Springtime brings many Iowans bouts with a host of allergies but one expert says avoiding some foods and eating others can improve the sniffly, sneezy symptoms. Dr. William Ingram, an otolaryngologist in Omaha/Council Bluffs, says you don’t need a batch of medications to get allergy relief, just regulate what you eat.
Dr. Ingram says "I typically will have people try and eliminate sugar from their diet and to concentrate on more anti-inflammatory foods such as fish." He says the way some individuals’ biochemistry works, eating certain fruits and vegetables can make allergies to trees or shrubs even worse. Ingram says people who suffer from a birch tree allergy need to avoid apples, for starters.
Ingram says "Some of the other foods that have been studied with birch pollen allergy include a cross-reactor cherry, apricot, nectarine, peach, prune, plum, pear, kiwi." He says those who suffer from ragweed allergies should steer clear of melons, but fruits with vitamin-C, like blueberries, might help.