Foods with vitamin C help relieve allergic reactions. This is what an expert says

MADRID (EUROPA PRESS).- Foods with vitamin C, folic acid and nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties “help relieve allergic reactions,” explains the expert in General Medicine at the MGC Mutua medical center, Dr. Nuria Paredes, on the occasion of the arrival of spring, and with it, the stages of greater pollination.

According to Dr. Paredes, “allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to a foreign substance, such as dust, pollen, bee venom or pet hair,” as well as “when ingesting certain foods, such as peanuts, peaches, eggs, etc.”.

Specifically, apple (with quercetin, a flavonoid that helps strengthen the immune system), garlic and onion (with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties and vitamins that help prevent cellular aging), or ginger, are some of the Advisable foods for the prevention of allergies.

In this sense, the expert emphasizes that “one of the most important measures is to take care of the immune system and this is achieved by following a healthy and balanced diet, rich in foods that care for, protect and strengthen it.”

“In addition, it is very important to exercise frequently, control the level of daily stress and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol,” adds Dr. Paredes, who distinguishes three types of prevention.

PRIMARY, SECONDARY, AND TERTIARY PREVENTION

The expert in General Medicine determines, first of all, primary prevention, recommended for people without allergic symptoms but at risk of developing allergies, among whom are relatives of patients with a history of allergies, children with a congenital or acquired disease, or others who have symptoms of atopic dermatitis, asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis with a negative allergy study. As these are patients that are difficult to identify, prevention measures will be different for each case.

Secondary prevention, on the other hand, is carried out in people with positive allergy tests, but who have not experienced symptoms. It is done to prevent symptoms from developing and, in the case of allergies to certain foods, for example, it is common to recommend that the patient, despite sensitization, consume the food if they are tolerating it well and it does not cause any symptoms. or discomfort.

However, in materials such as latex, even if the patient tolerates it, it is not recommended to expose oneself to this material, since it is likely that the patient will end up developing symptoms.

Finally, tertiary prevention is carried out in those people who have already had allergic symptoms to prevent them from having them again or to try to make them milder. This group is the most easily identified and can be carried out by avoiding the allergen and, when necessary, with pharmacological treatment (preventive medication and/or immunotherapy).