Your guide to dealing with the allergy season, the natural way!

The changing weather brings with it an allergic trap of sneezing, runny nose and a weak immune system. And as soon as that wave hits us, we reach for our medicine cabinet for a quick fix. Why not opt for a natural way instead? Here’s what nutritionists Tripti Tandon and Tapasya Mundhra recommend you do to boost your immunity during this season.

Probiotics

At times, the balance between good and bad bacteria gets disrupted in our gut, and this weakens our immunity. To restore the balance, you need probiotics. According to experts, probiotics have both anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects, which helps combat symptoms of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Sources of probiotics are yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi.

Sinus clearing spices

Allergies mean dealing with a congested nose. Spices such as cayenne pepper, ginger and garlic help clear the nasal passage. These spices contain a chemical compound called capsaicin, which is known to break up the congestion, and is effective for relieving cluster headaches, and sinus headaches.

Vitamin C hit

Allergic symptoms such as hives, itchiness are caused by the histamines, which are released by the body to deal with allergens. To deal with these symptoms, you need vitamin C in your body, as it helps to reduce the histamine levels in the body. It is also an antioxidant, which means that it counteracts the inflammatory effects of free radicals in the body. Oranges, strawberry, cabbage etc are good sources of vitamin C.

A dose of Quercetin

Quercetin is a compound that acts as a mast-cell stabilizer. Mast cells are the one responsible for pumping histamines in your body when your body reacts to allergens. By stabilising mast cells, quercetin provides relief from allergic symptoms. Consume onions, apple, tea and cabbage for a dose of quercetin.

Calmness of magnesium

Magnesium is a natural bronchodilator in nature; meaning, it causes widening of bronchi in the lungs. It has a calming effect on the muscles of the bronchial tubes, and this in turn helps in dealing with asthma during the allergy season. It’s also anti-histamine in nature. Consume foods such as spinach, kale, legumes, and cashew nuts, as they are rich in magnesium.

Check out these immunity boosting drinks by Preety Tyagi , health coach and nutritionist

Turmeric immunity booster

Put 50ml coconut water, 5-10 turmeric, 10-15gms ginger in a blender and blend well. Strain the liquid through a sieve. Add 5ml lemon juice, 2-3gm salt, and honey to taste. Serve, preferably with a handful of soaked nuts like almonds, walnuts or even cashews. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial; has gastrointestinal health properties, which have been linked to the prevention of cancer cell growth and management of inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, eczema and inflammatory bowel disease.

Cucumber pineapple juice

It’s an excellent immunity booster. Blend 1 cucumber, 2 slices of pineapple, 3-4 slices of apple, and 2-3 mint leaves. Add 10-15 ml lemon juice, a pinch of rock salt and blend again. Add water or ice cubes to adjust consistency. This drink helps in liver cleanse and flushes out toxins from the body. Add honey and salt for taste.

Ginger lime drink

Boil 20-30gm ginger in a pot for 3-4 minutes. Add 4-5 lime slices to the mixture and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Kadha tea

Put 50gm ginger, 50gm turmeric, 2-3 gm cardamom and 2-3 tulsi leaves into a blender. Put this mixture into a pot with water and heat. Add 5-10gm cinnamon powder and 5-10gm mace powder. Boil it again for 5 minutes. Before consuming, strain it and add honey for taste. Kadha is an ancient Indian drink, which is used as a medicine for cough, cold and throat infections.