Illness and disease are never comfortable or welcome, but they are simply a natural part of our world. What’s not natural is fighting these diseases with prescription medication that masks symptoms and allows the root causes to fester. Thankfully, there are traditional approaches that have proven, over many centuries, to be more effective.
Exposing a Broken System
Our modern healthcare system is broken. Some would say it’s broken beyond repair, but this isn’t necessarily true. If we take the time to understand what’s wrong with the system, we can direct or focus toward righting the system. The easiest place to begin is with prescription medication.
Research shows that nearly half of Americans take at least one prescription drug. Antidepressants are the number one category of pills. (One in four women take drugs for mental health conditions.) And even though 85 percent of new drugs hitting the market have been found to provide minimal or no benefit to patients, the number of people taking multiple drugs has skyrocketed over the last few years. In all, only 30 percent of all drugs prescribed to patients actually work for the condition.
But even when a drug works for a condition, it usually doesn’t address the underlying condition. In most cases, it’s simply designed to mask symptoms and make the patient feel better short-term. And when a patient is on multiple drugs at once, the proprietary ingredients of these drugs makes it difficult to know how they’ll interact or whether a patient will experience adverse effects.
Prescription drugs are moneymakers for pharmaceutical companies and easy solutions for healthcare providers (who often get sweet deals for prescribing certain medications). It’s the general public who get the raw end of the deal.
Thankfully, the world did without bogus medication for centuries. In many regards, people were healthier then than they are now. (Sure, life expectancy is far greater in modern times, but that has to do with a confluence of factors.) Contrary to popular belief, the efficacy of natural medicine and holistic healing has more evidence and proof than most realize.
Discovering Natural Healing
Whether you’re chronically sick with a painful condition, have recently been diagnosed with cancer, or simply want to live a healthier life, here are some ways you can tap into the power of natural healing:
- Be Mindful of What Goes In
Eating a clean diet that’s high in natural, plant-based food can make a huge difference in your overall well-being.
“Thinking of food as medicine means that as you put good stuff into the body you get good results and need actual medicine less and less,” Green Living Ideas explains. “Building a diet based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains and plant-based proteins can make you feel your best and keep your immunity high in more ways than one.”
- Identify and Address the Root Cause
When something is ailing you, it’s important to dig down and identify the root cause – not just the symptoms. In other words, don’t immediately reach for an acid blocker when you experience acid reflux or heartburn. Instead, figure out what’s causing your symptoms. Chances are, there’s a way to correct this problem and avoid using medication that will only lead to additional problems in the future.
- Recognize the Relationship Between Mind and Body
Experts in holistic healing and natural medicine are big believers in the relationship between the mind and body. The mind has far more power than we realize and can actually be used to promote physical healing. The five-day Mindbody Medicine Retreat put on by Professor Sanjay Raghav and Dr. Ruth Gawler actually teaches people how to use the mind to manage a range of diseases – including autoimmune conditions, chronic stress, and degenerative diseases.
- Try an Integrative Approach
Integrative medicine is far superior to a one-track approach. The physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, sexual, and environmental are all tied together. Thus, healing should account for these relationships.
Embracing Holistic Healing in a World of Drugs
Culture will tell you that you’re crazy for turning down a prescription and turning to natural methods, but your body will embrace your holistic approach. There are times when certain drugs may be helpful, but there’s almost always a natural alternative that’s gentler on the body and better in the larger picture. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain and return to the methods that have worked for many centuries.