Water is an important cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle — from helping your body regulate its temperature to flushing out toxins, keeping you regular, and helping your skin stay clear and fresh, drinking enough water is an effective way to keep your body running smoothly.
To understand water’s impact on specific health issues, like allergies, it’s important to know how your body deals with them in the first place. It also helps to have a realistic grasp on what water can, and can’t do, when it comes to reducing your allergy symptoms and helping keep you healthy and happy all year long.
Water and Seasonal Allergy Relief
The body’s reaction to seasonal allergies — the pollen and irritants that come along every spring and summer — is determined by levels of histamine. Histamine is a compound that plays a crucial role in regulating your body’s inflammation responses. Histamine, in varying concentrations, is also generally the reason you feel itchy.
An allergic reaction is essentially a histamine overreaction to a pollutant or irritant, and this is where water plays an important role in keeping you healthy. When our bodies are dehydrated, nothing runs as well as when we have enough water on board, and this includes a healthy, appropriate histamine response.
Because dehydration can influence the body’s natural histamine response, making sure you drink enough water can be an effective way to help keep your histamine response in check. If you’re slightly dehydrated, for example, there’s a good chance any histamine reaction you experience to a pollen or irritant will be more pronounced than if you had proper levels of hydration.
Water can be an effective tool to help you manage allergy symptoms and improve a whole host of other bodily functions, and even your mood. That’s not to say that drinking lots of water can cure seasonal allergies — always get help from a medical professional for serious allergies.
Water and Food Allergies
In the same way that water can help regulate the body’s response to seasonal allergies, water can also help regulate the body’s response to food-related allergies.
For example, if you ingest something that causes your body to produce an allergic reaction, water can essentially help dilute the irritant and again, assist in regulating an appropriate histamine response.
It’s important to note again however that water can’t prevent or interrupt serious allergic reactions. Always follow your doctor’s advice and get medical attention immediately if you’re experiencing a severe allergic reaction.
FAQs
Water can be an effective tool to help you manage allergy symptoms and improve a whole host of other bodily functions, and even your mood. That's not to say that drinking lots of water can cure seasonal allergies — always get help from a medical professional for serious allergies.
Is drinking water good for allergies? ›
Drinking plenty of water each day is a good idea anyway3,4, but it can be especially beneficial when you're struggling with allergies5. Your body produces more histamines (the chemicals that lead to allergy symptoms) when it's dehydrated6, so drinking water may potentially help reduce your allergy symptoms.
Can you flush out allergies with water? ›
You should not use plain water because it has a different pH than your body and will feel irritating. Along with expelling allergens, sinus rinsing also clears out any mucus that may have built up in your nostrils and sinuses. You want to get rid of this mucus so it doesn't stagnate and harbor bacteria.
What can I drink to stop allergies? ›
People with allergies may find relief by using natural plant extracts and foods that act as antihistamines. Examples include vitamin C, spirulina, probiotics, and more. Antihistamines are substances that block histamine activity in the body.
Can drinking lots of water flush out histamine? ›
Does water flush out histamine? Probably not although it doesn't hurt to increase hydration since it helps your body function properly.
Do showers make allergies better? ›
Stay Clean
Taking a hot shower after being outside can help wash away any potential allergens that might be trapped on your skin or hair. Taking a hot shower also has an added benefit in that the hot steam from the shower can help open up your airways and clear out any congestion.
How did I cured my allergies naturally? ›
8 Natural Remedies for Allergies
- Dehumidifier.
- Essential Oils.
- HEPA Filters.
- Herbs and Supplements.
- Nasal Spray.
- Neti Pot.
- Showering.
- Steam.
Studies show that there is a connection between dehydration and the pesky allergy symptoms that bother more than half of Americans. Let's see below why it's so important to drink water if you suffer from an allergic reaction and how it can alleviate symptoms.
How to clear allergens from the body? ›
Try an over-the-counter remedy
- Oral antihistamines. Antihistamines can help relieve sneezing, itching, a stuffy or runny nose, and watery eyes. ...
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays. These medications improve nasal symptoms. ...
- Cromolyn sodium nasal spray. ...
- Oral decongestants.
What is the most powerful natural antihistamine? Researchers haven't yet established any natural product as the “best” or “most powerful.” Natural antihistamines with the most research backing their use include stinging nettle, vitamin C, quercetin, butterbur, bromelain, and probiotics.
Caffeine and alcohol contain lots of histamine which can make symptoms worse. Fresh fruit and vegetables are low in histamine so they are best if your condition flares up. Herbal teas have the potential to ease allergic rhinitis symptoms.
What foods stop allergies? ›
Foods That Help with Seasonal Allergies
- Citrus fruits, including oranges, kiwi, lemon and grapefruit.
- Bell peppers.
- Strawberries.
- Tomatoes.
- Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.
- White potatoes.
Changes in climate patterns can impact the distribution and concentration of allergens. Warmer temperatures and increased humidity may lead to longer and more intense allergy seasons.
Does lemon water lower histamine? ›
Though citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges are not actually high in histamine, they can trigger the release of histamine in your body. Many health care professionals recommend limiting citrus fruits and juices as part of a low-histamine diet.
What is the fastest way to flush histamine? ›
Stay hydrated: Drinking enough water can help flush out histamine and other toxins from the body. Aim for at least 8 cups of water a day. Avoid triggers: Certain triggers, such as tobacco smoke and certain medications, can increase histamine levels. Avoiding these triggers can help reduce histamine levels in your body.
Does drinking cold water help with allergies? ›
If you have a cold, flu, or nasal allergies that cause your sinuses to clog up, drinking warm or hot water may help ease your symptoms and make breathing easier. By contrast, drinking cold water may make you feel worse by thickening nasal mucus.
What can I eat or drink to stop allergies? ›
Foods That Help with Seasonal Allergies
- Citrus fruits, including oranges, kiwi, lemon and grapefruit.
- Bell peppers.
- Strawberries.
- Tomatoes.
- Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.
- White potatoes.
Hard water, rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium, can trigger skin irritation or exacerbate existing allergies.
Does the sun help allergies? ›
With continued sun exposure over the summer months, skin can sometimes become resistant, lessening the likelihood of an allergic reaction.
