Allergy sufferers beware. With the milder-than-usual winters that are occurring, spring allergies are now coming on strong.
Allergies are a natural response by the body in fighting off something it doesn’t like or doesn’t understand, such as pollen from grass, weeds or mold. That's little comfort to those who endure symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, sinus congestion and itchy, watery eyes. Allergies can even lead to complications like sinusitis, asthma or ear infections.
But combating allergies may be easier than you think. And it starts with knowing your blood type.
Why Blood Type Matters
Our individual blood types provide important clues about the biological and genetic mechanisms that control health and disease – including allergies!
As followers of The Blood Type Diet will attest, incorporating blood-type-specific diet and lifestyle strategies can greatly improve overall health and vitality. Eating right for your blood type promotes a healthy immune system, attacking the underlying cause of allergies and providing relief from symptoms. In fact, many people find that when they change their diet, they no longer need to rely on allergy medications.
So how exactly does what you eat affect how your body responds to allergens?
Well, to start, there is a chemical reaction that occurs between your blood and the foods you eat and this reaction is determined by your blood type – your genetic inheritance. It has to do with proteins known as lectins that are found in many foods. When you eat a food which contains lectins that are incompatible with your blood type, the lectins act like Velcro, binding themselves to cell membranes in the digestive tract, causing damage such as inflammation. You can learn more about lectins and blood types here. The takeaway, as it relates to seasonal allergies, is that lectins put tremendous stress on your body. So when environmental allergens are introduced into an already stressed system, they can be too much to handle, resulting in those all-too-familiar (and bothersome) allergy symptoms.
Simply put, eating right for your blood type reduces the overall stress on your body, allowing it to function efficiently. Following a personalized nutrition plan that is right for your individual blood type, particularly during peak allergy season, can provide optimum support for your body, minimizing those pesky allergy symptoms.
Allergy-Fighting Superfoods
Focusing on Beneficials, foods that are highly advantageous for your individual blood type, and eliminating the Avoids can go a long way towards reducing inflammation, balancing the immune system and lowering the stress load on your body. But for those who want to target their diet even more precisely for the ultimate in allergy-fighting benefits, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten Beneficials by blood type.
Think of them as allergy-fighting superfoods since they support your body to minimize the level of allergic response.
Adapted from Allergies: Fight Them With The Blood Type Diet by Dr. Peter D’Adamo. Click to download.
Allergy-Fighting Supplements
Personalized nutrition lays the groundwork for saying “goodbye” to seasonal allergies. But incorporating specific herbs and supplements can offer extra support for your respiratory and immune systems during allergy season.
Here are some excellent supplements to consider:
- Quercetin Plus – Supports histamine clearance and helps reduce seasonal symptoms, as well as
provides support for both the cardiovascular and immune systems. - Collinsonia Plus – This herbal supplement provides natural support for sinus and throat health.
- Proberry Caps – These powerful antioxidants and flavonoids support the healthy immune function needed to fight seasonal allergies.
- Breathe Easy Pack – Buy the powerful trio of Quercetin Plus, Collinsonia Plus and Proberry Caps together at a 20% savings.
For those seeking an even more targeted approach to addressing allergies, Dr. Peter D’Adamo’s book, Allergies: Fight Them with The Blood Type Diet, offers individualized treatment plans for every blood type. The book provides blood-type-specific protocols for targeted vitamins, supplements and herbs—including a four-week plan for getting started and practical strategies for eating and exercising.
Don’t know your blood type? Get started with our Original Home Blood-Typing Kit.
A personalized approach to nutrition is beneficial for everyone, but for those dealing with the discomforts of seasonal allergies, it could mean the difference between enjoying the spring weather and counting down the days until the leaves turn brown.
In the words of Dr. D’Adamo, “Be the biological individual you were meant to be!” And that includes breathing easy when the seasons change.