If you’ve struggled with chronic allergies like majority of my patients, I believe you know how frustrating to be able to find an effective and immediate relief. Majority of people experiencing allergic symptoms, they believe the root cause mostly lies in the environment, but honestly, it is not right fully. Recently published research has shown a strong connection between gut health and allergies. Isn’t surprising? It suggests that a healthy gut could be the key to reducing allergy symptoms. Here, I explore how gut health impacts allergies, and why healing your gut may lead to fewer allergic reactions, and lastly, I’ll teach you practical steps to start supporting your gut today.
The Gut-Immune System Connection
Over 70% of our immune system resides in our gut, because we need to have some sort of check in our gut to sample out what we eat and come across with on daily basis. Did you know that your gut contains trillions of bacteria? They are collectively known as the microbiome and their role is to help regulating immune responses, preventing inflammation, and maintaining a healthy barrier against harmful substance. When our gut health is not happy, it can lead to an imbalanced immune response, increasing our sensitivity to even very harmless substances in food and environment.
Leaky Gut and Allergies: A Close Link
When I ask my patients about allergies, my next question would be how their digestive health looks alike. Probably you have heard of “leaky gut” in which there is an increased intestinal permeability allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and pathogens to enter the bloodstream. The circulating immune cells in your blood stream treat these particles as foreign invaders, which can trigger allergic reactions.
Some of the common symptoms of leaky gut my patients present with include:
- Bloating and digestive discomfort
- Fatigue and brain fog
- Food sensitivities and skin issues
By healing the gut lining through proper diet and supplementation, we can reduce this permeability, so decreasing the frequency and intensity of allergic reactions. It sounds easy but needs your full commitment for the long-lasting relief.
Let’s Learn How to Reduce Allergies
After explaining the link between allergies and gut, now it’s the time teach you some practical strategies that can improve gut health and, in turn, help manage allergies.
1. Incorporate Probiotics and Prebiotics
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that support a balanced microbiome, which helps regulate immune responses and prevent inflammation. Some probiotic-rich foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. I usually add probiotics, especially strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, as two main ingredients to improve allergy symptoms and promote immune tolerance.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are fibers that feed beneficial bacteria. The good bacteria need food to grow and provide benefit to your body, so we should be thinking about feeding those trillions living inside and on our body surface, too, right? Good sources include garlic, onions, bananas, asparagus, flax seeds and chia seeds.
2. Try Gut-Healing Foods
Adding specific foods to your diet can help repair and protect the gut lining. Some of these include:
- Bone Broth: Rich in collagen and amino acids like glutamine, bone broth can help repair the intestinal lining.
- Ginger: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger can soothe the gut and reduce inflammation.
- Turmeric: The active compound in turmeric, curcumin, has been shown to support gut health and reduce symptoms of leaky gut.
Aside from this food, there are supplements that I personally use in my practice that can aid in healing of your gut. Some of these supplements I recommend include but not limited to L-glutamine, N-Acetylglucosamine, DGL, marshmallow and aloe vera.
3. Avoid Common Gut Irritants
Certain foods and substances can irritate the gut and worsen allergy symptoms. Try avoiding:
- Processed Foods: Contain additives and preservatives that can damage the gut lining.
- Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners: These can feed harmful bacteria and create an imbalance in the microbiome.
- Gluten and Dairy: For some, gluten and dairy can trigger inflammation and contribute to leaky gut.
To know more about the irritants, I run food sensitivity tests that can provide you with more conclusive picture.
4. Manage Stress
Stress can negatively impact gut health by disrupting the gut-brain connection and weakening the immune system. Try incorporating stress-management techniques like deep breathing, yoga, or meditation to help keep both your gut and your immune system. Sometimes my patients mention that they don’t feel the stress, but when we run more of the functional tests including the stress hormone, cortisol, through blood and saliva, we can see a significant increase in the level of this hormone. If you are not sure about your stress level, it is worth to assess your stress hormone level.
Conclusion
After me going over the details, you should know that healing your gut is the missing link in your journey to finding long-term allergy relief. By supporting a healthy, balanced microbiome and addressing leaky gut, you may be able to reduce your body’s sensitivity to allergens, resulting in fewer symptoms and improved overall well-being. Incorporating gut-healing foods, beneficial probiotics and prebiotics, managing stress, and avoiding common gut irritants are practical and impactful steps you can take to start nourishing your gut today.
While it may take some time and consistency, the rewards of a healthier gut are far-reaching, potentially improving not only your allergies but also your digestion, immunity, and energy levels. Remember, it’s always helpful to work with a healthcare provider, such as a naturopathic doctor, who can provide personalized guidance and testing if needed.
In the journey toward healing your gut and, by extension, your allergies, remember that every step counts, and you’re investing in a more balanced, resilient immune system and a healthier, allergy-free life.
References
1.Belkaid, Y., & Hand, T. W. (2014). Role of the microbiota in immunity and inflammation. Cell, 157(1), 121-141.
This article explains the connection between gut health, immune regulation, and how the gut microbiome impacts immune responses, including allergies.
2.Fasano, A. (2012). Intestinal permeability and its regulation by zonulin: Diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 10(10), 1096-1100.
This study provides an overview of leaky gut syndrome, its impact on systemic inflammation, and how it can exacerbate allergic responses.
3.Ivory, K., et al. (2008). Oral delivery of Lactobacillus strains attenuates food allergy symptoms in a murine model. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 38(8), 1272-1280.
Research showing how specific probiotic strains support immune tolerance and reduce the severity of allergy symptoms.
4.De Punder, K., & Pruimboom, L. (2013). The dietary intake of gut-supporting foods like collagen-rich bone broth. Frontiers in Immunology, 4, 29.
This paper discusses how foods like bone broth support gut lining repair, which can reduce the permeability linked to allergies.
5.Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2012). Mind-altering microorganisms: The impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(10), 701-712.
Highlights the impact of stress on gut health and the immune system, showing the importance of stress management for gut and allergy health