Allergy Season Is Here

What Can You Do to Help?

From the desk of Dr. Brkich

Article date June 2020, addendum added May 2023

Seasonal allergies to pollens, grasses, and trees are common at this time of year, as so many sufferers know so well.

Seasonal allergies can cause debilitating symptoms. One particularly high pollen spring M. F. was having such severe reactions to the high pollen that he was unable to drive. He literally could not see while driving. M. F. suffered from inflammatory bowel disease and gout for most of his adult life. He wanted treatment for his inflammatory bowel disease and maybe gout, but he was definitely not interested in treating his pollen allergy. Not because he didn’t want relief, but because he didn't think there was anything that could be done for seasonal allergies. He held the common belief that if you have an allergy to something, you are stuck with it, and there is nothing that can be done except to avoid the offending allergen.

To treat his inflammatory bowel disease we ordered a series of specialized tests to see if we could pinpoint the cause of M. F.’s inflammatory diathesis. Based on his results we began a treatment protocol aimed at correcting his electrolyte imbalance, impaired digestion, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. A pollen allergy wasn’t on his mind until his inflammatory bowel disease was addressed first. His inflammatory bowel disease was a much bigger concern for him than a pollen allergy that he knew would go away when the pollen went away. His inflammatory bowel disease resulted in numerous hospitalizations and surgeries and profoundly affected his quality of life. Inability to drive was minor compared to constantly battling severe diarrhea, excruciating abdominal pain and numerous trips to the hospital for intravenous feeding because he could not hold anything down during flareups of his disease. Years of corticosteroid anti-inflammatories made his bones thin and brittle, resulting in several surgeries from accidental falls.

Can you guess what happened when M. F. began his inflammatory bowel disease treatment protocol? His allergy symptoms disappeared. He could drive again despite the pollen. This came as a surprise because we did not even begin to treat his allergies.

This should not have been a surprise based on what we know about allergies today. Allergies are a symptom, not a disease. Allergies always have an underlying root cause. In M. F.’s case the cause of his pollen allergy was to be found in the gastrointestinal dysfunction that caused his inflammatory bowel disease and gout. In other words, the cause of his allergies was the same as the cause of his inflammatory bowel disease and gout.

This case is a textbook example of how an inflammatory process originating in the intestinal tract can cause symptoms seemingly unrelated to the inflammation there. We see over and over again how rebalancing gastrointestinal dysfunction and repairing a damaged gut lining results in the disappearance of seemingly unrelated symptoms elsewhere in the body.

So, what should you do if you suffer from allergies?

Foods High in Quercetin

How to Boost Your Intake

What is Quercetin?

Quercetin is a type of antioxidant known as a flavonoid. This plant pigment contributes to the beautiful, vibrant colours of some of your favourite fruits and vegetables, many of which are foods high in quercetin.

How Quercetin benefits your health:

Quercetin supports immune function. Quercetin is most well-known for its strong antioxidant activity, down-regulation of histamine production (which is helpful for individuals who suffer from seasonal allergies), and enhancement of blood vessel elasticity and blood flow.

Eating foods high in quercetin can also have a positive effect on maintaining a healthy inflammatory response by modulating the release of cytokines – molecules that help immune cells communicate with each other, thus coordinating the immune response

3 Best Food Sources of Quercetin:

1. Capers:

Capers have the highest natural concentration of quercetin of all food sources. These edible flower buds, which are brined or pickled before being eaten, are often used to prepare Mediterranean foods such as seafood, pasta sauces, and other dishes.

As one of the foods highest in quercetin, consider incorporating capers into your diet by adding them to nutrient-rich salads, sprinkling them on top of a bagel with smoked salmon, or incorporating them into an antipasto platter or cheeseboard. 

2. Apples:

 Red and yellow apples (i.e., red delicious, gala, golden) contain higher amounts than green apples. Most of it is in the skin.

3. Onions:

 When you prepare onions and chop them up, be mindful of what you discard because they might have an uneven distribution of quercetin. For example, red onions have a higher concentration of quercetin toward the outside rings and closest to the root.

Dark berries, citrus fruits, and dark green cruciferous vegetables (i.e. broccoli, kale, arugula, bok choy) also have a notable amount of quercetin.

How to Increase Quercetin in Your Diet!

Although it's essential to get enough natural sources of quercetin – just like any other nutrient – a key point worth mentioning is how well the human body naturally absorbs it. Because even if you’re eating foods high in quercetin, you might be falling short of the amount you need.  Unfortunately, only about 25 percent of ingested quercetin is absorbed into the bloodstream via foods and supplements. Therefore, supplementation is often necessary to be effective in treating allergies.

Anne is happy to answer any questions regarding quercetin supplements.

- Anne Deni B.Sc. FdNu, Clinical Nutritionist

Happy Mother's Day!

Gaetana and Anne's 92-year-old Mother with her grand-children, Jonathan and Sophia.

Cowboy Caviar

Try one of Anne's classic Family Favourite Recipes!

This is a hearty and healthy make-ahead dip. Great for entertaining friends and family! Inexpensive and filled with superb nutrients. Perfect for students or anyone on a budget. I recommend choosing organic ingredients as much as possible. All of these organic ingredients are readily available at grocery stores.

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