Relieving and Preventing Allergies- Part One

The best way to relieving and preventing allergies is to build a strong immune system and protect it through a healthy and balanced diet. Avoiding processed foods will further protect your immune system. Because our bodies don't recognize a majority of the ingredients in processed foods, our body doesn't know what to do with them so they get stored. These stored substances eventually turn into toxins in our body that weaken our immune system and breaks down its defenses, thereby effecting your spleen, liver, kidneys and intestinal track. By maintaining a healthy diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables provides our bodies with the essential vitamins and minerals necessary to keeping our immune system strong. Here is a list of essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need and what foods contain them.

Vitamin A: derived from animal products (dairy products, butter and fish oil) and vegetable products (orange colored fruits and vegetables: carrots, squash, asparagus, melon, peaches and apricots. red and deep green vegetables: tomato, beets, spinach, kale, radishes, lettuce and parsley.

Vitamin C: guava, kiwi, mango, cherries, rosehips, pineapple, citrus fruit, melon, strawberries, berries, peppers, tomatoes and leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower as well as other garden fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin E: wheat germ oil, soy oil, cereal grains or wholewheat greains, olive oil (extra virgin, uncooked), green leafy vegetables and nuts. Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and flaxseeds.

Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9): beans, dried fruits, cabbage, spinach, broccoli and other green vegetables, almonds, peanuts and yeast.

Iron: red and white meats, beans nuts, raisins, lentils, sunflower seeds and some green vegetables such as artichokes, bitter greens, watercress and spinach.

Magnesium: nuts (especially almonds), soy, oatmeal, figs and dates

Manganese: whole grain cereals, nuts, rice and wheat, spinach, pineapple, common tea, cloves and ginger

Zinc: shell fish, meat, brewer's yeast, wheat germ, oats, beans and nuts


Some Essential foods that increase your immune systems ability to fight off ailments include:

Olive Oil contains a number of poli-unsaturated fats (oleic and linoleic acides) and stimutates the body's defense mechanism. Olive Oil is important for the heart and arteries.

Garlic improves the potency of the T lymphocytes. Eating garlic helps the body to increase the number of its natural protective cells.

Bacteria found in yogurt not only helps support our immune system, but also strengthens the intestinal lining.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables have a high content of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients  and play a crucial role as an antioxident, as well as revitalizing the immune system.

Seasonal Fruits, onions, squash, carrots, honey, parsley, avocado, tomato and fish help to protect the body against allergies.


NOTE: I like to keep this list handy to help me when I am preparing my weekly meal plan. I have one copy taped to the inside of my kitchen cupboard as a quick reference. I keep another copy in my desk for when I'm writing my weekly meal plan and grocery list. Please feel free to print this off for your personal use.