Tips for Allergies

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With pollen and mold just about everywhere, is there anything allergy suffers can do to minimize their discomfort during this season? The following are tips Dr. Mosenifar shares with his patients for “circumventing or getting around” their environment.

1. Change the time and location of your exercise routine. Avoid exercising in the early morning between the hours of 5 and 10 since that’s when pollen is usually emitted. Exercise indoors whenever possible or find a place that’s somewhat removed from green vegetation.

2. Consider swimming. Dr. Mosenifar especially recommends that people suffering from seasonal allergies and asthma integrate swimming into their exercise routine. “Swimming is an excellent exercise for people with allergies. If you’re fortunate to be near a beach, you’ll find one of the purest concentrations of air in the ten to 15 inch layer right above the water. The gentle humidity keeps your airways from drying out.”

3. Ask your physician if he or she recommends long-acting over-the-counter antihistamine medications. “These often can be effective in blocking the effects of exposure to allergens,” Dr. Mosenifar says. He’s hesitant to recommend immunotherapy as a panacea for allergies. “Identifying exactly which substances a person is allergic to is like answering the ‘$64,000 dollar question.’ It would be wonderful if we could do that, but it’s very difficult since there are literally thousands of allergens. Immunotherapy has been around for years, but it’s still more of an unconventional therapy.”

4. Take a look at some of the allergen-specific products on the market. Mattress and pillow covers that keep harmful dust mite allergens from escaping from bedding can be helpful. And wearing a face mask, although it might not be very attractive, is definitely better than not being able to enjoy the outdoors,” Dr. Mosenifar adds.

Finally, if you’re thinking about moving to get away from your allergies, think again. Dr. Mosenifar advises against it. “I am very much against people moving in hopes of finding an allergy-free environment,” he says. “Once you move, your allergies are not going to go away. If you have a propensity for developing allergies, you might buy some time in a new location but you’ll eventually find new allergens.”

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