Hay Fever Shot
Hay fever sucks arse. I know because although I don't get it, my husband and step daughter do. I am woken early every morning to a cacophony of sneezing and trumpet like nose blowing. Yes, its miserable for them - and for me!
So anyway - with my naturopathic prowess, I decided to put an end to this misery and this is the result. A magickal blend of what nature gave us to combat what nature gave them.
I would be lying if I said it was some delicious tasting food of the gods, "cant believe its good for me" kind of drink and that is precisely why I made it a shot. This definitely tastes like it is good for you and it really is - and it might even help with the Mr and Miss Sneezys in your life -
So - what is in this shot and why is it good for you?
GREENS - Leafy greens contain a whole raft of essential nutrients including vitamin C, are alkalising and have anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids. This means they may be helpful in reducing the inflammation that drives allergies and stabilise mast cells which secrete histamine.
CHIA & HEMP SEEDS - These are the best seeds when it comes to levels of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are associated with reduced inflammation (Miyata & Arita, 2015) and may be a helpful support in dampening down the immune response which drives allergies.
LEMON JUICE AND A BIT OF SKIN/PITH - Goddamn I love lemons, in fact I think the reason I love winter is because lemons are lush then. If you put in the juice and a pit of the pith and skin you are getting a shit ton of flavonoids and vitamin C. Vitamin C acts like a natural antihistamine and bioflavonoids such as rutin, hesperidin and quercetin are key in the symptomatic relief of allergies as they stabilise mast cells and tighten and strengthen the capillaries reducing the spread of histamine into mucosal tissues. In fact one case study tells a story of a woman who reversed her severe allergic rhinitis by drinking lemon juice regularly (Vazouras, Partheniou, & Dimoliatis, 2009)
FRESH GINGER & TURMERIC - These two cousins are a match made in heaven when it comes to reducing inflammation. Both of these herbs contain antiinflammatory phytochemicals and researchers have taken the opportunity to test their helpfulness in the treatment of allergies. One study showed a decrease in symptoms of runny nose, sneezing and congestion by 70% in subjects taking a substance derived from turmeric and the action continued after the trial had ended! (Wu & Xiao, 2016) Ginger is also no slouch when it comes to allergies as a study from Iraq concluded that Zingiber officinale is effective treatment for allergic rhinitis and significantly reduced serum total IgE after 4 weeks of treatment course. (Alsamarai, Hamid, & Alobaidi, 2015)
REISHI POWDER - Reishi is the bomb when it comes to allergic rhinitis. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine and immune modulting actions and it is clinically shown to be an effective treatment in virtually all atopic ( allergic ) conditions.
PROBIOTICS - Make with kombucha ( if you can tolerate tea) or kefir base or add in some coconut yoghurt , some probiotic powder or if you are really game, some sauerkraut
OPTIONAL - AVOCADO - I popped this in here to help to give thickness to the shot and for the MUFAS but you can omit it if you have histamine intolerance or have an allergy to birch pollen ( there appears to be cross reactivity) If in doubt - miss it out!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup kombucha, kefir or water - chilled
Juice of half lemon
1 level teaspoon reishi extract
Pith and skin of 1/8 of lemon
2 cm piece of fresh ginger
2 cm piece of fresh turmeric
Handful of greens - cabbage, spinach, parsley,
Teaspoon of chia and hemp
Optional - half an avocado
METHOD
Place all the ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. This will make two serves.