stabilizers are vitamin C and flavonoids, freeze-dried nettles (Urtica dioica), and n-acetyl-cysteine. Examples of leukotriene inhibitors include Omega-3 essential fatty acids and Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata). Examples of corticosteroid modu- lators include Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), black currant (Ribes nigrum) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). The afore- mentioned treatments are quite safe and usually very well tolerated. However, some of these herbs should not be used without the guidance of a well-trained physician. For example, licorice can cause edema (swelling) and high blood pressure. Too much zinc can chelate out copper, causing heart arrhythmias. There is also a homeopathic desensiti- zation approach to dealing with allergies. This is in the form of sublingual immuno- therapy (SLIT), versus subcutaneous immu- notherapy (SCIT), or allergy shots. Outside of the U.S., SLIT is the most common method of treating allergies. Although they work via different physiological pathways in the body, the advantages of SLIT over SCIT are fewer visits to the physician, no shots, and a much larger safety profile. One form of SLIT uses homeopathically diluted substances that an individual is allergic to and desensitizes that person to the offend- ing substance over a relatively short time (similar to how SCIT works). The clinical efficacy of SLIT is not statistically different from SCIT, and both treatments are clinical- ly effective compared with placebo. I have used this treatment with countless patients and have seen them come off their allergy medications completely, with little to no side effects. The above are just a few of the many
natural treatments that naturopathic physi- cians and other integrative physicians em- ploy to help allergy sufferers deal with their symptoms. Again, my integrative medicine approach is not to use these medicines as Band-Aids, but rather to find all the trig- gers, remove them as much as possible, and allow the body’s own natural systems to come back into balance. My goal is to eliminate the need for medications or to only use them as a last resort in the worst- case scenarios.
A great example of how naturopathic medicine can help severe allergy sufferers is a patient I saw during my residency. He was a 45-year-old South Korean man who stated he had been suffering from allergies all his life. Since moving to Seattle, Wash- ington and beginning medical school (yes, at the age of 45!), his eyes burned all the time; he had difficulty breathing; his wife
38 Natural Nutmeg March 2012
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