conventional healthcare & medications

Here you’ll find articles that are about or related to the field of conventional medicine, or Western medicine. Conventional medicine is the type of medicine that emerged after the Industrial Revolution and that is currently taught in mainstream medical schools and practiced in mainstream hospitals. It focuses on treatment of diseases and symptoms, rather than prevention of these issues. That treatment often involves pharmaceutical medications, surgery, or other invasive procedures. 

At WellBe, we believe that integrative medicine is the best path to true wellness, which means taking a holistic approach that treats a whole person rather than symptoms, addressing the root cause of health issues, and prioritizing prevention rather than treatment. However, we know that conventional medicine can be truly miraculous and life-saving in certain situations. An integrative approach to health can include conventional medicine practices.

Read these articles to hear insights and stories about the conventional medical system, both good and bad.

Maya Dusenbery on How Medical Gaslighting Sidelines Women’s Health Problems

Maya Dusenbery on How Medical Gaslighting Sidelines Women’s Health Problems

Maya Dusenbery had been working as a feminist writer for most of her adult life, but she hadn’t spent much time thinking about how women were treated in medicine. Then, an unexpected personal health issue showed her firsthand the unique challenges that women face in navigating the healthcare system. Her book, Doing Harm, stems from this experience and looks more largely at gender bias in medicine and how it hurts women. Read on to hear her story and learn why women’s health problems are often sidelined, why medical gaslighting is so widespread, how gender bias in research changes outcomes for women, and more. 
Former CEO of Aetna Mark Bertolini on How Holistic Insurance and Preventative Healthcare Can Fix Our Broken System

Former CEO of Aetna Mark Bertolini on How Holistic Insurance and Preventative Healthcare Can Fix Our Broken System

Mark Bertolini had worked in private health insurance for his whole adult life, and never considered any sort of integrative therapies. Then, two personal health crises showed him firsthand the importance of holistic healthcare and the failures of the current system. As CEO of Aetna — a role he left in late 2019  when he sold the company to CVS — he implemented sweeping changes that reflected his newfound viewpoint. Read on to learn about his own transformative health journey, how he changed the culture of Aetna, why he believes holistic insurance and preventative healthcare can help fix the U.S. healthcare system, and more. 
Myths, Lies, and Truth About Medical Error with Dr. Bobby Price

Myths, Lies, and Truth About Medical Error with Dr. Bobby Price

When Dr. Bobby Price graduated from pharmacy school, he was beyond excited about the career ahead of him. He would be on the forefront of developing new medications, learning about the chemistry and biology of treating disease. He was the National President of the Student Pharmaceutical Association, and worked as a pharmacist at a hospital, a Walmart, and even the U.S. Department of Defense. But then, everything changed. He came face to face with uncomfortable truths about the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, and knew he needed to drastically shift course — so he became a certified plant-based nutritionist, herbalist, exercise physiologist, and author. Read on to learn Dr. Bobby Price’s inspiring journey, the truth about medical error and medical error deaths in the United States, and more. 
Health Research Wrap-Up: October to December 2020

Health Research Wrap-Up: October to December 2020

Well, it’s finally happening: this seemingly endless year is coming to an end at long last. If you’d told us in January everything this year was going to bring, there’s no way we would have believed you! And yet, here we are. Obviously, wellness news (and all news) this year has been dominated by the coronavirus, and so throughout 2020 we’ve done our best to share the most significant developments in these health research wrap-ups. But, as we’ve said before, your best defense against COVID or any other disease is maintaining good overall health, and many WellBe readers are still struggling with other chronic symptoms and conditions (that might make it harder to fight COVID-19). That's why we think it’s as important as ever to highlight health news and research that’s not COVID-related.