People who eat healthy foods may appear to always be sick with allergies because they suffer from hay fever, also called allergic rhinitis. Hay fever is a chronic allergic condition that causes cold-like symptoms, but is unrelated to a cold, according to MayoClinic.com. Sickness is the result of a bacterial or viral infection in the respiratory system. Hay fever is the result of a malfunction of the immune system that is unrelated to eating healthy. If you suspect that you suffer from hay fever, call your doctor for a clinical diagnosis.
Allergy Sick Symptoms
If someone eats healthy foods and appears to be sick, it may because of seasonal allergies. Common hay fever symptoms include: watery eyes, itchy eyes, a runny nose, sinus congestion, coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, itchy throat, sinus pressure, facial pain, decreased sense of smell and swollen eyes that are bluish in color. Your eyes also may appear red and may burn from increased levels of histamine. A runny nose resulting from hay fever will appear clear and thin. If nasal discharge turns thick and yellowish in color, you should contact your doctor. You may have developed a sinus infection.
Cause
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, hay fever is caused by a hypersensitivity of the immune system to certain substances. Any substance that causes a reaction form the immune system that is otherwise harmless is considered an allergen. Common allergens related to hay fever include pollen, mold, dust mites and pet dander. When you inhale these substances, your immune system mistakes them for a harmful substance and attacks them with immunoglobulin E, or IgE antibodies, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The introduction of these antibodies into the body triggers mast cells to release histamine. Histamine is a chemical found in the body that causes inflammation in soft tissue.
Treatment
The most effective way to treat hay fever symptoms is to avoid exposure to allergens, according to MayoClinic.com. Because most allergens that cause allergic rhinitis are airborne, you may need to take an oral antihistamine to block the mast cells in your body from producing histamine.
Allergy Shots
Allergy shots may be recommended by your physician as treatment for severe cases of hay fever. Allergy shots use a tiny amount of the allergen and inject it into your body. Over the course of a few years, the allergist slowly increases the amount of the allergen to desensitize your immune system to it.
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