The medical doctor is the most respected professional in America. At the same time, there is a strong sense that the medical profession itself has lost its way.

What's more, some have decided – often without justification – that allopathic medicine is the devil.  These will avoid medical care – i.e. conventional medical care – at all costs. One need only look as far as some of the alternative treatments for breast cancer, a disease that has a low incidence of mortality if caught early. By the time the patient realized the alternative therapy isn't working, it's too late to operate.

So what's at the bottom of this issue?

I have heard enough about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to make my head swim.  I admit not being an expert, but I have read some of their texts.  For those New-Agers still hanging on out there, you may be interested to learn that in China, the public may talk in terms of TCM, but they go to allopathic physicians – the same sort you'll find at your local hospital.

But this doesn't really answer the question. A higher standard of proof is required than simply answering one anecdote with another.

There are a few studies available that show the benefits of alternative medicine. And after alternative therapies took hold in the 80s, even a certain percentage of doctors have gravitated towards these means of maintaining wellness.

The medical profession over the last two hundred years has in some ways improved dramatically. But we should consider its roots.  Many doctors were driven by ego, and sought fortune and legacy in the invention of new tools and procedures. Nowadays, the watchword is profit, and the drug industry is driving the medical profession.

Along the way there have been countless good physicians.  Patient, wellness oriented in approach, these doctors truly followed their Hippocratic oath.  These days, from my interviews, I sense that it is a mere formality; a part of medical school graduation.

In fact, partly, this is the inspiration for this site, so that lay people can crack the profession and see what is really going on.

For instance, did you know that the drug companies track the prescriptions of your doctor? They know exactly how much and when your doctor prescribed a given medication. They use this information to push the doctor to prescribe more of their more profitable drugs.

Or consider how long they have been researching cancer.  To my way of thinking, doctors have an obligation to press back against the drug researchers, and demand more effective treatment. The survival rate of chemotherapy at five years is a paltry 2.1 percent. Considering the billions of dollars invested in cancer research, and the multiples of that made dispensing relatively ineffective medication, it is clear that something is amiss.

Alternative medicine does have some useful therapies. You'll find some of them on this site. And they can help people feel cared for, which has been shown to improve white blood cell levels and boost immune system function – something the allopathic doctor doesn't yet seem to appreciate.

In the shift towards evidence-based medicine, however, allopathy seems to be coming of age.  Rigor for medical practices has never been higher. Doctor's training has never been better. And some are finally starting to focus on the things that really matter: the root causes of illness.

While old dogma persists, it is important to recognize that new medical technologies are being developed every day, and we stand at the cusp of a new model of medicine. One that takes into account the human part of the patient, treating the causes of illness. One that can appreciate the good done by what are now considered alternative treatments where the evidence supports their efficacy.