Allergy season is upon us. If you’re one of the millions of bleary-eyed, runny-nosed Americans who struggle with Hay Fever every summer, as the lovely green trees, flowers and grass release their tiny pollen grains into the air, grab a tissue and take a seat. A brand new meta-analysis of 23 studies has confirmed that probiotics – the good bacteria found in fermented foods like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi – may be helpful when it comes to improving allergy symptoms and quality of life. These common allergy symptoms include:
- Sneezing, often with a runny or stuffed nose
- Coughing and postnasal drip
- Red, itchy eyes, nose and throat
- dark under eye circles
The study, which ran in the April 2015 issue of International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, comes from researchers at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Tennessee, who state, “The current study suggests that probiotics have the potential to alter disease severity, symptoms and quality of life in patients with allergic rhinitis (hay fever).”
A few fun hay fever and allergy facts, for your next dinner party:
- Sunflower seeds, honey and chamomile tea may contain pollen, leading to an reaction in allergy sufferers
- Your T-shirt may be to blame: A single tee can trap up to seven million pollen grains just from you being out and about during the day. Change into fresh clothes as soon as you get home
- Peak pollen hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Stay indoors if possible