Copy link 
Evolving the Scientific World
By Ryan Castle
There is often a presumption that the world of medical science is opposed to integrative medicine, the synthesis of traditional medicines, mind body practices, and various complementary therapies. This is sometimes portrayed as part of the cultural battle between East and West, an irreconcilable difference in how we perceive health and evidence. This is an assumption often shared by the medical establishment and the integrative community alike, but as we have seen before, it is a fallacy. As research expands and adapts to a non-western world, the body of accepted research is also expanding and changing.
The dialogue between Eastern and Western approaches to medicine has often been framed as a stark contrast between integrative and orthodox practices. However, this perceived dichotomy, portraying Western medicine as rigidly empirical and Eastern traditions as holistic, overlooks a nuanced reality. The evolution of medical science is demonstrating that integrative medicine, which synthesizes traditional medicines, mind-body practices, and various complementary therapies, is not only compatible with orthodox methods but also enhances them. The perception of these two systems as fundamentally incompatible is rooted in cultural and scientific biases that have sometimes hindered collaborative health solutions. However, as global interconnectedness increases, the resistance of the orthodoxy to adjusting scientific acceptance is eroding.
One of the most compelling examples of this synthesis is the development of artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) for malaria, a treatment derived from the Qinghao plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. Initially dismissed by the Western medical establishment as a mere folk remedy,[i] artemisinin was later recognized with a Nobel Prize after it became clear that it dramatically reduced malaria mortality rates.[ii] Millions of people are alive today because researchers did not accept that dismissal.
Similarly, the practice of meditation, once viewed skeptically by Western scientists as merely a psychological placebo and dismissed as “all in your head,” if not actively harmful.[iii] As time went on researchers in Western orthodoxy began to begrudgingly acknowledge meditation had some benefits, though they insisted they were all purely mental, revealing a limiting dualism in their reasoning.[iv] Now, it is well established that meditation has enormous benefits psychologically and physiologically, and research demonstrates that meditation can alter brain function, enhance the immune system, and even impact genetic expression.[v] Even when the majority of the Western scientific community scoffed at meditation there were researchers, many of whom the Chopra Foundation is lucky enough to call supporters, which chose to follow the evidence rather than the orthodoxy.
Yoga is a powerful example that encapsulates many of the problems and potential regarding integrative medicine and science. Similar to meditation, yoga was initially dismissed as a cultural practice with no benefit.[vi] Over time the benefits became undeniable, but it was relegated as simply another form of rudimentary calisthenics. Over time, and due to thought leaders like Dr. Chopra, yoga has become known as much more than physical movements, but a true mind-body experience that has a vast range of physical, mental, and therapeutic benefits that have now been accepted by the scientific community.[vii] If people like Dr. Chopra had not persisted in reforming scientific perspectives, the weight of inertia could have prevented the adoption of a practice that has improved the lives of countless millions.
As often as the term East vs. West is used in regards to integrative medicine, it is not an issue of hemispheres. It is an issue of orthodoxy, the reluctance to change and adapt. This has long been prevalent in the medical sciences community, despite the fact science is intended to reject orthodoxy, to continually explore, experiment, and test for new and better methods.[viii] Yet when people’s lives are on the line it is only natural to want to stay with what is known, even if it is known to be flawed. The researchers resisting so many of these advancements were not bad people, merely cautious ones. The journey from skepticism to integration highlights a gradual cultural shift within the scientific community, a move from a rigid orthodoxy towards a more open exploration of diverse health approaches. This shift is not without its challenges, as it requires reevaluating long-held biases and embracing a more complex approach to knowledge. Yet, the potential for longer, better lives makes this evolution crucial.
The narrative of East versus West in the realm of medicine is gradually being replaced by a story of integration and mutual learning. The examples of artemisinin, meditation, and yoga are not isolated; they are indicative of a broader trend towards embracing effective healing practices, regardless of their origin. As medical research continues to expand, we must remember that there is an unseen evolution from orthodoxy to adaptation and to be mindful of where any given perspective is on that path of evolution. If they follow scientific principles, the Orthodox researcher who condemns a mind-body practice today may be the one reporting its benefits tomorrow.
References
[i] Jin L. From mainstream to marginal? Trends in the use of Chinese medicine in China from 1991 to 2004. Soc Sci Med. 2010;71(6):1063-1067. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.06.019
[ii] Gao X, Lin X, Wang Q, Chen J. Artemisinins: Promising drug candidates for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Med Res Rev. 2024;44(2):867-891. doi:10.1002/med.22001
[iii] Beyerstein, B. L. (1990). Brainscams: neuromythologies of the new age. International Journal of Mental Health, 19(3), 27-36.
[iv] Brennan C, Stevens J. A grounded theory approach towards understanding the self perceived effects of meditation on people being treated for cancer. Aust J Holist Nurs. 1998;5(2):20-26.
[v] Diez GG, Martin-Subero I, Zangri RM, et al. Epigenetic, psychological, and EEG changes after a 1-week retreat based on mindfulness and compassion for stress reduction in healthy adults: Study protocol of a cross-over randomized controlled trial [published correction appears in PLoS One. 2024 Jan 23;19(1):e0297812]. PLoS One. 2023;18(11):e0283169. Published 2023 Nov 17. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0283169
[vi] Novella, Steven (31 July 2013). “Yoga Woo”. Science-Based Medicine.
[vii] Chopra, D., Stern, E., Bushell, W. C., & Castle, R. D. (2023). Yoga and pain: A mind-body complex system. Frontiers in Pain Research, 4, 2.
[viii] Cohen, I. B. (1952). Orthodoxy and scientific progress. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 96(5), 505-512.
