Ologies with Alie Ward Allergology (ALLERGIES) with Zachary Rubin
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Mar 18, 2026 
Zachary Rubin, double board-certified allergist-immunologist and pediatrician who wrote All About Allergies, joins to unpack sneezes, histamine, and why antihistamines make you drowsy. He covers food allergy prevention, skin tests versus oral challenges, myths like local honey and male trees, and how social media and telehealth shape allergy care.
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How His Father’s Clinic Shaped His Calling
- Zachary Rubin shadowed his father Dr. Ira Rubin and attended a mini medical school his dad created, which inspired his career in medicine.
- He recounts waking to the garage door opener at night as his father rushed to hospital calls, shaping his view of medicine.
Intolerance Versus IgE Food Allergy
- Intolerance is enzymatic/digestive (like lactose) while IgE food allergy is immune-mediated and can be life-threatening.
- Rubin emphasizes oral food challenges are the gold standard to confirm true IgE-mediated allergy.
Don’t Count On Local Honey For Hay Fever
- Don’t rely on local honey to cure pollen allergies; ingesting honey doesn't deliver the airborne pollens causing seasonal symptoms.
- Rubin explains honey lacks the windborne pollen (birch, ragweed, grass) that actually triggers inhalant allergies.
