Interest in traditional medicine has grown significantly over the past decade. Now, around 80 percent of the world’s population is estimated to turn to nature as their first remedy when feeling under the weather. But as natural medicine becomes more mainstream, what does the science really show?
Historic wisdom, cutting-edge science
Ancient Egypt’s Ebers Papyrus is one of the earliest written records of herbal medicine, but fossil records show that prehistoric humans also embraced natural remedies.
Even modern medicine owes itself to ancestral practices. More than half of all pharmaceutical drugs originate from compounds first identified in traditional medicinal plants. Aspirin, for instance, has its roots in Sumeria, where humankind’s earliest known civilizations used willow bark as a painkiller.
Herbal and traditional medicines are receiving renewed attention from researchers, government regulators, and health-conscious consumers because “modern medicine has built on what nature has to offer,” reports the World Health Organization (WHO).
Today’s doctors draw “upon traditional systems of knowledge of how these medicinal plants, herbs, roots, and bark were wielded to cure diseases across civilizations,” adds the WHO, which in 2025 launched its first strategic and technical advisory group on traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine. Beyond aspirin, other examples include childhood cancer drugs (derived from Madagascar periwinkle), heart disease treatments (foxglove and hawthorn), popular flu treatments (star anise), and contraceptive pills (wild Mexican yam).
As more of society embraces natural medicine, it’s creating a shift in how doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and consumers view Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet.
Research builds confidence
“Integrative medicine is exploding right now because patients are burnt out on symptom-based care and side effect profiles that often do more harm than good,” explains certified family nurse practitioner Jillian Kavanagh, MSN, RN.
She’s been tracking her own patients’ patterns. “When I take their medical history, 38 percent of patients tell me they take [natural remedies such as] turmeric, ashwagandha, or magnesium now, versus 12 percent of patients [less than a decade ago],” says Kavanagh. “That’s because there’s a genuine demand from patients for preventative modalities that work with the body’s natural processes to heal, rather than just regarding them as a list of targets for drugs.”
Among the previous barriers to natural medicine adoption was confusion and lack of trust, but that’s quickly changing, according to Aarti Jerath, MD. She notes that scientific validation is helping medical professionals make smarter recommendations about natural remedies.
This also benefits patients.
“Increased scientific research is strengthening trust, safety, and product quality by identifying which herbal interventions may be effective, plus safe dosages, side effects, and medication interactions,” notes Jerath. “Research also improves manufacturing standards, ingredient transparency, and quality control.”
Going back to our native roots
Much of modern medicine goes back to Indigenous Peoples, whether it’s traditional Chinese medicine or Australia’s Aboriginal medicine. “Indigenous and cultural medicine traditions … are living systems of knowledge connected to nature, culture, spirituality, elders, and relationships within a community,” says herbalist and National Geographic author Mimi Prunella Hernandez.
“Appreciate the diverse traditions associated with herbs and honour the healing practices that have developed around them,” Hernandez says. “Sharing the stories of herbalists, elders, and their traditions plays an important role in preserving ecological knowledge so that valuable wisdom is not lost across generations.”
What to look for when choosing natural remedies
You need to “feel confident in the integrity of what is in a product as well as the science behind how it’s formulated and used in practice,” says clinical herbalist Mimi Prunella Hernandez, author of National Geographic Herbal: 100 Herbs from the World’s Healing Traditions (National Geographic, 2023).
Do your homework
“Research the specific compound and not just the plant,” advises certified dietitian nutritionist Kristen Kuminski, RD. For instance, it’s the curcumin in turmeric, not turmeric itself, that has been clinically tested to prevent and treat chronic conditions such as liver problems, inflammation, and mood disorders.
Check for third-party certification
Kuminski recommends looking for third-party certifications such as the USP Dietary Supplement Verification Program or the NSF Dietary Supplement and Vitamin Certification. This ensures that what you’re buying is actually pure and safe and that it contains the active compounds (and the correct dosages) you seek.
Talk to your medical professional
Nature is powerful. Herbs can interact with other medications and supplements. “Many of my patients have been taking a supplement for months and never mentioned it because they assumed it didn’t count as medication,” says Jason Schroder, DO. “Bring the supplement bottle to your next appointment before adding anything new.”
Plant medicine is the future
We’re seeing a growing bridge between traditional knowledge and modern science, according to Jonathan Spages, DC. “Many traditional healing systems observed clinical benefits long before modern medicine understood the mechanisms behind them,” he says. “Research can help validate what works, improve safety, and create more consistent standards while still respecting the original wisdom behind these practices.”
5 natural remedies backed by science
| Supplement | Health benefits | Research results |
| ginger | has been shown to help with a variety of gastrointestinal concerns, including nausea, vomiting, bloating, and intestinal gas related to pregnancy, surgery, other medications, and chemotherapy | nine studies and seven reviews investigated by the <Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care> journal found that “all studies [reported] a significant” reduction in nausea and vomiting |
| peppermint | is rich in essential oils such as limonene, menthol, and menthone | works as a pain reliever and muscle relaxant for common issues such as headaches and cramps |
| curcumin | (the active ingredient in turmeric) has antioxidant properties | as a potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredient, it may help with a range of inflammatory health concerns, including irritable bowel syndrome, and even Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases |
| garlic | has been used for thousands of years as a medicine, thanks in part to antioxidants and beneficial compounds such as allicin | garlic extract has antiviral, antibacterial, and fungicidal benefits; it has been used to treat cancer, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure |
| elderberry | is a rich source of vitamins and antioxidants | its high levels of anthocyanins have been shown to provide anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, and antidiabetic benefits |
Science and nature in tandem
“Merging traditional medicine with scientific validation is one of the biggest opportunities in healthcare,” says certified family nurse practitioner Jillian Kavanagh, MSN, RN.
“Berberine for blood sugar control and ginger for nausea were used in traditional medicines before we had clinical trials to prove they worked,” she notes. “Part of that process is being respectful to where these plants originate and what people have known for centuries. Research conducted by universities in partnership with traditional healers is more powerful than either working independently.”
This article was originally published in the September 2026 issue of alive magazine.