About one in five people with grass allergies and as many as 70 percent of people with birch allergies have these cross-reactions, known as pollen food allergy syndrome.
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Understand the Triggers Behind Your Spring Allergies
People with allergies to birch or alder trees may experience tingling, itching and swelling around the mouth when they eat celery, cherries or apples.
People with grass allergies sometimes find tomatoes, potatoes or peaches problematic.
Although often not serious, reactions to these foods can be life-threatening in a small percentage of people. A life-threatening allergic reaction is called anaphylactic shock. High-risk people should carry a portable epinephrine pen.
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How to Get Relief From Symptoms
If you have been exposed to allergens, the following tips can help reduce your symptoms, according to Foothill Regional Medical Center:
- AVOID DIETARY TRIGGERS. Dietary triggers such as dairy, gluten, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives all can lead to increased inflammation in the nasal and respiratory pathways causing worse allergy symptoms.
- SIP SOME APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. Apple cider vinegar helps break up mucus in the body, letting you breathe again. Try diluting 1 to 2 tablespoons in a glass of water or with lemon juice.
- EAT SOME PROBIOTICS. Although mostly recognized for their use in balancing our gut bacteria, probiotics have been shown to support the immune system, which is also responsible for our allergic response to many triggers.
- FLUSH YOUR NOSE. Nasal irrigation is the draining of saline from one nostril through another in order to flush out the mucus. You can use sprays, bulb syringes, or Neti pots, which look like small teapots.
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Allergists also encourage people to take their medicine even before their symptoms flare. It’s also important to see an allergist who can suggest the best course of treatment.