IN GOOD Beat hay fever by getting a head start HEALTH

From probiotics and fibre to stocking up on pollen-repelling kit, when it comes to preventing the worst of your allergies this summer, experts say that preparation is key

The first warm days of the year may bring blossom, birdsong, sunshine and flowers, but there’s a downside – hay fever. Or seasonal allergic rhinitis, to give it its medical description. It’s that dreaded reaction to pollen from grass, trees and some weeds that so many of us know only too well during the early spring and summer months.

Birch pollen appears as early as late February and grass pollen follows from mid-may to as late as August.

According to the charity Allergy UK, 25 per cent of adults in Britain have hay fever, causing symptoms including itchy eyes and throat, sneezing, a blocked or runny nose, watering red eyes and headaches.

But today, immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi reckons sufferers don’t have to sneeze, itch and bear hay fever if they follow her advice. There isn’t a cure, but making changes to your lifestyle before the hay fever season even begins will transform your summer for the better.

Feast on fibre

Improving gut health by tucking into fibre-filled food such as beans, pulses and wholegrains can improve the way the body reacts to pollen. Studies suggest that when gut microbes break down fibre they produce short-chain fatty acids that can regulate the way ‘mast cells’ work. These are the cells that release histamine, the chemical that causes hay fever symptoms.

“Allergies are a sign of inflammation and generalised immune dysregulation,” explains Dr Macciochi in her book Blueprint for Strong Immunity (£14.99, Yellow Kite). “Ensuring good gut health and following an anti-inflammatory diet pattern are fundamental.”

She advises cutting down on inflammatory pastries, cakes, biscuits, fast food, sweet treats and fizzy drinks, and suggests eating 30 different plant foods a week to ensure you meet the recommended minimum fibre intake of 30g a day.

An apple a day

It seems consuming a potent antioxidant found in apples, onions, capers, peppers, leafy greens and berries could improve hay fever symptoms. Quercetin, which can prevent mast cells from releasing histamine, is “considered one of the best food-based anti-allergy agents,” says Dr Macciochi.

She says a typical Western diet provides up to 30mg of quercetin a day but we can boost it by consuming cherries, spring onions, tomatoes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, asparagus and black tea. It can also be taken as a supplement.

“Its anti-allergy effects are typically seen in doses of 1,000mg, twice a day,” she says.

Pre-medicate

Waiting until your hay fever symptoms kick in before taking medication could be too late, warns allergy consultant Dr Adrian Morris, who is medical director of the Surrey Allergy Clinic.

“Keep an eye on the pollen counts and when they begin to rise, take a once-a-day antihistamine,” he says. “The evidence suggests that if you take it daily through the season you fare much better and need less medication, so don’t wait until you’re symptomatic.

“If you miss that early window, you could end up chasing the symptoms.”

He recommends a raft of non-sedating antihistamines including levocetirizine, desloratadine and fexofenadine, which are available on prescription.

Filter your nose

Buying the right equipment now will make the worst days of summer more bearable. First on your shopping list? A nasal filter. This sits over the openings of both nostrils providing a physical barrier between your body and pollen grains.

Nasal filters are available from online pharmacies and Amazon.

“Wraparound sunglasses will also reduce the amount of pollen getting into your eyes,” says Dr Morris. “When you get home, shower and wash your hair, otherwise you’ll go to bed with pollen grains on your skin and hair.”

Pineapple has an enzyme that has relieved symptoms in studies