October 27, 2025
In Houston, winter may bring cooler days, but it rarely freezes. Mild temperatures, humidity, and rain mean that allergens never truly take a break. These weather changes, regardless of how mild or severe, can trigger allergic reactions. Why? Mold thrives, dust mites multiply, and pollen from early-budding trees is in the air prior to Spring arriving. In colder climates, our guests experience allergy symptoms, not from the outside but because they are forced inside more often. Think more exposure to pet dander, dust, and even mold that could be inside the home.
Winter allergies are different from their spring or fall counterparts. They occur when the immune system reacts to everyday exposures such as dust, mold, pet dander, or hidden environmental triggers that remain active all year long. At Hotze Health & Wellness Center we understand these seasonal patterns and know, from experience, that allergies, while “seasonal,” are all year round.
In warm, humid regions like Houston, mold spores flourish in fallen leaves, damp wood, and soil year-round.¹ Even on cooler days, humidity provides the perfect breeding ground. In northern areas, sudden warm spells can stir up mold or dust as snow melts. Evergreen and conifer trees may also collect spores on their needles, which are released when brought indoors during the Christmas season (wreaths, Christmas trees, and more).
For most people, indoor spaces are the main problem once windows close and heaters switch on. Common winter allergy culprits include:
When air is sealed inside homes and offices, these allergens circulate constantly through ducts and vents, worsening congestion, sinus pressure, and fatigue.
Take notice of when and where your symptoms flare. Are you congested at night? Do you sneeze after cleaning or unpacking boxes? Tracking patterns helps reveal environmental triggers.
Keep humidity below 50 percent to slow mite growth. Wash bedding weekly in hot water (130 °F or higher), use allergen-proof covers, and vacuum with a HEPA filter.² Remove heavy drapes, carpets, and even stuffed animals in sleeping areas if possible.
Inspect bathrooms, kitchens, and basements for leaks.³ In Houston’s humid climate, dehumidifiers can make a big difference. Clean humidifiers weekly and ensure air conditioning drip pans drain properly.
Replace HVAC filters monthly and use a HEPA air purifier in main living areas. Keep pets groomed and brushed regularly to limit dander.⁴ In colder states, balance humidity so indoor air does not become overly dry.
Dust ornaments outside before bringing them in, and rinse live trees to remove mold spores or pesticide residue. Store decorations in sealed containers once the season ends.⁵ These small adjustments can make a significant difference in reducing indoor allergen buildup.
Even though indoor air is the biggest source of winter allergies, outdoor factors can still contribute. In the areas where Hotze Health & Wellness Center is located (Houston), oak, cedar, and pine trees can start releasing pollen as early as January. In other states, early thaws or windy days can stir up dormant mold and dust. Because the immune system reacts to both internal and external exposures, managing one without the other leaves inflammation unresolved.
If you have been struggling with allergies for years, you have probably tried multiple over-the-counter or typical conventional options such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, or allergy injections. You may have even tried daily or weekly allergy drops. In all these cases, most report that even with this conventional treatment, their symptoms keep coming back. At Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we understand how frustrating this can be. You do not want temporary relief or masking of your symptoms. You want to get to the root cause of why your immune system is overreacting and a treatment that can relieve and build up your immune system so you can, over time, reduce treatment and enjoy your life.
That is where we differ in our approach to treating allergies. What you should know is that the Hotze Health & Wellness Center began as an allergy-only practice. We have been treating allergy symptoms for over 35 years and spend a great deal of time researching state-of-the-art treatments for resolution. While our practice has shifted over time and we now also specialize in full-scale alternative and integrative medicine (hormone balancing, autoimmune disease, testosterone replenishment, vitamin and mineral supplementation, healthy eating and weight loss, gut and microbiome issues, and so much more), we continue to offer guests the flexibility to join our practice solely for allergy care. We are experts in this, and we now offer a cutting-edge treatment called Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI). When you visit us for LDI, you will undergo a comprehensive allergy evaluation by experts in the field. We focus on identifying your sensitivities and customizing your dosage. This is where LDI is truly different. LDI treats airborne (which are most prevalent in winter), food, and chemical allergies. To be specific, LDI treats over 300 antigens, something conventional allergy treatments cannot come close to. Even better, there are no daily drops or injections. LDI is dosed every 7-8 weeks in a sublingual treatment, so it is powerful and effective for children to adults. We have even treated babies successfully with LDI.
We have welcomed guests from across the country, many traveling to Houston specifically for our allergy and LDI program. It is that remarkable. A good majority of our guests feel relief from symptoms within the first month, while for others, it may take a bit longer. The best part about LDI is that, typically, after 2 -3 years of treatment, guests only require a few booster treatments thereafter.
We are often asked the question, “Do you take insurance?” At Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we made a very thoughtful decision many years ago to decline insurance. The reason for this, for our overall program and our allergy program as well, is that we refuse to be constrained in our partnership with our guests to get to the root cause of their symptoms. We refuse to treat our guests (we all our patients guests) by protocols set by insurance companies. At Hotze Health & Wellness Center, we believe your body was designed by God to heal and adapt when given the right support. Whether you come to us for your allergy symptoms and LDI alone or choose to pursue full integrative care, we are committed to treating the entire body and helping your immune system find balance naturally.
Low Dose Immunotherapy (LDI), is a state-of-the-art treatment that helps retrain your immune system to tolerate allergens instead of overreacting to them.
LDI introduces extremely small amounts of allergens under the tongue. Over time, your immune system learns to recognize these substances without producing inflammation. Because the dose is so low, the risk of a severe reaction is minimal.⁶ Unlike conventional allergy shots that target 20 to 40 inhalants, LDI can desensitize you to more than 300 common allergens, including chemicals, foods, and environmental triggers such as dust mites, mold spores, pet dander, and indoor pollutants that drive winter allergies.⁷
LDI is so safe that it can even be used in infants and children. Parents who once struggled to find gentle allergy relief for their little ones have found LDI to be a simple, sublingual therapy that can be administered safely at home.
LDI is administered sublingually (under the tongue), so you can take your dose safely at home. Each treatment is tailored to your body’s response, with ongoing adjustments to find the optimal dose that maintains comfort and balance.
LDI helps support tolerance across multiple systems:
By retraining the immune response rather than suppressing it, LDI addresses root imbalances that drive seasonal and year-round allergies. When indicated, we can also integrate this therapy with hormone support, nutrition, and environmental adjustments for whole-body wellness.
Would you like to explore if LDI could be your answer to allergy symptoms? Click HERE to schedule your complimentary phone consultation with one of our Wellness Consultants. Our consultations are always free. It is a pressure-free conversation where you can ask questions, share your concerns, and discover whether our integrative, root-cause approach is the right fit for you. It would be our privilege to serve you.
¹ “Avoid Indoor Allergies This Winter.” Baylor College of Medicine News, 7 Dec. 2020.
² Arlian, L. G. “The Biology of Dust Mites and the Remediation of Their Allergens in Asthma.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, vol. 107, no. 3, 2001, pp. 406–17.
³ “Do You Have the Winter Sniffles? 5 Ways You Can Manage Indoor Winter Allergies.” American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 17 Nov. 2022.
⁴ “Why Your Allergies Act Up in Winter.” Bernstein Allergy Research, 1 Feb. 2024.
⁵ “Control Indoor Allergens to Improve Indoor Air Quality.” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2023.
⁶ Ennis, Mark, et al. “Low-Dose Immunotherapy in the Management of Allergic Disease.” Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 12, 2021, PMC8232163.
⁷ “Low Dose Immunotherapy for Environmental and Food Sensitivities.” American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, 2022.
⁸ D’Amato, G., et al. “Pollen Respiratory Allergy: Is It Really Seasonal?” Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, vol. 15, no. 4, 2023, PMC10384659.
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Since 1989, Hotze Health & Wellness Center has helped over 33,000 patients get their lives back using bioidentical hormones that restore hormones to optimal levels, strengthen immune systems, and increase energy levels. Our treatment regimen addresses the root cause of hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, menopause, perimenopause, low testosterone, allergies, and candida.
Led by best-selling author, radio host and leading natural health expert, Steven F. Hotze, M.D., our medical team has over 100 years’ combined medical experience backed by a staff of nearly 100 caring professionals who provide an environment of hope and extraordinary hospitality for each of our patients, who we call our guests. It is our deepest desire to help you obtain and maintain health and wellness naturally so that you may enjoy a better quality of life, pure and simple.
Do you want to live a healthy, happy, purpose-driven life? Do you want to restore your health so that your loss of energy, weight gain, joint pain, depression and lack of drive or motivation won’t hold you back from achieving your personal and professional goals?
Dr. Steven Hotze wants that for you, too. In fact, in his powerful and passionate video entitled, “What I Believe”, Dr. Hotze shares how his Christian worldview and pivotal experiences have ignited a deep desire to offer the message of hope and optimal health to all who need to hear it.
At Hotze Health & Wellness Center, our doctors are changing the way women and men are treated through the use of bioidentical hormones. Our natural treatments have helped over 33,000 individuals with hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, menopause, perimenopause, low testosterone, allergies, candida, detoxification and nutritional deficiencies.
Meet our doctors"After just 3 weeks into the program, my joint pain was gone, climbing stairs became easy, my energy level increased from 2 to a 9 (out of 10) and I lost almost 30 pounds! ”
Holistic, functional medicine doctors in Houston, Texas specializing in bioidentical hormones, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, menopause, perimenopause, low testosterone, allergies and LDI treatment, candida, detoxification, nutritional deficiencies, longevity and aesthetics.
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