Hives can be very unnerving and irritating; sometimes they are hard to get rid of. If you are prone to these breakouts, it is time to start looking at methods for preventing hives. As the saying goes ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’, so start today.
The underlying cause of hive problems is overactive immunity. So in preventing hives, maintaining a balanced diet is immanent. Vitamin C has been found to be effective in strengthening the immune system and releasing antihistamines. Eating fruits and vegetables regularly is a good way to keep the vitamin in your system. Turnip greens, green peppers, and other leafy greens are some top sources of vitamin C. Strawberries, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and cantaloupe provide high concentrations as well.
Consuming foods that inhibit the release of histamine is also. Niacin, or vitamin B3, is good for this. Niacin can be found in seafood, poultry, seeds, nuts and whole grains. Since digestive problems have been known to be a cause of hives, high-fiber diets are also recommended. Cold water fish, which contain fatty acids, aid in reducing inflammation as well.
Avoiding Triggers
Although hives are really caused by immune system or digestive system problems, there are some substances that may trigger a hive reaction in people. A large part of preventing hives is figuring out what triggers your hives and learning how to avoid these substances. Consulting your health care provider is the first step in determining what to avoid.
The next step in preventing hives is to take some time to find out what affects you personally. You can do this by keeping a health journal. When you have an outbreak, write down what you ate. This way you can begin to compare lists and you may be able to determine that it is a food allergy. Don’t forget that additives trigger reactions as well, so you may want to look at the ingredients too.
One of the most common triggers for hives includes medicines which contain aspirin such as Bufferin, Excedrine, Alka-Seltzer, and Anacin. Those containing salicylates such as Pepto-Bismol have been a known trigger as well. Penicillin can be another trigger, so make sure to speak to your doctor if you have to change or take any new medications.
In preventing hives, you may want to avoid certain foods that are known to trigger out breaks. Nuts were listed above as being helpful, but can actually bring about outbreaks in some people. Eggs, shellfish, and milk are also known triggers. In your health journal, you may also want to make notes of times that you have been exposed to excess heat, cold, or sunlight. Heavy exercise, stress, and anxiety should be noted as well as they are all known to be related to outbreaks.
