The word “natural” has been both over and misused over recent years as businesses try to appeal to a growing market of consumers. I say growing market, but these consumers have appeared in various forms over the decades: they were transcendentalists in the 19th century, hippies in the 70s, and are known as “granola moms” now. Whatever the name may be, these individuals recognized the unique properties of nature to heal illness and sought to abandon materialistic pleasures that were doing their body more harm than good. Natural medicine is based off of the same principles: to heal the body by embracing the healing elements of nature and life and leaving behind detrimental lifestyle habits.
The beauty of natural medicine is that it is all made from the Earth and from within humans; in other words, everybody has access to it! While conventional medicine addresses symptoms to provide temporary relief, natural medicine addresses the root cause of illness and thus aids in providing a permanent cure. The body’s systems are allowed to do what they were meant to: heal. Our modern world, with increased toxins, addictions, and avenues of illness, has also called for the production and use of newer holistic therapies. For the interested reader, below I have listed a few holistic medicine practices:
- Nutrition: As the father of medicine Hippocrates once said, “Let food by thy medicine”. Although food choice is crucial to our health and vitality, it is overlooked in today’s world. A holistic diet can prevent and reverse illness; in fact, 7 of 10 of the leading causes of death in America can be prevented by a whole foods plant-based diet.
- Ayurvedic Medicine: One of the oldest systems of healing originating from India, based on the philosophy that humans are a microcosm of nature and therefore are composed of the same five elements of nature: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. Imbalances in these elements are what cause illness, and they are treated with herbal remedies and changes in diet.
- Oriental Medicine: Originating from China, oriental medicine relates health and disease to the processes of nature; therefore, illness is a result of an imbalance between the body and nature. Treatments aim to restore Qi (“chi”), vital life force, in the body and include acupuncture, cupping, massage, and herbal remedies.
- Herbology: Herbal remedies have roots in many cultures and was the primary form of healing until the recent introduction of Western healthcare. All herbs contain medicinal properties that when prepared and used properly, can produce a potent and healing cure. In fact, many drug companies still use herbs in their formulas.
- Homeopathy: Founded by a German physician, a healing system based on the principle of “like cures like”. Plant and mineral-based substances that invoke symptoms of the illness are given to the patient in a diluted form, curing the patient by activating the body’s natural defenses.
- Energy Therapy: The body is influenced by electromagnetic fields. Energy therapy uses light, sound, magnets, and/or touch to interact with these fields and restore imbalances in the body’s energy fields. Roots for this practice include Oriental Medicine, Ayurveda, and Native American medicine.
- Functional Medicine: Pioneered in the early 1990s, functional medicine aims to treat a patient through a holistic approach, considering their environment, genetics, and lifestyle to heal the body.
The question arises: why? Why opt for alternative therapies when modern medicine exists? Why discipline myself into a healthier lifestyle if I feel fine now? The answer is autonomy. Much of modern medicine and our habits today have left our bodies in a permanent state of remission, so disease is still present and waiting to manifest. While modern medicine is highly successful in treating short-term acute symptoms, it fails to cure long-term chronic illnesses. Further, its use could be significantly reduced with preventative care. Natural medicine can be a cure. By addressing the root cause of the symptoms and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, an individual can regain the power to heal themselves and are no longer forced to depend on costly solutions: their health is in their hands.
Natural medicine is not a new advertising fad that health companies created, but a time-tested and accessible form of healing that should be an individual’s first line of defense against illness. I hope this post inspires you to explore more natural medicine techniques the next time you may have a cough, cold, etc. and, hopefully, address the root cause!
