History of Modern Medicine

In the 1900s, scientists discovered petrochemicals from oil. A lot of work was being done to create chemical compounds from oil. At the same time, vitamins, minerals, and life giving compounds were discovered. The scientists were working to make these substances synthetically from petrochemicals. The thing with petrochemicals is that they all can be patterned, and sold for high profits. At the time, natural medicine was very popular. John D Rockefeller, who monopolized the oil industry, had an opportunity to monopolize the medical industry, but natural medicine was in the way. Rockefeller, and Carnegie got together to devise a plan. They sent a man named Abraham Flexner. He was directed to travel around the country and report on the quality of medical education, colleagues, and hospitals around the country. This led to the Flexner report, and the birth of modern medicine. The report concluded that all the holistic treatments that have been practiced for ages are unscientific quackery. The report talked about revamping, and centralizing medical education, and institutions. Holistic medicine was ridiculed, and doctors were put in jail. To help transition, and change the minds of doctors, Rockefeller gave $100,000,000 to colleges, and hospitals. Rockefeller also created a front group called the General Education Board. With this, all students were learning the same thing, and medicine transitioned to using pharmaceutical drugs. Plants were isolated in the lab, and synthetic molecules were made based off the plant. The molecules were isolated, chemically altered, and patented. Now here we are, doctors generally know nothing about nutrition, and holistic health.

The Medical Model

There are various benefits to modern medicine. It has developed life saving medicines, and surgery. Everything has it’s place. Doctors often want to get into the profession to help people, and have good intensions. The problem is that when you teach a smart person the wrong thing, they become world class at doing the wrong thing. Most of the time drugs, or surgery is not needed. The system is designed to treat symptoms, rather than treating the underline cause, which is often lifestyle. We supposedly have the most advanced health care system in the world, yet 70% of the Unites States is on pharmaceutical drugs. We are the sickest nation in the history of the planet. Something is clearly not working.

Adopting a New Model

Adopting a new model requires a shift of thinking. Going from treating symptoms, to treating the root cause. For this, we look toward functional medicine. Functional medicine treats the whole person, not just parts. It works with sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress management. It also uses very in depth testing to pin point the issue. It was founded by Dr. Jeffery Bland, but it’s not new because it works with practices that have been used for thousands of years. The person is really empowered to take their health into their own hands. Healing is a journey, and a FMD can be your guide.