What is the relationship between alternative therapies and overall health

The current consensus in academic circles and practical fields is that alternative therapy is a non-core supplementary component of the overall health system. It is neither a useless "IQ tax" nor a "panacea" that can cure all diseases. There is still a lot of controversy over the adaptation boundary of the two.

I have been working in a community health management studio for almost five years, and I have met too many people who confuse the relationship between the two. The 32-year-old Internet operator who came here last week had suffered from migraines for almost two years. After several rounds of internal examinations, there was no organic disease. After taking too many conventional painkillers, he suffered from severe gastric acid reflux. Later, he followed the doctor's advice and cooperated with the auricular acupoint pressure beans from a regular traditional Chinese medicine hospital. In addition, he followed the online course to do mindful breathing. In half a month, the frequency of attacks dropped by 60%. In fact, overall health is not just about "eliminating lesions." It also involves the full range of physical comfort, emotional state, and social adaptability. Conventional evidence-based medical care meets the bottom line of "not getting sick." Those trivial needs that cannot be reached by medical treatment can be filled by proven alternative therapies.

But there are many examples of pitfalls. I just met an aunt last month. I heard people at the health center say that moxibustion can cure high blood pressure. I secretly stopped taking antihypertensive medicine for half a month. I was so dizzy that I couldn't stand and sent her to the emergency room. Fortunately, she was sent to the emergency room in time and no serious problems occurred. Nowadays, in the propaganda of many informal organizations, alternative therapies are deliberately promoted as more effective than conventional medical care. In essence, the relationship between the two is reversed - alternative therapies are to add to overall health, not to undermine the bottom line of conventional medical care.

It’s a bit like raising green plants. Conventional medical treatment is special medicine to treat root rot and insecticides. Overall health is the maintenance logic of finding the appropriate lighting, ventilation, and watering rhythm. Alternative treatments are the occasional slow-release fertilizers and foliar nutrient solutions. You can't just rely on nutrient solution to prevent insects and root rot, but if you only water pesticides and fertilizers, it's impossible for the plants to grow smooth and shiny.

Currently, categories such as acupuncture, mindfulness meditation, and music therapy have been included in the catalog of complementary medicines in many countries, clarifying their auxiliary role in chronic pain management, postoperative rehabilitation, and emotional regulation. This essentially recognizes the complementary value of such alternative therapies to overall health goals. After all, when people pursue overall health, what they ultimately want is not "all normal physical examination reports," but that the whole person can eat well, sleep soundly, and be comfortable in daily life.

Of course, controversy has always existed. Many scholars who conduct evidence-based medicine research have always believed that the effectiveness of most alternative therapies is not high and should not be included in the official framework of overall health to avoid misleading the public to skip conventional treatment and directly choose alternative therapies. This concern is also very real. After all, there is a mixed bag on the market now, and too many projects that have not undergone safety evaluation are based on the concepts of "alternative therapy" and "holistic health", which are essentially just to cut leeks.

After my own experience, I feel that the most comfortable way for the two to get along is to draw clear boundaries and not go overboard with each other. First, the bottom line of conventional medical treatment is guaranteed, and then based on your own physical condition and needs, you can choose professionally verified alternative therapies to make adjustments. After all, whether it is alternative therapies or overall health, the core is always the specific person, not some magical methodology.