Natural vs. Conventional Medicine? What are the Advantages?

My Dad’s reputation grew. In town he was the old-fashioned family doctor practicing what he and his classmates believed—the Hippocratic Oath—that they all took at graduation. "Do no harm; let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food." They strongly believed and practiced that. Their first regimen was good nutrition, exercise, and practical solutions; these were all part of their health protocols with surgery and meds administered only when needed. Oschner and my father knew the key to sound function was good liver health and the key to healthy structure was staying fit. To this day, the Oschner Clinic has the best record for liver transplants compared to the rest of the healthcare industry. Why? Well, one reason is that Oschner, like my Dad, championed a philosophy of holistic healing that today might be called alternative medicine or complementary medicine. They followed all surgeries and treatments with extensive rehabilitation and adjunct treatments including massage, exercise, and nutrition programs, embodying the practice of true natural therapies. The result is their patients live longer and feel better.

For me, the dark part of the prescription drug industry is the big disadvantage of conventional medicine... Short-term use of targeted pharmaceutical drugs with life-saving surgery is excellent. Long-term use of drugs with routine maintenance surgery is not good. How does this all contrast with natural medicine? Let's look again at the statistics.

The advantages of choosing nature's pharmacy are clear. For instance, in 2015 reports showed zero deaths from using natural supplements, which include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbal remedies. Similarly, the thoughtful application of treatments like homeopathic remedies is associated with an exceptional safety profile. The use of whole-food, organic remedies and supplements stands in stark contrast to the dangers of long-term pharmaceutical use, keeping more in line with the Hippocratic Oath—Do No Harm.

Many practitioners in natural health will follow criteria laid down in certain traditions from herbalogical folklore, homeopathic medicine or from practices from some of the more famous American Naturopaths. This is all fine because some of these natural therapies date back thousands of years. However, growing up in my father’s clinic and working in the lab, I take more of an empirical approach in my practice compared to other Naturopathic Doctors. I start out with the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), which gives me a more accurate baseline of biochemical activity in the client’s body. Then I know what I am dealing with in their physiology and mineral levels, plus any possible heavy toxic metals that are present.

So which is better? Natural or conventional medicine? I believe that for physical injury of the anatomy or structure of the body, that the conventional allopathic practice (in the E.R.) is king and trumps all other existing treatments... However, as far as physiology or function of the body when chronic conditions linger, natural therapies should not be overlooked as a major consideration. Sometimes even chronic conditions might be better treated with the right alternative medicine approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Alternative Medicine