As allergy season looms and memes about locking oneself indoors begin to flood social media, many people are stocking up on hayfever medication and preparing to suffer through spring and beyond. According to the Met office, one in four people in the UK experience seasonal allergic rhinitis – AKA hayfever – amounting to approximately 16 million people.
The symptoms range from a mild runny nose to swelling, headaches and a maddeningly itchy throat, and with pollen seasons now longer than ever and more intense due to changes in global temperature, sufferers are understandably seeking ways to avoid these symptoms.
Personally, I’ve never experienced hayfever and I’ve always considered myself very lucky. That was until I met a gut health specialist who told me there might be more than just luck at play. My immunity, she explained, might be down to superior gut health.
What’s the link between hayfever and gut health?
According to experts, our gut microbiome and our immune system are connected. And new studies have proven the cellular link between all kinds of allergies – be they to food, pollen or pet fur – and the health of our digestive systems.
“70-80 per cent of immune cells can be found within the gut which means that a healthy gut supports a functioning immune system,” explains Kristen Stavridis, a nutritionist at Biotiful. “A diverse and balanced gut microbiome enables optimal immune function which helps your body to respond effectively to infection. A healthy immune system can detect the difference between harmless pollen particles and potential threats and reduce the intensity of allergic reaction.”
“Most of your immune cells are concentrated in a part of the gut called the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT),” explains Dr Adam Perlman, chief medical officer of Pendulum Therapeutics. Perlman explains that these cells are constantly working to process external factors, like pollen count, to help your body generate the right immune responses.
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If your gut bacteria is imbalanced and things aren’t functioning the way they should, the signals being sent around your body might be compromised, which can lead to issues with immunity. There’s a fine balance that needs to be maintained here and certain strains of bacteria can help with that.
“A lack of beneficial bacteria, such as akkermansia muciniphila and other butyrate-producing bacteria like clostridium butyricum, leads to a compromised gut barrier,” explains Dr Perlman.
Beneficial bacteria can be found in all kinds of places, from probiotic-rich foods to supplements. Of course, it’s worth saying that if you have a complex medical issue or autoimmune disorder, simply changing your diet won’t be a magic bullet and you should always consult with your doctor before taking any kind of gut health supplement, especially if you have a medical condition.
For those without complex issues who simply want to banish the runny nose and itchy eyes, taking better care of your microbiome could just be the ticket.
How to balance your gut microbiome
Though you might have seen TikTok videos about how certain influencers have “healed their gut”, it’s actually quite difficult to know what your insides are doing. Allergy and intolerance tests aren’t all that accurate and unless you experience extreme bloating, gas and stomach pain, you might not know how well your digestive system is doing from one day to the next.
If you want to promote better gut health, the easiest way to do this is through diet. Eating a varied diet that’s rich in probiotic and prebiotic foods, especially fibre, is the golden rule.
“To ensure a diverse gut microbiome, we can add sources of live bacteria to our diets through natural fermented foods like kefir, kimchi and kombucha. Adding these foods gives the body an additional dose of live micro-organisms to ensure a healthy function of the gut and give added support to the immune system,” says Stavridis.
“Whilst there is no limit on how many fermented foods you can enjoy in one day, studies have shown that adding just one portion of fermented foods to your diet each day can help your body reduce inflammation of the immune system more effectively and reduce your body’s response to allergens.”
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My personal favourite of all the fermented foods is kefir, which had me feeling like a superhuman after a month of drinking it every day. Along with friendly bacteria it also contains B12 which is a nutrient that naturally supports the immune system.
Stavridis also explains that a fibre-rich diet supports the immune system’s response so if you’re considering trying the carnivore diet for your health and you suffer from hayfever, you might want to reconsider.
“Fibre feeds beneficial gut bacteria to promote their growth and activity. Aim to feed your gut microbiome as many different plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses and legumes to support your immune system,” explains Stavridis
You can also take probiotics to top up the friendly bacteria in your gut and balance your microbiome. This might affect your digestion to begin with but should smooth out after a couple of weeks. It’s worth checking in with a doctor or nutritionist before you start taking a probiotic, just to ensure you’ll actually benefit from a hit of bacteria daily.
Dr Perlman explains that “probiotics can help restore balance to the microbiome, supporting a strong and healthy immune system. Strains like akkermansia muciniphila play a key role in promoting a resilient gut environment, enhancing your immune responses and equipping them to protect your body more effectively against potential health issues”.
Other ways minimise hayfever symptoms
Dry, windy days are the worst for pollen levels so to take better care of your gut health, it’s worth checking the weather during peak pollen season and keeping your windows shut. You can also control the air quality in your home or office with purifiers and air filters.
Chronic stress is also one of the major disruptors of the gut-brain axis. Anger and stress can lead to inflammation in the body, gut issues and long-term health problems. As we now know, when your microbiome suffers, so does your immune response, so managing your stress levels can help to keep your gut and your immune system in check.
Cleaning your clothes and your face can also help. Once you’ve been outside, changing and washing clothes, wiping off shoes and giving your face and hair a wash can help to remove pollen. If you’re really suffering you could also try rinsing out your nose with purified water or saline solution.
Experts suggest tracking your symptoms to see if your gut health and your pollen immunity improves. Try giving yourself a score from one to five each day and tracking what kinds of foods and drinks you’re having, whether you’re getting enough fibre and probiotics, and how your stress levels are doing.
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