Rain on My Parade The other night a line of thundershowers stormed through my neck of the woods; lashing rain, high winds, thunder, lightning - the whole package. But for Marylanders who suffer from seasonal hay fever, it was a welcome relief. Here in Maryland, where trees and other plant life are abundant, pollen piles up quickly at this time of year whenever it's dry for a few days. So an extended period with no rain can be misery for those who are sensitive to high pollen counts. But while hay fever sufferers wait for the next good hard downpour, there's a dietary change they can make that may bring some relief. Researchers in Heidelberg, Germany, used data collected from a large research project called the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) to analyze possible links between hay fever and the intake of fatty acids and antioxidants. Two years of dietary information was collected on more than 330 adults with hay fever and compared with the same information on about 1,330 adults without hay fever. The Heidelberg team found the following associations: - A high intake of oleic acid (found in red meat and olive oil) was associated with increased risk of hay fever
- A high intake of beta-carotene was associated with increased risk of hay fever
- A high intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA - an omega 3 fatty acid) was associated with reduced risk of hay fever
- A high intake of vitamin E was associated with a reduced risk of hay fever When analyzed by groups, the increased risk associated with beta-carotene and the reduced risk associated with vitamin E were mainly observed among women and current- or ex-smokers.
Previous studies on the association of nutrition and hay fever have shown that diets high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids are generally associated with a higher risk of hay fever symptoms. The most typical treatments for hay fever are decongestants, steroidal nasal sprays, and antihistamines. But in addition to making dietary changes, there are natural agents - such as the botanical butterbur - that may help relieve hay fever. In a 2002 Swiss study, 125 people with hay fever were randomly assigned to take either butterbur or 10 mg of the antihistamine cetirizine (better known as Zyrtec) each day. The daily butterbur dosage contained 32 mg of petasine, the active compound in butterbur. Using questionnaires to assess changes in symptoms, researchers found that both groups showed improvement after two weeks of treatment. In fact, the effects of the butterbur were almost identical to those of the prescription antihistamine. The only difference was in the side effects; FOUR TIMES as many people in the drug group reported fatigue or drowsiness. In the e-Alert "Herbal remedy fights hay fever without sleepy side effects" (1/30/02), I told you about Allerpro; another natural product to treat hay fever. Allerpro contains a clinically tested formula of Chinese herbs and fruit extracts, including the herb xanthium, which is a strong reliever of nasal and sinus congestion. Allerpro was first introduced to our members by HSI panelist Stephen Morrissey, O.M.D., who is a specialist in Oriental medicine. In Dr. Morrissey's experience, Allerpro is even more effective against hay fever than butterbur, and can also relieve allergy symptoms without causing drowsiness. You can find more information about Allerpro (as well as the details of a clinical trial) at the web site for Botanica BioScience: botanica-bioscience.com. In the meantime, let's just all pray for another good storm. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute Sources:
"The Influence of the Dietary Intake of Fatty Acids and Antioxidants on Hay Fever in Adults" Allergy, Vol. 58, No. 12, December 2003, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
"Certain Dietary Supplements May Reduce Hayfever Risk" Darin Ingels, N.D., Healthnotes Newswire, 3/11/04, pccnaturalmarkets.com
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