Nick and Joanna Swisher Reveal Surprising Details About Their Health to Help Others
JoAnna Garcia Swisher is not only sweeping audiences away in her starring role in the popular Netflix series Sweet Magnolias, she is also the founder of The Happy Place, a digital destination that explores, motivates and empowers the experience of living a life with intention and bringing joy throughout the everyday fabric of our lives.
Behind the scenes, JoAnna and her husband, retired MLB World Champion for the New York Yankees and current FOX Baseball analyst Nick Swisher, have also been suffering from seasonal environmental allergies for years. In addition to seasonal allergies, which occur during certain times of the year and in certain areas of the country, many people have indoor allergies, such as to dust mites, which occur year-round.[i],[ii]
After living with uncomfortable symptoms for years, JoAnna and Nick join #AllergyHomeFree, a new national allergy education campaign, as allergy advocates and paid spokespeople to empower fellow allergy sufferers to better understand their allergies and be prepared to discuss how to best manage their symptoms with their allergist.
As part of the #AllergyHomeFree campaign, a survey of U.S. adult allergy sufferers was conducted which found that, while about seven in 10 U.S. adults ages 18 and older have experienced symptoms of environmental allergies, only about three in 10 have been diagnosed with either allergic rhinitis or nasal allergies. The survey also revealed that, of those who experience allergies:
- Nearly half say their environmental allergies have a major-to-moderate negative impact on their daily life.
- More than half report that their allergies have somehow affected their performance at work and/or school (70% for employed adults).
- While about 3 in 4 see/talk to some type of healthcare provider (HCP) about their environmental allergies, less than one in five see an allergist, a potential explanation as to why only about one in 10 have ever discussed allergy immunotherapy (AIT) options with an HCP.
Allergy immunotherapy treats the underlying cause of environmental allergies and trains the body’s immune system over time to stop attacking allergens, so symptoms are eliminated or significantly reduced.[iii],[iv] Especially during quarantine and the approaching winter/influenza season, where people are mostly staying indoors, it’s important for sufferers to recognize their allergy symptoms and understand their options for managing their allergies from home.
Exposure to an allergen can cause allergic rhinitis—inflammation of the upper airways (nose, mouth, throat), also known as hay fever, and conjunctivitis (itchy, watery eyes)—which affects between 30 and 60 million people in the U.S., making it the sixth leading chronic disease in the U.S.1,[v],[vi],[vii] Given the impact allergies have on the daily lives of so many, JoAnna and Nick are encouraging others to learn more about how to control their allergies and have informed discussions with their allergist by visiting us.Klarify.me for helpful resources.
JoAnna Garcia Swisher, her husband Nick Swisher and Payel Gupta, M.D., NYC-based allergist and immunologist, joined me to discuss the results of the national survey, how patients can take control of their allergies and at-home allergy immunotherapy options.
