Conventional Medicine, Alternative Medicine, or Good Medicine?

Among the many common questions that I have been asked by individuals dealing with chronic diseases, I find it interesting to note that there is one question that never seems to go away, and that is:  In your considered, professional opinion, which approach do you think is best for my high blood pressure/cancer/elevated cholesterol/(fill in the disease)….Conventional Medicine or Alternative Medicine?  Implied in this question is an unspoken presumption, and often a disguised desperate plea for help with what is for many a most difficult decision.  The unspoken but clearly implied presumption is that there is something not quite wholly satisfactory about either choice, and that a decision has to be made between two alternatives that seem to be mutually exclusive.  In other words, the concerned individual is often resolutely of the opinion that a decision has to be made which is of the either/or type — either “Conventional Medicine” or “Alternative Medicine.”   And, I might add that sometimes a physician may have led a patient to believe, either intentionally or otherwise, that he or she must make a decision in favor of one or the other, but definitely not both. 

For those experiencing difficulty in working their way out of this perceived conundrum, here are a couple of thoughts that may be helpful:  First, it is of critical importance to define exactly what the terms under discussion mean to you.  While we may all have a general consensus on the meaning of “Conventional Medicine” (traditional Allopathic medicine), the same is not true for the meaning of “Alternative Medicine.”  This latter term often has different connotations for different individuals; thus, it is of great value to establish a level of consensus with respect to its meaning.  Technically speaking, the term “Alternative Medicine” refers to therapies that are used in place of Conventional Medicine.  However, I find that most individuals using the term “Alternative Medicine” are almost always referring to some kind of nutritional therapy, which they perceive as being outside of Conventional Medicine or even alien to it.  Thus, for the purpose of this article only, I am going to speak from the perspective of “Alternative Medicine” as referring specifically to nutrition-based therapies.  I am going to speak from this perspective because of all the “alternative” therapies out there, the research-based nutritional approach is perhaps the most thoroughly documented “alternative,” and thus this approach is much more than mere opinion, ‘considered’ or otherwise.  Second, I believe that to view Conventional Medicine and another means to wellness (such as research-based nutritional therapies) as a strict either/or choice is to make a gross error.  Let me explain this further.

The reality is that when dealing with chronic diseases, the reason why most individuals find either choice (whether conventional or nutritional therapy) somewhat dissatisfactory is because limitations often exist with respect to the scope and benefit of each, depending upon the extent to which disease is already present or has already progressed.   For example, if you are already ill, while you may be  inclined to exhaust nutritional options for addressing many common health conditions prior to resigning to the lifelong use of drugs or possible surgery, you must also be cognizant of the fact that there are many conditions that indispensably require conventional treatment(s), and especially so if disease has progressed to the point where immediate, acute intervention is required (for example: we all know that at the time of an acute crisis such as a heart attack, it is indispensable to obtain conventional treatment).

In light of the foregoing, I feel that it is extremely crucial to maintain a very rational and objective perspective when it comes to decisions pertaining to choice of therapy.  As a research scientist, I am acutely aware of some of Conventional Medicine’s serious limitations, but that does not lead me (neither should it) to indiscriminately shun it.  On the contrary, I believe that wisdom lies in keenly understanding both Conventional Medicine’s strengths and limitations and then, using balanced and intelligent discernment when choosing a therapeutic path or paths.  Both preventive (largely, nutrition-based) and pharmaceutical (drug-/surgery-based) treatments should be looked at carefully, in a sane, reasonable manner with full cognizance of the overall health and immediate as well as long-term needs of a particular individual.  The important point here is that both experiential evidence and research indicate that the more nutrition-based “prevention” we do early, the less drug-/surgery-based “treatments” we generally have to rely on later.  But, if and when treatment does become necessary, a couple of critical observations deserve mention.  I find that individuals seeking nutritional or other alternative treatments outside of mainstream Conventional Medicine oftentimes tend to develop an irrational hatred, almost a rejection, of any conventional therapy.  Similarly, conventional doctors often seem to summarily reject preventive or nutritional approaches, either as legitimate ways to treat the problem, or even as adjuncts to conventional treatments for diseases such as certain cancers, diabetes or even non-life threatening conditions such as moderately elevated blood pressure.  In doing so, they make the error of overlooking a solid body of research that unequivocally validates the role of nutrition in not only effectively preventing some of these diseases, but also in improving outcomes for these diseases.

My experience in being a committed student of medical and nutritional research for many years, as well my close contact with treatment outcomes experienced by both traditional doctors and patients, has led me to conclude that each of the previous two approaches is shortsighted and fails to acknowledge and benefit from the possibilities for creating health that are inherent in using both nutrition and pharmaceuticals (each, as needed, and when needed) judiciously.  While in recent times, terms such as “Integrative/Alternative Medicine” and “Holistic Medicine” appear to be all around us, the critical thing to remember (whether you are a lay individual or a physician) is that chosen therapies should be evidence-based, that is, they should be therapies that have been tested and corroborated via solid, scientific and epidemiologic research; and further validated through the weight of time-tested observational evidence – such therapies can include both conventional and scientifically researched nutritional therapies.  Furthermore, it should be noted that there can be significant advantages in availing of the precision and testing available in Conventional Medicine and utilizing such knowledge for tailoring effective nutritional therapies, or combinations of nutritional and conventional therapies that can augment and bolster each other in the battle against a chronic illness. 

Medicine is a thinking person’s business.  While we all have our own biases, I believe that this is one realm where reason must decidedly rise above emotion.  There is profound evidence for the benefit of validated nutritional therapies for the prevention and amelioration of certain chronic diseases.  There is also profound evidence for the benefit of utilizing conventional treatments, especially when disease has progressed significantly.  Continuing to view Conventional Medicine and nutritional therapies as either/or options is to our detriment.  A wise individual will use both preventive means (soundly proven nutritional therapies) and Conventional Medicine to his or her advantage with a keen awareness of one’s current state of health or extent of illness.  Analogously, a good physician will use all valid tools in his or her toolkit; weigh them in light of experience and evidence; and exercise good judgment, discernment and compassion in applying appropriate conventional and/or nutritional therapies with a singular view to serve the specific needs and requirements of a particular individual in the best manner possible.

 – This is not a matter of choosing between Conventional or Alternative Medicine.  It is…dare I say (?)…the definition of GOOD Medicine.