Choosing the perfect holiday gift is hard enough, but buying a gift for someone with allergies can be especially challenging. As the holiday season gets into full swing, we’d like to share our top 5 gift picks that are sure to put a smile on the face of the people with allergies on your list.
Allergy-friendly bedding
A good night’s sleep can have amazing, restorative effects on a person’s health. In fact, it might just be the best gift ever. Hypoallergenic bedding minimizes exposure to dust mites, pollen, and other household allergens and can take bedtime from “ah-choo!” to “ahhhhh” for the allergy sufferer on your list. It’s made from both natural and manmade materials that are easy to clean and resistant to allergens, particularly dust mites. Here’s a listing of certified asthma and allergy-friendly bedding products and what to look out for.
Air purifier
Air purifiers can help with allergies and asthma by removing irritating particles, germs, and allergens from indoor air making it cleaner to breathe. When choosing an air purifier, it’s important to consider what air pollutants—dust, mold spores, pet dander, pollen, etc.—need to be filtered as well as the size of the room where it will be used.
There are many types of air purifiers available that use different types of filters and technology—high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA), activated carbon, ionizer to name a few—so it’s important to do some research before you buy. Here are a couple of places to help you get started:
Wellness gifts
As a functional allergist, Dr. Z focuses on the importance of eating healthy foods, being physically active, reducing stress, and getting a good night’s sleep to promote good gut health and overall wellbeing for people with allergies. Here are a few wellness gift ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
- Gift card to a local fitness center, yoga studio, or massage therapy center
- Healthy goodies gift basket – make this as big or small as you like, with food, supplements, gadgets, or personal care items—just make sure it’s all allergen-free!
- Streaming music or audiobooks for reducing stress and promoting good sleep
House cleaning service
Getting rid of built-up dust, pollen, and pet dander in the home is critical to managing allergies all year long. But some people just don’t have time to keep up with it. A gift certificate for a house cleaning service is a great gift idea and is sure to be appreciated by the busy person with allergies on your list.
Cookbook for people with food allergies
For anyone who has food allergies, cooking at home where you can control the ingredients is essential. Preparing meals at home can guarantee no cross-contamination, which can sometimes occur when getting food out. Having a trusty, allergen-free cookbook not only takes the guesswork out of preparing meals, it’s also a very thoughtful gift. Start shopping with Cookbooks for Families with Food Allergies.
Air Purifiers and COVID-19
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), portable air purifiers can reducethe potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19. Be sure to follow other best practices recommended by the CDC.
From all of us at AAPRI, we wish everyone a safe, healthy, and joyous holiday season. Remember, we’re here if you need us. Schedule a consultation with one of our other dedicated team members at the office location of your choice.