Winter Wellness
Article published in Northampton Living
(December 2023)
We spoke with Dr. Jonathan Bayuk, president of Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England, about how to stay healthy this winter. As we head into the holidays, here are some tips.
Be Attentive to Allergies
Every time we close the doors and turn on the heat and spend more time together, we increase our exposure to allergens in the house, like dust mites, mold and pets. During this time of year, people often find that they have typical allergy symptoms. A common question that comes up is, “Is this an allergy or is this a cold?” And sometimes it’s hard to tell. The easy way to tell is you don’t get a fever with allergies. If you’ve got a fever, it’s an infection. But other than that, you can feel pretty lousy with allergies, which can trigger nasal congestion, fatigue and asthma. The way we treat that is the same way you would treat seasonal allergies, with allergy medicines and avoidants, and if necessary, allergy shots.
There’s no reason not to get allergy tested any time of the year. There’s a lot that can be done by an allergist. It’s preventative health care, it’s covered by insurance, and it can really make your quality of life much better.
Other recommendations:
If you’re allergic to dust mites, put dust mite protective covers on your mattress and pillows, which can help decrease exposure.
Give your pet a bath to remove any allergens they have.
If you see mold, clean it up with a mold cleaner or a 1:10 mixture of bleach.
If you have a cold or a viral infection, allergy medicine can be helpful, along with rest, fluids and chicken soup.
Stay Updated on Vaccines and be Open to Antivirals
The COVID vaccine that’s out right now is against the strain of XBB.1.5. That is not the most up-to-date variant, but it’s close. Vaccines are something I recommend for everyone, unless there is a specific contraindication. People who aren’t vaccinated are putting themselves at pretty high risk of disease, hospitalizations and death. However, if you are vaccinated, the good news is it works really well.
We also have antiviral treatments that are very effective. If you are somebody who’s at high risk for having serious complications, I encourage you to talk to your doctor about getting some of those. There’s one called Paxlovid that works very well for most people.
For the flu, we also have antiviral medicines, and those are if you are someone at high risk for complications, or even if you have the flu and just want to be treated. Reach out to your health care provider because those medicines will be helpful, especially if given early.
The flu shot’s a great idea. You still can get the flu when you have the flu shot, just like you can still get COVID when you have the vaccine, but it can really decrease the length of time that you’re sick and the severity of the illness.