On the Coast – Families Issue 102 I October/November 2019 | Page 18

Using food to help
ease your child’s
Hay fever
BY CLARE MARCANGELO
T
he flowers are in full bloom, the
sun cream is out on the benchtop,
Nippers has started, it’s safe to
say that Springtime is well underway.
However much we may enjoy the
warmer weather and longer days,
for many people Spring
can bring a real sense
of dread Hay fever
season.
Hay fever and
other
chronically
occurring
allergy
conditions are
commonly
caused by an
allergic reaction
to mould or
pollens from trees,
grasses and weeds,
dust, or animal dander.
The immune system believes
the offending substance such as pollen to
be an invader, which immediately triggers
production of the antibody
immunoglobulin E. This then causes
histamine to release, deliberately
resulting in inflammation and swelling of
nasal passages, excessive mucus
production and possible added symptoms
like itching of the skin or throat, sneezing,
weeping eyes and runny noses. This alone
is something most parents would like to
avoid, but to add to this, the potential
disruption to normal breathing and/or
sleep could contribute to fatigue, learning
issues and decreased general wellbeing.
To avoid these symptoms, some
children may need to avoid airborne
pollens and irritants by staying indoors
during days with a particularly high
pollen count.
For others it may mean regular
doses of antihistamines or even steroid
medications just to be able to enjoy
Spring without suffering continual
allergic symptoms. As costly and
inconvenient as this strategy may
sometimes be, it’s also possible for some
of these medications to lead to further
health issues when used in large volumes
long term. This is certainly a concern
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ON T H E C OA S T – FAM ILIES
that I hear from many parents, as many
would like to find an alternative for their
child wherever possible. In these cases,
we can look to diet for a little help.
Firstly, understanding Histamine
and its function is key. Our
body’s incredible immune
modulator, it kicks in
when we need it,
but did you know
that many foods
such as aged
and preserved
foods contain
Histamine,
while many
other foods
like chocolate
and cheese
can encourage
Histamine
production?
That in mind, it makes
sense that if your child does
suffer from Hay fever, giving them
antihistamine medication coupled with
a diet that may drive up their histamine
levels will be considerably less effective.
In this case, it would be best to speak
to your Paediatrician or Nutritionist
for a helpful plan to avoid these foods
during these periods. Additionally,we
now understand that there is a link
between people who typically suffer
from allergies, asthma and eczema and
their gut health. Your health professional
will be able to shed some light on this,
and a plan for improving gut health can
be made. It is worth mentioning however
that a big portion of gut healing protocol
tend to include fermented foods. These
foods really need to be introduced in a
specific manner for those with allergies
and hay fever, as they have the potential
to increase Histamine and make matters
far worse, so working within your own
health plan is important.
You may also like to ask for a guide to
antihistamine foods in order to reduce
your child’s symptoms naturally, but to
get an idea, here is a short guide to using
food to help treat Hay fever.
Some people find it helpful to avoid
dairy foods during flareups. Not only
can cheese and milk help encourage
Histamine in the body, which we want
to avoid in these cases, but dairy can
contribute to mucous production.
Certainly not what we need for an
already congested child. In this case, non-
dairy milk alternatives may fit the bill.
Capsicum, kiwi fruit, broccoli and
mango contain Vitamin C and
bioflavonoids, acting as potent
antihistamines and anti-inflammatories.
This also supports strong immune
function.
Including onion and garlic in your
child’s diet will enhance anti-
inflammatory properties, may help reduce
congestion and both contain Quercetin,
which is a powerful antihistamine.
Cooking dinner with Turmeric will
add Curcumin to your child’s diet, which
itself is known to have anti-allergy
properties, inhibiting the release of
histamine.
The naturally occurring antioxidants
and Vitamin A in colourful veggies can
promote healthy immune function, and
help drive down inflammation.
Ginger is known to be a powerful
anti-inflammatory and can help reduce
nasal stuffiness. It’s a bit spicy and
therefore not always tolerated by
children, so why not make a nice ginger
and turmeric filled curry or stir fry
including all the lovely veggies, onion
and garlic from this list? Or
alternatively a refreshing fruit and
ginger smoothie might be happily
consumed next time your little one’s
Hay fever symptoms flare up.
Using food to combat the symptoms
of Hay fever may not be quite the
immediate fix that over the counter
medicine is, but it can definitely help
your child’s health in the long run.
Clare Marcangelo is a local registered Nutritionist and former Early Childhood practitioner who
specialises in children’s health. As a mum herself, she knows how hard it can be to make even the
smallest of changes to a family diet.