This Is the Year You Get a Handle on Your Allergies

Recent data reveal that over 30% of Americans live with one or more allergic conditions, including hay fever, eczema, and food sensitivities. Here in Florida, our subtropical climate often blurs the line between seasonal and year-round allergies, making it difficult to manage symptoms on your own.

At Internal Medicine Partners in Naples, Florida, Alejandro Blanco, MD, and Ralph Rodriguez, MD, offer comprehensive allergy testing to pinpoint your triggers. Our team creates personalized management strategies that help you get ahead of symptoms, rather than just reacting to them as they happen.

You don’t have to spend another season feeling congested, sniffly, or itchy. Here are our tips for taking control of your allergies.

Know your triggers

Effectively managing your allergies is tricky when you don’t know exactly what’s causing them. While you might have a general idea of what sets your symptoms off, like pollen or pet dander, a professional allergy test can identify specific environmental and dietary triggers.

During a skin prick allergy test, we place a tiny amount of certain substances on the top layers of your skin and check for a reaction. Once we determine which allergens your immune system reacts to, our team works to develop a treatment plan that may include oral or nasal antihistamines, decongestants, or mast cell stabilizers.

Plan for pollen season

Don’t wait until you’re already feeling miserable to start taking your medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter. Starting antihistamines and other treatments in mid-February helps you build up your defenses before peak spring pollen season hits in March and April.

Meeting with our team now gives you the chance to try out different management options to see what works best for your needs. With a plan in place, you can enjoy the season without worrying about sudden allergy flare-ups.

Minimize exposure to allergens

To minimize contact with environmental allergens, check your local pollen counts and stay indoors on dry, windy days. If you venture outdoors during allergy season, avoid doing yard work or wear a mask to avoid breathing in high concentrations of pollen.

When you come in from outside, shower and change your clothes so you don’t track pollen or other irritants onto your furniture or bedding.

Optimize the air quality in your home

Keeping your windows closed is the simplest way to keep outdoor allergens from drifting into your home and settling on surfaces. To catch microscopic particles that are already inside, like dust mites and pet dander, use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in your HVAC system or portable air purifiers.

In Florida’s humid climate, it’s also essential to prevent mold growth in high-moisture areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Keeping the humidity level in your home below 50% helps prevent mold spores that can trigger chronic congestion or skin irritation.

Support your body through diet and hydration

Certain foods may help regulate your body’s inflammatory response and reduce the severity of your symptoms. Quercetin, an antioxidant found in onions and apples, helps stabilize the cells that produce histamines — the immune chemicals responsible for allergic reactions like itching and sneezing.

You can further calm an overactive immune system by incorporating anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids from fish and gut-boosting probiotics from fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Drinking plenty of water helps thin out mucus, which makes it much easier to clear irritants from your system.

Ready to make 2026 the year you finally get a handle on your allergies? Contact Internal Medicine Partners online or by phone today to schedule a consultation with our team.