By Johanson Contreras
Health is a #1 priority in society, especially in a dangerous pandemic where someone having a weak immune system is most likely at risk for Covid. People take certain meds for their illnesses, either they get from a doctor’s prescription or just straight from the pharmacy. This is modern medicine, which is anything pharmaceutical, like medicinal pills, vaccines, psychologists, doctors, nurses, etc.
Although more than 66% of adults in the US take modern medicine, some are skeptical about modern medicine because of its risks to public health. Such as the over-emphasis on pills can lead to over-prescription, which then leads people to take too many medications, which can cause addictions. Another drawback is that the reliance on pills can create resistant bacteria that cause common diseases to become more deadly to the human body and stronger to the medications.
Alternative Options to Medication Are Becoming Popular
Then we have another option, natural/alternative medicine, which is a form of alternative medicine that involves homeopathy, herbalism, acupuncture, diet and lifestyle counseling, etc. this is considered more healthy and holistic than Modern Medicine and, obviously, natural. They aim to treat the whole person rather than the disease, such as beneficial dietary advice to improve bodily functions and massage therapy to relieve tension and stress, or just making herbal tea to strengthen the immune system, relieve indigestion and nausea, improve skin health, etc.
Of course, it doesn’t stop there, it is best to note that these treatments are suitable for everyone, all ages and every level of health. People who are suffering from fatigue, stress and its related disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, or similar minor ailments will seek treatment with natural medicine. Most of these natural treatments might offer little side effects or harm since it discourages the use of pharmacological drugs. Natural medicine also brings more focus on prevention as patients can visit practitioners before a medical condition develops so that they can take control of their health and revitalize themselves.
We Need More Research
All treatments and medicines come with a con side. With natural remedies the research is lacking, compared to standard medicine, the research surrounding alternative medicine is rather limited and it is harder to collect data because of its holistic approach. As said before, there may be little side effects, some treatments and medicines have been found to be harmful because these things have not been heavily studied. Just because something is deemed “natural” does not always mean it is safe and sometimes these practices do more harm than good. Also, herbal medicines are not FDA-approved, which means that they have not passed any safety, efficacy, or human clinical trials. It is more important to research potential benefits or side effects.
Natural medicine is almost as effective, and possibly healthier, than modern medicine, but one thing to note is that natural medicine is only efficient in minor diseases and it’s very limited in the mental health branch as it only tends to stress and anxiety. Although the many health benefits it can bring are appealing, one can not be too careful around natural medicine, it is always important to do some research for the treatments you take. Contact a doctor or simply do some searching online about natural medicine and most importantly, stay safe and be mindful of what you take
Works cited
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-herbal-teas#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10
https://peakhpdenver.com/pros-and-cons-of-alternative-medicine/
https://www.cottonwoodcare.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-herbal-medications
https://healthtimes.com.au/hub/natural-medicine/72/guidance/ht1/what-is-natural-medicine/2115/
https://theautomatedfuture.com/modern-medicine-vs-traditional-medicine-a-breakdown/
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