The Changing Approach To Healthcare

Health is one of the great human equalisers; we all have to manage and maintain it or we suffer the consequences. Even though we currently have more information and access to healthcare than at any other time in history, getting and staying in good health can seem like more of a challenge than ever, with some of the most modernised nations currently facing a number of public health crises. But perhaps all that’s needed is to approach our ideas about healthcare slightly differently…

In the Western world, we have an amazing level of access to medical and healthcare treatments, and although there are a lot of valid criticisms about how available this access actually can be to many of those who need it, it is certainly undeniable that in terms of medical and scientific developments and understanding we are living in an unrivalled era.

Yet, in these same nations, health is actually on the decline in many ways; yes, people are living longer on average and it is true that fewer of us fall prey to infection and disease than ever before, but things like heart disease, strokes, obesity-related-illnesses and mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent than ever.

It is also true for many in the West (as well as globally) that accessing these advancements in healthcare and means of healthy living is difficult for a variety of reasons- even in the UK where access to healthcare via the NHS is free at the point of service, waiting lists and backlogs for treatments are at an all time high, meaning that many people are unable to realistically access the care they require.

There is also the problem that many health issues, including mental health conditions and obesity, were already on a steady increase long before the waiting list crisis began (long before the pandemic), despite the already mentioned access and availability of treatments and interventions.

While there undoubtedly many factors at play and reasons which are causing these issues, one which we can all access is how we approach our personal healthcare.

Of course everyone is aware of things such as avoiding smoking and excessive drinking, eating healthily and exercise as means of managing their personal health and general resilience and resistance to illness and disease, and while the benefits of a health-conscious lifestyle are undeniable, many people do not feel that they are in a place to fully commit to drastic changes in their daily habits.

Currently, the majority of Western society engages healthcare mainly through what is known as the Allopathic approach. Allopathic healthcare is the most common approach to healthcare in the Industrialised world. It is based on the principle of treating disease with drugs or surgery. Allopathic doctors believe that disease is caused by an imbalance in the body, and that drugs or surgery can restore the balance and cure the disease. Allopathic healthcare is often perceived as being more effective than other forms of healthcare, especially for treating acute health conditions, but it can also have more side effects than other approaches.

While the allopathic approach is based in evidence and scientific research, it is not the only approach which is supported in this way, and there are huge issues with the business side of the pharmaceutical industry and the media actually influencing and manipulating how research data is shared, leading to medications being released to the public with little or no valid scientific backing.

Another approach to health and wellbeing which is also backed by science but is not as well known, is the Foundational (sometimes also called Constitutional) approach. Foundational healthcare is based on the theory that disease is caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Foundational healthcare practitioners use a variety of techniques to address these factors, including diet, exercise, stress management, and supplements. Foundational healthcare is often seen as being more holistic than allopathic healthcare and better for treating chronic conditions, especially as treatments tend to have far fewer negative side effects.

The foundational approach has not been quite as infiltrated by businesses distorting information, but there is also, unfortunately, a lot of pseudoscience which is often unfairly associated with the approach. This is likely due to its similarity, in appearance only, to Alternative Healthcare approaches, such as Homeopathy.

Homeopathic healthcare is an approach that is based on the idea that "like cures like." This would mean that a substance that causes a particular symptom in a healthy person can be used to treat that symptom in a sick person. Homeopathic remedies are typically made from natural substances, such as plants, minerals, and animals and are usually diluted to the point where little or none of the original ‘active’ substance is present. Homeopathic healthcare is not supported by scientific, evidence-based research, and although usually considered safe, there is some suggestion that it actually does more harm than good.

Homeopathy is just one type of alternative medicine, and while not all are harmful, none are supported by scientific evidence to be effective. This does not mean that all are bogus or should be avoided; there are treatments which have simply not been investigated enough by science yet to be able to properly evaluate how effective they are, as well as those that have been investigated and all results found to be inconclusive. It seems unfortunate that these are classed in the same category as approaches which have been shown to be ineffective or harmful.

The issue with the foundational approach often being confused with alternative approaches, as mentioned is due to a similarity in surface level appearance and the way foundational healthcare can be slower to take effect than some allopathic treatments. For example, a homeopathic practitioner may give someone a ‘remedy’ in the form of a salve or tincture, with the claim that if they take it for several weeks (or sometimes months) then the symptoms of their illness should lessen or be cured. The reality is that not only is the original ‘active’ ingredient highly unlikely to be effective in treating the illness, but that this ingredient is then diluted, often in water, to the point where none of the original substance remains. This often seems effective thanks to other factors in the patient’s life which contribute to their recovery, the placebo effect, and the body’s own immune system doing the real work of fighting the illness.

Compare this with a foundational practitioner who may prescribe a similar looking salve or tincture and also advise that the effects will likely only begin to manifest after taking it consistently for several weeks. However, in this tincture will be an evidence-based herbal supplement, with scientifically recognised effects which help the body fight the underlying cause of the illness, and without as many or as severe side effects as allopathic medicine. Supplements are just one of many recommendations that a foundational practitioner may make.

Due to our commitment to quality, The Psorcery Project only endorses evidence-based methods in the pursuit and support of health and wellbeing, and therefore currently only encourages allopathic and foundational approaches as complementary to each other.

This project is aimed at promoting awareness of foundational healthcare and helping people to incorporate a range of methods to enhance their health, wellbeing, success and happiness.

We are NOT medical doctors and we therefore cannot and would not advise on allopathic treatments. There are definitely some illnesses and diseases that require allopathic interventions such as pharmaceutical medication or surgery, but there are also many illnesses and diseases which respond better to foundational treatments, especially many chronic issues where long term pharmaceutical treatments are also more likely to manifest unwanted side effects.

Our goal is to help people to improve their health and enjoy their lives using a range of easy to access and implement. free and/or inexpensive methods that can empower individuals to take charge of their own health and wellbeing.