Please watch these foods the day before, day of and day after your allergy injection.

Certain foods have been reported as presenting problems during pollen season. Therefore, it may be advisable to rotate or eliminate the proven cross-reactive food from your diet during that specific time of the year. When the season is over, the foods may be introduced into the diet. Problems can occur shortly after exposure to the inhalant or up to several days later, thus making it difficult to track down the food culprit.

Remember, you are not allergic to these foods but consuming them can raise your overall allergy load and make you feel symptomatic. Many patients find that by simply watching these foods during their season, they feel better and are less reactive to their shots.

Louisiana Pollenating Season:

Trees: Late December – May
Grasses: May – September
Weeds: Late July – Winter Freeze

Dust Mites, Mold Spores, Animal Dander & Foods are Year Round Allergens: This means these allergens have no particular season. They remain all year long.

Dust and Dust Mites: Year Round Allergen

• Oysters, crab, scallops, lobster, shrimp, crawfish, pecans, peanuts, almonds, macadamia, cashews and many other tree nuts

Pecan Tree: December – May

• Corn, banana, wheat & wheat products

Cedar Tree: December – May

• Beef, baker’s & brewer’s yeast

Elm Tree: December – May

• Milk, milk products, cooking mint

Oak Tree: December – May

• Eggs, egg products, apples, chestnut

Cottonwood Tree: December – May

• Lettuce

Timothy, Bahia, Bermuda, Johnson Grass: May – September

• Grains: such as bread, oatmeal & rice.
• Apple, carrot, celery, cucumber, peas, beans, tomato, peanut, wheat, rye and soy.
• Cottonseed: such as salad oils, some mayonnaise, also used in stores on fruit to keep them shiny, also found in commercial frying and baking items such as cakes, breads, fish, popcorn, potato chips and doughnuts.

Giant Ragweed: July – First Winter Freeze

• Milk, cooking mint, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, cucumber, banana, and lettuce

Short Ragweed: July – First Winter Freeze

• Wheat, wheat products, watermelon, cantaloupe, and banana

Rough Marsh Elder: July – First Winter Freeze

• Wheat, wheat products

Lamb’s Quarter: July – First Winter Freeze

• Corn, corn products and banana

Mold:

• When mold spores are elevated, which is year-round in our state, watch the amount of moldy type foods you consume in your diet.

Food & Beverages That May Cause Symptoms in Mold Allergic Patients:

• Alcoholic beverages, especially beer & wine
• Beets
• Buttermilk
• Breads
• Ketchup
• Cheese, especially aged, blue or cottage cheese
• Ciders
• Corned Beef
• Dried Fruits
• Canned Juices
• Mayonnaise & sour cream
• Mushrooms, olives, pickles
• Pizza – most allergenic cross-reactive food for mold allergies
• Relishes, Salad Dressings, Sauerkraut
• Tomatoes, especially canned
• Vinegar and foods containing vinegar

Suggestions:

Eat only freshly opened canned foods, meats, fresh or frozen vegetables. Buy fresh meat and freeze as soon as it is brought home. Avoid leftovers unless you freeze them. You can get the local pollen count for the day by visiting our website – acadianent.com or by going to pollen.com.