In a sea change that can only benefit society as a whole, the long-existing gap between proponents of natural approaches to health and strict adherents to Western medical philosophy is shrinking. New treatments and medication using and based on natural substances are continuously being discovered and studied, while science discovers the harmful effects of toxins to which we are routinely exposed in the environment or through our diets.

Therapies that were once suspect to your average medical doctor, like chiropractic care and acupuncture, are becoming mainstream and are considered complementary to standard medicine rather than in competition with it.

Nutrition, an important topic still inadequately taught in medical schools, is now more routinely included in a medical student's course of study. A physician graduating today would hopefully be as likely to recommend cranberry supplements to prevent recurring bladder infections as he would to prescribe antibiotics once an infection has taken hold. Careful attention to diet and nutrition can prevent and even reverse many common, serious maladies. Everyone has to eat, so doing so in a more conscious, health-inducing way makes good sense.

Books and magazines about natural remedies have been popular for a long time. But with the internet becoming an indispensable part of daily life, consumers have unprecedented access to information that allows them to make intelligent, informed decisions about their health care. What was once obscure information is now available with the click of a mouse button in the comfort of home.

Sales of natural remedies soar as consumers choose to look to nature for the answers to common ailments. For example, many would rather prevent high cholesterol through a healthy diet and appropriate herbal supplementation than to wait until a problem develops and have to take a medication that can cause more problems than it addresses.

Minor medical conditions, especially, can be treated more gently and effectively with natural remedies than with harsh medications. Why treat mild sunburn with a commercial benzocaine lotion that can actually prolong the pain and irritate the skin when there are natural remedies that are milder, cheaper, and more effective?

Modern medicine has made near-miraculous strides in the last century, but still has its limitations and shortcomings. Most people no longer blindly accept a serious diagnosis without getting a second opinion or take a medication without learning its possible side effects. On the other hand, no drastic change to one's medication or lifestyle should be taken without a discussion with one's health practitioner beforehand.

Western medicine has a place in modern life, but there is plenty of room for natural remedies, as everyone is discovering!