If your child suffers from allergies, no doubt you've heard the advice to avoid allergens from many sources. What you may not have heard is that there is another way to minimize or eliminate allergy symptoms without resorting to drugs, expensive treatments or even alternative medicine.

The Foods That Cause You Pain and Discomfort and How to Take Them Out of Your Diet

Imagine for a moment that our bodies are tables. The tabletop is our genetic makeup. Here we might see that your family tree is full of sneezing, wheezing, itching and stuffy noses. So your child is doomed, right? Well...maybe. On top of the table sits all those allergens--the ones your child should avoid. So what's holding this all up? Ah,ha...the legs! The legs are the LIFESTYLE. Your lifestyle is composed of your eating habits, exercise habits, stress level and sleep. If even one leg is weak, the whole table will crash, won't it?

Certainly you should address minimizing exposure to household allergens (for more information on this topic, visit Allergy-Proof Home, and we do hope that you realize that adequate exercise and rest can cure a mountain of ills. But what about your child’s eating habits? Are foods that contain high amounts of dairy, refined sugar, refined flour, caffeine, additives and preservatives regulars in your child’s diet?

So first we have to get rid of all those foods that make allergy symptoms worse. By having your child avoid them during peak allergy times, you minimize exposure to potential toxins and strengthen his or her body's reserves to cope with allergens. In addition to eliminating foods that compromise your child’s coping mechanisms, add plenty of water, fresh air, sufficient rest and exercise...and good food.

What are good foods for the hayfever sufferer?

Anti-Inflammatory foods like pineapple, papaya, turmeric, bananas, garlic, onions, peppers can slow the allergic reaction. Dried fruit or trail mixes are a good way to get these into children.

A teaspoon of LOCAL honey daily can minimize suffering. It acts as a natural “allergy shot” because it contains minute amounts of the pollens your child is exposed to daily.

A tablespoon of flax seed oil mixed in yogurt can minimize allergic episodes (even eczema) by providing the body with an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids (good fats)

Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine so offer plenty of citrus fruits. However, some allergic children have difficulty with orange juice from concentrate, so look for the “not from concentrate” varieties.

Natural is best. Offer you child foods in the rawest form possible to avoid destroying beneficial nutrients or exposing yourself to food additives and preservatives. Raw carrot sticks are a great choice as is carrot/apple juice (like V8 Splash drinks)

Herb teas make a great substitute for soda pop or Kool-Aid. You might be surprised how easily your child takes to iced peppermint tea sweetened with a little local honey.

She encourages parents to study all the options before taking anyone's advice on how to care for their own children. In a recent interview, she said, "The greatest thing I can do is to give parents the confidence to discover for themselves what really is best for their children."