Allopathic Medicine is the New Alternative Medicine
The world's perspective on healthcare has undergone a significant shift in recent years as people seek holistic approaches to support their overall well-being. The recent pandemic further emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a strong immune system. People have started to realize the power that they hold when it comes to their health. This realization led many to explore alternatives to conventional (allopathic) healthcare. Holistic care has gained traction, empowering individuals to take charge of their health journey.
Allopathic medicine, also known as conventional medicine, emerged in the late 1800s with the development of germ theory, the theory that certain diseases are caused by the invasion of the body by microorganisms. The Rockefellers, a prominent wealthy family, played a pivotal role in the transformation of healthcare. Seeking to monetize and control the medical industry, they orchestrated a smear campaign against holistic medical systems, promoting allopathic medicine as the primary model of care.
Holistic healthcare focuses on the body as a whole and views it as an integrated system inclusive of the mind, body, and spirit. Holistic practitioners work to identify and treat the root causes of dis-ease rather than simply suppressing symptoms. This paradigm draws from various ancient healing modalities, combining Eastern and traditional knowledge to restore vitality and balance to the individual.
There are a few major differences between allopathic care and holistic care:
Education
Allopathic education is controlled and standardized, while holistic education encourages critical thinking and diverse approaches with underlying principles that are based on natural physiology as well as biology and physics. This is why you may see providers under conventional education models providing outdated information, while holistic care is able to stay up-to-date with current events, research, and implement new interventions swiftly.
Diagnoses
Allopathic medicine heavily relies on diagnosing and treating specific diseases with pharmaceutical interventions. Holistic healthcare views diagnoses as blueprints and focuses on addressing the whole person's imbalances. There’s no such thing as a protocol designed to fit a specific diagnosis. Instead holistic care focused on functional testing, listening to the client’s story, and unraveling the contributing factors for what led to the diagnosis.
Symptoms
Allopathic medicine considers symptoms as problematic manifestations of disease and aims to stop or fix them. Holistic healthcare interprets symptoms as vital communication tools used by the body to signal imbalances and potential healing mechanisms. As important communication, we don’t want to shut down these symptoms but instead look to the root cause of them to see them resolve naturally as the body is brought back into balance.
Treatment Plans
Allopathic treatment plans often follow standardized protocols, focusing on surgery, pharmaceuticals, or symptom management. Holistic treatment plans are individualized, integrating various natural modalities to support the body's healing process. There is a body, mind and spirit approach with whole-body care that often requires dietary, lifestyle, and supplement changes while working alongside your prescribing physician for any prescribed medications.
Insurance
Allopathic medicine operates as a business with financial interests and standardized treatments linked to insurance reimbursement. Holistic healthcare emphasizes individualized care and often falls outside the scope of insurance coverage. As such, holistic care is often direct pay.
Responsibility
Allopathic care places responsibility on doctors to fix patients, whereas holistic care encourages personal responsibility and empowerment in the healing journey.
Standard of Care
Allopathic medicine prioritizes efficiency, profit, and symptom suppression. Holistic healthcare centers on understanding the individual and providing personalized care. Instead of 15-minute appointments where you’re unable to tell your story, holistic practitioners are able to dedicate time and energy to understanding your journey and reviewing countless symptom assessment to piece together the factors for your health concerns, while also teaching you about what they are seeing in the process.
The shift towards holistic healthcare displays a growing recognition of the importance of personalized healing and individual empowerment. Allopathic medicine, while essential for emergency care, often lacks the individualized approach necessary for true healing. Holistic healthcare embraces the complexity of the human body and the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. It is important to understand the differences between these two healthcare models. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and there is a time and place for each in supporting one's health journey. The key is to seek practitioners who resonate with your values, align with your goals, and prioritize your well-being above all else. Empowered by knowledge, people can confidently navigate their health choices and create a comprehensive and effective approach to wellness.
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