The medical professions and related services such as medical aids and others have mostly a certain perspective on health. Natural health has mostly a different view about the same matter. I use the word ‘mostly’ because it’s not always the case. Let’s explore further…

Both these fields have their radical and moderate elements. Natural health supporters have made some very sarcastic comments about the mainstream medical field. For example that it’s not the health industry, but the sickness industry. On the other side of the coin are radical doctors and pharmacists who treat natural health promoters like dirt. There is even allegations that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration, America) and other formal regulating bodies, persecuted doctors who used natural therapies in their practices.¹

In this word-war, where do you and I fit in? It’s all a matter of perception. Do you put your health in your doctor’s hands to solve it when something goes wrong, or do you take pro-active steps to improve your health and take personal responsibility for it?

Personally, I’m taking personal responsibility. This is the body that I’m blessed with. In the end, I have to give account of what I did to it, not my doctor or anyone else. I’m responsible for the maintenance of my car, my lawnmower, my computer, my marriage, my relationship with my family, etc. Although the reverend or marriage counsellor has a lot more knowledge about marriage, the final decision about what happens in my marriage remains my own responsibility. The same is true with my health. I love to get a lot of different opinions regarding my health, and in the end, I make my own decisions.

Going for a body-fat percentage measurement or a cholesterol test or something like this, is a good idea. Once you get the results, you can decide what to do about it. Sometimes it’s not even necessary to do such tests. You can decide beforehand that you want to manage your weight, even if your clothing is still perfect. You can decide to control your cholesterol, even while everything is still perfect. The saying goes that prevention is better than cure, and for good reasons. Or even better, you could decide to improve (not only maintain) your current health situation. Improve your heart and energy by getting fit or boost your metabolism with simple daily routines such as to be more active, to name but a few. It’s a simple as finding the areas you want to maintain or improve and find out how to achieve that.

Knowing what’s happening in you body is sometimes very helpful, but most of the time not necessary at all. Still, it’s up to you. The mainstream medical science is in my opinion great for finding out what’s going on in our bodies. In most cases it’s also great to solve a problem once it is there. When it comes to maintenance and improvement of your health, natural health is my first pick.

The logic behind natural health is that we’re created in a very specific way. Everything we need for perfect health is found around us, in nature, in its natural form. Nutrients (from food), oxygen, sunlight, water, being active and protection from the elements are what we need. Something else about the wonderful way our bodies is made, is that it is designed to function optimally when we are in contact with these different natural ingredients.

As a wellness coach, I’m not part of the medical field. I don’t want to make any medical claims or give a medical opinion, I just don’t have the knowledge about it. But I do know how to maintain and improve my health. And the same is true when it comes to my client’s health. I can’t cure any disease, but I can help them to reach the level of improved health they want to achieve.

Natural health and the medical field have their own unique area of expertise. Sometimes it overlaps and sometimes there is tension. And at different stage of our lives we need them both. When we’re sick, we need the help of the guys from the sickness industry. When we’re healthy, we need the help of the guys from the health and wellness industry.

So this article wants to encourage you to take control and responsibility of your own health.


If you want to use the health and wellness industry’s experts to help you improve your health, contact me at www.health2u.co.za. You and I will design a health plan for you personally. We put the things you like to do in there and leave the things you don’t want to do. In the end, we’ll reach your goals.

1. http://www.whale.to/a/persecuted_doc_h.html