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Writer's pictureHaley Fountain

Gut Health and Allergies: How Your Digestive System Influences Your Immune Response

Updated: May 31, 2023


Do you suffer from allergies that seem to never go away? You may be surprised to learn that your gut health could be the culprit. Your digestive system plays a significant role in how your immune system functions, and when things go awry, it can lead to allergies and inflammation. But fear not, improving your gut health isn't rocket science! In this blog post, we'll discuss how your gut health affects your allergies and the steps you can take to improve your gut health, digestive system and alleviate your allergy symptoms.


Women Sneezing Per Allergies


First things first, let's talk about how your gut health affects your immune system. Our digestive system is full of trillions of bacteria called gut microbiota, which play a crucial role in keeping the immune system in balance. When this balance is disrupted due to a poor diet, stress, or medication use, it can affect the integrity of the gut and lead to an overactive immune response, which can result in allergies and inflammation.



1. Eat More Probiotics to Support a Healthy Digestive System

Probiotic Foods Stored in Jars with Olive Oil

One of the best ways to improve gut health is by increasing consumption of probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. They can be found in supplements or naturally occurring in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut. Adding probiotics to your diet helps restore the balance of gut microbiota, reducing the risk of allergies and autoimmune conditions.



2. Eat More Prebiotics for Optimal Gut Health

Prebiotic Foods like Onions, Nuts and Apples

Another way to support good gut health is by consuming prebiotic foods. Prebiotics are fibrous foods that serve as food for the good bacteria in your gut. Examples of prebiotic foods include onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, bananas, and apples. Consuming prebiotics can help increase the number and diversity of good bacteria in your digestive system, promoting better gut health.


3. Reduce stress in your life

Women suffering from Stress

Reducing stress levels can also have a significant impact on gut health. High levels of stress trigger the release of cortisol, a hormone that can disrupt the balance of gut microbiota. Doing activities like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can help lower stress levels and stabilize the gut microbiome. If you need some support with stress management, come take one of my yoga or meditation classes in Houston!


4. Dietary changes

Healthy Foods like Salmon, Nuts, Cheese, Fruits and Eggs

In addition to improving your gut health, making dietary changes can also help alleviate allergy symptoms. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods like fatty fish, leafy greens, and nuts can help reduce inflammation in the body and improve allergy symptoms. On the other hand, avoiding inflammatory foods like processed foods, fried foods, and sugar can also lead to positive changes in gut health.



Improving your gut health and digestive system can help alleviate your allergy symptoms and promote better overall well-being. Incorporating probiotics, prebiotics, stress management techniques, and anti-inflammatory foods into your diet can be a practical and effective way to support good gut health and reduce the risk of allergies and other autoimmune conditions. Small changes can have a significant impact on your health and digestive system, so don't wait to start making changes today! Also, if you struggle with seasonal allergies, make sure to check out my blog post, Holistic remedies for cold/flu season, sinus problems and allergies!



Description Image of Haley Fountain, Founder of Holistic in Houston and Health Coach


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