For millions of people, autumn, perhaps the most gorgeous time of the year, can be a season to brace for rather than embrace. Experienced through a pair of itchy, watery eyes and a sneezy nose, the charms of the season’s colors and warm days and cool nights can be elusive. The good news is, you can tamp down much of the allergy-induced misery if you get on the defensive early in the season with a multi-pronged plan of action.

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So, instead of bombing your system with brain-fogging, sleep-inducing over-the-counter and prescription drugs, how about trying a more holistic approach? Here are a few of my tried-and-true tips to help keep allergens out of your body and your home, so you can enjoy autumn with a clearer head and a lot less wheezing and sneezing:

ANTI-ALLERGY EATING

Fortify your belly for the fall.

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A well-fed, well-balanced microbiome – the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut – is the cornerstone of your immunity. The stronger your immune system is, the easier it will be for your body to blunt the effects of seasonal allergies. So, if you’ve let things slide a bit over the summer, the time to get your diet cleaned up is now.

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To keep your immune system in top form, cut sugar to the bone. Same goes for processed foods, as both trigger inflammation, leaky gut and the immune system’s over-enthusiastic response to allergens. In other words, don’t feed the allergy beast.

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Next, swap in more prebiotic foods, that is, rich in plant fiber, to help ‘seed’ the gut, feeding the beneficial gut bacteria responsible for producing a compound known as butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that helps inhibit allergic overreactions. Tasty prebiotics include: almonds; asparagus; chicory root; dark leafy greens; dandelion greens; endive; garlic; Jerusalem artichokes or sunchokes; jicama; kiwi; leeks; mushrooms; onions.

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Round out the belly fortifications with a high-quality, broad-spectrum probiotic that introduces bacterial strains that help your gut’s resident bacteria do their job and keep the immune system humming. Pick a probiotic with a variety of different strains.

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Avoid eating allergens in autumn.

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Yes, you want to minimize the volume of allergens you breathe in, but you don’t want to eat them either! In addition to sugar and processed foods, topping the list of edible irritants to avoid during allergy season (and beyond): genetically-modified foods and gluten, especially wheat, all of which can weaken gut health and exacerbate allergies. Sensitive to dairy products? Cutting them out for the season can also help relieve symptoms.

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Other immune system weakeners? Chocolate, alcohol in general and beer and wine in particular, as they all contain histamines and sulfites which trigger allergic responses, so the less indulging of either, the better. And, if you can eliminate them altogether during allergy season, you’ll likely breathe a lot easier.

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Take a hard pass on plates full of allergens.

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You might well give certain kinds of produce a hard pass – as in those that are related to the ragweed family, which for some folks can further aggravate allergy symptoms. On the possible dietary ‘no-fly’ /ragweed relatives list are produce like bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, tomatoes and zucchini. When it comes to drinkables, you may want to put teas like chamomile, echinacea, goldenseal, dandelion and hibiscus on hold ‘til allergy season’s past, and reduce coffee consumption as much as possible. For a warm drink or soothing afternoon pick-me-up, try rooibos, or green tea, which can help actually relieve allergy symptoms instead of exacerbating them.

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Eat produce to tame, not inflame.

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To help your body help better manage the season, focus on foods with allergy-relieving effects, particularly those that are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and quercetin. In pole position on the tamp-down list: broccoli, collard greens, kale, green peppers, brussels sprouts and celery. Autumnal orange veggies, like carrots and pumpkin, are also key to your allergy-fighting mega mix. Add flavor and fortification to your mix with histamine-inhibiting onions and garlic—and a scoop or two of fermented veggies, flaxseed, chopped walnuts and blueberries for an additional anti-allergy boost. Citrus like oranges and lemons, which are rich in vitamin C are also good bets.

ANTI-ALLERGY LIVING

Keep allergens outside, where they belong.

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To win the autumnal allergy game, you have to play it smart, and think twice about how to keep the bad stuff literally out of your face, and well as your furnishings – and that goes double for those who work from home and may be less cognizant of all the irritants you and the family can unintentionally track into the house. To keep the bad stuff out where it belongs, make these simple practices standard issue before, during and after autumn’s peaks:

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1. After raking or time spent outside, immediately put ‘outdoor clothes’ into the wash to avoid transferring pollen onto furniture or bedding.
2. Got kids? Train them to put their ‘outdoor clothes’ in the laundry after playing outdoors.
3. Got pups? Wash (or towel-off) your four-legged friend more frequently, particularly if Fido likes to roll around in the backyard leaf pile.
4. Both kids and grownups should leave shoes outside or just inside the front door to avoid tracking allergens (and dirt) throughout the house.
5. Wash pillowcases – and your hair – more frequently in the fall to keep allergens far from your mouth, nose and eye entry points.
6. Dry clothing in the dryer or on an indoor rack to keep allergens from collecting on the clothes you might otherwise dry outdoors.
7. Instead of keeping the windows closed until the first frost, place anti-pollen filter screens in your windows, to bring fresh air in while keeping pollen, mold spores and particulate matter out.
8. To soak up as many indoor airborne allergens as possible, filter the air with a high-end HEPA air purifier system, or assemble your own DIY box-fan-and-filter system known as a Corsi-Rosenthal box.
9. If flowers on the dining room table are a must for you, use hypoallergenic flowers like lily’s, hydrangea, and orchids – and keep ragweed relatives like daisies, dahlias and chrysanthemums out to avoid aggravating allergy symptoms.

ANTI-ALLERGY LIFESTYLE UPGRADES

Amp up the lifestyle habits that help turn down the allergens.

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Though allergies can make the season anything but bright, creating an autumnal ‘treatment plan’ can make the fight winnable, and the season, a whole a lot more physically pleasant. Here are a few allergy-taming, soothing rituals and healthy habits to embrace this fall:

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1. Keep your nose clean: Wash allergens out of your nasal passages with a spritz or two of saline solution spray, once or twice a day. Neti pots will also get the job done but proper cleaning of the pot and sterile water is absolutely essential.
2. Have a schvitz: Sauna sessions are relaxing, rejuvenating, support immune health and, possibly best of all, relieve congestion, so dive in a few times a week. Infrared saunas offer similar benefits, minus the steam.
3. Steep yourself: No access to a sauna? Soaking in a hot bath or hot tub reduces stress and inflammation which is great for your keeping immune system on track.
4. Get into acupuncture: This ancient, drug-free, stress-reducing allergy-relief treatment compares favorably to a number of traditional drug-based therapies, without all of the brain fog and lethargy allergy drugs can bring on.
5. Practice quieting your mind: High stress levels make histamine (and cortisol) levels soar, which in turn tends to escalate allergic response, so have a meditative ‘sit’ for a few minutes, ideally every day.

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Supplement your anti-allergy fight.

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Instead of drugs, try tucking into good for you vitamins and formulas designed to tame many of the classic autumnal allergy symptoms. In addition to be healthier in general, the options below won’t make you groggy, foggy or sap your energy:

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Supportive Supplements:

• Bioflavonoids – helps with transport of vitamin C into our cells, also tamping down allergies.
• N-Acetyl Cysteine, or NAC — can help relieve inflammation in the lungs and loosen mucus, making breathing easier.
• Quercetin – a plant nutrient that helps reduce the amount of histamine your body releases in response to allergens.
• Freeze Dried Stinging Nettle Leaf – a natural, no-drowsiness, antihistamine that’s been used for thousands of years.
• Vitamin C – supplies an extra antihistamine boost and overall immune support.
• Vitamin D – several studies have reported that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased incidence of asthma and allergy symptoms.
• Bicarbonate Salts – can help maintain normal histamine response.
• Tinofend – a botanical extract blend that helps to relieve stuffy noses, reduce sneezing and support immune health with beneficial histamine effects.