WhY is Natural Medicine considered “alternative?”
Ever wonder why natural medicine isn’t a standard part of conventional healthcare? There’s a pretty interesting story behind how we got to where we are today …
Historical use of natural medicine
First things first, let’s review a brief overview of how plants and natural medicine have been used over time.
Believe it or not, natural medicine was part of standard practice (even in America) before the early 1900s! Plants have been used since the beginning of time and are described in the Bible as God’ divine provision for us to care for ourselves (Genesis 1:29). Documentation of using plants for health can be found throughout history and has left a trail of proof that it was common practice:
- Ancient Sumerian clay tablets from Mesopotamia cited 250 plants for health use
- Ancient Egyptians recorded over 850 herbal remedies on papyrus
- Ancient Ayurvedic herbal/energy tradition in India was (and is still) used to balance health
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) incorporates herbalism and is still used to promote health
- Ancient Greek and Roman medicine was also rooted in the use of plants and is credited for the philosophy of the Doctrine of Signatures (the connection between a plant’s appearance and the body part/ailment it could influence)
- Medieval Herbalism developed and was passed down based on tradition and practical experience to treat the sick, which resulted in European monasteries contributing to the practice and documentation of herbalism while treating sick people (one of my favorite medieval heroines was Hildegard von Bingen – a theologian AND herbalist)
- Pagan & New Age Herbalism have evolved as different herbal traditions by mixing together and attributing magical properties to plants, which has come to include rituals, incantations, and the invocation of spirits (deviating from the original Biblical roots of plant use)
- Modern Western Herbalism is a melting pot that has origins in traditional European, Native American, African, and other herbal practices, but also relies on evidence-based therapeutic use of plants (although many herbal traditions have attached spiritual practices to herbalism, these are human additions that do not reflect God’s original intent for plant use and do not define my use of herbalism)
So why isn’t natural medicine commonly used today?
Naturopathy, herbalism and homeopathy were well established and thriving in the U.S. through the 1800s, but things changed drastically with the publishing of the Flexner Report in 1910. Funded by the Carnegie Foundation and J.D. Rockefeller, it was a report and criticism of medical schools at that time, calling for major reforms in an effort to “standardize medicine.” It completely remodeled healthcare and resulted in over 100 medical schools being closed, including all of the ones teaching natural therapies like herbalism and homeopathy.
Because natural medicine practitioners didn’t employ a pharmaceutical model, they was marginalized and essentially wiped out. Accredited U.S. schools shrunk from 155 to 31 and medical education was restructured using “evidence-based standards,” effectively eliminating healthcare choice. The transformation was heavily financed as a “philanthropic effort” by J.D. Rockefeller, a famous oil tycoon who monopolized the oil industry. The Biomedical Model as the “gold standard” of care was born, requiring all illnesses be treated with pharmaceutical medication, surgery, or other prescribed medical intervention.
Natural Medicine Labeled “Quackery”
Although the pursuit to standardize medical training using only “serious science” clearly had some benefits, it included the discrediting and eradication of all traces of natural medicine and healthcare choice for families. All sicknesses required a standard diagnosis that followed a predictable prescribed medical intervention, with no effort to prevent disease or take the individual person’s situation into consideration. Natural medicine, which had previously been been part of standard health care and had a long tradition of being effective and affordable, was demonized, labeled as “quackery,” and suddenly considered alternative.
Why?
Who knows, for sure. I always want to believe the best of people and I do think there was probably good reason to standardize medical care. But at the end of the day, the Rockefellers stood to gain a lot financially by making pharmaceuticals a first medical intervention, as many of them were petroleum-based. The consolidation of medical education influenced by the pharmaceutical industry created a huge monopoly the emphasized drugs (“a pill for every ill) over wholistic lifestyle changes and natural, plant-based protocols. There’s no real profit in researching plants and they certainly aren’t patentable. There also isn’t big money in preventative care, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.
Our modern medical system is insanely skilled at helping people survive acute medical conditions and emergencies. Truly, I am in awe of what can be done! However, the Biomedical Model is simply not designed to prevent chronic disease or support recovery to make people truly well. Thankfully, “alternative” practitioners are becoming more mainstream and it’s easier than ever to find naturopaths, herbalists, homeopaths, and functional practitioners, now with plenty of research to back up their therapies. There are many who work virtually as well.
They are sadly not typically covered by insurance, but they are surely worth the investment. After all, one of the most essential skills we can pass onto the next generation is how to care for the one and only body they’ve been given. Herbalism, natural therapies, and homeopathy can play an important role in building healthier foundations for us and for future generations.
