Taming Your Allergies

Some practical things you can do to help your (or your child's) allergies:

• Use a special filter for allergy sufferers in your furnace and air conditioner.  These are usually available locally in large hardware or department stores.  A room air cleaner with a HEPA filter may be helpful.
• Stop smoking
• When driving, keep your windows closed and air conditioner set on MAX to avoid pulling in airborne allergens.
• Avoid giving allergic children stuffed animals -- or if you must, try to have ones that are washable.
• No household pets with fur or feathers.
• Don't use feather pillows or down comforters.
• Put sealed allergen proof encasings on your pillows and mattresses.
• Wash all bedding in hot water (135-145 degrees) weekly.
• Vinyl, leather or wood furniture is best -- overstuffed furniture harbors dust and mold.
• Wood or vinyl flooring is best.  Area rugs that can be washed easily may be used.
• Vacuum your carpets at least once a week. Using a vacuum sweeper with a HEPA filter has been shown to be helpful.
• Eat a balanced diet -- avoid eating the same foods all the time.  (Unfortunately, it's often the foods that we like the best and eat the most that we become allergic to fastest.)
• Use unscented and undyed tissues and toilet paper.
• For infants with a family history of allergy:
  • Breast feed as long as possible
  • Delay introducing hard to digest foods -- no corn for 18 months; no eggs, wheat, tomatoes or citrus fruits for the first year
  • Wash and thoroughly dry stuffed animals regularly.
  • Don't smoke in the house or car with your child.

Some Things That Won't Help Your Allergies:

• Chihuahuas don't help allergies:  All animals have dander that can make your allergies worse -- and there's definitely nothing magical about Chihuahuas that will cure your allergies or take asthma away from a child.
• Large doses of vitamins: Proper nutrition, including vitamin and mineral supplements, is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but there's no evidence that it cures allergies or asthma.
• Antibiotics:  Allergies are an immune system response to foreign substances -- they aren't caused by an infection.  Allergies can make you more susceptible to bacterial infections, and you may find that you need to take antibiotics more frequently when your allergies are aggravated.  Also, when your body is fighting a bacterial or viral infection, your allergies may be aggravated.
• Eating a lot of the food you're allergic to at once:  Allergic reactions to food tend to be helped by reducing the amounts and frequencies of problem foods that you encounter.  Sometimes, overexposure can cause a severe allergic reaction. Some patients with severe reactions can not tolerate the exposure to the food they are allergic to and should not eat them.
• Herbal remedies:  While some patients report that their allergies do better with Echinacea and other herbal remedies, there is no scientific evidence that shows this.  Because some herbal remedies can be toxic, we do not recommend them.  If you are using herbal or homeopathic remedies, be sure to tell your allergist so that they can take them into account when treating your allergies.