.

If you know you’re allergic to something, avoidance is an obvious

solution. But many people don’t know what they’re allergic to—or
even if they are allergic. You can use dietary changes to increase
T-regs and dampen any allergic response.

STEP 1: THREE-DAY POWER WASH YOUR T-REGS

I advise patients to completely give up the foods that commonly
aggravate allergies. These include dairy (including yogurt), wheat,
seafood, eggs, soy, nuts, peanuts, yeast (found in bread, alcohol,
vinegar, commercial fruit juice and commercial soups and sauces)
and nightshade vegetables (such as tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes
and eggplant).

This is not meant to be a permanent diet. You have to give up these

foods for three days (unless you discover that you’re allergic to a
particular food, in which case you’ll give it up altogether). Taking a
break from likely offenders resets the immune system—it clears your
body of potential allergens and lets you start with a clean slate.

For three days, you’ll consume only the soup and the smoothie (see
below) that I developed for blunting the immune response (you’ll also
drink oolong tea). Have the smoothie for breakfast and a
midafternoon snack. The soup is lunch and dinner. Eat until you are

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satisÖed but not too full. Have your doctor look at the recipes to
make sure that they are appropriate for you.

Immune Balance Smoothie: In a blender, combine one cup of

strawberries, one medium avocado, one cup of chopped arugula,
one-half head of chopped romaine lettuce, two tablespoons of
ground chia seeds and one cup of brewed green tea. If desired, add
one medium banana.

Blend until smooth. The smoothie will become thicker and creamier if
you refrigerate it after blending.

If you happen to be allergic to any of the ingredients, just leave it out.

Immune Balance Soup: This is one of the Galland family’s favorite

recipes. Sauté three cups of sliced carrots in three tablespoons of
extra-virgin olive oil for 10 minutes. Add one cup of chopped parsley,
two cups of chopped scallions (green parts only), 12 ounces of
chopped broccoli, three ounces of chopped baby kale, one teaspoon
of turmeric powder and one-quarter teaspoon of ground black
pepper. Add salt to taste. Cook and stir for one minute. Add 12 cups
of water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add
one tablespoon of shredded daikon radish just before serving.

Organic oolong tea: I emphasize this tea for a speciÖc reason. It’s
very high in catechins, which are ×avonoids that inhibit allergic
reactions—they’re even stronger than the compounds in green tea.
One study found that a majority of patients with allergic eczema who
didn’t respond to medications had signiÖcant improvements after
drinking oolong tea for one to two weeks. Drink four cups daily (no
more) during the Power Wash and a cup or two daily after that.

STEP 2: REINTRODUCTION

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After three days, continue to enjoy the homemade smoothie and

soup and organic oolong tea as you gradually reintroduce foods from
your regular diet—a new food or food group each day. Start with
foods that are less likely to provoke allergic reactions such as rice or
free-range poultry, and gradually move toward the more allergenic
foods such as nuts, seafood, eggs and dairy products, one group at a
time. Keep notes about what you’re eating and symptoms (if any) that
you experience—including symptoms you don’t typically associate
with allergies (see below). This will help you determine whether
particular foods—or ingredients in packaged foods—are triggering
symptoms.

I’ve found that patients who give up problem foods for at least six
months can sometimes eat them again, in small amounts, without
having symptoms return. This doesn’t apply to things such as sodas,
candies or other junk foods, including commercially prepared
pastries. These foods always contribute to allergies (including
common dust and pollen allergies) by increasing in×ammation and
should be avoided.

Important: Consult your doctor before reintroducing foods,

especially if you suffer from anaphylaxis or asthma or if you
previously have experienced an adverse reaction to any of the foods.

STEP 3: IMMUNE BALANCE

No matter what you’re allergic to, make an effort to eat healthier
foods that fortify T-regs. Most important…

Natural folate. Many foods are fortiÖed with folic acid, an important
(but synthetic) B vitamin. Natural sources of folate are better for
T-reg function. Examples: Leafy vegetables, legumes, peas,
asparagus, cauli×ower and brussels sprouts.

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More ×avonoids. I believe that many of the in×ammatory disorders

that plague Americans, including allergies and asthma, are due in part
to ×avonoid deÖciencies. Flavonoids, an important family of plant
compounds, have anti-in×ammatory and antioxidant effects. A Tufts
University study found that animals given a ×avonoid-enhanced diet
had an increase in T-regs and a decrease in Immunoglobulin E (IgE)
antibodies—molecules involved in the allergic response.

The ×avonoids in tea are particularly helpful. But you’ll get healthy
amounts from many different plant foods, including onions,
blueberries, sweet potatoes, apples and bell peppers.

Lots of strawberries. Strawberries are the richest food source of

Ösetin, a type of ×avonoid that helps preserve T-regs. Fisetin blunts
the allergic response and has been shown in laboratory studies to
help prevent allergic asthma.

Important: Organic strawberries, fresh or frozen, have more vitamin

C and other antioxidants than conventionally grown berries.

Put parsley on your plate. It’s more than just a garnish. It’s high in
apigenin, a ×avonoid that decreases the activity of allergy-inducing
lymphocytes and reduces levels of IgE. The carotenoids in parsley (it
has more than carrots) also are helpful.

Eat seafood twice a week (as long as you’re not allergic). A lack of
omega-3 fatty acids can cause or aggravate allergy symptoms.
People with allergies actually need more of these fats because their
cells don’t metabolize them efÖciently.

Broaden your palate. While tea, parsley and strawberries are

among the allergy-Öghting stars, all plant foods can help balance the
immune system and reduce symptoms. I’m a big fan of legumes (such

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as black beans, garbanzo beans and lentils), along with carrots, sweet
bell peppers, spinach and brussels sprouts. Most of your diet should
consist of these and other healthful plant foods.

HIDDEN ALLERGY SYMPTOMS

Here are allergy symptoms that aren’t typically associated with
allergies…

Anxiety
Bloating
Brain fog
Constipation or Diarrhea
Depression
Fatigue
Headaches
Insomnia
Joint pain
Muscle aches
Stomachaches
Weight gain

Source: Leo Galland, MD, director of the Foundation for Integrated

Medicine in New York City. He has held faculty positions at Rockefeller
University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and State University of New
York, Stony Brook. He is coauthor of The Allergy Solution: Unlock the
Surprising, Hidden Truth About Why You Are Sick and How to Get
Well(http://bottomlinestore.com/the-allergy-solution.html).
DrGalland.com(http://drgalland.com/)
.

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