I come from a family that subscribes – at least in part – to naturalistic medicine. My sister suffered from an undiagnosed issue for years. Her doctors and specialists eventually advised my parents to take her home to be “comfortable.” That’s doctor-ese for “go home and die.” Even if my attempt to read between the lines is wrong, those are not comforting words. It was an acknowledgement of the fact that they didn’t know what to do.
As a desperate last resort, my parents booked an appointment with a naturopath. After a few short weeks on a strict revised diet, my sister was recovering.
I’m still a cautious skeptic. I’m impressed with the testimony of my sister and many others like her but it seems that natural remedies have become dangerously chic and profitable. Moreover, there are too many unsupported health and healing claims. Granted, it’s tough to secure financing to prove that a backyard weed cures cancer. However, I figure that a company that is able to finance an aggressive marketing campaign should be able to fund some research.
Here’s an interesting infographic showing which “natural remedies” have clinical research backing their claims to fame.