By Izzy Giacoppo

Spring is upon us! The sun is making its debut, the birds are singing, and the air is warming up. It’s finally time to crack open the windows for some fresh air and … pollen? After a cruddy winter, all you want to do is enjoy the outdoors as much as possible, which feels unachievable when the outdoors are the reason for your endless sniffling. At this point, you might rather have the cruddy weather because at least then there’s no desire to go outside. It feels like a cruel joke that one of the best times of year is accompanied with pain and congestion. Once your allergies are cleared up, it’s the hot summer, and you realize you missed out on the perfect time of year when the temperature is just right. 

No one deserves to be cooped up and hiding from the outdoors when the weather is impeccable. So besides the cold medicine, what can you do to relieve your symptoms? The first step is understanding the root of the problem. Your sinuses are irritated by allergens, making them inflamed, which leads to pressure, pain, congestion, and all of those lovely things you wish you didn’t know so well. For this reason, an anti-inflammatory diet is commonly recommended. Fruits and vegetables are an easy way to start an anti-inflammatory diet. There are beyond plenty to choose from and endless ways you can enjoy them. Fruits, for instance, are easy to incorporate into your diet because they can be part of any and every meal, and even desserts and snacks. Many fruits and vegetables are also good sources of fiber, which is an important anti-inflammatory nutrient.

Vitamin C is another essential nutrient for battling allergies. Citrus fruits and cruciferous vegetables are excellent sources of this vitamin. Your diet doesn’t have to focus on only food. What you drink can be impactful too. Green, nettle, ginger, peppermint, lemon, and butterbur tea have all been listed as being capable of easing symptoms. Having a cup of tea is also simply comforting, and makes you feel like everything’s going to be just fine. 

When you don’t feel your best and eat or drink for comfort, it might be easy to turn to junk. But things like alcohol, high-fat, refined carbs, and processed foods can all make your symptoms worse. Avoiding these can also improve overall wellbeing including your sleep quality, allowing you to rest, recover, and strengthen your immune system. As you struggle with allergies, you absolutely deserve to treat yourself. You can curb your sweet tooth with some fruits and enjoy filling, flavorful meals with seasoned veggies and fish, which are high in omega-3 (an additional anti-inflammatory nutrient). By making an effort to incorporate these things into your diet, your body will thank you and you won’t be so afraid to enjoy the fresh air.