Allergies and Cross Reactions | Why Does This Happen?
Cross reactivity is caused by.....
Many individuals complaining of environmental allergens find that they also have or develop allergies or reactions to other items in the environment or foods. If you are one who suffers from spring allergies, you may be suffering and the symptoms can be anywhere from brain fog to skin rashes. If you have noted that your allergies are more severe than previous years, or after eating certain items, symptoms such as itching eyes or sneezing are increasing in intensity, that is most likely not coincidental. These cross reactions are known as Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) or Pollen Fruit Syndrome (PFS). The cross reactivity happens because the proteins appear similar to the allergen our body is already responding to; and eventually the immune system can start to react to these cross reactive items. Generally, these cross reactive foods will not cause long term reactions, but it can occur.
The best thing to do is be aware of these cross reactions and avoid them during the height of your allergies; but also there is an array of supplements that can assist to decrease your response to allergens and their cross reactions: probiotics, quercetin, stinging nettle, bromelain. As well as supporting methylation with items such as methyl b12, b6, and folate or NAC or glutathione are just a few items that can help.
Please refer to chart below by Sussman (2010) for some most common cross reactions to be aware of:
| Pollen | Fruit | Vegetables/spices | Nuts/seeds/legumes |
| Alder | Apples, cherries, peaches, pears | Parsley, celery | Almonds, hazelnuts |
| Birch | Kiwi, apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, tomatoes | Celery, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, green peppers, dill, cumin, peas, cilantro, fennel | Hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, lentils, beans |
| Grass | Melon, watermelon, oranges, tomatoes | Potatoes | Peanuts |
| Mugwort* | Celery, carrots, dill, parsley, fennel, coriander, cumin | Sunflower seeds | |
| Ragweed | Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, bananas | Zucchini, cucumbers, squash |
References:
Sussman, G., Sussman, A., & Sussman, D. (2010, August 10). Oral allergy syndrome. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917934/
