Western Medicine, Natural Healing, and That Time My Friend Almost Died of Leukemia

A guide to finding balance between Medicine and Natural Living

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that health doesn’t come in a one-size-fits-all package. I wish it did, though. Life would be so much easier if all we had to do was rub a little lavender oil on our temples, eat a handful of kale, and watch the years fall off us like magic. But, sadly, life isn’t a Gwyneth Paltrow skincare ad.

Take my friend Rob, for example. Rob’s a true believer in the power of natural medicine. For years, his solution to any health issue was to stretch and breathe, stockpile herbal tinctures, brew mystery teas that looked like they belonged in a medieval apothecary, and tell anyone who’d listen about the miracles of meditation.

Then, Rob got leukemia.

And when I say he got leukemia. Not the, “let’s-watch-this” type. I mean the one-inch-punch, life-threatening type. The kind where even people with impressive collections of crystals and an understanding of every herb known to humankind start to realize they might need something a little stronger than homeopathy.

But Rob? He decided he was going to stick with his tried-and-tested holistic methods. No chemo, no radiation, no hospitals. Just stretching, herbs, juices, radiation blockers and the power of positive thinking.

I supported him fully at first, but honestly, I was terrified for him. I watched him grow weaker as he maintained his methods and refused all offers of Western medical help. It wasn’t until he went totally silent on comms for six months and we travelled half way round the world to see him and realised how bad things were. We insisted he went straight to hospital and things began to turn around. And by "turned around," I mean he started blood transfusions and chemotherapy and began to improve. A lot. His red blood cell count was so low you could virtually count it with your fingers.

Rob’s story, though harrowing, highlights a key truth about health: balance is everything. There’s an important place for natural medicine in our lives, but sometimes the hard-hitting treatments of Western medicine are necessary to save them. The key isn’t to pick one over the other but to use both wisely, respecting what each has to offer.

The Case for Natural Medicine: More Than Just Essential Oils and Instagram Posts

Let’s get something straight—natural medicine isn’t just a trendy buzzword used to sell overpriced supplements. It has real value and has been around for, oh, about thousands of years. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of people in developing countries rely on traditional medicine as their primary form of healthcare. It’s not all snake oil and woo-woo.

Herbal treatments, acupuncture, meditation, yoga—these aren’t just whimsical things people do because they like incense. They’re backed by evidence, especially when it comes to chronic conditions and preventative care. For example, acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating chronic pain, migraines, and even symptoms related to chemotherapy (the stuff Rob eventually opted for). A meta-analysis published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2012, covering nearly 18,000 patients, found that acupuncture provided significant pain relief for chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and back pain .

Similarly, mindfulness meditation and yoga have been scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety, inflammation and power up your immune system (when practised properly). And make you younger (I don’t mean the kind of younger they sell on the side of a pot of anti-ageing cream, rather, more flexible, stronger and more mobile like you were when you were a teeny bopper). Studies have shown that regular meditation decreased levels of cortisol—the stress hormone—which is linked to all kinds of health problems, from heart disease to weakened immune function.

But here’s the catch: natural medicine works best in areas where your body has the capacity to heal itself with a little extra support. It’s great for improving overall well-being, managing stress, and preventing long-term health issues. What it’s not great at? Fighting aggressive, life-threatening illnesses. That’s where Western medicine comes in.

Western Medicine: When You Need to Call in the Big Guns

Western medicine is no stranger to criticism. We all know the jokes about how you go to the doctor with a sore throat and leave with a prescription for antibiotics, a referral to a specialist, and a vague feeling of existential dread. But love it or hate it, Western medicine shines where natural medicine can’t—namely, in acute and life-threatening situations.

Leukemia, like Rob’s, is one such case. While drinking green juice may help you feel slightly more righteous, it’s not going to stop cancer cells from multiplying. Thankfully, Western medicine, with its chemotherapy, radiation, and cutting-edge immunotherapies, can. It saved mine too not so long ago. Overnight, a seemingly innocuous pain in my foot became a horrible infection that ran up my leg and left me semi-conscious in less than twenty four hours. The doctors in the hospital were convinced I had been mainlining or sharing needles with someone. They looked doubtful when I told them the closest I had been to drugs was secretly overdosing on my kid’s strawberry multivitamins.

The thing is, Western medicine has something going for it that natural medicine often doesn’t: rigorous, long-term scientific testing. For example, chemotherapy might sound like a harsh and brutal treatment, but it’s a life-saving one, designed to target and kill cancer cells with precision. And it’s not just shooting in the dark; studies show that modern cancer treatments, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies, are becoming more effective, allowing patients like Rob to survive illnesses that were death sentences a few decades ago. A study in The Lancet Oncology showed that survival rates for leukemia patients improved significantly over the last 20 years, largely due to advancements in these treatments .

Balance: The Middle Path Between (Iyengar) Yoga and the MRI Machine

So, how do we strike the balance between these two seemingly opposing worlds?

Here’s the trick: don’t wait until something goes horribly wrong to consider Western medicine. Use natural medicine as part of a preventative lifestyle—one that keeps your body running smoothly. Engage in practices like Iyengar yoga, acupuncture, or herbal supplements to manage stress, improve your immune system, and promote long-term wellness. But when something goes wrong that you can’t fix with a walk in the woods—don’t ignore the science.

Rob learned that the hard way. His initial resistance to Western medicine almost cost him his life. It wasn’t until he accepted that chemotherapy was necessary that he saw real improvement. He didn’t have to abandon his love for natural medicine, though. He still drinks turmeric tea and meditates, but now it’s alongside his medical treatments, not instead of them.

Take Ownership of Your Health, But Don’t Be a Hero

Ultimately, your health is YOUR responsibility. That means being informed, being proactive, and not sticking your head in the sand when things get serious. Natural medicine can empower you to take control of your well-being, but it’s crucial to know when it’s time to let go of the herbal tea and call the doctor.

A balanced approach is key—understanding that natural medicine helps you thrive and stay healthy, while Western medicine can save your life when things go sideways. And remember, it’s not an either/or situation. The two can, and should, work together. Just like Rob, you can blend meditation with medication, herbs with hospital visits, and acupuncture with antibiotics (although it’s obviously ideal to keep the body as clear of toxins as possible).

In the end, taking ownership of your health doesn’t mean going rogue and ignoring science. It means using every tool at your disposal, including the ones that sometimes come in little white bottles. Because let’s face it: while it’s great to embrace holistic health, it’s better to be alive to enjoy it.

I am: a Cranial Osteopath - a western based modality. An Iyengar yoga teacher - an eastern tradition but grounded firmly in modern day living. An Acupuncturist - straight out of the east but with an east meets west approach. Contact me if you would like help with: chronic pain, fertility issues, anxiety, stress, insomnia or migraines. www.balanceacupuncturelondon.com

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