Andrew Weil - Philosophy On Health

Philosophy On Health

Weil has acknowledged the influence of many individuals, philosophical and spiritual ideas, and techniques on his approach to medicine. Among the individuals who strongly influenced Weil's professional and personal life is the late osteopath Robert C. Fulford, who specialized in cranial manipulation. Weil has said he respects the work of psychologist Martin Seligman, originator of the field of positive psychology and director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Weil also respects the work of Stephen Ilardi, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas, and author of The Depression Cure.

Weil's general view is that mainstream and alternative medicine are complementary approaches that should be utilized in conjunction with one another (what he terms integrative medicine). Weil says that patients should take the Western medicine prescribed by their doctor, and then bend the biomedical model to incorporate alternative therapies such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and herbal remedies, meditation and other “spiritual” strategies. Nutrition, exercise and stress reduction are emphasized by Weil. Weil is a proponent of a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables and regular consumption of fish. He is also a critic of partially hydrogenated oils. In an interview on Larry King Live, Weil claimed that sugar, starch, refined carbohydrates, and trans-fats are more dangerous to the human body than saturated fats. Weil has previously expressed opposition to the war on drugs, citing the benefits of many banned plants. He promotes the medical use of whole-plants as a less problematic approach to treatment than synthetic pharmaceuticals. Weil is also an advocate for certain medicinal mushrooms in a daily diet.

Arnold Relman, editor in chief emeritus of The New England Journal of Medicine, has said: "There is no doubt that modern medicine as it is now practiced needs to improve its relations with patients, and that some of the criticisms leveled against it by people such as Weil -- and by many more within the medical establishment itself -- are valid. There also can be no doubt that a few of the "natural" medicines and healing methods now being used by practitioners of alternative medicine will prove, after testing, to be safe and effective.... In the best kind of medical practice, all proposed treatments must be tested objectively. In the end, there will only be treatments that pass that test and those that do not, those that are proven worthwhile and those that are not. Can there be any reasonable "alternative"?"

Speaking of government funding studies of integrating alternative medicine techniques into the mainstream, Steven Novella, a neurologist at Yale School of Medicine wrote that it "is used to lend an appearance of legitimacy to treatments that are not legitimate." Marcia Angell, former executive editor of The New England Journal of Medicine says, "It's a new name for snake oil." Weil has also been subjected to personal attacks by conservative members of the medical and pharmaceutical establishments, who criticised his promotion of alternative medicine, and the potential conflicts of interest this raises in their minds in relation to his non-profit foundation business dealings.