Alternative vs Conventional Medecine

by: Gregory Franklyn 
I continue to be blown away by the absolute miracle that I am! Wait a minute, that's not my head swelling all over the page. I'm referring to how awesome a miracle my body is. I've had mine for just over 55 years now and it never fails to amaze me with its ability to take care of itself. Considering what I've put this body through and the amount of abuse I've subjected it to, mine continues to exceed my very best expectations.

I've studied and used "Alternative" or "Natural" healing techniques for a little over half my life now and I'm a stand for its effectiveness. I've, also, had those times when my body needed some drastic assistance and I go to a conventional doctor for those times. For such drastic situations, Conventional Medicine is just what the Doctor ordered.

First of all, I find the very terms we use to describe these two approaches to medicine to be turned around. We call natural medicine "Alternative" when it precedes AMA type medicine by, at least, a few thousand years and we call the newer form of medicine "Conventional". How twisted is that?

But I digress. I have always been amused by the sibling rivalry, and sometimes out and out hatred, between these two approaches to healing when they have so much to compliment each other. What a tremendous waste.

I blame the AMA and the FDA for most of the conflict, however! Before there was an American Medical Association or a FDA, healers were often Barbers with a sideline interest in general health and before that there was only herbal/natural healing methods usually dispensed by a tribe member or midwife with a gift for helping people.

Then, as humans will do, groups of these healers would gather and compare notes. That led to a desire to organize and format all that knowledge so that all of it would be available to everyone in the group. Presto, the American Medical Association (1847). It was then decided that a uniform set of rules and procedures were needed and that lead to the concept of uniform formal study of medicine and various licenses to practice it. Viola! Doctors and Nurses.

As I see it, the fly in the ointment came when companies formed to produce combinations of herbs, barks, leaves, roots and Chemistry and marketed them to the public in the form of "Snake Oil" and to Doctors & Nurses in the form of "Preparations" which saved them time and energy.

The most famous of these "Snake Oil" remedies is what we now call Coca-Cola, which up until the 1950's contained a concentration of Cocaine and was marketed as a cure all for whatever might ail you. It made people feel better,,, imagine that! Dr. Pepper was another. The 3 numbers on Dr Pepper bottles produced up until the 80's referred to the times of day the remedy should be taken.

With that kind of medicine being bought sold all over the country it was no surprise that some supervision of drug companies was in order. Viola! The Food & Drug Administration (1862) popped up to fill the need. Eventually the drug producers, drug regulators and drug prescribers became so cozy with one another that Natural medical preparations got pretty much pushed aside by the medical establishment as "Old School" and lumped into the same category as the old "Snake Oils".

The 1960's brought in a re-awakening of interest in nature and its healing properties and that's when "Alternative" medicine came under fierce political opposition from the medical "Establishment". By then the medical establishment had too much to lose to allow people to regain control over their own health care.

But, back to my original point; both approaches to medicine and healing have their strengths and their weaknesses. However, the two together make a powerful combination to support the whole healthy human. For preventive care and maintenance, "Natural" or "Alternative" medicines have no equal. For critical or catastrophic health conditions, "Conventional" medicine has no equal.

I long for the day when these to siblings just admit that they are both unequalled in their own special area of care and start working together for the good they have in common towards the proper care and maintenance of the Whole Human Being.