Embracing the natural sides of life has been a cornerstone of my personality since I was five years old when I would tell my teachers that we needed to “stop building buildings” and save the planet. I just feel connected with my mind, my spirit, and our earth when using natural remedies and supplements.

On the other hand, however, I also come from an environment of addiction to manmade substances. In all honesty, these factors have always made me terrified of using modern medication, even when on my period. The long lists of possible side effects on virtually all medications do not ease this fear.

Not too long ago, there came a point where I had to overcome my fear of modern prescriptions. The pain of my condition was unbearable, leading to daily, tearful breakdowns. The pure oils and natural supplements aided, but the constant physical and mental pain persisted. The condition had progressed to the point where I needed to visit a dermatologist to get it under control so that I could live pain-free. 

Although I still wish I could be “100% natural,” learning to balance contemporary medicine with holistic wellness has been what my health needed. My HS has improved greatly; I rarely feel pain and am optimistic that remission is close by.

Holistic wellness is not for everyone, but neither is modern medicine. They both have their unique benefits and pitfalls. Here’s what you should know about the contrasting forms of medicine and how to combine them! 

What is Holistic Wellness?

Holistic wellness is a whole-body approach to health that considers the mental, physical, emotional, social, occupational, and spiritual well-being of a person. Each component is considered equally and thought to be intrinsically connected, aka “holistic.” Holistic wellness and medicine are often also referred to as alternative medicine.

Many people associate these phrases with natural remedies to physical ailments, such as using an antibiotic oil on a wound instead of Neosporin. But holistic wellness is not just a DIY solution to physical pain. As with most forms of wellness, it is a proactive lifestyle. What holistic wellness looks like varies greatly as it is a highly individualized lifestyle. However, some common practices within this belief set include:

• Yoga/exercise that focuses on both the mind and body

• Vitamins

• Supplements

• Essential Oil Therapy

• Pure oils a topical solutions

• Ayurveda

• Acupuncture

• Nutrition 

• Meditation 

• Sound Therapy

• Forest Bathing 

Due to its whole-body approach, holistic wellness typically calls for a combination of a number of alternative practices to be done simultaneously. For example, using essential oil therapy while meditating in nature would combine three common practices in one sitting. Another example would be to take vitamins and supplements, while practicing an ayurvedic diet. Most holistic wellness practices have expert providers within their subfield who can provide hands-on guidance throughout your journey. 

The most major benefits of holistic wellness are the—often—low cost (compared to modern medicine), the usual lack of side effects, and seamless combination of alternative practices with one another. 

Disadvantages, however, can include: a lack of efficiency (again, compared to modern medicine); improper use of vitamins, supplements, and herbal medicine can lead to serious health concerns; and some alternative remedies take a while to get into your system, meaning it is not usually a quick fix.

What are the Pros and Cons of Western Medicine?

Western medicine has many names, including both conventional and modern medicine. This form of medicine is a scientific approach to health that is constantly updated within a strictly governed environment. Meaning simply, modern medicine has a lot of rules and regulations that it must follow. Western medicine has both its benefits and disadvantages. 

Major benefits include:

• Treatment of conditions currently not proven to be treated by holistic wellness, such as most cancers

• Prevention of deadly viruses

• Detection of genetic conditions

• Practices stemming from thorough research (usually years, but not always)

Disadvantages include:

• Unreliable outcomes/side effects (including death in some cases)

• High cost of care

• Medical racism

• Standardized care may overlook the exact needs of each individual

Holistic Medicine vs. Modern Medicine?

Holistic medicine is based on theories and beliefs. It is supported largely by centuries worth of word-of-mouth outcomes. By contrast, modern medicine is based on and supported by data and scientific research. It is common for people to believe that holistic medicine opposes modern medicine so much so that the two cannot coexist. On the contrary, combining whole body holistic wellness with proven modern medicine is considered the best approach because the two can be quite complementary to each other. 

Both forms of medicine have their disadvantages that can be supplemented by the other. For example, when my skin became painfully inflamed, turmeric supplements decreased the inflammation in hours, but it was ibuprofen or prescription antibiotics that made sure the flare-up wouldn’t return. Or another example, probiotics can restore balance within your gut and genitals while also taking prescription antibiotics. 

It is very important to remember that natural medicine is still medicine. If you do intend on combining natural remedies with modern medicine, you must inform your practitioners, because supplements can influence the effectiveness/side effects of prescriptions and vice versa.

Be careful researching supplements, oils, and other natural remedies on your own. Try to look at reputable sites that are known for modern medicine. Though this may sound contradictory, many modern medicine research sites have done studies on specific alternative medicines and are extremely helpful in detailing what they can and cannot do for you.

Learning to properly balance holistic wellness with contemporary medicine will take some time and help from professionals, preferably both medical doctors and holistic wellness doctors or providers. But, it will be a journey well spent.

Utilizing modern medicine in this day and age is more often necessary than not and is an amazing tool that is known to cure what was once incurable. Yet, many modern medicines can be very harsh on you as a whole. Adding holistic care into your daily life will add in establishing balance within each facet of your being.