Non-Conventional Medical Systems: What’s in a Name?
New terminology has been flooding media outlets in an unprecedented era of information overload, this includes medical field(s).
The global Covid pandemic created new niches in the search for and the delivery of health care and medical information, including Ai, ChatGPT, wearables, telemedicine, telehealth, health coaching, etc.
Having fielded a wide array of questions lately from the Reasonable Remedies community, we thought we would identify some terminology that we have had questions about and provide some context about emerging “fields” in the gray area outside of what is often referred to as “standard medicine,” “Western medicine,” “conventional medicine,” “or allopathic medicine.” 1
You may have heard of some (or all) of these terms. What’s in a name?
Here’s an abbreviated list of some non-conventional Medical modalities and Systems:2
- Naturopathic Medicine
- Alternative Medicine
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Holistic Medicine
- Wholistic Medicine
- Functional Medicine
- Personalized Medicine
- Concierge Medicine
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Longevity Medicine
- Regenerative Medicine
- Integrative Medicine
This is not an exhaustive list. There are some textbooks and review articles that cover these in depth.3 These are frequently used in the common vernacular and searched for on the web. They are in general outside of mainstream medicine, not often completely covered by insurance companies, governments, or fall into pigeon-holed guidelines for fixed named diseases or conventional treatments.
These non-conventional modalities and systems are generally umbrella terms in which patient-centered medical approaches are couched. These systems and modalities largely attempt to address multiple components whole person health (body, mind, spirit, culture, community, environment). At Reasonable Remedies, we try to provide you with information, resources, and supplements that can complete your path of wellness.
Alternate medical systems and modalities move away from cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all approaches to healthcare. Instead, this approach is tailored to each person’s individual make-up, recognizing that each person may have different underlying causes for their health concerns, and will require unique treatment plans, and prevention approaches.
Personalized systems and modalities are not mutually exclusive from conventional medicine. There are often cases where multiple approaches (personalized & conventional) are used in conjunction and should be combined. However, personalized modalities are more patient-centered because they consider an individual’s unique characteristics, including their lifestyle, environmental exposures, genetics, and other factors—to develop personalized interventions that promote optimal health and longevity.
One of the key differences between personalized modalities and conventional medicine is the emphasis on prevention and addressing underlying causes of illness. Conventional medicine, for chronic conditions, tends to solely manage symptoms— often focusing on diagnosing and treating diseases based on established population-based protocols, and not always addressing fundamental root-causes of illness. The future of healthcare, regardless of the name, will need to be personalized.
Some statistics on chronic conditions affecting the U.S. population:4
Let’s face the facts, modern ‘medicine’ is amazing at a great deal of things: e.g. emergency medicine, genetic medicine, targeted gene therapies, pharmaceutical development, infectious disease, etc. But what’s killing us? Look at the statistics-these are preventable! Look at the epidemiology, look around at the grocery store, at the gym, …look in the mirror!
What’s making us sick are the things that we do (like what we eat), and the things that we don’t do (like exercise and supplement with nutrients)! But how do we know what to do? How to eat, move, supplement, sleep, de-stress, relate, communicate, meditate, pray, exercise? More importantly, who do we trust? Most importantly when we do know (and here’s the kicker), are we motivated to change?
“If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” - Maya Angelou
“Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes.” - Donna Barnes
"The price of doing the same old thing is far higher than the price of change." - Bill Clinton.
This is really where partnering in a guided wellness journey will have much more impact on your daily life, on your relationships, on your attitude, on your longevity and quality of life. Don’t wait until you come down with a “dis-ease” find …well-trained providers, or support group, or information with knowledge and references/resources that can get you on a healthier path, keep you on a healthier path, and/or contribute to your overall wellness if you have gone off the path!
Check out some of the high-quality supplements that we have curated for you at Reasonable Remedies to help you on your path (the best path is prevention!). Including our high-quality supplements, such as cardiovascular protection (Cardio-Mag-lo-plex II), immune support (Virmunity), multi-vitamins (Omnivite), and more.
Please send us a note if you have any questions or comments!
In Health,
- The Reasonable Remedies Team
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology_of_alternative_medicine#Allopathic_medicine
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology_of_alternative_medicine
3. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1d&q=alternative+medicine+textbooks
4. https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults