Wise Os

I recently had a conversation with a friend who runs a clinic network of 1,000+ MDs. She said the main conversation among doctors is frustration that patients are asking about the "root cause" and "more natural cures" for their conditions. She said 0% of patients asked these questions five years ago, and now 80% of patients do. Her doctors see this trend as a negative thing, and spend their time deriding the MAHA movement and social media personalities in the breakroom. These clinics focus on dermatology and make money selling drugs and procedures. Many dermatological issues are tied to root cause issues (diet/lifestyle) and not a lack of cream or injection. On Reddit boards, countless medical professionals are decrying these "root cause" questions. I think this represents a major shift/dynamic happening in medicine that should be openly discussed. Are patients' right to be asking more questions about the root cause, or are the doctors right to be deriding Americans for taking health into their own hands? To be asking about food, exercise, over-medicalization, and lifestyle habits... Should patients trust their doctors on chronic disease management? Can patients actually reverse their conditions and thrive if they explore the root cause? Are the answers simpler and more under our control than we believe? I think the answer is clearly yes. I hope the trend of patients asking doctors for the root cause doesn't slow down, and it not only changes how we practice medicine, but also changes our culture to be more empowered. If you have an acute condition that will kill you right away, see your doctor and listen to them. Our system is a miracle at addressing these acute issues. But that's less than 10% of our spending. Our system's failure at chronic disease management has economic, national defense, and spiritual effects that are existential. We need to have respect for our food and our soil. We need to cherish breastfeeding and natural food... We need to ensure kids are away from their phones and outside running around... We need to rejuvenate a grounding in the spiritual... These are the messages our healthcare leaders should be repeating again and again - and that light is starting to shine through, despite aggressive resistance from hard-working doctors whose income and identity are undeniably tied to the broken status quo.