Cheers to summer without sniffles by

As hay fever season hits its height, the surprising ways your diet can help (including gin!)

Eyes watering? Nose running? Itchy throat? Can’t stop sneezing? Hay fever season is back with a vengeance — and this summer is predicted to be particularly bad.

According to Allergy UK, months of fine weather, followed by hot and humid conditions will lead to exceptionally high levels of pollen over the next few months that could have even nonsufferers reaching for the tissues.

But before you start stockpiling antihistamines to ward off the symptoms, it might be worth looking at your diet.

According to nutrition experts, some food and drink — such as red and white wine, blue cheese, bacon and even chocolate — contains relatively high levels of histamines, the same chemicals released by the body when it comes into contact with things it might be allergic to.

When consumed, these foods appear to exacerbate, or even cause, some allergic reactions such as the runny eyes and sneezing associated with hay fever.

Here’s what to choose for a snifflefree summer...

YOUR ALLERGY-FREE PLAN . . .

All foods contain histamine, says nutritional therapist Karen Newby, but some contain considerably more than others — aged, preserved, smoked and fermented foods in particular.

While research into the histamine content of individual foods is still in its relative infancy and some foods will affect some people more than others, according to experts and allergy charities, the dietary guidelines below could make a significant difference to your hay fever symptoms.

HURRAH FOR GIN!

AlCoHolIC drinks, especially aged and fermented drinks including vintage wine, champagne, cider and beer, can all be notably high in histamine.

some experts say alcohol is best avoided if you want to control your symptoms, but if you don’t want to cut alcohol out completely, choose wisely.

The age of food and drinks affects histamine levels (the older a food or drink is, the more likely it is to have a high histamine level). Therefore, if you must drink wine, swap older vintages for young wines such as Beaujolais Nouveau, Vinho Verde or Rose and see if your symptoms improve.

If beer is your drink of choice, many people with histamine sensitivity say they get fewer symptoms with light, lower alcohol beers, while darker, barrel-aged brews can trigger blocked sinuses Mandy Francis and debilitating hangovers. If you like a gin and tonic, you may be in luck. Charity Asthma UK says clear spirits such as gin and vodka have relatively low histamine content — order away!

HOLD THE HOT DOGS

CURed, smoked, aged and tinned meats and fish, including bacon, salami, smoked salmon, tinned tuna, luncheon meats and hot dogs are usually high in histamine, so if you’re at a barbecue, go for fresh meat and fish.

Use fresh herbs to add flavour and avoid eating leftovers, as histamine levels rise when protein is stored for any length of time.

GO MAD FOR MOZZARELLA

Aged and ripened cheese such as stilton, Cheddar, Camembert and Picture: GETTY Parmesan are best avoided if you’re sniffling because of their higher histamine content. The same goes for cheeses such as goat’s cheese and highly processed varieties.

But younger cheeses such as ricotta, mozzarella and cream cheese are likely to be fine.

SKIP THE SALAD DRESSING

ANyTHINg made with or preserved in vinegar, including mayonnaise, pickles and vinegary salad dressings, can be rich in histamines.

Fermented foods such as soured cream, miso and soy sauce also tend to be high in histamine.

Making your salad dressing with lemon juice instead of vinegar might seem like a good idea, but citrus fruits are thought to be ‘histamine liberators’ — in other words, although they’re low in histamine themselves, they encourage the body to release more histamine once consumed. The best alternatives for adding flavour to foods? Fresh herbs, grated fresh root ginger, chopped spring onions and fresh garlic. These have all been shown to help inhibit the release of histamine — but a good slug of olive, vegetable and seed oils will be fine, too.

PLUMP FOR FRESH FRUIT

sTRAWBeRRIes, pineapple, stone fruit such as apricots and plums, citrus fruit, dried fruit, canned fruit and jams should all be avoided.

However, apples, melon, mango, rhubarb, pears and grapes can all be eaten freely.

Bananas are thought to be histamine liberators — they don’t have a high histamine content, but can spark histamine release in the body, so are best avoided.

YES, YOU CAN EAT CRISPS

NUTs can cause histamine reactions in many people, so always eat them in small quantities. you could also substitute them with seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Potatoes, sweet potato and carrots, on the other hand, are relatively low in histamine, so if you’re looking for an allergyfriendly snack, then this is the perfect excuse to enjoy a few vegetable crisps when you’re

feeling peckish.

BAN THE BAGUETTE

BReAd and wheat-based products don’t have high histamine levels, but they can trigger inflammatory reactions in some people, making hay fever symptoms worse. swap wheat-based pasta, cereals and bread for spelt, oat or rice-based alternatives whenever possible. It’s out with the crackers and in with the oatcakes.

CHOOSE CHOCOLATE

AlTHoUgH chocolate itself is low in histamine, it does contain substances that are thought to trigger histamine release in the body.

Chocolate with a high cocoa content is more likely to spark a reaction — so if you’re desperate for a sweet fix, go for a small quantity of milk or white chocolate.