How to Fight Allergies with Foods

People with allergies and asthma will do almost anything to control their environment. They remove their carpeting, encase pillows and mattresses and install expensive air-filtration systems. Some even move to a different climate in a desperate attempt to escape their allergies. Many allergy sufferers don't realize that they can help fight their allergies by what they include in their diet.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Understand that the right foods can influence your immune system and relieve you of some allergies. These foods can help control underlying inflammation of air passages, dilate air passages, thin mucus in the lungs and prevent food-allergy reactions that trigger asthma attacks.
2. Eat omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are natural anti-inflammatory agents. Fish oil, flaxseed oil and walnut oil are examples. Some can be taken in capsule form and some should be added to food, such as cereal.
3. Drink juice to get a powerful boost of antioxidants. Be sure you're purchasing 100 percent fruit juice, and not a cocktail that includes a bulk of corn syrup. Purchase juice in glass bottles, rather than plastic containers, if you're concerned about contamination.
4. Increase amounts of fiber in your diet to alleviate allergies related to the gastrointestinal tract. Fiber-infused foods include whole grains, nuts and seeds.
5. Restore the balance between good and bad bacteria in your body by consuming yogurt. The active cultures in yogurt not only help with gastrointestinal concerns, they also help to fight skin allergies. If you are lactose intolerant, yogurt will not be the best option for you.
6. Eat an apple a day. Apples are believed to contain important nutrients, including antioxidants, that improve lung health.
7. Cook with canola. Canola oil is another source of allergy-fighting omega-3 fatty acids. Olive oil is another great cooking ingredient.
8. Include zinc. Some studies have shown that people with asthma are zinc-deficient. Foods containing zinc include plain yogurt, tofu, lean ground beef, lean ham, oysters, crab and the dark meat of turkey and chicken.