Today there is a real focus on living a healthy lifestyle, making healthy choices, and just being more aware of what you are doing to your body. This has led people to the world of supplements as a way to fill those gaps that they may be missing with their regular daily diet.
Supplements can be a wonderful addition to your routine, and provide you with all kinds of incredible health benefits. With that said, there is also a downside to supplements.
Often people take supplements as a way to feel better, and to boost their body’s overall health and immune system. For those who suffer from allergies, unfortunately taking supplements isn’t always so simple. In fact, there are some that could actually be making your allergies worse, which means you aren’t doing your body any favors at all.
So which supplements could be to blame, what are the reasons, and what should you avoid? Let’s take a closer look.
Probiotics
One supplement that has enjoyed a lot of exposure and buzz over the past decade has been probiotics. Probiotics themselves are wonderful little things; they are microorganisms that are responsible for keeping your gut healthy. People have caught on to this and have started consuming probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt and taking a daily probiotic supplement in order to encourage a healthy gut.
Well here’s the thing, even though they will help the health of your gut, some can also produce histamines. Histamines go on to trigger your allergy symptoms, and if you already have too much in your body, then these probiotics can send you over the edge. However, not all probiotics trigger the production of histamines; some will degrade the ones already present in your body. The trick is finding the “right” probiotics for you.
Vitamonk has posted an in-depth blog about probiotics and histamines that answers all kinds of questions you may have. For more information be sure to check it out.
Herbal Teas
While you may not think of herbal teas as supplements, many people use them in the same way they would a supplement. For example, maybe you reach for Echinacea tea when you feel a cold coming on, chamomile tea when you want to feel calm and collected, and dandelion tea when you have an upset tummy. The problem is that each of these teas may be making you feel worse.
For those with seasonal allergies, it is recommended that you avoid a variety of herbal teas. The top offender tends to be chamomile as those with ragweed allergies can have a real hard time with this tea. It can spark an allergic reaction and cause your symptoms to increase. So, while you think that herbal tea is acting as a natural remedy and supplement, you are causing more harm than good.
Multivitamins
Then we have multivitamins, which is something that many people include in their regular routine. While there is nothing wrong with taking a multivitamin on a daily basis, allergy sufferers need to be picky about which one they take. It’s best to get into the habit of reading the ingredients label, as you may be surprised at just how many additional ingredients are in these supplements. If there are any that would trigger an allergic response in your body, it’s best to pass on those and find another one.
Taking Control of Your Allergies
Allergies can be difficult to control and manage, so looking at all aspects of your life and making sure you aren’t consuming or subjecting yourself to potential triggers is key.