Allergy Guide

THE FULL SPECTRUM OF ALLERGY SOLUTIONS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS From an integrative medicine expert, a reader-friendly guide to alternative and conventional treatments for allergies such as hay fever, asthma, sinus problems, eczema and food allergies. Dr. Elizabeth Smoots presents an integrative approach that can actually help your immune system unlearn allergic reactivity. She stresses the usefulness of dietary change, essential oils, herbal remedies, and dietary supplements along with mind-body therapies and the pros and cons of conventional drugs. Packed full of health tips and resources for additional learning, Allergy Guide explores your options above and beyond medications to help you alleviate your symptoms and feel well again. With easy-to-understand explanations about alternative and conventional approaches, this book empowers you to make health care decisions that can more effectively relieve your allergies. Allergy Guide provides you with the information you need to: - Know your options for alternative and complementary remedies for allergies and related conditions - Be familiar with the top conventional treatments for hay fever, asthma, sinus problems, food allergies and eczema - Utilize self care steps without leaving home to help alleviate allergy symptoms - Understand the underlying causes of allergies - Know what to expect during allergy diagnosis and testing - Prevent allergies from occurring in the first place or repeatedly coming back Elizabeth Smoots, MD, received a degree in integrative medicine from Dr. Andrew Weil’s Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, and in conventional medicine from the University of Arizona. She has many years of experience in preventive medicine and primary care. Her book Allergy Guide blends the best ideas from each field to help you find solutions to your allergy problems.

THE FULL SPECTRUM OF ALLERGY SOLUTIONS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS From an integrative medicine expert, a reader-friendly guide to alternative and conventional treatments for allergies such as hay fever, asthma, sinus problems, eczema and food allergies. Dr. Elizabeth Smoots presents an integrative approach that can actually help your immune system unlearn allergic reactivity. She stresses the usefulness of dietary change, essential oils, herbal remedies, and dietary supplements along with mind-body therapies and the pros and cons of conventional drugs. Packed full of health tips and resources for additional learning, Allergy Guide explores your options above and beyond medications to help you alleviate your symptoms and feel well again. With easy-to-understand explanations about alternative and conventional approaches, this book empowers you to make health care decisions that can more effectively relieve your allergies. Allergy Guide provides you with the information you need to: - Know your options for alternative and complementary remedies for allergies and related conditions - Be familiar with the top conventional treatments for hay fever, asthma, sinus problems, food allergies and eczema - Utilize self care steps without leaving home to help alleviate allergy symptoms - Understand the underlying causes of allergies - Know what to expect during allergy diagnosis and testing - Prevent allergies from occurring in the first place or repeatedly coming back Elizabeth Smoots, MD, received a degree in integrative medicine from Dr. Andrew Weil’s Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, and in conventional medicine from the University of Arizona. She has many years of experience in preventive medicine and primary care. Her book Allergy Guide blends the best ideas from each field to help you find solutions to your allergy problems. What if someone would sit down with you to explain the alternative and conventional treatment options for your allergic condition and answer your questions? That is what Allergy Guide aims to do. With a copy in your hand (or on your screen), you will be better equipped to care for your condition, or know what questions to ask when you visit your health care provider.

Elizabeth S. Smoots, MD, FAAFP, ABFM, is a board-certified family physician with many years of experience in family medicine and primary care. She has long cared for patients in private practice as well as in several group-practice clinics in the Seattle area. In addition to providing primary care for her patients, Dr. Smoots has special interests in women’s health, skin conditions, sports medicine, fitness and nutrition as well as preventative and alternative approaches to optimizing health. A keen interest in integrative medicine led to her completion of a two-year fellowship at the world-renowned Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, founded by Andrew Weil, MD, at the University of Arizona. As an integrative physician, Dr. Smoots embraces therapies from both the conventional and alternative medical fields and enjoys collaborating with patients to find the right treatment mix for them. She strives to address the mind, body and spirit of her patients and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches to help them achieve optimum health. Dr. Smoots also has a longstanding personal interest in preventive medicine and patient education. She especially enjoys educating her patients about the prevention and treatment of their medical disorders and health conditions. Her wellness articles have appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers, newsletters and websites, including the Harvard Health Letter, Personal Best Healthlines, TopHealth, Family Safety & Health, medscape.com, healthgate.com and webmd.com. She has long written the syndicated health column Practical Prevention for newspapers in the U.S. Additionally, Dr. Smoots has designed an engaging and motivating prevention education program that other physicians can use to educate their patients about staying healthy, fit and well. Dr. Smoots’ credentials include an M.D. from University of Arizona College of Medicine and a B.S. in Biology from Arizona State University. She completed a residency in family medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, she has also been awarded the title of Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. In addition, Dr. Smoots has been honored with a recognition award for long-term service and contributions to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Smoots’ website contains a wealth of information. In addition to reading her blog, A Whole Health Life, you can find out about upcoming additions to the Smoots Guides series. Each book in the series presents integrative solutions to common health problems. The site also provides information about Dr. Smoots’ Practical Prevention newspaper column and patient prevention education program by the same name. For more information, go to www.drsmoots.com.