Healthcare, Chronic Illness and Food Fear
If you prefer to listen, click below - I will read it to you :)
Many people struggling with chronic illness or anxiety have had painful and dismissive experiences with conventional healthcare. For some of us, this can lead to anxiety about healthcare itself.
Conventional Healthcare vs Alternative Healthcare
First things first:
When I use the term “conventional healthcare” I mean the area of public healthcare your typical Western trained medical doctor is practicing within; whether a family medicine doctor, or some specialist. Anytime you go to the ER, you are encountering “Western med” aka “conventional healthcare.” This is applicable to all public healthcare as well - including mental health services. This healthcare is usually covered under insurance.
There is the another realm of medicine: Functional, Alternative, or sometimes called Complimentary. Some practitioners in this arena have also been to conventional medical school, but take a more holistic and deeper approach. They see the limitations of “Western med” and want to help their patients find the root cause of disease rather than simply manage symptoms. They often have advanced training and use testing conventional doctors do not, like gut testing, hormone testing, minerals testing, etc. And also use “functional ranges” when looking at test results - instead of the general population’s ranges (as the general population is not really all that healthy!) Usually they are in private practice and fully self-pay (meaning they do not work with insurance companies).
For the sake of simplicity, I’ll simply say alternative healthcare from here on out when referencing that other realm.
I consider myself a part of both realms, in case you’re wondering.
Leaving the Doctor’s Office
A few months back I consulted with a conventional doctor to get his opinion on something. I felt supported and was grateful for his time and yet …
I left disappointed - A familiar feeling throughout my complex health journey.
What still surprises me is the lack of curiosity many conventionally trained doctors have when I bring in additional information directly to them about my health.
For example…
Meeting with a digestive specialist who has zero interest in a 25-page stool test report that gives detailed insight into digestive function.
You’d think a digestive specialist would be interested in a document outlining a patient’s digestive function………..
That said - I actually understand this more than I used to. If you don't value a tool you probably are not going to be curious about it.
Bummer.
But that doesn't mean the doctor doesn’t value me - they are justing looking through a different lens.
And I want that lens when I break a bone, need emergency surgery, experience organ failure, or like my husband last winter - need urgent medical care and medication stat!
Conventional healthcare and medicine is great for emergent needs.
It’s not so great for CHRONIC needs. Often of which are very mysterious, and quite frankly beyond the understanding and training of many doctors. Ugh, that sounds arrogant of me, but it has been my experience…Specialists can have more to offer, but even then the patient is limited to information that is still found within the conventional lens.
My opinion: chronic, mystery illnesses are far from conventional. Those who have dealt with these types of illness are often frustrated and remain searching for answers.
Conventional Healthcare’s Role
In addition to providing emergency services and interventions, conventional doctors are trained to look for disease that meets diagnostic criteria and to apply treatment.
That is their role and I’m deeply grateful for it.
Personally, I do not go to them to explore imbalances that precede diagnoses, to try and uncover root causes, or to discuss alternative approaches. (Yes, some doctors are open to this, but are hard to find!)
I don’t believe those angels are what they are here for - at least not yet! Again, they are here to diagnose and distribute treatment (i.e. medication, surgery).
I go when it makes sense, and I am grateful I can.
A Really Great Conventional Doctor
When I first got very ill about 15 years ago now, I had a doctor that profoundly shaped my healing journey.
He was always late which would really frustrate me - until he'd walk in and sit directly in front of me and look me in the eyes fully ready to listen.
I cried in his office, I shared my theories about my body, and I asked for help. And despite not being trained in alternative medicine or nutrition, he trusted my lived experience and worked along side of me - listening to everything I thought might be going on and might help.
At one point he gave me medication samples for two full years because the drug was so expensive - and it was the only thing helping me stabilize my nervous system.
I now realize why he was always late: He listened like that to everyone!
That is a good doctor. And I'm so grateful I had him at that time in my life.
Finding Alternative Support
Many people struggling with chronic illness or anxiety have had unsuccessful and disappointing experiences within conventional medical settings.
Whether its a chronic condition no doctor can figure out; or you’ve been to traditional therapy for anxiety and nothing is changing…
When you try to figure out a cause and solution for physical health concerns and no one can explain what's wrong or help you feel better, it is easy to feel hopeless.
That was my story too. The doctor I shared about was a glimpse of grace in the midst of other fruitless attempts in finding answers. I can no longer count the number of practitioners I have seen!
Answers for me weren’t found within the conventional lens. It wasn't until I found unconventional support did I begin to recover.
How I found those supports is complicated; and quite honestly cost me a lot of money. But one thing that helped me the most was changing my diet.
When working with alternative approaches, diet and lifestyle are obviously looked at and used as medicine. Food has a beautiful way or either stressing or supporting the body.
My change in diet served me so well initially by supporting my body into healing and recovery that I became afraid to eat anything that might mess that up.
And fear and stress can create disease…
So, unfortunately, diet was where I put a lot of my faith. But eventually it wasn’t enough for me, and I got sick again because I became so restricted and afraid.
Food became control, control became fear, fear kept me stuck in a way of eating that no longer served me and created a lot of anxiety… and I developed orthorexia. You can read about what orthorexia is exactly here, along with more about my story, the signs symptoms and steps to overcome it.
Healthcare Anxiety
I naturally found myself pulling away from medical spaces that felt focused on illness and just managing symptoms. I would utilize only alternative means and began to have negative and anxious views related to conventional healthcare.
As I healed my relationship with food, my body, and my ideas about what healthy means, I found I had less charge around Western med doctors.
When I choose or need to see one, I don’t blindly follow them and I don’t do everything they say; but I feel like I've regained respect for the roll they play. And I use that resource when it makes sense.
The Balance of Conventional and Alternative
At this point in my journey - I now appreciate both conventional and alternative medicine. Like I’ve said - if I break a bone, or need lifesaving medication, or surgery - conventional healthcare is great!
When I have something really mysterious and no lab work can find a reason, I utilize alternative means, if possible.
I am fortunate to have access to both. (And my hope is that all people will have access to at least conventional interventions in my lifetime. But that is a different discussion!)
A Few Things I Now Know…
When health feels less intense and your body begins to feels safer - it’s easier to accept that this body is imperfect and often feels a lot of pain, and/or experiences dysfunction. And other times you feel like you can conquer anything.
Sometimes these happen on a rotating basis.
(Welcome to your special Earth suit in this lifetime. It’s hit or miss what happens to it!)
Through my recent consult with conventional medicine I was reminded of the following:
to not overcomplicate things.
to not spend too much energy always chasing answers.
that sometimes a conventional solution is totally fine.
that food and lifestyle really do matter, but there is more to health than what we DO.
and sometimes whatever it is JUST IS WHAT IT IS and we have to learn to ride the wave…
Wishing everyone who has exhausting, frustrating, painful, and confusing symptoms peace and comfort. Your personal protocol will be specific to YOU. Don’t give up.
