I wish I could say that springtime was my favorite time of year. Flowers are blooming everywhere and lawns are newly greened. For me, springtime is the beginning of allergy season. New blooms mean lots more pollen. And new pollen means runny eyes, congested sinuses and lots of sneezing. In the past I’ve used over the counter solutions but prefer to use a natural remedy.
Not only do I get relief from my symptoms but the natural remedy can have additional bonus benefits. I found a natural solution that comes with some bonus benefits.
My favorite natural antihistamine is Quercetin. I pop a couple of the pill supplement and I’m symptom free for 8 – 10 hours.
What is Quercetin?
Quercetin is a flavonoid found in the deeply colored pigment of fruits and vegetables. It is a natural anti-histamine that can be used for allergies and anti-inflammation. Quercetin also boosts the immune system by eliminating free radical scavengers.
Studies show that quercetin, a natural medicine and phytochemical, provides the same relief for allergies as some prescription medications, with little to no side effects. (7)
How Does Quercetin Work
Quercetin is known to inhibit release of histamine, an inflammatory substance that causes allergy symptoms. If you take a supplement with Quercetin for your allergies, it’s good to buy one that also includes bromelain. The bromelain increases the effectiveness of the quercetin. Bromelain is also a natural anti-inflammatory derived from the pineapple. If you’re allergic to pineapple, skip the bromelain and purchase a quercetin only supplement.
Histamines are chemicals released into the blood when the body detects a foreign body. When histamines are leased in the immune system, the body sends out soldiers to combat these foreign bodies/ allergens and this creates the symptoms known as an allergic reaction. But, most of those things are harmless. What really causes allergic reactions is your immune system. It mistakes innocent things in your surroundings for a serious threat and attacks them. The symptoms you get are the result.
Quercetin Has Other Health Benefits
Reduces Swelling and Pain from inflammatory diseases such as arthritis
Quercetin is a natural pain reliever with no side effects. Works to reduce swelling caused by arthritis and other diseases. Taking quercetin supplements can help lower pain associated with autoimmune conditions, such as arthritis, as well as infections, including those of the prostate and respiratory tract.
Quercetin Protects The Heart Health
Quercetin protects the heart by lowering cholesterol and cleaning unwanted fats from arteries. Also helps to lower blood pressure.
Quercetin Protects the Liver
Quercetin helps to protect the liver by keeping a high level of antioxidants in the body. Along with a diet low in processed foods, Quercetin can also repair damage to the liver.
Quercetin Boosts Your Immunize System
Destroys free radicals that weakens your immune system and create other illnesses.
Quercetin Helps with Bladder Infection Pain and Urgency
There’s some evidence from several small studies that people experiencing bladder pains from infections (causing an urgent need to urinate, swelling and burning) have fewer symptoms when taking quercetin supplements.
This was a surprising benefit for me when I started having a lot of UTIs. I was taking quercetin for my allergies but found it also helped with pain from UTIs and I didn’t have the feeling of having to go all the time. Read about the natural remedy (without antibiotics) I used to cure UTIs here.
Raw Foods That contain naturally occurring Quercetin
If you choose not to add another supplement to your routine, you can just make sure that you eat a balanced diet of the foods listed below that have a high content of quercetin.
| Food | mg/100 g./ approx. 1/3 Cup |
| Apple, raw with skin | 4.42 |
| Bilberries, raw | 3.04 |
| Black grapes | 2.54 |
| Blueberries, raw | 3.11 |
| Broccoli, raw | 3.21 |
| Buckwheat | 23.09 |
| Buckwheat flour, whole groat | 2.72 |
| Celery, raw | 3.50 |
| Chives, raw | 4.77 |
| Cocoa powder, dry, unsweetened | 20.13 |
| Coriander, raw | 5.00 |
| Cranberries, raw | 14.02 |
| Cranberry juice, raw | 16.41 |
| Dill weed, fresh | 55.15 |
| European black currants, raw | 5.69 |
| Hot green chili peppers, raw | 16.80 |
| Hot wax yellow peppers, raw | 50.63 |
| Jalapeno, raw | 5.07 |
| Kale, raw | 7.71 |
| Lemons, raw w/o peel | 2.29 |
| Lingonberries, raw | 12.16 |
| Lovage leaves, raw | 170.00 |
| Onions, boiled | 19.36 |
| Red grapes | 3.54 |
| Red onion, raw | 19.93 |
| Serrano peppers, raw | 15.98 |
| Spinach, raw | 4.86 |
| Spring onions, raw | 14.24 |
| Sweet potato leaves, raw | 20.54 |
| Tarragon, fresh | 10.00 |
| Watercress, raw | 4.00 |
| White sweet onion, raw | 5.19 |
| Yellow snap beans, raw | 3.03 |
Source: Quercetin.com
Using quercetin not only eliminates allergy symptoms but has the added benefit of boosting your immune system, keeping your heart healthy and protecting your liver.
Although I reach for my bottle of quercetin when I experience an allergy attack or sinus pain, I also try to make sure that I increase my intake of foods that are high in quercetin. I include all the richly colored foods in my salads and in smoothies. Use the list above to create your own anti-allergy, immune boosting meal. Your body will thank you for it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19899776
https://www.webmd.com/allergies/chronic-allergies-causes#1
How interesting – I learnt something today! My Dad suffers from terrible allergies – I will definitely be sharing this post with him! Love a natural option always!