“Okay, so the chemotherapy will kill the cancer cells. But how do I protect his vital organs and heart?” inquired the mother.
Silence.
“Well, our focus is on the here and now. The internet is a great resource for the longer term effects,” replied the doctor.
What mother wouldn’t exhaust every option to assist her child’s long-term health? Unfortunately, many medical schools breeze through the topic of alternative medicine.
Stick with me, because I’ll reveal why our health system is due for a change.
What Is Alternative Medicine?
Alternative medicine can be defined as, “treatments outside of the mainstream.” Western medicine is unique because it doesn’t normally include a holistic care option.
Our model is far from normal. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates about 3 billion people use integrated practices as their primary form of care. If almost half the world believes it works, why don’t we?
I offer it’s not that we don’t believe it works, but rather we don’t know it exists. And why is this?
The pharmaceutical industry has a greater influence over medical schools than people realize. They are invested (literally) in you avoiding therapeutic choices like:
- Supplements
- Medicinal herbs
- Plant extracts
- Minerals
Preventing or managing diseases through this inexpensive option creates major business problems for them.
I’ll leave it at that, and let you form your own conclusions.
Keep reading as I shed more light on this “unknown” in American medicine.
Types of Alternative Medicine
Wikipedia has a list of alternative medicine way too massive to include here. So I’ll mention 8.
- Acupuncture
- Chiropractic
- Essential Oils
- Herbology/Herbal remedies
- Homeopathy
- Naturopathy
- Nutrition therapy
- Osteopathy
Let me lift the veil for you, doctors won’t typically recommend them…minus chiropractic services. Here lies the root of general misunderstanding around this side of healthcare.
For those outside the medical field, what you don’t know is exactly that. Unknown. For the majority of patients, they’ll purchase and start taking pretty much whatever is recommended.
We’ve been conditioned to trust doctors, which is good and bad. I won’t expand on this more here, but it’s something to think about.
Now that I’ve defined it and touched on a few types, it’s time to put some numbers behind it.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Numbers
Before I discuss the state of U.S. healthcare, allow me to share some alternative medicine statistics.
- Over the last 8 years, revenue for alternative medicine grew 76% to its present valuation of 21 billion
- 74% of Americans desire a holistic approach to health care
- 84% say the American healthcare system is broken and only getting worse
I think you’ll agree with me when I say these 3 stats affirm real potential for holistic practitioners. People want a better, more natural option and are willing to pay for it.
As you see above, Americans believe the system has room for improvement.
Along those lines…
- A report from the Commonwealth Fund ranked U.S. healthcare last among 11 high-income nations
They ranked each nation in the following areas:
- Administrative efficiency
- Equity
- Healthcare outcomes
- Access to care
According to the study, our nation was “such an outlier that we have calculated the average performance based on the other 10 countries, excluding the U.S.”
Let that quote marinate for a minute.
While you do, it’s worth answering a question you probably have.
Does Insurance Cover Alternative Medicine?
The answer?
Well the short and sweet is, usually no. Certain carriers will cover a few like chiropractors or acupuncturists, but this is far from the norm.
You’d think this would lead patients away from it, in favor of “those pills from my pharmacy.” The truth is quite the opposite.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says Americans spend about $30.2 billion out of pocket annually on non-covered holistic products and providers
Maybe these people didn’t get the memo?
Whether they did their own research to find a doctor of alternative medicine, or followed a friends recommendation, this side of healthcare is bursting at the seams.
And this isn’t an understatement. After all 30 billion is a rather large number!
Do you see how huge this is? If you’re still not convinced, I’d like to share a personal example.
Alternative Medicine and Elijah Wordsmith
Diagnosed with Leukemia at age 11, my nurse mother took a long-term outlook on my health. She knew chemotherapy could cause issues for my internal organs down the road.
Her solution? Conducting her own research while raising 3 other kids alongside my dad, she found holistic options.
One was Coenzyme Q10, which is considered beneficial by the Mayo Clinic. There’s just one problem, the FDA doesn’t approve it for treating medical conditions. Hence why she had to seek it out on her own.
I was perplexed by this last fact, especially as I dug deeper.
According to the National Cancer Institute (NIH), CoQ10:
- Vitalizes the immune system
- Protects the heart from damage brought about by certain chemo drugs
I took it daily, and decades later my heart is still beating strong. I’m thankful my mom added this and other alternative medicines to my treatment.
After hearing my story, do you think alternative medicine should be a daily practice of Western medicine? You can guess my answer, but I’m interested to hear yours.
Wrapping up, I want to highlight a solution for holistic doctors wanting to grow their practices.
Healthcare Marketing and Alternative Medicine
My goal here is not to be critical of workers in the healthcare system. After all, I was one for 10 years. And I have family serving in the front lines of the industry.
Instead, I’d like to offer a solution to bring about change.
Healthcare content marketing is a cost-effective and efficient way to reach audiences who don’t yet understand their need for this option.
Big Tech has made it extremely difficult for holistic practitioners to reach their target audiences. Let’s just say they have a vested interest in this outcome.
Elijah Wordsmith content writing is the workaround you’ve been looking for!
Active (and invested) in alternative social media, I’ve engaged with patients who WANT to learn about this care option.
And I am skilled in connecting the two of you.
Take the first step towards standing out online and schedule a discovery call today!