Can Diet Help Hay Fever

We have had either had hay fever or see people around us with itchy, puffy, red eyes. They are also sneezing, have a runny nose, an irritable throat and get tired seasonally.
The above are all seasonal hay fever symptoms which are caused by the over production of histamine as a reaction to pollen in the air.
So is there anything that you can add to your diet to help alleviate hay fever symptoms?
Hay fever can be debilitating and, for many, means a trip to the GP or chemist as soon as the sun comes out. If you feel that an alternative route is worth exploring first, you may find the following information useful, although it is based more on anecdotal evidence than rigorous clinical testing.
To begin with, consider stocking up with quercetin. This super-nutrient is found naturally in apples, berries and cherries, in vegetables such as onions, kale and broccoli, and is also available in supplement form from health food stores and pharmacies.
Medical herbalists have long recommended quercetin for hay fever sufferers and research from Japan, published last year, suggests that they could be on to something. In a small study of 24 people with a history of hay fever symptoms triggered by exposure to a certain cedar tree pollen, those taking a 100mg daily of a modified form of quercetin had significantly fewer problems with itchy, sore and watering eyes than those in the placebo group. The supplement-takers sadly did not experience a significant reduction in the incidence of runny noses.