Sneezing a lot lately? Itchy throat? Runny nose? Watery, itchy eyes? These are all common symptoms of hay fever. Hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis occurs when your immune system overreacts to normally harmless airborne particles, usually pollen although it can be mould too, causing symptoms such as a runny nose, itching of eyes and nose, and sneezing.

Hay fever can make you miserable, sleeping and concentration could be a problem and your head may feel as if it is full of cotton wool. There are many types of pollen, which are released from spring to autumn and in the UK most suffers are allergic to grass pollen which peaks from early June to mid July.

You can’t avoid pollen but you can limit your exposure to it by checking the pollen forecast and staying indoors with the windows shut on days when it is high. The peak time for pollen is between 7 am and 10 am and 4 pm and 7 pm so spend as little time outside in these hours as possible. If you do go outside change clothes and have a shower to wash away the pollen. You may also want to use natural remedies, like those listed below, to ease your symptoms.

• The herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus) is a shrub-like plant that grows in northern Asia, Europe, and parts of North America. Butterbur is being studied as a natural allergy treatment. Although how butterbur works is still not known, it is thought to work in a similar way to allergy medications by blocking the action of histamine and leukotrienes, inflammatory chemicals involved in allergic reactions. In a study involving 186 people with hay fever, participants took a higher dose of butterbur (one tablet three times a day), a lower dose (one tablet two times a day) or placebo. After two weeks, both the higher and lower dose relieved allergy symptoms compared to the placebo, but there were significantly greater benefits seen with the higher dose. Butterbur is in the ragweed plant family, so people who are allergic to ragweed, marigold, daisy, or chrysanthemum should not use butterbur. (The raw herb as well as teas, extracts, and capsules made from the raw herb should not be used because they contain substances called pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys and may cause cancer.)
• Quercetin is an antioxidant that belongs to a class of water-soluble plant substances called flavonoids. Although there is still isn’t enough research to conclude that it is effective for hay fever, I have had good results with hay fever patients in the clinic. Quercetin prevents the release of the inflammatory chemical histamine from immune cells called mast cells. Histamine is involved in allergic symptoms such as sneezing and itching. Quercetin is found naturally in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea. Quercetin is also available in supplement form. A typical dose for hay fever is between 200 and 400 milligrams three times a day. (call 0845 88 00 915)
• Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments, the most popular being beta-carotene. Although no randomised controlled trials show that carotenoids are effective treatments for hay fever, a lack of carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation in your airways. Good sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, kale, butternut squash, and collard greens. (Call 0845 88 00 915 for a good carotenoid complex)
• Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of essential fatty acid that we must obtain through our diet. Research suggests that may they reduce the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body (prostaglandin E2 and inflammatory cytokines). Although there are no randomised controlled trials showing that omega-3 fatty acids are effective treatments for hay fever, there are associations. For example, one German study involving 568 people found that a high content of omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cells or in the diet was associated with a decreased risk of hay fever. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish, flaxseed oil, and walnuts. The Omega 3 supplement I use in the clinic is Mega EPA which is high dose EPA and DHA and free from contaminants.

Learning how to curb your appetite is a powerful way to help you lose weight. Eating healthily and exercising regularly will help you beat food cravings. However, there are some common sense strategies which can help you control your appetite rather than letting it control you:

• Distract yourself. If only chocolate will do, it’s a craving not hunger so find ways to distract yourself. Phone a friend, go for a walk or read a book. Cravings typically last ten minutes so recognise that and try to divert your mind and ride it out.
• Eat little and often. Rather than eating two or three large meals, chop up your eating into smaller portions throughout the day. If you don’t leave more than three hours between meals you simply won’t have time to get hungry. The ideal meal plan is to have three balanced meals and two snacks a day. About 28g (1 oz) of either almonds, pecans or walnuts, 123g (4.5 oz) plain yoghurt, or a helping of raw vegetables such as celery, carrots, broccoli or cauliflower florets all make great snacks.
• Brush your teeth early. For whatever reason, when your teeth feel clean you are unlikely to want to eat so if you get a food craving brush your teeth.
• Eat vegetables or soup before the main course. Having soup or an ample serving of vegetables before your main course will fill you up and stop you eating more of the main course.
• Slow down! When you eat fast, you end up ingesting more food before you body has a chance to figure out that it’s satisfied. This strategy sounds simple but it is harder than you think when grabbing a snack or eating on the go has become common place, but if you take time over your meals and really chew your food and taste what you are eating, you’re less likely to overeat. Put your knife and fork down between bites.
• Wait 20 minutes. If you have eaten your meal and want to eat more, wait 15 minutes to see if you are still hungry. Your brain lags behind your stomach by about 15 to 20 minutes when it comes to registering that you are full. You may find that you aren’t hungry after all.
• Go for a walk: When you get a food craving go for a walk. Exercise is a fantastic appetite suppressant. If walking isn’t an option listen to your favourite music; this will take your mind off eating. Simply listening to a few minutes of up beat music has been shown to distract people from hunger pangs.
• Plan or avoid. Vary your usual routine to avoid passing the bakery. If you know you’ll be faced with wedding or birthday cake adjust your other meals to accommodate it.
• Turn off the television or computer: Watching the television or working on the computer while you’re eating is a sure-fire way of expanding your waistline. Your plate might be clean before you realise you’ve eaten a meal.
• Sniff a banana, apple of peppermint: This may sound daft but it works. Research from the Smell and Taste Research foundation in Chicago found that the more frequently people sniffed the less hungry they were. One theory is that sniffing food tricks the brain into thinking you are actually eating.
• Look in the mirror: Hang a mirror opposite your seat at the table. One study found that eating in front of mirrors slashed the amount people ate by nearly a third. It seems that having to look yourself in the eye, reflects back some of your inner standards and goals and reminds you why you need to eat less.
• Get a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep is important because lack of sleep disrupts hormones, triggering changing in metabolism and an increase in appetite. Tiredness triggers food cravings so take a power nap for no longer than 20 minutes instead of reaching for the biscuit tin.
• Eat as a family: Try to sit down to dinner as a family. The focus on conversation and the day’s events helps you to eat less, relax and savour your dinner.
• Portion out your snack foods: Don’t eat out of the bag or container: Take the food out of the bag or container and put it in a bowl. That way you can see exactly how much you’re eating. As an example, divide a 282g (10oz) packet of nuts into ten small plastic bags. Make sure you eat only one bag at a sitting, and put the rest away where you can’t see them. The best snack to beat cravings is to eat a handful of nuts (six walnuts, 12 almonds or 20 peanuts) with two glasses of water.
• Destroy temptation. If you’ve succumbed to a craving and start to feel bad while eating it, destroy it. Don’t just throw it away, ruin it or run water over it. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that you’ve destroyed your temptation. Don’t worry about the money you are wasting. If the biscuits don’t go down the drain or in the bin they will go straight to your hips.
• Don’t shop on an empty stomach. Shopping when you are hungry is a bad idea as it makes you far more likely to binge on calorie, rich, sugary, fatty foods. Make a list of exactly what you need and stick to it. Buy enough vegetables to last for a week. Avoid the bargain – buying large-sized packages isn’t a bargain if they cost you a new pair of jeans!
• Drink up. Drinking a glass of water before you eat can curb food cravings because you feel fuller. Water can also have a direct impact on energy – you may be reaching for a sugar fix when what you really need to do is rehydrate your body.

Dietary sources of important nutrients should always be your first choice to boost energy but there are times when a vitamin and mineral supplement can act as an insurance policy. In addition, some herbal supplements have the potential to boost your energy levels if you feel they are not where they should be.

First of all take a good multivitamin and mineral to safeguard against nutritional deficiencies which can cause fatigue. For example, Iron is need for the production of energy; magnesium regulates your energy levels and the B vitamins are vital for metabolism. Choose a supplement containing as many vitamins and minerals as possible. To make sure you are getting enough essential fatty acids which are vital for energy production and good health take a fish oil supplement. In trials, essential fatty acids have been shown to have a significant beneficial effect on people suffering from chronic fatigue.

If you want to try other supplements choose one from the following:

• Siberian ginseng: Improves physical and mental energy levels, especially when under stress and can also normalise blood sugar levels. Dose: 250-500 mg daily.
• Schisandra: Increases physical and sexual energy levels and prevents fatigue by increasing oxygen uptake in cells. Dose: 250-500 mg daily.
• Gingko biloba: Boosts mental function, memory and alertness. Improves circulation to the brain. Dose 120 mg a day.
• Co-enzyme Q10: A vitamin like substance that improves physical energy levels and muscle strength and endurance. Needed by cells to process oxygen and generate energy. Dose 30-60 mg.
• Alpha-lipoic acid: A vitamin like substance that speeds up metabolic reactions involved in energy production in cells. A powerful antioxidant used to boost energy and overcome fatigue. Dose 50-100mg daily.