There’s nothing like the joy and relief of finishing a full course of allergy immunotherapy. Whether you were being treated for seasonal allergies (pollen) or environmental allergies (dust or mold), you can now feel more confident and comfortable when encountering your allergens. You want the effects of immunotherapy to be long-lasting, so here are some small things you can do to make sure it’s effective.
Eat Well
As you’re probably aware, immunotherapy differs from over-the-counter medications in that it retrains your immune system, rather than just masking symptoms as they pop up. Therefore, you can keep your immunotherapy treatment working at its best by bolstering your immune system. You can do this by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a balanced diet.
Eating a range of healthy foods is a great way to get all your nutrients and support your immune system. It’s recommended that you prioritize foods rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics to make your immune system stronger and help fight disease. Also stay hydrated and avoid ultra-processed foods.
Maintain Your Environment
Keep your home clean and low on allergens to avoid triggering any breakthrough symptoms. This tip is especially pertinent if you were treated for environmental allergies, but it goes for seasonal allergies as well.
Also consider some allergy-friendly home upgrades, such as air purifiers, a HEPA vacuum and hypoallergenic pillows and bedding.
Continue Getting Doses
The patients who see the greatest success with immunotherapy actually continue to get immunotherapy doses, just less frequently. Continuing to expose your immune system to the allergen in small doses in controlled settings will help maintain high tolerance and significantly reduce the risk of allergy relapse. Discuss continuing doses with your allergist!
At Carolina Ear Nose & Throat – Sinus and Allergy Center, we want you to get the full benefit of immunotherapy. You deserve long-lasting relief from allergies. To discuss starting or continuing immunotherapy, give us a call.