Choosing Health Over Division: Narrowing the Divide Between Conventional and Alternative Medicine

Open, honest and transparent conversations are the key to bridging ideological divides. 

As a traditionally trained, conventional medical doctor, I adopted the symptom-based approach to medicine with drugs and surgery as first line treatment for disease. But I now understand that the paradigm we learned in medical school is only part of the equation for healing and creating optimal health. 

Many of my colleagues think that because I have turned toward holistic health that I have gone to the “dark” side. On the contrary, I consider myself enlightened. There really is such a thing as the inter-connectiveness of mind, body and spirit. It is real and it is powerful. 

Holistic health is a state of internal balance, not just an absence of illness. (1) Now that is a definition that would throw just about any conventional doctor into a tizzy. 

Where Medicine Falls Short the Growing Frustration in Healthcare

Getting well and staying well is a multi-dimensional process influenced by our genetics, lifestyle choices, environmental exposures, stress and thought patterns. Although all of us healthcare advocates are on the same team with the same goal of getting people healthy, it is clear we just look at illness differently. 

With conventional medicine, the focus is solely on diagnosing specific diseases and treating downstream symptoms. This model works well for acute and life-threatening conditions. But it misses the mark in dealing with chronic illness, mental health and promoting optimal well-being. 

As conventional medicine falls short in this regard, those we serve are going past their doctors in search of alternative methods of healing. People are looking for a more personalized, empowering approach to wellness. It is also becoming clear that when it comes to chronic illness, many conventional doctors are tired of prescribing medications and not seeing their patients get better. They are wanting to change their approach to healing.

Unpacking Core Principles of Alternative Healing

In a Mini Review, Dr. Claudia Steurer, describes Alternative Medicine as an “umbrella term encompassing a wide range of practices, therapies and philosophies that exist outside the conventional medical paradigm.” In other words, these are things not taught in medical schools or used in hospitals.

Alternative medicine recognizes the body as an integrated system, respecting its wholeness rather than focusing on a set of symptoms or an organ system. These therapies are patient centered, allowing for personal choice and involvement in the body’s healing process. What a concept! 

Some recognized complementary and alternative approaches:

  • Nutritional: Dietary modification, supplements, certain herbal approaches

  • Psychological/Stress management: mindfulness, meditation, hypnotherapy

  • Physical: chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage, yoga, tai chi

Why Conventional Doctors Harbor Suspicions About Alternative Therapies

  • Concern for sufficient scientific validation: Hard core conventional doctors live and die by evidence-based medicine with large randomized controlled double-blind studies being at the pinnacle. These are multi-million dollar undertakings often funded by large pharmaceutical and medical device companies. 

  • Doctors are compelled to comply with “Good Practice Guidelines” by health policy makers which creates a huge blind spot for alternative practices.

  • Concern over sufficient regulation/oversight for alternative therapies

  • Differing educational standards: There is a lack of appreciation for the work of the holistic practitioner as if they lack legitimate training compared to the time and cost put into medical school and post-doctorate training.

  • Impression that alternative healing techniques are “softer” and therefore more questionable in whether they work or not.

  • Questions arise over who is responsible for the healing process: As medical intuitive, Caroline Myss writes, “The position that it is the patient who is responsible for his or her healing process challenges the very core of the traditional medical paradigm and, in particular, the doctor-patient relationship. In the traditional model, patients look to physicians to find a way of healing their illness.” As the doctor makes all the decisions leaving little room for personal choice, they unknowingly bring on feelings of helplessness. (2)

Empowerment in Healthcare: Transforming Helplessness to Healing

If we all entered medical school to alleviate suffering and help heal, why are we not asking more questions when an illness is not straight-forward. 

When we come to the end of the road with what we have to offer a patient who has a chronic illness or mental health issue and they do not seem to be getting better, why do we tend to be dismissive? At the very least we need to acknowledge the pain and grief that comes from the illness along with the loss of purpose and joy in life.

Whether anxiety or depression is at the root of their physical symptoms and illness or a result, we must probe deeper and be willing to direct them to alternative and complementary therapies. 

Nutritional approaches can uncover deficiencies, reduce inflammation and reverse metabolic syndromes all of which contribute to or can even be the source of chronic illness. This could be the first step to empowerment as the patient starts to take control of their illness.

Adopting practices of mindfulness, meditation and yoga can be powerful. The benefits of a well-regulated nervous system cannot be overstated. Improved emotional well-being, memory, focus and concentration and sleep have been shown to be associated with these practices.  Even improvements in chronic pain and blood pressure have been reported in studies. 

I am not much of a Yogi, but has anyone else ever found themselves in a deep sleep on their mat after a yoga session?

Imagine what all this might do to reduce the dependence on pharmaceutical drugs, their dreaded side effects and drug interactions? What if, just for a moment, we could focus less on “sick care” and more on the power of creating health?

What if doctors, notorious for not taking care of themselves, eating and sleeping poorly and neglecting their own health, took an immersion course in holistic wellness?

Whoa! These doctors would feel so amazing, they would come away wanting to be their patients’ best cheerleader empowering them to take a more active role in their own healing practice.

Turning the Tide: What Must Change

There remains an ethical quandary when considering the blending of alternative medicine with the obligation to provide the highest degree of evidence-based medicine and the adherence to “Good Practice Guidelines”.

Yet, the voices and actions of our dissatisfied patients and the public are sending reverberations that are continuing to echo. They are stepping out and going directly to the science. 

Integrative and Functional Medicine are new approaches that are gaining traction as they offer a more balanced approach, combining the strengths of conventional and alternative methods for a more holistic healing experience. Lifestyle Medicine with its own board certification is spreading globally. Each of these also focus on root causes of disease at the metabolic and cellular level which is paramount.

What else needs to happen?

  • More sponsors, funds and grants for research and development for alternative therapies in accordance with evidence-based medicine. Where is our National Institute of Health on this? Maybe they could redirect some of the billions they spend on pharmaceutical studies.

  • Officials in Public Health need to authorize and supervise licensing systems and quality control in Alternative therapies.

  • Allow more flexibility to use alternative practices within “Good Practice Guidelines.”

  • Address availability, access and coverage of alternative therapies with insurance companies and HSA/FSA.

Targeting the Core Issues in Health and Well-being

 Chronic disease is complex and has many root causes. More diligence is required to recognize early insulin resistance, nutrient deficiencies, biochemical and hormonal dysregulation, toxic exposures, gut health issues and chronic latent viral and parasitic infections. Restoring health requires multi-modal intervention, beyond drugs and surgery, and an approach that engages and respects the wholeness of the individual. 

In addition, if we are going to create health we must support the entire complex system of mind, body and spirit. We must be willing to lead our patients to others who can help them distill out and heal deep emotional, spiritual and relational trauma and dysfunction. A more personalized healthcare approach where doctors are partners within a team not authorities who hold all the answers is required.

In the quest to rekindle care and wholeness within healthcare, unity is key---we must all embrace an openness of heart and mind as we move forward together.

(1) Patwardhan B et al. Integrative Approaches for Health: Biomedical Research, Ayurveda and Yoga. Academic Press; 2015.

(2) The Creation of Health, Carolyn Myss, Ph.D and C. Norman Shealy, MD, Three Rivers Press, New York.remain

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