The secret power of Vitamin C, what are its benefits for Hay fever ?

If you're suffering from hay fever you are probably familiar with antihistamine drugs.

The thing is that antihistamine drugs can cause drowsiness and are hard on the liver.

A liver which is already overloaded by the high histamine levels in the blood vessels. Not many know that something as simple as Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine and a natural remedy to hay fever.


Chemists believe the vitamin works as follows:

During allergic attacks, such as hay fever, the vitamin-C level in the body goes down; at the same time, histamine in the blood goes up.

Histamine is the villain of allergy, for it is an irritating substance normally present in small amounts in the body but formed in large quantities whenever tissues are damaged — e.g., in the red area around a burn.

Injected under the skin, it produces a hivelike raised wheal with reddened skin around it.

If air is bubbled through a test tube, histamine and vitamin C react with each other, releasing ammonia and eliminating the irritating chemical.

As circulating blood contains dissolved oxygen, it is thought likely that the same reaction goes on in the body, and thus relieves wheezing and sneezing and other symptoms.

Vitamin C not only supports the immune system, but helps the body defend itself against the consequences of having too much histamine released. It can also help reduce the release of histamine.

Bioflavonoids are the substances that give fruits and vegetables their rich colours. They are synergistic with vitamin C, which means if you use the two together, you will get even more benefit.

The best bioflavonoid for hay fever is quercetin, which helps stabilise the cell membranes of those cells that would otherwise discharge their supply of histamine into the surrounding blood and tissue.

A natural antihistamine, it will work in the body to reduce any inflammation of the nasal passages, the bronchial airways, and the throat.

It is found naturally in red and yellow onions, shallots, squash, courgettes, and broccoli - however, sufferers cannot eat enough of these foods to get the full benefits.


Why it works:

Vitamin C has natural antihistamine properties, which can prevent inflammation of the airways, and alleviate many hay fever symptoms.
It also helps the immune system function more effectively.

How to use it:

Good food sources of vitamin C are guava, bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, kale, cabbage and oranges.
Since the body simply sheds whatever vitamin C it doesn't need, it's difficult to get too much.

What to watch out for:

High doses of vitamin C may affect your stool.
If your bowel movements become loose or watery, back off your dosage.