The Itch: Allergies, Asthma, Eczema & Immunology

Food allergy prevention is something most families think about once a baby starts eating. But the gut microbiome begins developing before birth, and what happens during pregnancy matters for the development of food allergies.

This is a bonus episode from our conversation with Dr. Carina Venter. The clip did not make it into Episode 165, but it was too good not to share. Dr. Payel Gupta and Kortney dig into what Dr. Venter shared about pregnancy, the gut microbiome, and what families can do in that critical first year of life.

What we cover in this episode about pregnancy and food allergy prevention

How the gut microbiome develops before and after birth. From pregnancy through the first year of life, several key factors shape your baby's gut microbiome, including mode of delivery, breastfeeding, and the introduction of solid foods.

What happens if things do not go as planned. A difficult pregnancy, a C-section, or not being able to breastfeed does not mean you have missed your chance to help your baby develop a healthy gut microbiome. 

What the research on pregnancy diet actually shows. A look at how maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding may affect a child's risk of allergies.

Early introduction and why it matters. Introducing allergenic foods between four and six months of age and keeping them in the diet consistently may reduce the risk of food allergy by ten to thirty percent.

What to feed your baby to support a healthy gut. Diversity, whole foods, and sustained exposure to allergens are the key takeaways for families starting solids.

More Resources:

Webinar: The Microbiome and Its Role in Asthma & Allergies

Podcast episode: Did I Cause My Child’s Food Allergy?

Podcast episode: Early Allergen Introduction

What is a food allergy?

Tips for Saving Money on Allergy-Friendly Food Shopping

Dr. Venter’s Studies:

Study 1: The Healthy Start Study

Study 2: The MEDALLION Study

Study 3: Systematic Review of Maternal Dietary Patterns During Pregnancy and Offspring Allergy

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This podcast is made in partnership with the Allergy & Asthma Network

You have probably heard the word "microbiome", but what does it actually mean for someone living with a food allergy?

Dr. Carina Venter, a registered dietitian, joins us to break down the gut’s role in food allergies. She explains what the microbiome is, how it connects to the immune system, and what families can realistically do right now to support a healthier gut.

What we cover in this episode about gut health and food allergies

What the microbiome actually is. Understanding the bacteria living in your gut, why diversity matters, and what happens when that balance gets disrupted.

The connection between gut bacteria and food allergy. Research consistently shows that children with food allergies have lower levels of two key bacteria, and that gap may affect how the immune system responds to food.

Leaky gut and ultra-processed foods. What leaky gut actually means and research on emulsifiers.

Should you be taking probiotics? Which strains have the most research behind them, what to look for on the label, and why diet diversity may matter more than any supplement.

Practical steps for families. From a diverse diet to when to use supplements.

About our guest, Dr. Carian Venter: https://www.carinaventer.com/

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This podcast is made in partnership with the Allergy & Asthma Network

In this journal club episode, we break down the draft of the Chronic Urticaria Guidelines: 2026 AAAAI/ACAAI Joint Task Force (JTF) on Practice Parameters GRADE- and Institute of Medicine-based recommendations. We explain what counts as chronic hives, why the guideline leans on second-generation non-drowsy antihistamines, what to do when those are not enough, and what is new for both adults and kids.

At the time of recording, the draft was open for comments; it closed for comments on June 30, 2026.

What we cover in our episode about the new chronic hives guidelines

What chronic hives are: A plain-language look at the two main types, spontaneous and inducible, plus angioedema (swelling) that can come with them.

What a draft guideline is: Why the guideline is still being reviewed, and how comments can help shape it before it is final.

What's new for kids: How children fit into the guideline, and why most do well without advanced treatments.

The antihistamine shift: Why the guideline favors non-drowsy, second-generation antihistamines and moves away from older, sedating ones.

When antihistamines are not enough: If higher-dose antihistamines do not work, the recommended advanced option is to start omalizumab (Xolair) plus two newer additions: dupilumab (Dupixent) and remibrutinib (Rhapsido).

Download Infographic

More hive resources 

Read the draft guideline and comment details (ACAAI)

Track your symptoms: Get the CU Download to access the UAS7 and the Urticaria Control Test (UCT)

What are chronic hives?

Chronic Urticaria Toolkit

Living with Chronic Hives

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The Itch Review, hosted by Dr. Gupta, Kortney, and Dr. Blaiss, explores allergy and immunology studies, breaking down complex research in conversations accessible to clinicians, patients, and caregivers. Each episode provides key insights from journal articles and includes a one-page infographic in the show notes for easy reference.

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Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Opella for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.

Join Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta as they unpack chronic spontaneous urticaria. Together, they define what hives actually are, explain how CSU is different from an allergic reaction and other types of hives, and walk through what is happening under your skin to cause all that itching.

This episode was originally published June 6, 2024. We re-released it on June 25, 2026 with a new intro as the perfect foundation before our episode on the new chronic urticaria guidelines.

Do you get hives and have no idea why? Then this episode is for you.

What we cover in this episode about chronic hives:

What hives really are. Urticaria is the medical word for hives, and the two signs are that it itches and it comes and goes.

CSU versus other hives. How CSU differs from inducible hives (CINDU) and from an allergic reaction.

Histamine and the itch. Why histamine drives the swelling and itch, and why scratching feels so good.

What makes hives flare. CSU has no true trigger, but stress and other culprits can set off your mast cells.

The Itch Podcast Hives Episodes
Explore our full catalog of hives episodes

Diagnosis and the basics

Ep. 76 Diagnosing Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

Ep. 128 Is Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria an Autoimmune Disease?

Ep. 90 Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Urticaria in Skin of Color

Treatment

Ep. 78 Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Treatments

Ep. 131 What Is a BTK Inhibitor?

Ep. 147 The REMIX Trial: Remibrutinib for Chronic Hives  

Ep. 116 Why Fexofenadine Is Considered a Truly Non-Sedating Antihistamine

Living with chronic hives

Ep. 148 How Do You Know Your Chronic Hives Are Under Control? 

Ep. 122 Mortality in adult patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: A real-world cohort study 

Ep. 80 Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Myths and Misconceptions

Ep. 79 Living with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A patient story

Ep. 91 A Patient's Experience with Chronic Urticaria and Skin of Color

Ep. 107 Hives in the Latinx Community


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This podcast is made in partnership with Allergy and Asthma Network. 

We thank Novartis for originally sponsoring this episode.

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Any mention of brands is also informational and not an endorsement. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical questions or concerns.

Treatment options for eczema have come a long way, with many new non-steroidal choices. One type is the JAK inhibitor, which offers two things people have long wanted: a non-steroidal option and a more advanced option that, unlike a biologic, does not require injection.

Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta sit down with returning guest Dr. Nicole Chase, to break down what a JAK inhibitor actually is, how the pill and cream versions differ, how JAK inhibitors compare to biologics, and what to know about safety. They also cover what is new, including a topical JAK now approved for children as young as two.

What we cover in this episode about JAK inhibitors for eczema

What eczema really is. 

How JAK inhibitors work. 

Pills versus creams. 

JAK inhibitors versus biologics. 

Safety and side effects. 

Made in partnership with The Allergy & Asthma Network.

Thanks to Incyte for sponsoring today’s episode. 

This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns.