SUMMER is nearly here which means the annual onslaught of dreaded hay fever symptoms is back with a vengeance causing misery for the whopping 13million Brits prone to the seasonal condition. Triggered when the immune system reacts to the allergen pollen, common hay fever symptoms include watery, itchy eyes, a tickly throat and a runny, congested nose. On the surface, hay fever symptoms can be easily mistaken for the common cold .
But while a cold only lasts a few days, a pollen allergy can cause irritation for months. When a person breathes in allergens - in this case, pollen - the body reacts by releasing a natural chemical called histamine, which triggers an allergic response. Antihistamines (which work by blocking the immune system’s response to the chemical histamine) are the most popular over-the-counter solution to keep symptoms under control.
But they don’t work for everyone, at least not enough, so why not try a natural approach instead, or alongside your medicines? The secret to getting to the root of hay fever symptoms could actually lie in everyday ingredients lurking in your kitchen. Quercetin is an antioxidant found in many common foods that has been shown to help with allergy relief in some research. It is thought to block enzymes that contribute to inflammation, such as histamine.
One study of 66 people in Japan found that those given 200mg of quercetin daily for four weeks had reduced allergic symptoms such as eye itching, sneezing and runny nose, compared.
