What is the relationship between alternative medicine and overall health?

Alternative therapy cannot replace mainstream medical intervention in pathological health problems, nor can it be used as a core means to maintain overall health. It can only be used as a supplement under the guidance of professionals to play an auxiliary role in non-pathological regulation of overall health.

In the five years I have been doing community health science popularization, I have seen too many people with polarizing attitudes towards alternative therapies. Those who firmly believe that moxibustion, mindfulness, and homeopathy can cure all diseases, while those who are resistant think that they are all just an IQ tax to cheat money. In fact, both attitudes are a bit extreme. I met a girl who worked in Internet operations before. She suffered from insomnia for more than half a year. She went to the neurology department of a tertiary hospital to find out that there was no organic disease. After taking the sleeping pills, she felt dizzy and even typed the wrong code at work the next day. Later, with the doctor’s consent, she cooperated with weekly mindfulness guidance + ear acupuncture beans. She also followed regular courses at home to do abdominal breathing, which lasted more than two months. After a month, her sleep quality score increased from 32 to 78, and her shoulders and necks that usually tense up when she arrives at work have also relaxed a lot. At this time, alternative therapy has really filled the gap that mainstream medical treatment cannot temporarily cover - that is, the "sub-health" state where the indicators are normal but the person is uncomfortable. It just hits the part of overall health that is "complete social functions and subjective comfort."

But the objections are completely valid. After all, most alternative therapies have not been verified by large-sample double-blind controlled trials, and the risk of abuse will damage overall health. Last month I met an aunt who had type 2 diabetes. She stopped taking the hypoglycemic drugs prescribed by the doctor after taking a health class. She only drank organic fruit and vegetable juices called "natural remedies" every day. Within half a month, she was sent to the emergency room by her family because of ketoacidosis. This is a misplacement of the position of alternative therapies. When there are clear pathological changes, relying on alternative therapies to treat diseases is tantamount to making fun of your own body.

To put it bluntly, the quarrel between the two sides is essentially due to different definitions of "overall health." In the mainstream medical system, overall health means normal physiological indicators, no disease, and complete social functions. However, the "overall health" emphasized by many supporters of alternative therapies also includes more subjective dimensions such as emotional stability and internal perception and coordination. The evaluation system is not unified, so it is naturally impossible to draw a unified conclusion.

When I make health plans for residents, I always draw clear boundaries: Patients who are receiving regular treatment and want to try alternative therapies such as moxibustion, meditation, and scraping must first confirm with the attending doctor that there is no conflict, and then find a practitioner with formal qualifications to operate. They are absolutely not allowed to stop taking medication privately and use alternative therapies. To use an inappropriate analogy, maintaining overall health is like taking care of a small garden. Mainstream medical treatment is the core steps of removing insects, fertilizing, and adjusting soil pH. Alternative treatments are more like cutting dead leaves from flowers and building an awning in the yard, which can make plants grow more comfortable, but you can’t expect to build an awning to cure root rot, right?

Oh, by the way, if you really want to try it, don’t believe the institutions that boast of “alternative to Western medicine” and “radical cure of chronic diseases”. Nine times out of ten, they are making shady money. Don’t gamble with your own health.