Source: TIME: Healthland

It’s springtime — the season of runny noses and itchy eyes. Consider adding these foods to your diet to lessen your irritating symptoms.

Nuts
When it comes to keeping the sniffles of seasonal allergies at bay, maintaining a healthy diet is one of your first lines of defense, says Mike Tringale, vice president of external affairs of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “The best way to manage allergies is first and foremost to work with your doctor to get you on the best treatments out there. The sad news is there is no cure. A seasonal allergy is a genetic disease of the immune system. But even before you think about medications, it is really critical that you go into allergy season with a healthy diet,” says Tringale. Read more

Apples
An apple a day helps keep your allergies away. In the Crete diet study, researchers found that people whose diets incorporated apples as a staple had greater protection against both allergies and asthma. Apples are rich in quercetin — a flavonoid with anti-inflammatory properties. Much of the benefits come from the peels, which are also packed with antioxidants called polyphenols, which prevent cellular damage. Read more

Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids in seafood have natural anti-inflammatory effects that boost the immune system — and most allergies happen when your immune system is out of whack, according to Dr. William Sears, author of the upcoming book, The Omega-3 Effect. Read more

Red Grapes
The skin of red grapes is high in antioxidants and resveratrol — an anti-inflammatory compound. Eating foods high in antioxidants can reduce inflammation in your entire body. According to Tringale, antioxidants protect cells from the oxidative damage that causes diseases, and they have immune-boosting compounds. Other foods high in antioxidants include berries, legumes and potatoes. “Vegetarians are in good luck,” says Tringale. Read more

Tomatoes
“Fruity vegetables” like tomatoes are high in vitamin C and a good choice for the sneezing season. Studies show tomatoes can build your tolerance against asthma and respiratory issues. Vitamin C is an immune system booster and natural antihistamine, which suppresses swelling. Read more

Source:Military Pathways
By Adrian Zupp

Could eating certain foods help with stress relief? We’ve all heard that diet is a key part of good health. But did you know that what you digest can actually have a direct effect on your moods? Eating the right foods can combat depression, give you short-and long-term “lifts,” and improve general mental health over the course of your lifetime.

“Eating ‘mood foods’ seventy-five percent of the time will help you find more energy, think more clearly, and drop additional pounds,” says Elizabeth Some, author of “Eat Your Way to Happiness.”

To get you started, here are a few tips (this is by no means an exhaustive list!):

• Get your fruit and veggies! No secret here. The more the better for general health and a healthy brain.
• Specifically: oranges – the Vitamin C gets that oxygen pumping through your body and brain; spinach – tons of antioxidants and a mighty stress fighter; berries ’n’ cherries – try blueberries as a daily snack for antioxidants that keep those neural pathways running smoothly, and cherries – which contain melatonin – to help with sleep.
• Fish, rich in omega-3, is kind to brain cells and helps both mood and memory. Try salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines.
• Chicken soup with fresh veggies is always a big-win health food. Load it with dark green and orange vegetables and get a boost of vitamins that improve mood, and promote brainpower and immunity.

For more tips on mood foods, check out “Foods to Help You Feel Better” from WebMD. It’s important to remember that if you want to enjoy ongoing positive effects, you need to be consistent in your food choices. That doesn’t mean you have to ditch fries and soda altogether, but be aware of what you’re putting into your body, make the junk food the exception rather than the rule, and stick with the healthy foods and really give them a chance to have a positive effect. Make them a habit. Chances are you’ll feel better both within yourself and about yourself. So it’s all good!

Eating right is an important step in helping people cope with depression, anxiety, PTSD or other mental health issues. To learn more about your own mental health, take a free, anonymous self-assessment.