Natural medical remedies have frequently been dismissed and labeled as “alternative.” But these natural remedies deserve to be integrated into modern healthcare, and they have the potential to reduce our over-reliance on expensive, synthetically produced drugs.
Plants and herbs were humanity’s first medicines. Cloves and ginger have often been linked to treating cough-like symptoms. Similarly, chamomile is used to assist in maintaining sleep.
Long before laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and synthetic medicinal drugs existed, people relied on natural resources to treat illness.
Many modern pharmaceuticals are derived from natural compounds found in plants. For example, willow bark is used as an alternative for aspirin, and paclitaxel (a cancer drug) is isolated from the Pacific yew tree.
These examples illustrate how natural sources have guided the development of medicines that combat a wide range of diseases.
The integration of natural medicine into modern healthcare is not about rejecting science, but more so about expanding its reach.
For example, countries like China and Cuba have developed sustainable healthcare models that have combined indigenous medicinal knowledge with stringent clinical training.
In Cuba, medical students are formally trained in both natural and allopathic medicine. Since 1995, the Cuban Ministry of Public Health has supported this integration through the creation of the Office of Natural and Traditional Medicine.
Today, Cuban pharmacies often carry herbal remedies like aloe vera gel, chamomile teas and plant-based cough syrups alongside standard pharmaceuticals.
Cuban medical doctors not only receive formal instruction in natural medicines, but also in Western biomedical sciences. Moreover, the country also boasts pharmacies that offer both natural remedies alongside Western pharmaceuticals.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, many herbal medicines are available in different forms. Some of these forms include capsules, teas, lotions and bath additives.
This versatility not only makes natural remedies more accessible to a wider audience but also allows them to be more easily processed by the body. By offering flexible options, natural medicine supports more personalized treatments that respect individual preferences and needs.
Unlike countries that consider natural remedies as part of healing, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration considers natural medicines to be in the same category as foods.
As a result, they are not subject to the same rigorous testing and regulation as pharmaceutical drugs and can be sold without prescriptions and are often accompanied by vague health claims.
This has contributed to a deficit in their integration into mainstream American healthcare.
Another reason for the reduced integration is due to the limited scientific data on how effective and safe these treatments are, especially alongside conventional drugs.
This classification limits their recognition and development despite their medicinal potential. This lack of regulatory oversight raises the importance of caution when using alternative options.
Even so, such challenges do not overshadow the value of natural medicines.
Rather than dismiss natural medicine as an alternative option and unscientific, the medical community needs to embrace a broader and more inclusive definition of remedies.
This paradigm shift would allow modern medicine to better reflect the diversity of ways by which people and cultures address illnesses and maintain health.
By integrating natural medicine into Western approaches, our current healthcare systems can offer patients more options. By doing so, the overall economic burden and overreliance on pharmaceuticals can be reduced.
The future of modern medicine lies in building on the past and recognizing the importance of nature and its role in healing.
Copy edited by Anijah Franklin
