What Are The Best Juicing Recipes for Allergies?

[easy-social-share buttons="facebook,pinterest,print,mail" sharebtn_style="icon" fixedwidth="yes" fixedwidth_px="30" counters=0 style="icon" template="18" point_type="simple"]

At a Glance

  • Allergies can cause a variety of symptoms that can range from uncomfortable to life-threatening.
  • Allergies are an inappropriate response from the immune system to benign substances.
  • Juicing can help fight allergies by combining ingredients that boost the immune system and act as natural antihistamines, decongestants and anti-inflammatories to improve symptoms.

Picture the scene: me, at eight years old, with a beautiful white rabbit as my birthday present. I was in love…that is, until I started coughing and wheezing as I petted her. One trip to the doctor later, and Snoopy the rabbit had been found a new home. I’d had an allergic reaction.

According to the Asthma Allergy Foundation of America, approximately 50 million people in the US are affected by allergies, and with more than ten million new cases diagnoses annually, allergies are increasing. (source)

As an adult, I’ve used antihistamines for most of my life to control allergies, but what if there are more natural ways to treat them? As I became interested in juicing, and aware of the numerous health benefits, I wondered if juicing could help.

The good news?

It does – at least for me, anyway. I developed some juicing recipes for allergies which I’ve included in this post so you can try them out too.

What Are Allergies?

From the annoying discomfort of red runny eyes, sniffles, sneezes and sinus pain of hay fever to serious, life-threatening reactions associated with nuts or bee stings, allergies affect many people in many different ways.

An allergic reaction is essentially an overzealous response by the immune system to substances which shouldn’t cause any problems.

The function of the immune system is to protect us from bacteria, fungi and viruses. It does this by producing specialized cells called antibodies to deal with anything that enters the body that could cause us harm.

With an allergic reaction, the immune system thinks the pollen, food or other substance is a threat. It recognizes the chemical substances in the pollen or food as an allergen, and produces antibodies to fight against it.

In the battle of the immune system versus the allergen, the body produces a range of symptoms, such as inflammation, swelling and excess mucus to try and overcome the perceived threat.

Swelling is particularly dangerous when it affects the nose, mouth and throat, as it can result in blockage of the airway.

In the case of pollen, it often results in symptoms like itchy, watery eyes, excess mucus production, runny nose, and sometimes problems with breathing and blocked sinuses, known as allergic rhinitis.

A severe allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis, and can affect the whole body. Symptoms include:

  • Red skin blotches
  • Itching
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Swelling – in any part of the body
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Stomach pain
  • Shock

You can find a great explanation of allergies in this video:

What Causes Allergies?

Allergies can be caused by many different things. Food allergies can occur, particularly in children. The most common foods that cause allergic reactions are milk, eggs, peanuts and other nuts, soy, wheat and shellfish. (source)

Medications – either over the counter or prescription drugs – can cause allergic reactions, as can allergies to insect or other animal venom, such as a bee sting.

Allergies like hay fever, which only occur when particular plants are producing pollen, are known as seasonal allergies, as they only occur during specific times in the year.

It’s possible to be allergic to any tree flower or grass pollen, and it’s usually difficult to isolate which ones are causing you the problem.

Allergies to animals – as in my case – are also common, and it’s possible to be allergic to the animal, hair or fur and skin cells and urine.

Allergy to latex is another common reaction – particularly after repeated use of latex gloves. Allergies to makeup and other beauty products, including sunscreen can also occur.

Allergies and Nutrition

For at least the last ten years, research has been looking at the relationship between diet and allergies. Substantial evidence has been found to support the idea that nutrition has a major role to play in the prevention and management of allergic reactions.

In one study, the diets of almost 700 children were analyzed by scientists. They found that the children who consumed the most fresh fruit and vegetables had the lowest rates of allergic reactions.

This indicates that diets high in processed foods, which are stripped of many nutrients, are not only bad for health in terms of increasing the risk of serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, liver and kidney disease, they also negatively affect allergies.

It’s safe to conclude that a diet a high in fruit and vegetables can help allergies. (source)

Juicing for Allergies

Juicing provides several potential advantages for managing allergies. Here are some of them:

Juicing provides a concentrated form of all the beneficial nutrients, and because the nutrients are extracted from the pulp, it’s very easy for the body to digest and use the nutrients provided.

Conventional medications often have unpleasant side effects – many allergy medications can make you drowsy, for example. Juicing produces no such side effects – in fact, because juicing is a great source of natural energy, it’s likely to have the opposite effect!

While it’s never advisable to mix pharmaceutical medications for any medical condition, juicing allows you the flexibility to combine different ingredients that help with allergies, so you can benefit from many different anti-allergy effects all in one go.

Which Foods Can Help Allergies?

There are many different foods that can help allergies in different ways:

Pineapple

If there’s one juicing ingredient that tops the bill for allergies, it’s pineapple. It is the only natural source of an enzyme called bromelain. Not only has bromelain been proven to significantly reduce inflammation and act as a natural pain killer, it’s also particularly effective against allergies.

One research trial found that bromelain positively affects allergies in different ways – not only in helping to reduce the symptoms of an allergic reaction, but also decreasing sensitivity to allergens. (source)

Parsley

This underrated herb contains lots of plant compounds that can help fight allergies. One of the major ones is quercetin, which has been shown to have antihistamine properties. Also present are vitamins A and C, lutein and zeaxanthin to help protect the eyes.

Parsley also contains apigenin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid, and adiponectin. During research regarding this hormone, scientists reported that people suffering from allergic rhinitis had significantly lower levels of adiponectin than people with no symptoms. (source)

Citrus Fruit

All citrus fruit is overflowing with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Research studies have found vitamin C has “remarkable” effects on the immune system in terms of reducing the allergen response. (source)

Apples

Full of beneficial nutrients, apples contain high levels of a particular plant compound called quercetin which has been shown to have antioxidant and antihistamine properties.

Several research trials have demonstrated the significant effectiveness of quercetin on the regulation of histamine production. (source)

Ginger

Research studies indicate ginger has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also a natural decongestant and helps to break down mucus. One study has clearly shown the effect of ginger in blocking the release of histamine. (source)

Rosemary

A member of the mint family, this fragrant herb contains rosmarinic acid, a proven antioxidant. In research on the effectiveness against dust mite allergen – a common source of allergic reactions – rosmarinic acid was found to have a significant effect by inhibiting the immune system response. (source)

Mint

As with rosemary, mint contains rosmarinic acid, and so has antioxidant and anti-allergenic properties. One study found that rosmarinic acid was highly effective in reducing respiratory symptoms due to allergies.

In addition, when applied topically to an allergic skin reaction, rosmarinic acid produced significant signs of improvement within five hours. (source)

Garlic

A known anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial, studies have also shown that garlic can dampen the immune system response. All of these characteristics make garlic helpful when managing allergies. (source)

Raw Honey

Honey has been proven in research studies to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. One study found honey is as effective in reducing inflammation as prednisolone, a common steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and had far fewer side effects.

Honey is also thought to have anti-allergenic properties, and be particularly effective for hay fever, especially if you are able to find your most local source. Also, The National Honey Board has helpfully developed a honey locator website, so you can find your most local sources of honey. (source) Alternatively,  you can find quality raw honey like this on Amazon.

Juicing Recipes for Allergies

#1 Allergy Antidote

This citrus based juice contains lots of vitamin C to block histamine, and nutrients to boost immune function and fight inflammation.

  • 1 inch piece root ginger
  • 1 medium orange, peeled
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1 medium apple
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  1. Juice the ginger, orange and lemon
  2. Juice the apple
  3. Add the honey and mix well
  4. Pour and serve

#2 Green Apple Allergy Juice

This juice is deliciously cool and refreshing. The parsley blocks histamine and reduces inflammation, the apples help to control allergic reaction and the mint and rosemary help to minimize congestion.

  • 1 cup parsley
  • 2 large sprigs rosemary
  • 1 cup mint leaves
  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 2 medium green apples
  1. Juice the parsley, rosemary and mint leaves
  2. Juice the cucumber and apple
  3. Add ice and serve immediately

#3 Pineapple Pick Me Up

Pineapple not only provides great flavor, but also natural antihistamines and pain relief. This juice is also brimming with antioxidants, including vitamin C.

  • 6 kale leaves
  • ½ pineapple
  • 1 medium lemon
  • 3 medium green apples
  1. Juice the kale and pineapple
  2. Juice the lemon and apples
  3. Serve immediately

#4 Allergy Elixir

This juice combines the power of ginger, lemon and garlic to soothe and refresh the immune system.

  • 1 inch piece root ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 large lemon
  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 1 medium apple
  1. Juice ginger, garlic and lemon
  2. Juice the cucumber and the apple
  3. Pour over ice and serve

#5 Sweet Relief

This is a sweet flavored juice with a zing of lemon and ginger. The parsley adds its nutritional boost without spoiling the taste.

  • 1-2 inch piece root ginger
  • 1 cup parsley
  • ½ pineapple
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 small sweet potato
  • 1 medium apple
  1. Juice the ginger and parsley, followed by the pineapple
  2. Juice the lemon, sweet potato and the apple
  3. Serve and enjoy

Related Posts

Leave a comment

Leave a Comment