Hypoallergenic superfoods

There is no omnipotent "superfood" that can cover all types of allergies and 100% block allergy attacks, but there are several types of foods that have been proven by clinical research to reduce the probability of allergy attacks by regulating immune function and stabilizing mast cells. They are suitable for most people without corresponding food allergies to include in their daily diet, and are much more cost-effective than imported anti-allergy supplements that often cost hundreds of dollars.

Speaking of which, I also suffered from allergic rhinitis two years ago. I carried three packs of paper in my bag every day and it was not enough. I rubbed my nose until the tip of my nose turned red like a clown. I tried drinking vitamin C effervescent tablets and wearing a double-layer mask, but it had no obvious effect. Later, when I went to the nutrition department for a follow-up visit, the doctor did not prescribe new medicines. He only asked me to adjust my diet and add several types of ingredients to my meals in rotation. After just half a year, I saw significant improvement.

At present, the attitude of the nutrition community towards "anti-allergenic foods" has actually been divided into two groups. One group uses clinical data of the past 10 years to speak, saying that ingredients such as quercetin, active probiotics, and Omega-3 can indeed regulate the balance of Th1 and Th2 cells and reduce the release of histamine, the "culprit" of allergies. As long as there are no allergies to the corresponding food, long-term consumption can indeed reduce the frequency and severity of allergic attacks.； The other group is very honest, saying that allergy itself is an extremely individualized immune problem. Some people are allergic to broccoli, and some people get rashes after eating yogurt. There is no universal "superfood". Talking about efficacy without individual allergens is just hooliganism. Both statements are actually correct. There is no standard answer that suits everyone.

After trying it myself, I found that the most convenient daily intake is an apple with the skin. Now I wash one with the skin and chew it every morning when commuting. Don’t worry about the wax on the skin. Regular edible fruit wax has no effect on the human body. If you really mind, just rub it with salt for two minutes. The quercetin content in the skin is more than 5 times that of the pulp. I have persisted for almost two years, and now the urticaria that is easy to occur when the seasons change has basically stopped coming to my door. Of course, my colleague is a counterexample. He is allergic to birch pollen floating in the air in spring. Pollen residues are easy to stick to the skin of apples. Instead, he has to peel them and eat them. Otherwise, his throat will be itchy for a long time after eating. It’s all arsenic.

Fermented foods such as sugar-free Greek yogurt, natto, and Korean kimchi are also worth mentioning. The active probiotics in them can help adjust the intestinal barrier. You must know that 70% of immune cells are in the intestines. If the intestines are stable, the probability of immunity disorder is low. My bestie who sneezes like crazy in spring used to drink sweet yogurt with a lot of fruit bits added, but later switched to Greek yogurt without any additives. She has blueberries as afternoon tea every afternoon, and eats natto mixed with rice twice a week. This spring, she has missed two boxes of allergy medicine. However, I would like to remind you that if you are allergic to dairy products or soy, just skip this category and don’t force it.

Last year, the "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" published a study that found that people who ate deep-sea fish such as salmon and sardines twice a week were about 30% less likely to have allergic attacks than those who didn't eat them at all. The main reason is that the Omega-3 in them can fight inflammation, stabilize mast cells, and reduce the release of histamine. But if you are allergic to seafood, then this thing is a "super allergen" for you, so don't touch it.

Don’t listen to the “hypoallergenic super food list” boasted by Internet celebrities, let alone buy quercetin tablets and hypoallergenic probiotics worth hundreds of yuan a bottle. I once had a reader spend nearly 4,000 yuan shopping overseas for a bunch of imported supplements. After a week of taking them, his hives got worse. When he went to the hospital, he was found to be allergic to the maltodextrin and sweeteners added to the supplements. He was just spending money to make trouble. If you really want to supplement, it is better to take it from your daily diet. As long as you avoid your own allergens, it is safer than any supplement.

Anyway, my own experience is that there is no need to stock up on a bunch of weird ingredients just to prevent allergies. Just rotate these common things on the table, which is better than anything else. Oh, by the way, the premise is that you first go to the hospital to do an allergen screening and find out what you can't eat. Otherwise, other people's anti-allergenic super foods may be the trigger for you to go to the hospital. Wouldn't it be a big loss?