Do you suffer from allergies and wonder if your diet plays a role in them? In plain words: yes, absolutely! A study from 2023 found that eating excessive calories, having a high intake of protein or saturated fats, or having a lack of dietary fiber and micronutrients, can trigger the immune system and prime the body for allergic reactions.
The best way to combat this is to eat (a healthy) calorie restriction alongside adequate dietary fiber, and balanced macronutrient intake. By maintaining a balanced diet, the immune system can develop a tolerance to allergens and reduce the response to triggers.
Diets or eating patterns that emphasize a high consumption of fruits and vegetables, grains, and legumes while avoiding/or reducing animal foods, are associated with the reduction of inflammation, a more diverse gut microbiome (needed for gut health) and weight loss. Plant-based diets are rich in phytochemicals, antioxidants, fiber and are minimally processed. Generally, these foods are well accepted by the body, are low in calories and can reduce inflammation. Adopting a plant-based diet, or even eating more fruits in vegetables in general may help you manage your allergies.
What Are Symptoms Of Allergies?
If you suffer from allergies you may notice itchiness, runny nose, sneezing, stomach cramps, acne, excessive mucus, diarrhea, vomiting, hives and even anaphylaxis. Allergy responses look different for every person, and sometimes an allergic response is so mild it may be masked by other issues going on in the body. Keeping the body in an over-reactive immune state can cause damage, inflammation and even increase severity of reactions. It’s important for you to know that long-term complications of untreated allergies can lead to chronic fatigue, poor sleep, difficulty concentrating, and increased susceptibility to other illnesses. If you suspect an allergy or intolerance, this is your sign to work with your health care provider to find more answers and have a plan for better health.
How Can I Test For Allergies?
For environmental allergies, you will have to visit an allergist and they will conduct a panel to see what type of allergens trigger you. They can test for food allergies as well.
A different type of test can be completed by a dietitian called the MRT (Mediator Release Test), which we do here at One Bite Nutrition. This is an ultra-specific test you can take at home to tell you what initiates your immune response – even more than what would show on a food allergy test. MRTs are a functional measurement of diet-induced sensitivity pathways. It shows the inflammatory response to foods and food chemicals, and breaks them down into easy-to-follow areas: green, yellow, and red, showing your best and worst foods respectively.
So what do you do with this information? With the help of a Registered Dietitian, trigger foods are removed from the diet to allow the immune system to relax and recoup. Then, foods are slowly and systematically added back into your daily intake based on color areas one by one. This is done so that the body’s response to them can be evaluated. If food is tolerated well, then it’s a food that is safe to eat.
Tying It All Together
While food allergies and environment allergies play a different role, the foods we eat impacts both types of allergies. By eating a well-balanced diet, environmental allergy responses can be reduced. Avoiding food allergies can further reduce the immune system’s load. This will allow the body to be in a non-reactive state making the immune system stronger and able to attack what cause illness instead.
If you are ready for a stronger immune system, tired of feeling fatigued all the time, and want to eat a more balanced diet for overall better health, reach out to us today and a dietitian will meet with you to discuss the options that are right for your needs. You can also book MRT Testing directly on our website.
References
Zhang P. (2023). The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Allergic Diseases. Nutrients, 15(17), 3683. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15173683
