What is the link between Seasonal Allergies and your Gut?

Nov 20

Are you that person who gets anxious about leaving the house on a windy day in spring and adds on top of that, the extra smoke around from back burning in Sydney? Well welcome to allergy season! Seasonal allergies caused by pollen, grasses and trees can often be behind your hay fever symptoms and make your asthma and eczema worse. Before you reach for your antihistamines to temporarily reduce your hay fever symptoms maybe have a look at natural ways to reduce those pesky sneezing fits, streaming eyes and itchiness! And I will give you a hint……… it may be time to heal your gut!!

What’s going on with the immune system?

Let’s first talk about what happens with your immune system when you get allergic rhinitis. Allergies occur when the immune system overacts to something that is normally harmless, like pollen, or dust mites. This creates an inflammatory response and an overreaction to your immune system. Your mast cells (specialised immune cells) then release histamine creating the allergic hay fever symptoms. You need strong healthy T regulatory cells to help modulate the immune system meaning you are less likely to react to these harmless substances. Now with 70% of your immune system in your gut, it is also key to making sure you have a healthy gut function to combat your allergies.

Gut barrier and allergies

A well-functioning gut barrier is crucial for a healthy immune system. When the barrier of the gut is compromised, meaning it is leaky then the tight junctions and mucus layer are impaired, you then get an increase of potential allergens crossing through the gut barrier triggering an immune response.

Your microbiome (gut bacteria) plays a big part in gut health. An overgrowth of dysbiosis (an imbalance in the types and levels of gut bacteria) has been linked to people with allergies. Dysbiosis has been shown to promote gut inflammation, then systemic inflammation; and can increase the release of histamine causing the allergy symptoms. This gut inflammation caused by dysbiosis has been shown to trigger a leaky gut.

Other factors that can have a negative impact on your gut lining and increased inflammation are poor diet and lifestyle, digestive illness like IBS or IBD, stress, foods like dairy, gluten and foods that contain high histamine, just to name a few. This can also disrupt your microbiome, increasing immune reactivity and allergic symptoms.

Natural ways to a healthy gut

GLUTAMINE (an amino acid) is vital to epithelial integrity as it reduces translocation and reinforces the integrity of the gut wall, reducing allergens getting through the gut barrier into the bloodstream. It is also a precursor to glucosamine; this is essential for mucin production for the mucus barrier which is one the first lines of protection for the gut.

VITAMIN A is crucial to the endothelial lining on your gut wall. It is important for function and maintenance. If you have a poor level of Vitamin A it can lead to a reduction in the growth of mucus cells and a reduced ability to regenerate gut barrier cells. Leading to potential allergens to be able to cross the gut barrier.

ZINC is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in gut barrier function and making sure the intestinal wall is strong. It is also essential for healthy immune function.

QUERCETIN and BROMELAIN both have anti-inflammatory benefits and are immune-modulating. Quercetin also helps to reduce the release of histamine from mast cells.

PROBIOTICS - Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LGG®) and Lactobacillus paracasei (LP-33®) help to modulate an overactive immune response by inducing your T regulatory cells (remember healthy T regulatory cells are important to modulate the immune system so you are less likely to react to allergens!) and they help to suppress a Th2 immune response which is associated with allergies. Other probiotic strains may be indicated to help to reduce dysbiosis, which could be a contributor to your inflamed leaky gut.

VITAMIN D3 also improves the tight junction on your endothelial lining, is integral for a healthy immune system and is anti-inflammatory.

FISH OILS help to reduce inflammation and support a healthy immune response. Make sure you source the cleanest fish oils though!

There are also many wonderful herbs for allergies that your health care practitioner may recommend like Albizia, Perilla, Baical skullcap and Reishi after a thorough case history has been done.

Another key factor is a healthy liver. If the liver is overloaded, allergies can often be a result. Your practitioner may also customise a food plan to reduce the foods that trigger your allergies.

Let’s finish with some top tips that you can also do around the house to reduce your allergies!

- Vacuum and dust your house regularly

- Close the windows on windy days and avoid going outside on high pollen days and in storms

- Wash your bed sheets regularly

- Swap over to more natural cleaning products (clove oil and vinegar are great!)

- Diffuse eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils around the home

- Nasal irrigation like a neti pot or a saline base spray can also help clear the sinuses and reduce allergens in the nasal passage.

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