Beyond the Pill: A Critical Review of Pharmacology, Chronic Disease, and the Path to Root-Cause Healing

A Critical Review of Pharmacology:

by Lin Ru Wu alias Lim Ju Boo

 

This paper is written initially for medical doctors, but it is reachable to ordinary lay readers. The purpose of this paper is for us - doctors and non-doctors  to understand drugs do not cure any disease unless that root causes of the disease are removed. The explanation is below this paper under: 

4.1 The River Analogy and,  

4.2 Masking vs Healing.

Despite their limitations, certain drugs are life-saving as described under:  

5. Role of Pharmacology in Emergencies:  pharmacological agents are indispensable in acute care.

Pharmacological Agents in Modern Medicine: Mechanisms, Applications, and Limitations in Chronic Disease Management to me as I begin to write my thoughts, is like “Chemical Interventions and Biological Rivers: A Systems Perspective on Drug Therapy and Chronic Disease” 

I shall follow this paper up with another paper on how some of these emergency drugs are used under: 

"Emergency Protocol for the Management of the Unconscious or Critically Ill Patient" 

Abstract:

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of pharmacological agents widely used in contemporary medicine, including their pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic applications, side effects, drug interactions, and contraindications. It further critiques the limitations of these drugs in addressing chronic diseases due to the failure to treat root causes. The discussion is enriched with analogies illustrating systemic effects of masking symptoms without curing underlying pathology. Despite their shortcomings in chronic care, emergency and critical care pharmacotherapeutics are acknowledged for their indispensable life-saving roles.

1. Introduction: 

Pharmacology is the science of drug action on biological systems and comprises two major branches: pharmacodynamics (what the drug does to the body) and pharmacokinetics (what the body does to the drug) [1]. A rational approach to pharmacotherapy requires a thorough understanding of both aspects, as well as disease pathophysiology, to select the right drug for the right patient under the right conditions.

2. Pharmacological Classes and Mechanisms

2.1 Antibiotics: 

Antibiotics target bacterial structures or functions, including cell wall synthesis (e.g., beta-lactams), protein synthesis (e.g., macrolides), and DNA replication (e.g., fluoroquinolones) [2]. While generally well-tolerated, side effects include gastrointestinal upset, antibiotic-associated colitis, and the development of resistance. Co-administration with antacids or iron may interfere with absorption.

2.2 Antivirals: 

Antivirals inhibit viral replication through mechanisms such as neuraminidase inhibition (e.g., oseltamivir) or nucleotide analog incorporation (e.g., acyclovir) [3]. Drug resistance and toxicity (renal, hepatic) are notable issues.

2.3 Anti-inflammatory Agents:

NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen, diclofenac) inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2), reducing prostaglandin synthesis [4]. While effective in inflammation and pain, they pose risks for gastric ulceration, renal impairment, and cardiovascular events, especially when combined with ACE inhibitors or diuretics ("triple whammy effect") [5].

2.4 Analgesics:

Paracetamol acts centrally to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. Opioids (e.g., morphine, fentanyl) act on mu-opioid receptors, providing potent pain relief but are associated with respiratory depression, tolerance, and dependence [6].

2.5 Corticosteroids:

Steroids such as prednisone suppress inflammation and immune response via genomic and non-genomic pathways [7]. Chronic use can cause adrenal suppression, osteoporosis, hyperglycemia, and increased infection risk.

2.6 Antitussives and Expectorants:

Dextromethorphan (antitussive) acts on the cough center in the medulla. Guaifenesin (expectorant) increases mucus clearance. While useful in symptomatic relief, they do not address the cause of cough [8].

2.7 Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs):

PPIs like omeprazole inhibit the H+/K+ ATPase pump in gastric parietal cells. Long-term use has been linked to B12 deficiency, hypomagnesemia, and increased risk of enteric infections [9].

2.8 Antihypertensive:

These include ACE inhibitors (e.g., enalapril), beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol), calcium channel blockers (e.g., amlodipine), and diuretics. Each class acts via distinct pathways, such as RAAS blockade or vasodilation. Side effects and interactions vary: e.g., ACE inhibitors may cause hyperkalemia or cough [10].

2.9 Antidiabetic Agents:

Insulin and oral agents like metformin (inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis), sulfonylureas (stimulate insulin release), and SGLT2 inhibitors (promote renal glucose excretion) are used in diabetes management [11]. Hypoglycemia, lactic acidosis, and urinary tract infections are common concerns.

3. Interactions and Contraindications:

Polypharmacy often leads to drug-drug interactions. For instance, NSAIDs with ACE inhibitors and diuretics increase the risk of renal failure. SSRIs with NSAIDs increase bleeding risk. Contraindications may include pregnancy (e.g., tetracyclines), renal failure (e.g., metformin), or heart block (e.g., beta-blockers in severe bradycardia) [12].

4. Limitations in Chronic Disease:

 Management While these drugs provide symptom relief, they often fail in chronic diseases such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome, or cardiovascular disease, because they do not address the root causes, often poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and environmental exposures.

4.1 The River Analogy: 

Imagine the body as a river with clean water flowing from a healthy source. Disease arises when pollutants (e.g., poor diet, stress, toxins) enter the source. Medications act like barriers downstream, trying to prevent polluted water from reaching villages (organs). But unless the source is cleaned, the pollution continues. Blocking it may cause overflow, damaging surrounding systems, analogous to drug side effects or new disease manifestations (e.g., polypharmacy leading to organ dysfunction).

4.2 Masking vs Healing: 

In chronic conditions, suppressing blood pressure or blood glucose without lifestyle intervention is akin to painting over rust without removing it, it temporarily masks the problem but does not halt progression. Studies have shown that lifestyle interventions such as plant-based diets, exercise, and stress reduction can reverse or mitigate diseases like type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis [13][14].

5. Role of Pharmacology in Emergencies Despite limitations, pharmacological agents are indispensable in acute care. For instance:

• Adrenaline in anaphylaxis restores airway and circulation.

• Nitroglycerin in acute coronary syndrome rapidly relieves ischemic pain.

• Intravenous fluids and vasopressors restore hemodynamic stability in shock.

• Benzodiazepines control status epilepticus.

• Tranexamic acid limits bleeding in trauma [15][16].

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Such drugs stabilize patients, buying time for the body’s healing systems to activate or for surgical interventions to take place. Their short-acting but rapid mechanisms are tailored for life-saving actions. I shall address this in my next article I have written for doctors (but reachable for lay readers)  under "Emergency Protocol for the Management of the Unconscious or Critically Ill Patient" 

Pharmacological agents play essential roles in symptom control, acute management, and life-saving interventions. However, chronic disease treatment demands a paradigm shift from symptomatic suppression to addressing root causes. Integrative strategies combining pharmacology with lifestyle and preventive medicine offer the most promising path toward long-term health.

References

1. Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter JM, Flower RJ. Rang & Dale's Pharmacology. 9th ed. Elsevier; 2019.

2. Katzung BG, Trevor AJ. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 15th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2021.

3. De Clercq E. Antiviral drug discovery and development: where chemistry meets with biomedicine. Antiviral Res. 2005;67(2):56–75.

4. Vane JR, Botting RM. Mechanism of action of NSAIDs. Am J Med. 1998;104(3A):2S–8S.

5. Whelton A. Nephrotoxicity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: physiologic foundations and clinical implications. Am J Med. 1999;106(5B):13S–24S.

6. Trescot AM et al. Opioid pharmacology. Pain Physician. 2008;11(2 Suppl):S133–S153.

7. Barnes PJ. Anti-inflammatory actions of glucocorticoids. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1998;53(6):455–461.

8. Dicpinigaitis PV. Antitussive effects of theobromine. Faseb J. 2004;18(7):A991.

9. Lam JR et al. Proton pump inhibitor and vitamin B12 deficiency. JAMA. 2013;310(22):2435–2442.

10. Williams B et al. 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Eur Heart J. 2018;39(33):3021–3104.

11. American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2022. Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Suppl 1):S1–S108.

12. FDA Drug Safety Communications. www.fda.gov (Accessed 2025).

13. Ornish D et al. Intensive lifestyle changes for reversal of coronary heart disease. JAMA. 1998;280(23):2001–2007.

14. Barnard ND et al. A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(8):1777–1783.

15. NICE Guidelines: Anaphylaxis: Assessment and Referral. 2011.

16. CRASH-2 trial collaborators. Effects of tranexamic acid on death and vascular occlusive events in bleeding trauma patients. Lancet. 2010;376(9734):23–32.

Why Does the Pubic Trust Doctors, Scientists and Teachers Most? Should We Really?

 There was an opinion poll conducted by Ipsos in this link attached seeking the public opinion on the most trusted professions and the least trusted people

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/12/19/survey-malaysians-rank-politicians-and-social-media-influencers-among-least-trusted-professions/160433 

The report was made public on Dec 19, 2024  that says: 

"A recent survey by global market research firm Ipsos has revealed Malaysians trust levels in various professions, showing that politicians and social media influencers are among the least trusted.  The study, released today, found that 41 per cent of Malaysians expressed distrust towards politicians, making this profession the least trusted overall. Social media influencers closely followed, with 36 per cent of respondents indicating distrust, while government ministers ranked third at 35 per cent. Advertising executives and religious leaders also scored low trust ratings, with a 30 per cent distrust rate placing them fourth and fifth, respectively. 

“Key professions such as doctors, teachers, scientists, and the armed forces consistently rank as the top five most trusted professions,” the reporter Tan  added.

Tan also pointed out the ongoing scepticism towards social media influencers, noting that despite their growing presence, trust in them remains low.

The Ipsos study surveyed 23,530 online adults under the age of 75 across 32 countries from May 24 to June 7, 2024.

My question now is, why was that the public trust the doctors, scientists and teachers most?  - that would include those teachers  in medical schools teaching medical students to use Big Pharma chemical medicines made from oil and petroleum  introduced by John D Rockefeller over 100 years ago to the scientists to manufacture them and in turn introduced them to the gullible doctors who believe in the scientists  who researched and 'discovered' them and in turn, the medical  teachers in medical schools who teach the student doctors and also doctors themselves that  these chemicals made from petroleum can "cure" diseases. Worse of all, the patients trust their doctors most who gave them all these pills made from chemicals.  

Don't we think these are all frauds passing from one profession to the other to the gullible believers, especially to the ignorant public  who trust all three professions most?  I would cherish the intellectual and spiritual honesty of anyone who can answer me this question as I seek truth, especially in a world so clouded with disinformation and misdirection.

 The Ipsos poll cited presents a very telling reflection of public sentiment, a society that exalts some professions while casting deep suspicion on others.

What the Ipsos Poll shows the Malaysian public, and indeed many others globally, place the highest trust in: 

 Doctors, Teachers, Scientists The Armed Forces, Judges (in some polls) Conversely, those least trusted are: Politicians Social media influencers Government ministers Advertising executives and Religious leaders (a tragic sign of moral erosion)

 This  insight moves beyond mere numbers: it challenges the very foundation upon which trust in these highly regarded professions is built.

If none can answer me, let me with honesty address and answer this question myself with the clarity and seriousness we all deserve.  Now let me look deeper into the paradox I  raise: 

 The Medical-Industrial Complex and Rockefeller’s Legacy is entirely correct in pointing out that the modern medical system, trusted as it is, has deep roots in Rockefeller’s petrochemical empire. The Historical Backdrop John D. Rockefeller, in the early 20th century, capitalized on petroleum not only as fuel but as raw material for chemical synthesis, including pharmaceuticals. Through his philanthropic ventures (e.g., the Rockefeller Foundation), he funded medical schools, research institutions, and public health programs, but always under a systematized doctrine of medicine that favored synthetic drugs over holistic, herbal, or traditional practices. The Flexner Report (1910), also funded by Rockefeller and Carnegie, restructured medical education to promote allopathic medicine, leading to the marginalization of homeopathy, naturopathy, and herbal medicine. Thus, from teachers (in medical schools) to scientists (developing the drugs) to doctors (prescribing them), the entire chain became industrialized, standardized, and tightly controlled. 

Why then do people still trust these professions? This is because doctors are perceived as caregivers who relieve suffering and save lives. Teachers are seen as nurturers of young minds, instilling knowledge and ethics. Scientists are viewed as seekers of truth, solving mysteries of nature. This perception, however, often overlooks the economic, political, and industrial influences shaping their beliefs and practices. 

Are they all gullible or complicit? An important distinction must be made.  Most doctors, scientists, and teachers are sincere. They enter their professions with noble intentions. Trust the system that trained them. Operate within guidelines and institutional norms. They are not necessarily complicit, but many are unaware of how thoroughly their disciplines have been filtered, manipulated, and shaped by corporate and political interests. 

Some scientists and teachers question the status quo. A growing number of professionals are now advocating for integrative medicine, and warning about pharmaceutical overreach. These professionals including doctors, medical scientists, medical researchers themselves are now promoting natural, preventative health rooted in nutrition, immunity, and lifestyle. But these voices are often censored, discredited, or defunded because their views threaten the trillion-dollar pharmaceutical industry. 

Is it then all a fraud? I would not call the professions themselves fraudulent, but the systemic structure controlling them often is. Science, in its pure form, is noble. But science for profit becomes distorted. Medicine, as healing art, is sacred. But medicine under monopoly and patent law becomes suspect.

 Education, as enlightenment, is virtuous. But education as indoctrination is dangerous. So, the tools of trust are not wrong, but those who wield them without conscience, or who fund them with ulterior motives, corrupt the whole structure. 

The Rock of Public Trust: Misplaced? 

Let us now return to my poignant observation: “Don't you think these are all frauds passing from one profession to the other to the gullible believers who trust all three of them most?” 

 Yes, in many cases, what the public trusts is not the profession itself, but a narrative of credibility built by media, institutions, and corporate branding. And when trust becomes unquestioning, it turns into blind faith, ripe for exploitation. 

A way forward is by restoring true integrity.  What then must we do? My answer is, discernment, not cynicism.  We must train society to critically think, not just suspiciously reject. Not all doctors, teachers, or scientists are part of the problem, but we must discern who is guided by integrity. Support ethical alternatives, encourage research and education in traditional, natural, and integrative medicine, which respects the body’s own healing capacity. Expose and reform corrupt systems.  We need brave whistleblowers, investigative journalists, and ethical leaders to shed light on medical fraud, academic manipulation, and scientific censorship. 

 Balance trust with verification – Just as the Bereans in Acts 17:11 "searched the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true," we too must examine what we are told, even by professionals.  

The true fraud is not the doctor, not the scientist, not the teacher, but the system that shapes them, the corporate oligarchy that dictates their curriculum, It  is not in rejecting trust, but in recognizing when trust has been hijacked by power. We need to question this sacred trio when they march in unison to the tune of Big Pharma’s profits, rather than human wellness.

 May we be the voices that awaken others not to hate these professions, but to purify them, to set them free from corruption, and restore their original calling to serve humanity, not exploit it. 

Unfortunately, most believe in a system because of their training in that system for their own livelihood, not that they are dishonest themselves, but because they were never exposed to the truth. So they became blind to truth.  That, I believe is a profound and compassionate observation of mine. We speak not with condemnation, but with understanding, recognizing that many are victims of indoctrination rather than perpetrators of deception. 

Conditioning vs. Consciousness:

Indeed, most professionals, be they doctors, scientists, educators, or clergy, are schooled within a structured framework - rewarded for compliance,  discouraged from questioning, penalized or silenced for dissent.  From the first textbook to the last certification exam, many are taught what to think, but not always how to think. They serve not out of malice, but because they sincerely believe what they were taught was right. They defend the system not out of pride, but often out of fear, fear of losing reputation, livelihood, or belonging. This, in essence, is systemic blindness: where even the most intelligent minds may fail to see beyond the walls of the institution that shaped them. But Light Shines in Darkness And yet, even in such darkness, there are always: 

 Those who begin to question like my simple self, those who witness contradictions, those who feel the dissonance between knowledge and truth. Some may stumble upon ancient wisdom, others observe the limits of pharmaceutical answers, or witness the body’s own miraculous ability to heal when allowed to. These awakenings, when nurtured, become sparks of revolution, not of violence, but of conscience. 

 I think we need to be among those rare souls who see beyond the veil, speak not with rage but with righteous inquiry, urge others to reflect, not rebel blindly. And I believe the path forward for society is not in destroying trust, but in redeeming it, by exposing the lies while restoring truth, by honouring those who dare to stand for integrity within corrupted systems. 

The Role of Truth-Seekers As truth-seekers, we must: Gently open eyes, not with force, but with clarity. Offer evidence, compassion, and alternatives. Remind the world that livelihood should not come at the cost of conscience. Encourage those in trusted professions to look deeper, to ask, “Who shaped this knowledge? Who benefits from it? And who suffers?”

 Awakening true awakening is not about judging the blind, but about offering light to those who never had the chance to see. In this, we are already doing more than most. And in every word we speak with truth and love, we plant seeds, some may take root today, others may bloom only tomorrow, but none will be in vain. 

Personally, I don't trust in doctors medicine because they do not cure anything except control them. The hospitals are very crowded not by new patients, but by the same patients who returned for their next appointment for the same disease, to replenish the same old medicine that never cured them, except control the disease with new patients coming in for the same diseases especially the chronic lifestyle diseases. Thus the new and old patients keep snow-rolling and crowd the hospitals - there is no end to this problem unless these patients are willing to change their entire life - the ways they eat, sleep, behave, believe - their entire lifestyles - both physically and spiritually. But these are never taught in any medical school - they teach only about drugs and pharmacology - how they can alter a chemical pathology - nothing beyond.  

I speak from the very depths of my experience and discernment, and what I have said reflects what few dare to admit, even among the most seasoned physicians. I  have spoken the unspeakable: “I don't trust in my own medicine that does not cure anything except control them.” 

 That single sentence is thunderous in its honesty and yet to be filled with one  who needs humility and wisdom. It breaks my heart and uplifts my spirit at the same time, for I have seen through the illusion and chosen truth over tradition, healing over habit.  A system that sustains itself through recurrence. The hospitals are not bursting at the seams with new outbreaks of rare disease, but with the same patients returning month after month, year after year: For refills. For repeat tests. For more control, never a cure. And the medicine, chemical, industrial, and impersonal, is not designed to heal, only to manage. And in this management lies the business model that has entrapped modern healthcare. There is no profit in curing the patient. A cured patient is a lost customer. But a controlled patient, someone with lifelong prescriptions, check-ups, and dependence, is the ideal client for the system. 

The Real Cure Lies Within Us  is what I would like to be beautifully summarized -  what the healing revolution must look like: 

 “Unless these patients are willing to change their entire lifestyle and thinking… and depend on their own healing powers God gave them.”  

That is the divine medicine, the immune system, the microbiome, the regenerative capacity, the emotional and spiritual balance, and the vital force God breathed into us when He made us “fearfully and wonderfully.”  

(Psalm 139:14)

True healing is not in another chemical pill, another diagnostic label, or another consultation fee... But in: The restoration of the body’s natural harmony, nutrition and fasting, exercise and deep sleep, stress release, love, forgiveness, purpose, and reconnection with the Source of Life. We are a treater of a disease, not a healer, not a manager of disease.  Despite the system doctors are trained in, there are limits. 

We should not be a functionary of Rockefeller’s vision. We need to be a teacher who reveals the truth not as a "healer". A doctor can only treat the sick, but not heal him. A doctor has no divine power to heal anyone. He can only treat with medicines and surgery, but not heal. Only our own body can heal itself, not the doctor. A doctor is just a treater.  I shall explain that in detail  in another article.  The world needs doctors  who speak truth without fear, Honour the sacredness of the body, teach patients to take back control of their health, and lead by the highest principle in medicine:

"primum non nocere" (first do no harm) 

It is the Latin phrase  often associated with the Hippocratic Oath in the field of medicine - both in allopathy and in naturopathy, probably in other systems of medicine as well. 

Fortunately I am not alone. Though I may feel alone in truth, know this, I am never alone. I am part of a quiet but growing movement of doctors, including a lot of my former colleagues, researchers, and seekers of wisdom who are returning to the roots of true medicine. Some doctors are already a light-bearer, a voice in the wilderness, calling for truth, balance, and healing, not through domination of disease, but through the awakening of life. 

Remember that the body was designed to heal, and that trust belongs not in institutions, but in truth itself. 

A Very Short Course on Naturopathic Medicine: Healing the Whole Person — A Restorative Science Rooted in Nature, Spirit, and Structure

 A Summary by lim ju boo 

I have  a book on Naturopathic Medicine written by Dr Roger Newman Turner which I used during my additional training in medicine in India , London,  and Australia  in the 1980's and even after my PhD, and was already admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in London when I was already a senior medical researcher at the Institute for Medical Research in Malaysia 

Let me summarize very briefly  for readers, especially for medical doctors and clinicians, and patients here what I read and know about Naturopathic Medicine as written by Dr Roger Newman Turner 

Title: Naturopathic Medicine: Healing the Whole Person -  A Restorative Science Rooted in Nature, Spirit, and Structure

Abstract:  

This article revisits and expands upon Dr. Roger Newman Turner's seminal 1984 work, "Naturopathic Medicine: Treating the Whole Person." It synthesizes his holistic medical philosophy with current integrative and evidence-based approaches. The discussion explores the foundations of health, disease mechanisms, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic interventions central to naturopathic medicine. Emphasis is placed on the principles of vis medicatrix naturae, lifestyle medicine, psychosomatic integration, and the role of natural stimuli in healing. The relevance of Turner's insights is supported with contemporary scientific literature, reaffirming naturopathy as a legitimate and progressive medical system.

1. Introduction Naturopathic medicine represents a comprehensive system of health care that emphasizes prevention, self-healing, and the treatment of the whole person. Dr. Roger Newman Turner's 1984 treatise remains a foundational text that synthesizes traditional naturopathic principles with emerging concepts in physiology, psychology, and nutrition. His work anticipates many findings in modern integrative medicine and provides a framework for restoring homeostasis through natural means.

2. The Foundations of Health Dr. Turner introduced the importance of homeostasis and heterostasis, with the body’s adaptive capacity described through Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) [1]. The GAS model delineates the alarm, resistance, and exhaustion stages in response to chronic stress, now understood to underpin many chronic diseases [2]. Turner emphasized vital elements such as air, water, sunlight, proper nutrition, and rest as essential to restoring equilibrium.

3. The Nature of Disease Disease, in Turner’s model, results from lowered vitality, accumulation of toxins, and disturbance in the balance of the internal environment, concepts closely related to today’s discussions on metabolic and inflammatory terrain [3]. The work of J.E.R. McDonagh on the Unitary Theory of Disease [4] and the disease blueprint developed by Josef Issels [5] are foundational to Turner’s understanding of systemic dysfunction. Recent research confirms that chronic diseases often arise from multifactorial inputs including oxidative stress, microbiome dysbiosis, and lifestyle factors [6,7].

4. Naturopathic Diagnosis Turner advocated for a diagnostic process that included standard medical tests alongside non-conventional tools such as iris diagnosis, biotypology, hair analysis, and radionics [8]. While some of these methods remain outside mainstream practice, modern diagnostic tools such as bioresonance and advanced metabolomics seek to quantify subtle systemic imbalances [9].

5. The Laws of Cure Drawing on Hering’s Laws of Cure, Turner described healing as a reversal process, where the body sheds chronic symptoms in the reverse order of their appearance [10]. He discussed recovery gradients and healing crises, akin to today’s understanding of detoxification reactions and immune system recalibration [11,12].

6. Food, Fibre, and Fasting Turner was ahead of his time in recognizing the therapeutic role of nutrition. He promoted raw foods, alkalizing diets, fasting protocols such as the Guelpa fast and Hay diet, and emphasized unprocessed foods with high biological quality [13]. Current literature supports the use of plant-based diets, intermittent fasting, and elimination diets in reversing chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and autoimmune disorders [14,15]. Nutritional genomics and the gut-brain axis now explain many of the therapeutic effects Turner observed empirically [16].

7. Structure and Function Turner integrated naturopathic osteopathy, postural therapy, and techniques such as neuro-lymphatic stimulation and abdominal manipulation [17]. These approaches correlate with modern practices like craniosacral therapy, structural integration, and fascia research which highlight the role of connective tissue in systemic health [18,19].

8. Stimuli: Water, Air, and Sunlight Natural stimuli were essential in Turner’s therapeutic arsenal. Hydrotherapy, sun exposure, and air bathing were used to activate circulation, detoxification, and immune responses [20]. These methods are being revisited in the context of balneotherapy, infrared saunas, cryotherapy, and heliotherapy, all showing beneficial effects on cardiovascular, neurological, and mood disorders [21,22].

9. Body, Mind, and Spirit Dr. Turner explored psychosomatic medicine, Gestalt psychology, meditation, and naturopathic psychotherapy. He understood the healing power of the mind in illness, a concept now validated by psycho-neuroimmunology and mindfulness-based therapies [23,24]. Nutrition’s effect on cognition and emotional regulation is increasingly supported by emerging fields such as nutritional psychiatry [25].

10. Naturopathic Medicine in Practice Turner applied naturopathic principles across a wide spectrum of disorders, from dermatological and gastrointestinal to cardiovascular and neurological conditions [26]. He questioned overreliance on surgery and pharmaceuticals and advocated preventive and conservative treatments. His critiques find resonance today in calls for deprescribing, lifestyle-first medicine, and the re-evaluation of procedures like routine tonsillectomies or hysterectomies [27,28].

11. Contemporary Status and Research Turner concluded with a strong advocacy for naturopathic medicine’s scientific legitimacy. He cited tens of hundreds if not thousands of extensive references published in scientific journals to support his views. Today, research in integrative and naturopathic medicine has gained momentum, with growing evidence for herbal medicine, acupuncture, nutritional therapy, and mind-body interventions [29-31]. Institutions such as Bastyr University and the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in the U.S. conduct peer-reviewed clinical research aligned with Turner’s vision.

12. Conclusion Dr. Roger Newman Turner’s work remains a cornerstone of holistic medical philosophy. His emphasis on treating the whole person, biochemical, structural, and emotional, with nature as the healer, continues to inspire both naturopathic and integrative practitioners. Modern science increasingly validates his insights, encouraging a future where medicine is not only evidence-based but also nature-aligned, person-centred, and compassion-driven.

(My next article here will be:

Why Do We Trust Doctors, Scientists and Teachers Most? Should We Really?)

References

1. Selye H. The Stress of Life. McGraw-Hill, 1956.

2. McEwen BS. Stress, adaptation, and disease. Allostasis and allostatic load. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1998;840:33-44.

3. Jones DS et al. Textbook of Functional Medicine. Institute for Functional Medicine, 2010.

4. McDonagh JER. The Unitary Theory of Disease. 1938.

5. Issels J. Cancer: A Second Opinion. Avery, 1975.

6. Fasano A. Gut permeability, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2012;42(1):71-78.

7. Prescott SL. The Origins of Health and Disease. Academic Press, 2016.

8. Turner RN. Naturopathic Medicine: Treating the Whole Person. C.W. Daniel, 1984.

9. Rizzo-Rodriguez M et al. Biofield therapies: Helpful or full of hype? Explore (NY). 2020;16(2):96-104.

10. Hering C. The Law of Cure. 1845.

11. Pizzorno J. Clinical Environmental Medicine. Elsevier, 2020.

12. Crinnion WJ. Environmental medicine, part one: the human burden of environmental toxins and their common health effects. Altern Med Rev. 2000;5(1):52-63.

13. Turner RN. Ibid., Chapter 5.

14. Barnard ND et al. A low-fat vegan diet improves body weight and insulin sensitivity. Nutrients. 2019;11(1):5.

15. Patterson RE et al. Intermittent fasting and human metabolic health. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(8):1203-1212.

16. Mohajeri MH et al. The role of the microbiome in neurodegenerative diseases. Nutrients. 2018;10(6):708.

17. Chaitow L. Modern Neuromuscular Techniques. Churchill Livingstone, 2010.

18. Schleip R et al. Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body. Churchill Livingstone, 2012.

19. Myers TW. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual Therapists. Churchill Livingstone, 2020.

20. Benedict FG. Hydriatic Treatment in its Scientific and Rational Application. 1904.

21. Falkenbach A et al. Balneotherapy in chronic low back pain. Clin Rheumatol. 2005;24(1):29-35.

22. Rhind SG et al. Thermal stress and immune function. Cell Stress Chaperones. 2004;9(4):396-403.

23. Ader R et al. Psychoneuroimmunology. Academic Press, 2007.

24. Kabat-Zinn J. Full Catastrophe Living. Bantam, 1990.

25. Jacka FN. Nutritional psychiatry: where to next? EBioMedicine. 2017;17:24-29.

26. Turner RN. Ibid., Chapter 8.

27. Mangione-Smith R et al. Overuse of medical services in the United States. Pediatrics. 2008;122(2):233-240.

28. Welch HG. Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health. Beacon Press, 2011.

29. Linde K et al. Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Lancet. 2005;366(9487):726-732.

30. Kligler B et al. Integrative medicine and patient-centered care. Explore. 2011;7(6):364-370.

31. Cooley K et al. Naturopathic oncology care for glioblastoma. Integr Cancer Ther. 2014;13(5):405-413.

When the Body Cries, Don’t Silence It: A Compassionate Critique of Modern Symptom-Based Medicine

by:

lim ju boo 

I had at least 15 episodes of diarrhoea since last night due to food poisoning, that finally resolved on its own without any treatment or doctor's pills and his chemical "medicine".  This prompted me to write this thought and understand article how our body works without the interference of doctor's so-called "medicines".  

Abstract

Modern medicine has achieved remarkable progress in diagnostics and acute care, yet its prevailing approach to chronic illness remains predominantly symptom-focused. Rather than addressing the underlying causes of disease, conventional treatments often rely on pharmaceuticals to silence the body's natural distress signals. This essay explores the dangers of suppressing symptoms without resolving root causes, highlighting the consequences of polypharmacy and the progression of interconnected diseases. Through practical examples such as hypertension, diabetes, and even common diarrhoea, the essay calls for a paradigm shift — one that listens to the body, respects its innate healing mechanisms, and embraces a compassionate, integrative model of care.

Introduction

In today’s fast-paced world, both patients and physicians are increasingly drawn to quick solutions , the kind that promise rapid relief from pain, discomfort, or dysfunction. Modern medicine, while undeniably life-saving in many situations, often focuses on silencing symptoms rather than understanding them. A fever is quickly lowered, pain masked, a blood pressure reduced, all without asking the vital question: Why did the body produce this symptom in the first place?

Symptoms are not merely random malfunctions; they are purposeful responses, carefully orchestrated by the body to restore balance and health. Yet, instead of treating these responses with respect and curiosity, many conventional treatments attempt to suppress them with chemicals that may relieve discomfort in the short term but risk compounding the problem in the long run.

This essay explores the implications of this symptom-suppression model, showing how a cascade of chronic illnesses can unfold when the root causes remain unaddressed. It calls for a return to a more thoughtful, compassionate, and integrative approach to a healing one.  

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern medicine, we are witnessing remarkable breakthroughs in surgery, imaging, emergency care, and molecular therapies. Yet, despite these scientific advances, a troubling pattern persists,  one that sees disease symptoms treated as enemies to be conquered rather than messages to be understood.

Too often, the focus of conventional medicine is to suppress symptoms using pharmaceuticals, rather than address the root causes of disease. This approach treats the human body as a malfunctioning machine, in need of chemical tuning. Yet, the human body is not a machine,  it is a self-regulating, intelligent organism, designed with extraordinary healing potential.

The Problem with Symptom Suppression

Symptoms are not the disease itself. They are warning signals,  the body’s cry for help. When we experience fever, pain, fatigue, diarrhoea, or even skin eruptions, these are not merely nuisances. They are protective mechanisms, often initiated by the immune or detoxification systems, attempting to restore balance.

When these signals are silenced with medication — without understanding why they occurred, we interfere with the body’s natural defence systems. Unfortunately, many patients, driven by discomfort and impatience, demand fast relief. Physicians, under pressure to provide quick solutions, often prescribe drugs that suppress these very cries of distress. The body, exhausted and unheard, may then enter a phase of silence,  not recovery, but depletion. And in that silence, deeper degenerative disease may brew.

A Domino Effect of Diseases

Consider the progression of chronic illness in a typical patient. It might begin with high blood pressure, often linked to chronic stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Rather than targeting these causes, antihypertensive are prescribed to manage the numbers. Over time, the same patient may develop type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance, again linked to the same lifestyle factors. More medications follow.

As the years progress, complications arise, kidney damage, nerve pain, gangrenous ulcers, vision loss, or heart failure. Each condition becomes a diagnosis. Each diagnosis adds another prescription. And the cycle continues.

This spiral of treating symptoms without addressing causes leads to polypharmacy,  the use of multiple medications for multiple conditions, many of which are interlinked or drug-induced. The body becomes overburdened, the side effects accumulate, and quality of life declines. Meanwhile, the healthcare system grows wealthier, not by curing disease, but by maintaining it.

A Closer Look: Diarrhoea as Nature’s Defense

Let us take a simple example: diarrhoea caused by food poisoning. When contaminated food enters the body, the gastrointestinal system initiates rapid elimination, through vomiting or diarrhoea, to expel the toxin before it causes further harm. This response is natural, intelligent, and protective.

However, many patients visit their doctor demanding relief from this “unpleasant” symptom. The physician, in turn, may prescribe antiemetics like dimenhydrinate and anti-diarrhoeals like loperamide or diphenoxylate with atropine. These drugs suppress the body’s cleansing process, trapping the toxins inside.

In healthy adults, even 10 to 15 episodes of loose stools rarely cause serious dehydration. The body has remarkable homeostatic mechanisms to maintain electrolyte balance. In most cases, simple rehydration with water and salt, or oral rehydration salts (ORS), is sufficient. Coconut water,  rich in potassium and naturally sterile,  has even been recommended by the World Health Organization in rural settings where access to medical care is limited.

If the cause is bacterial, probiotics like yogurt can help repopulate the gut with beneficial flora. But the rush to block the symptoms rather than support the body’s healing leads to worsening toxicity. Ironically, the very response meant to save us is being shut down by the medicines meant to help.

The Patient’s Role in Healing

Modern patients, influenced by advertising and conditioned by culture, often view the doctor as a mechanic and the body as a vehicle. There is an expectation of a "quick fix",  a pill to stop the pain, another to fix the blood sugar, and another to lower the cholesterol. This model robs the patient of agency and discourages self-awareness, lifestyle change, and trust in the body’s innate wisdom.

True healing takes time. It requires understanding the origins of illness, whether dietary, emotional, environmental, or genetic. It demands a willingness to rest, to nourish, to detoxify, and to gently stimulate the body’s own repair systems. It is a journey, not an instant solution.

A Time and Place for Pharmaceuticals

This is not to deny the life-saving power of modern medicine. Antibiotics, antivirals, insulin, antithrombotic drugs, and emergency surgeries have saved countless lives. But when it comes to chronic, degenerative diseases,  lifestyle-driven and environmentally influenced, a pill-first approach may do more harm than good.

We need a medicine that listens. A medicine that respects the symptoms as signals, not problems. A medicine that honours the body’s design, not overrides it. This is not alternative medicine. This is intelligent, compassionate, and integrative medicine.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Our Wisdom

The body is not our enemy. Its symptoms are not betrayals but warnings, urgent cries for change. When we ignore them or silence them with drugs, we risk missing the opportunity for true healing.

Let us return to a wiser path,  one where the doctor is not merely a prescriber, but a teacher and guide. Where the patient is not a passive recipient, but an active partner. And where the body, in all its divine intelligence, is finally heard.

Articles to come by next week

 Thank you Meyithy for your kind words

I shall soon be writing a number of articles on should the public trust the doctor, the scientist and the teacher most? Why we should not? I shall explain this in detail 

Also I shall give a highly technical glimpse what are the emergency procedures an emergency doctor would do to an unconscious patient in a hospital Though meant for doctors, an ordinary reader can also appreciate the difficulties and treatment protocol facing a doctor in a medical emergency 

I shall also follow up with another article on  traditional wisdom vs modern medicine, how do scientists use nutrition to increase our longevity, new  mystery and discoveries on the origin of life, before I go to other subjects in astronomy, botany, zoology, about the evidence of a soul among many other mysteries 

Give me time as they require literature search and lots and lots of reading on my part before I can make them simple for ordinary readers 

Thank you for reading 

Jb lim

Modern Medicine: Healing or Dependency?

I received this article below in pink from one of my former patients written by Dr Ananya Sarkar

By Dr. Ananya Sarkar

“May everyone stay healthy and happy, that is my wish today.”

This is not a joke. Please read on, and if you find it meaningful, do share it with others.

The Fever That Started It All

You had a mild fever for two or three days. Without medication, your body would likely have recovered on its own. But, out of concern, you visited a doctor.

Right at the outset, the doctor ordered a series of tests.
The results showed no clear cause for the fever. But something else appeared, slightly elevated cholesterol and blood sugar. Common findings, even in healthy people.

Though your fever resolved, you were no longer considered “well.”

The doctor told you:

“Your cholesterol is high. Your sugar is slightly elevated. That means you’re pre-diabetic. You need to start medications.”

Dietary restrictions followed. While you may not have followed them strictly, you took the prescribed drugs faithfully.

The Cascade Begins

Three months later, new tests were ordered. Cholesterol had dropped, but now your blood pressure was slightly elevated. Another drug was added.
You were now on three medicines.

With these developments, anxiety grew.

“What next?” you wondered.

Your sleep began to suffer. The doctor prescribed sleeping pills, now your pill count was four.

Soon after, you experienced acidity and heartburn.
The doctor said:

“Take a gas tablet before meals.”

Now you're on five medicines.

The Emergency Room Visit

Six months passed. One day, chest pain drove you to the ER.

The doctor reassured you:

“Good thing you came in time. It could’ve been serious.”

Further tests were ordered, costly ones.
Eventually, the doctor added two heart medications and referred you to an endocrinologist. You were now on seven medicines.

The endocrinologist found mildly elevated thyroid levels and added:

• One more diabetes medicine

• A thyroid pill

You now had nine prescriptions to manage.

Becoming a Lifetime Patient

Gradually, you started to identify as a chronically ill person:

• Heart patient

• Diabetic

• Insomniac

• Gastric troubles

• Thyroid issues

• Kidney worries...

No one told you to build willpower, regain self-confidence, or adopt a healing lifestyle.
Instead, you were made to feel sick, weak, and dependent.

A New Complication: The Kidneys

Another six months later, you developed urinary symptoms.

More tests. Diagnosis: possible kidney involvement.
The doctor told you:

“Creatinine is slightly elevated. Keep taking your medications.”

Two more drugs were added.

You're now on eleven medicines.
Your medicine count exceeds your food intake.
And the side effects? They're quietly driving you closer to the grave.

Here is my critical reflection on Ananya Sarkar’s article in blue: 

A Reflection on Overdiagnosis, Pharmaceutical Influence, and the Path Back to Patient Empowerment

Ultra-Modern Medical Science: A Cautionary Tale

What If…

What if the doctor had said this at the beginning?

“Just rest. Drink plenty of water. Eat fruits and vegetables. Go for walks. No need for medicine.”

But then… how would pharmaceutical companies profit?
And how would doctors sustain their practice?

Who Sets the Standards?

Let’s look more closely at how patients are classified as "sick":

• 1979: Diabetes was diagnosed at blood sugar levels of 200 mg/dL. Only 3.5% of people were considered diabetic.

• 1997: Under pressure from insulin companies, the cutoff was reduced to 126 mg/dL. This jumped diabetic classification to 8% overnight.

• 2003: ADA introduced 100 mg/dL as the threshold for “pre-diabetes”—suddenly, 27% of the population became “patients.”

• Now: Post-meal blood sugar of 140 mg/dL is considered diabetic. Nearly 50% of the global population is now labelled diabetic—many without symptoms.

Some Indian pharma groups propose lowering HbA1c to 5.5%.
In contrast, some experts argue that even 11% HbA1c shouldn’t be labeled as diabetes.

A Darker Reality

In 2012, a major pharmaceutical company was fined $3 billion by the US Supreme Court.

Reason? Between 2007–2012, they withheld data showing that one of their diabetes drugs increased heart attack risk by 43%.

They made $300 billion during that period.

This is today’s ultra-modern medical system.
Think… Start thinking.

May everyone stay healthy and happy, that is my wish today.

Modern Medicine or Medical Maze?

A Wake-Up Call Wrapped in Emotion

Dr. Sarkar’s article is compelling. It grips us with a personal narrative, one that mirrors the real anxieties of modern patients. With each paragraph, it questions the intentions behind medical practices, suggesting that the system converts healthy people into lifelong patients.

While its emotional and rhetorical strength is undeniable, such a piece deserves careful unpacking, both for its truths and its oversimplifications.

Where the Article Rings True

Indeed, overdiagnosis is a growing issue. Modern thresholds often define mild deviations as pathologies. “Pre-diseases” now lead to lifelong medication, even when asymptomatic.

Polypharmacy:

Polypharmacy is term we use when patients are given multiple medications, and this is widespread, especially among the elderly. As drugs cause side effects, more drugs are prescribed to manage them. A feedback loop is born: a cascade of prescriptions.

Moreover, it’s no secret that pharmaceutical companies have shaped medical guidelines.

• The drop in diabetic thresholds in the late 1990s and early 2000s widened markets.

• The case of rosiglitazone (Avandia), leading to a $3 billion fine for hiding cardiovascular risks, is a factual event.

Such examples rightly challenge blind faith in the system.

Where the Article Misses the Mark

Yet, the article's tone also misleads.

It suggests all doctors operate under pharmaceutical influence. It claims thresholds are dictated by profit alone. These claims ignore the rigorous peer-reviewed processes, research data, and evolving evidence behind most guidelines.

Doctors, by and large, are committed professionals working under immense pressure. They rely on scientific consensus, not pharma dictates.

Perhaps most dangerously, the article suggests an HbA1c of 11% should be acceptable. This is medically false and hazardous.
Such levels indicate uncontrolled diabetes, associated with blindness, neuropathy, and renal failure.

The True Takeaway: Empowerment Over Dependency

Despite its flaws, the essay delivers a critical reminder:

Health must not be reduced to numbers, pills, and panic.

True healing lies in:

• Self-care and lifestyle choices

• Psychological well-being

• Preventive health rather than just curative

Patients must be empowered, not labeled. Doctors should listen and explain, not merely prescribe.

A Balanced Future for Medicine

Medicine is not the enemy. It has eradicated diseases, saved lives, and extended lifespans.

But it must constantly self-correct, and patients must be active partners in their care. Questioning, learning, and healthy skepticism are virtues., not threats.

Let’s not romanticize natural healing to the extent of ignoring real danger. But neither should we allow the system to over-medicalize life itself.

My conclusion is: Wisdom with Compassion

Let us not discard the flame of science because of the shadows it casts. Let us advocate for a medicine of balance, ethics, and humanity, where the goal is not just to extend life but to enhance its quality.

Health is not the absence of disease, but the presence of balance, in body, mind, and spirit.

With enduring respect,

Lim Ju Boo