It has been estimated that over 15 million Americans suffer from one form of food allergy or the other. Although there’s no cure for getting rid of food allergies completely, mindful lifestyle modifications can help you prevent one from happening. Often the immune system overreacts with histamines to a protein in a particular food which manifests as signs of an allergy. Here are 5 home remedies you can follow to avoid any adverse allergic reactions.
1. Avoid Foods That Irritate Your Gut
Foods that increase inflammation of the gut lining contain high levels of gluten, sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, food coloring agents, and preservatives. That’s why it’s recommended that you avoid the intake of junk and processed foods. These foods are not fit for consumption whether you have food allergies or not as they are nutritionally imbalanced and can irritate the stomach.1
2. Eliminate Known Food Allergens From Your Diet
This is the best way to prevent any chance of a nasty allergic reaction. If you still haven’t figured out what is your cause of food allergy, you should try avoiding a particular food for 3 weeks. Keep track of how your body reacts in the absence of a particular food. If you feel good, you have most likely avoided your allergen but if don’t feel any better, then choose another food type to avoid for the next three weeks.
Common allergen triggers are cow’s milk, eggs, gluten, peanuts, soy, shellfish and tree nuts like hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, and almonds. These have been scientifically proven to be responsible for most of the food allergies that occur in human beings.
3. Make Immunity-Boosting Foods A Priority
Your diet can supplement the smooth functioning of your immune system provided you eat right. You should increase the intake of green leafy vegetables, probiotic foods, bone broth, citrus fruits, garlic, green tea, and turmeric. These foods are loaded with high levels of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins that can boost immunity and heal the damaged intestinal lining.
4. Look For Safer Options
When you avoid foods that cause allergy, you are more prone to suffer from nutritional deficiency. There are several foods that can be consumed as alternatives to keep you well-nourished despite eliminating certain foods.
- Alternatives to cow’s milk: These include extracts derived from coconut, rice, potato, oats, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, hemp, flax, sunflower and macadamia nuts. Look for the ones that are fortified with vitamins A and D. Soy milk isn’t a healthy alternative as it can be an allergen and mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Moreover, soy available today is genetically modified.2
- Alternatives to eggs: Choose from a variety of egg substitutes while baking and cooking if you are allergic to eggs. These include fruit puree, aquafaba, gelatin and baking soda.3
- Alternatives to peanuts: Almond and sunflower seed butter are excellent sources of healthy fats and proteins if you are allergic to peanuts.4
- Alternatives to tree nuts: Flaxseeds and seeds of chia, pumpkin, and sunflower are high in omega-3 fatty acids which can are essential for the functioning of the brain and heart.
- Alternatives to gluten: Grains like rice, millets, buckwheat, steel-cut oats should be used in place of wheat in your diet if your gluten intolerant. You can use gluten-free flours made from almonds, chickpeas, coconuts, tapioca, and potatoes while cooking.5
- Alternatives to fish: If you are allergic to seafood make sure you have probiotic foods like yogurt and kefir and foods rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. Having grass-fed meat and organic poultry is also beneficial if you are not allergic to eggs. Vegetarian can have protein-rich foods that include lentils and chia seeds.6
5. Explore Alternative Medicine
A holistic approach that includes dietary changes along with the practice of yoga can bring a world of change in enhancing your overall vitality. Studies claim that acupuncture is also an effective and safe way to help overcome inflammatory changes in the body due to food allergies. Makes sure to consult a certified acupuncturist and yoga practitioner when you decide to try alternative medicine.7
The primary mode of relief for any food allergy is to avoid foods that trigger it. Follow these tips regularly to maintain a balanced state of health and wellbeing.
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