Don’t you just LOVE spring?

The flowers and trees are blooming, the sun is coming out, and bright colors are in season. Plus, it’s perfect weather for picnics and playing outdoors.

Except one thing: allergies.

The runny eyes, the constant sneezing and sniffling….it’s not a pleasant experience. And most of us have been dealing with it since we were children.

Now, we all know pollen is to blame for our hay fever…but did you know allergies are actually caused by inflammation?  Swollen eyes, stuffy noses, itchy throats…that’s all inflammation in its external form.

I’ve talked about inflammation before, and how it stops you from losing weight and gives you a leaky gut. Turns out, even worse, it’s also to blame for your allergies! All the more reason to fight it off.

To understand how to treat your allergies, let’s look at how it works. Starting with…

What exactly is an allergy?

An allergy is your body’s reaction of the immune system.

When your body encounters something it’s allergic to (like pollen), it’s as though it’s under attack…and it releases antibodies, triggering–you guessed it–inflammation.

Even though the allergen is harmless, your immune system sees it as a threat to your body.

But before you reach for your Allegra, Claritin, Flonase…consider the natural, less harmful alternatives…and get to the root of the problem first and foremost.

And what about histamines?

When you go under an allergic reaction, your body produces histamines, which then causes inflammation.

Histamines technically cause your allergy attack symptoms–watery eyes, sniffly nose, tiredness, and sneezing. Which means you should take an antihistamine, right?

Not necessarily. Antihistamines don’t treat the root of the problem, only the symptoms you experience. Which gets rid of the sniffles and sneezes for the moment, but it will keep coming back and you’ll continue to experience these allergies.

So what is the root of allergies, and how do you treat it?

“All disease begins in the gut.” -Hippocrates

Hippocrates had it right, ladies and gentlemen.

Your immune system plays a huge role in your allergies. And remember, your gut is the main part of your immune system.  A healthy gut is the foundation for ALL of your health, since it’s such a major part of your immune system.

Which means your gut makes the call whether something is harmful to your body or not, and whether an allergic reaction must happen.

Studies show probiotics treat seasonal allergies and even prevent it.

And remember, inflammation affects your gut the most. So if allergies are caused by inflammation, get rid of it by treating your gut with care.

Once you treat your leaky gut, you boost your immune system and protect yourself from those pesky seasonal allergies.

Eating the right foods and taking certain supplements can treat your allergies symptoms  (and it’s not just local honey!)

Heal your gut with these delicious foods and natural herbs

 Probiotic supplements aren’t the only way to heal your leaky gut. You can eat your way to a healthy, glowing gut, too!

FIrst and foremost, bone broth is my favorite treatment for a sick gut. The gelatin (cooked collagen) in bone broth stabilizes your gut mucosa by decreasing damage from excess acid.

It increases protective mechanisms such as gastric mucosal blood flow. Gelatin also heals and protects the gut with its anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory, and cell-protective activities.

In addition, bone broth is rich in glycine, an amino acid with anti-inflammatory powers. Plus, it tastes a lot better than Benadryl!

Secondly, get your daily dose of Vitamin D to support your immune system. The Children’s National Medical Center discovered children with severe asthma and seasonal allergies were 20 times more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency than children without.

On top of that, The Endocrine Society says just about everyone needs a vitamin D supplement, even if you get plenty of sunshine everyday. So your chances of having a vitamin D deficiency are high!

Finally, if you really want to treat your allergy symptoms, make sure you get natural antihistamines.

As you age, your body stops producing as much glutathione, which is an antioxidant that prevents damage to your cells and is essential to maintaining a healthy, strong immune system. Plus, your glutathione levels can predict how long you’ll live. So, take your glutathione and keep those levels healthy.

Another natural antioxidant that’s found in onions, apples, and even red wine is quercetin. It has antihistamine healing powers without the drowsiness of Benadryl. It even reduces inflammation in the airways to help you breathe with ease. You can take it as a supplement or enjoy a glass of red wine (but don’t go overboard). Cheers!

What NOT to Eat

Just like there are foods that prevent allergies…there are also ones that trigger inflammation and a leaky, sick gut.

First up is dairy, one of the most inflammatory foods. That means milk in your coffee, cheese on your charcuterie board, and yogurt. I know it’s delicious, and difficult to give up, but consider this. Studies have shown  those with significantly higher inflammatory scores ate more dairy products than those with lower scores.

You don’t have to know your inflammatory score to know you should avoid dairy if you want to prevent your allergies and keep inflammation low!

The second evil culprit is gluten. When you eat wheat (yes, even whole grains!), you’re essentially taking a blade and slashing the walls of your gut. Which makes your gut leaky, letting in harmful microbes to your gut and causing an inflammatory reaction.

This happens to you even if you don’t have celiac disease! Hardly anyone is immune to the inflammation caused by gluten.

So, skip that piece of bread and eat healthier carbs, like sweet potatoes or yucca.

In my Bone Broth PLUS Diet 80/20 program, I show you delicious substitutes to gluten and dairy (even if you LOVE pasta and ice cream). You’ll fight inflammation, heal your gut, and melt away the pounds for good…with delicious recipes fad dieters DREAM of eating.

Here’s to a beautiful, healthy spring season!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!