“By definition”, I begin, “Alternative Medicine”, I continue, "has either not been proved to work, or been proved not to work. You know what they call “alternative medicine” that’s been proved to work? Medicine."
“So you don’t believe In ANY Natural remedies?”
“On the contrary actually: before we came to tea, I took a natural remedy derived from the bark of a willow tree. A painkiller that’s virtually side-effect free. It’s got a weird name, darling, what was it again? Masprin? Basprin? Asprin! Which I paid about a buck for down at my local drugstore."
Amusing Tim Minchin beat poems aside, I agree with him. I use a lot of herbal remedies for things: I do, generally, prefer them to synthesised chemicals. But there is a big difference between synthesised chemicals and mass-processed natural remedies (e.g., the aspirin in the example). I do of course also take multiple types of prescription drugs (SSRIs, HBC pills, anti-inflammatories for my back) - and I am happy to take them. Granted, I will not take a medication unless I make myself familiar with exactly how my body is metabolising it and what it contains. But honestly? That's largely born out of curiosity, and being amazed by the body.
There are some parts of "Alternative Medicine" however that I don't agree with. Water, for example, does not "remember" the presence of some arnica from a long time ago. However, arnica IS very good for preventing and helping to heal bruises. So, topical applications of arnica, great. Arnica tablets? Well those don't actually contain arnica. If they did? They'd poison you. Because arnica is poisonous when taken internally. Those tablets? Don't really contain any arnica. At all.
From my POV, it's not just offensive to me because homeopathy has been scientifically proven to be about as useful as a placebo, but because I like and use a lot of herbal/natural remedies. To me, homeopathy has created a bad rep for natural remedies because many people lump "Alternative Medicine" into the same pile, whether it works or not. So if I say to someone "why don't you use tea-tree oil as an antiseptic for that" rather than, say, Germolene or similar, I automatically generate an association with things that are just scientifically wrong.
As a disclaimer, I've nothing against the people who use homeopathy because it's worked for them. Granted I might believe that what has actually happened is that you've convinced yourself that you're healing whatever issue it is you've had, by taking the tablets, and your body has healed it accordingly (because the body's capacity to heal itself is pretty damn awesome). That doesn't, however, mean I'm going to rail against you personally for doing something that makes you feel better.
That would make me a little hypocrtitical, because I know that my preference for natural things (even though I happily use man-made products) is largely born out of the feeling that I want to be closer to the world and enrich my relationship with it by relying on it more, and giving back more. That is, essentially, just as flimsy a reason as someone taking those diluted arnica tablets because they don't bruise so much with them. In fact, it might even be flimsier.
However my love for natural things is partially a spiritual thing, so we'll save that particular topic for another post.
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