The gray areas in medicine (what you NEED to know)

I often remind my patients that medicine is NOT an exact science. And anyone who thinks differently is, well, wrong.

Yet, when it comes to healthcare, many believe conditions, treatment options, and the like should be black and white. But… what happened to gray areas?

Not all conventional medicine is “bad.” Just as not all alternative medicine is quackery!

As if things weren’t bad enough, the COVID-19 vaccine came to town. And its debate has introduced even more polarizing opinions to healthcare.

So, let’s talk about it. Then, hopefully, you have all the knowledge you need to successfully advocate for your own health, no matter what that looks like…

Rooted in alternative medicine

What gave me the idea for today’s e-letter was a story I read in Vanity Fair magazine. It was discussing celebrities and celebrity doctors who have come out as anti-vaxxers—for every vaccine on the planet.

It led me to these three thoughts:

1. Why do people think all vaccines are bad?
2. Why do people think conventional medicine is bad?
3. When did this happen?

You see, I trained in a time when I considered myself to be a complementary medical doctor. And I’ve developed a practice around that same notion—where I choose to mix the best of the alternative world with the best of the conventional world to help achieve the best outcome for the patient.

So, when did those lines become so blurred to the average Joe?

Case in point: I recently saw a patient in her early 50s. She was SO rooted in alternative medicine, that she ignored a mass growing in her abdomen.

When she finally came to see me, it felt like the size of a 7-month-old fetus! But that uncontrollable growth didn’t have to happen.

Which makes me think: Influencers have a responsibility to spread truth—not just one side of the truth.

So, that’s what I’m doing here today. Because the truth is, you don’t only have to choose alternative therapies, just as you don’t always have to choose conventional medicine.

But you should always educate yourself. Then, find a doctor that will listen to you and help determine the best plan for YOU.

(My goal in writing these Reality Health Check e-letters and monthly Logical Health Alternativesnewsletter is to give you all the tools and information you need when it comes to your own healthcare plans.)

Finding a happy medium

Now, let’s talk quickly about vaccines.

I totally agree that we give too many to infants who are building their immune systems. The vaccination schedules are insane and much too fast.

And I’ve never been a firm believer in giving multiple vaccines at the same time.

(My generation didn’t have to get dozens of vaccinations before the age of 12 months. We probably had 10 in our entire childhood.)

That said, I don’t have a definitive answer to the question of whether to vaccinate or not. What I do know is this…

Vaccines save lives. That’s a simple fact.

But if all we do is take an extreme position (pro- or anti-vax), we will never figure out what is best for anyone!

This includes the polarizing debate over the COVID vaccine.

In fact, many of my readers and patients were surprised to hear my stance on it. But hopefully knowing how I operate as a complementary medicine doctor will help make the picture clearer—not only when it comes to vaccines, but ALL health recommendations.

Until next time,
Dr. Fred