Mind, Body, Spirit: Integrating Biomedicine and Traditional Medicine

By kelsey Porter

OTS, Las Cruces Biological Station. I believe that effective medicine often requires a dose of faith. Whether someone is treated with painkillers, honey-lemon tea, or lavender oil, the potential effect of the substance is connected to the individual’s belief in its capacity to heal. This does not mean that all treatments are equal: Some have measurable physiological effects, while others alleviate symptoms or fulfill a spiritual purpose. Ibuprofen reduces fever and inflammation; ginger may calm the stomach or relieve a sore throat. Yet when health is viewed from a holistic perspective incorporating mind, body, and spirit, spiritual and comfort-related practices can be just as impactful as physiological cures. Both types of interventions solicit the patient’s trust. Both ask the patient to believe.

 In western medicine, however, we tend to focus only on biomedical treatments. We spend incredible amounts of time and money on drug discovery, synthetic drug development, and randomized controlled trials. These efforts are valuable, and they have led to key advancements in our ability to understand and treat disease. Yet sometimes they promote a fairly ignorant perspective, namely that biomedicine -based on principles of biology and physiology- is the most valid form of medicine, while other variations are ineffective or even harmful.

  In reality, biomedicine is one of many systems humans have developed to promote health and combat disease. For centuries people have utilized the resources around them for medicinal purposes, such as applying plant extracts to wounds, preparing teas from natural compounds, and using plant oils as ointments. In fact, early physicians were often botanists, and the first modern botanical gardens were established by medical schools. At some point, though, it seems that western physicians began to lose touch with the natural world that initiated, and in many ways sustains, their profession. Disciplines such as organic chemistry and pharmacology provided a way to test the biochemical efficacy of medical treatments. This, in turn, led to a prioritization of manufactured pharmaceuticals over those medicines whose properties do not satisfy biomedical expectations. 

As a student who plans to work in medicine and public health, I think that western medicine needs a shift in perspective. Throughout my classes in Costa Rica, we have discussed the potential for integrating biomedicine and traditional medicine as two equally valid components of a healthcare system. Though it may be difficult, I think this integration is crucial. Only by acknowledging and validating various branches of medicine will we be able to work towards developing healthcare systems that successfully respond to the needs of diverse individuals.

An example of traditional medicine: a few medicinal plants that we learned about during our trip to Chilamate earlier in the semester.