Page 25 - Florida Sentinel 11-6-15 Edition

Health
It’s Sneezin’ Season: Tips to Managing Autumn Allergies
Here are a few tricks of the wellness trade to help you wel- come the season with open arms, clearer nasal passages and less watery eyes:
Get Your Gut In Order. In the fall, particularly for those who suffer with allergies, a daily probiotic can keep your mi- crobiome defenses high.
Don’t Eat Allergens. In Autumn, when all those ragweed and mold spores are being blown about in the wind, you should be mindful of not eating allergens as well as not breathing them in. Topping the list of edible irritants to eliminate during allergy season, if not year round: processed foods, genetically-modified foods, sugar, gluten, dairy. Back off the caffeine and alcohol, too.
Sensitive to ragweed? Then during the October high season, also consider avoiding the kinds of produce that can aggravate symptoms further, such as bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, tomatoes and zucchini. Also put teas like chamomile, Echinacea, and hibiscus on hold ‘til ragweed sea- son’s past.
Clean Up Your Act From The Inside Out. If Autumnal allergies are an annual downer for you, then take your wellness up a notch and try a cleanse. Doing so will help cut your toxic load, also eliminate most (if not all) of the most common aller- gens from your diet. Reducing toxins and allergens reduces your vulnerability to the effects of seasonal allergies. Better yet, a cleanse will also lessen the strain on your liver, giving it the support it needs to better manage sneezin’ season.
Eat Tasty, Colorful Veggies That Tame, Not Inflame.
What you eat impacts how well your body handles the season. To do it well, look for foods that deliver the allergy-relieving goods. With vitamin A – especially the carotenoids – vitamin C and quercetin on your team, allergic inflammation will have a tough time gaining the upper hand.
Another tip: up your intake of flaxseed oil and zinc for an added anti-allergy boost.
Keep Allergens Off Of You. Pollen clings, so after being outside, peel off your “outdoor clothes” and shoes when you get inside and leave them by the door or a hamper, so you’re not tracking allergens through the house. Shower before bed and wash hair, clothes and sheets frequently – and don’t forget the pillowcases which spend the most time nearest your mouth and nose. If you plan to work outside, raking leaves or harvesting those end-of-season veggies in the garden, consider wearing a surgical or painter’s mask – and try doing outdoor chores late in the day when pollen counts tend to drop.
Make A Bowl Of Anti-Allergy Soup. Warm up the sea- son with this allergy-fighting, super-simple soup recipe:
Boil an onion (with skin) and a clove of garlic. Add 1⁄2 cup chopped leaves and diced taproots of evening primrose. After boiling for about 5 minutes, add a cup of nettle leaves and a cup of diced celery stalks, and boil gently for another 3 to 10 min- utes.
Before eating, remove the onion skins and eat the soup while it’s still warm. Season with wine vinegar, black pepper, hot pep- per, turmeric, curry powder, or celery seed.
Be Well Bonus:
Other easy-to-incorporate allergy-fighting tips:
• Give your nose a rinse: Use a traditional neti pot or saline solution spray to rinse sinuses and nasal passages.
• Get steamed: Try taking a sauna or two every week dur- ing allergy season to help relieve sinus congestion, aid relax- ation and boost immunity.
• Skip the convertible: Drive with the windows up, not the top down!
• Lay off the drugs: Instead consider a natural, non-phar- maceutical product with a targeted blend of nutrients and botanicals, which support immune balance during the allergy season.
Tips To Help You Manage Your Health
Add Years To Your Life By Exercising
British Journal of Sports Medicine reported that just 30 minutes of exercise, six days a week, can result in re- duced risk of early death by 40%, regardless of the inten- sity of the exercise.
Meditation Helps Migraines
According to research, mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce the number of- and duration of migraines.
Meditation also helps to lessen the pain level of mi- graines.
Plants Absorb Second-Hand Smoke, Too
According to research, plants can also absorb nico- tine from cigarette smoke, soil and pesticide sprays.
Smoking is not only haz- ardous to your health; it also affects your family members, your pets and your house- hold plants.
Ginkgo Biloba Calms ADHD And Boost Memory
Research conducted by Liberty University in Vir- ginia found that Ginkgo Biloba extract improves ADHD symptoms in children and improves cognition (giv- ing memory a boost) among older adults.
Chamomile Tea
Researchers
have discovered
that drinking
chamomile tea
decreases the
risk of early
mortality by an average of 29%.
Women appear to experi- ence more benefits by drinking chamomile tea than men.
Chamomile tea also helps to settle digestion problems and calm your mindset.
Protect Yourself From Cancer And Arterial Plaque
A publication in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research suggest that epigallocatechin gallates, a class of polyphe- nols contained in green tea, apples, cocoa and other herbs and foods, blocks vascular en- dothelial growth factor (VEGF) – which is the buildup of plaque in the arter- ies, as well as cancer growths.
Blocking VEGF helps pre- vent antiogenesis – when tu- mors form new blood vessels that help them grow.
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