ALLERGIES AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE - MAKING SENSE AS A PRIMARY CARE PRACTITIONER

Integrative medicine (IM) is defined as a healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind and spirit) including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasises the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, healthcare professionals and disciplines, in an evidence-based approach. The IM approach presented here considers a different perspective on disease manifestations, explores the pathophysiology of allergy in the context of biochemical individuality and emphasises a systems-oriented approach. Evidence-based dietary guidelines, supplements, botanicals and mind-body modalities that may be of benefit to the allergic patient are presented.