An Integrative Approach: the modern approach or traditional modalities to healthcare?

Health is wealth. If you know me, that is the saying I have lived by for as long as I can remember. If we have good health and are happy in this life, nothing else really has ultimate value. Health is the most important factor in each one of us because it is what carries us through this life and reminds us of how amazing it is! The past few years have been a big eye opener to how crucial and precious this point is. People have worried about their own health or the health of their close family and friends more than ever before. Many have shifted gears and put their health first as a top priority sometimes, for the first time. Many have questions about what route is the best for them and have been challenged by choices that directly impact our health each day. One big point I have reminded myself is how important my overall health is and how I can help maintain and build my precious immune system through my daily practices. Choosing a lifestyle routine is different for everyone and many people gravitate towards one modality over another. The good news is that there is not a one size fits all for healthcare and integrating many approaches is becoming more widely accepted. An interesting topic, and one I am currently completing my Master's degree in, is Integrative Healthcare. How do we find the most effective dichotomy of modern medicine and alternative (holistic) medicine? Which combination is right for me?

Through my studies and my personal journey into health knowledge, I have always gravitated towards an Eastern health perspective with a holistic outlook on the body and its' needs. By holistic we mean, WHOLEistic, this whole body. This incorporates the mind, physical body, spiritual health, and all outside influences from diet to our environment, and how the body succeeds as a system. The Eastern part of the world has adopted this with its various cultural paths of lifestyle for health. Enlightenment and understanding the mind/body connection are a large basis for the health view as well as incorporating mindfulness into each routine of the day. The Western region of the world has opened up to this idea and has begun to understand how important each dimension of wellness is, beyond just diet and exercise. The West began adopting what we call modern medicine only within the past one hundred years. Modern, Western medicine has achieved greatness with new advances in health and disease process and prevention through science and developments in pharmacology. Modern medicine has been incredible in achieving tremendous advances for the health of many. Modern medicine created amazing vaccines to eradicate horrible diseases and excelled in surgical transformations that allow people and animals to heal after severe situation.

BOTH are invaluable to healthcare.

What is interesting, is how quickly we have dismissed the ancient ways that exceed basic lifestyle habits like diet and exercise. There is so much more to look at: the other dimensions of health also have a tremendous impact on our overall health. Modern Medicine has taken a lot of the responsibility of health into the hands of a doctor rather than the individual themself. The traditional, ancient perspectives of life see the potential the body and mind have on the entire body system and allow it to essentially do all the work itself. What is truly exciting about the body is its innate ability to truly HEAL itself, all on its own. When we get a cut on our hand what do we do? We apply a band-aide and watch it very quickly begin to heal itself. This can happen so fast that we don't even realize the amazing process that is happening below the skin's surface! Cells and an entire network of an antibody immune system are hard at work to achieve what they were made for...to heal!

The current world healthcare system makes this a little difficult and the easy way out can sometimes be too tempting to pass up. Sometimes, with the need and ability to convenience; whether it’s a small cough or sniffle, we tend to look quickly to modern medicine that includes prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs that aid in that process. But the exciting news is that our bodies do not actually need this (every time). They can do it all on their own, and they are happy to do it too! Sometimes what we really need is to slow down, and look to the body for its' innate intuition and ability to work hard, fast, and with compassion. This may take longer than working with pharmaceuticals, but the body is not meant to pick back up the next day every time we get sick. The rush to be available to get back on our feet for work and responsibilities creates this panic. (different topic for another blog:)

What if we created compassion out of fear and looked at our bodies as a working system that has so much potential and power to live greatly and with health? What if we viewed being ‘sick’ as a message from the body that it's time to slow down and rest, rather than be fearful of the symptoms and suppress them?

Type II Diabetes is a great example of how powerful the body can be. Modern medicine usually will prescribe medication to a patient with this condition, but sometimes, the body can repair this insulin resistance all on its own with proper lifestyle changes. Genetics is usually mentioned with conditions like this and can be scapegoated as a cause. Although genetics can play a role in conditions like Type II Diabetes, genes have a more influencing factor on the results of lifestyle in that specific condition. If someone is genetically predisposed to insulin resistance and combines that with poor lifestyle choices like lack of exercise and overeating sugary foods, they are much more likely to develop the condition. When it comes to insurance and health coverage, we spend a tremendous amount of money on modern medicine that ultimately keeps us sick. We tend to band-aide the problem rather than get to tackling the ROOT cause. At almost no cost and with minimally invasive modalities like ancient medicine, we can make simple changes to our health. Interestingly, traditional modalities are viewed as "alternatives" and are not usually covered by most insurance. I find it harsh that natural, simple healthcare is viewed as the alternative option when it’s been around for thousands of years longer than more modern approaches. A shift in how we see our bodies and their powerful ability to heal can have a tremendous impact on everyone.

There has been a good amount of new research around this "radical" idea that we choose more of a plant-based diet, practice more meditation, contribute to reducing our stressors, and practice more movement through exercise. But the fact is that those beliefs have successfully been understood by millions of people for thousands of years and worked! I find it more radical to think that we have pushed those ideas aside. The body needs the simplest things: whole food, a whole heart and mind, and a little bit of movement to thrive. Western medicine shifted into trying to achieve health with one component at a time. But what the body truly craves is to work as a whole unit. Reduce your stress, eat a more balanced diet, and move your body. Our bodies deserve a more compassionate and natural way. Because the fact is, we are nature, and nature has and will continue to thrive successfully on its own. When we turn to nature and the natural ability of our body, we can live a much happier and healthier life.

It's important to note: this is not a blog about condemning modern healthcare. The system does help and heal, but at a high cost and high risk to quality of life. We can remember that health cannot be one-sided and we can appreciate how each integration can help and complement the other. I aim to educate the importance of working with both options and finding the dichotomy that works for the individual. Integrative medicine adopts this dichotomy and this is the [Balance] I am working to achieve within myself and share with future patients through the Ayurvedic teachings of holistic health. (More on this topic in another post) We can take advantage of our innate ability to heal and live optimally as well as look for some help where we need it from a modern approach. My biggest request is that we don't lose sight of our connection to the self and remember where we can take advantage of our own health first.

Many of my favorite references come from Michael Pollan, a famous foodie and lifestyle expert. He has a great collection of books about diet and health and has tremendous research on the history of diet culture in America. He also has a documentary about his book “In Defense of Food” which was a great health and food reference, showing the shift we have experienced in America, contributing to declines in health. Netflix also has documentaries about medicine and two I enjoyed that talk about alternative medicine are called “Heal” and “What the Health”. I recommend watching them!

Reference:

Ali O. (2013). Genetics of type 2 diabetes. World journal of diabetes, 4(4), 114–123. doi:10.4239/wjd.v4.i4.114

Alex Taylor

Holistic Healthcare Advocate

Master's Student Integrative Healthcare and Ayurveda

RYT 200hr

L.E.