Dr. Smith contrasts allopathic medicine, which uses drugs to manage symptoms of chronic disease, with functional medicine, which investigates and addresses the underlying drivers of the problem, such as diet, allergies, or toxicity.
Dr. Smith argues that while drugs are essential for acute emergencies like heart attacks or broken bones, they are ill-suited for chronic problems. For long-term issues, focusing on root causes is more effective than continuous symptom management with medication.
Dr. Smith criticizes the common practice of reaching for over-the-counter drugs, then prescriptions, then surgery. He advocates for reversing this order, starting with the least invasive methods like nutrition and chiropractic care before escalating to potentially harmful drugs and procedures.
Dr. Smith advises that every hospital patient should have a friend or family member act as a health advocate. This is crucial because many hospital procedures and decisions, such as pushing for knee replacements, may be driven more by economic incentives than pure medical necessity.
Dr. Smith highlights a critical flaw in pharmacology: while a single drug undergoes rigorous FDA testing, there is zero data on the interactive effects when a patient takes two or more drugs concurrently. This 'polypharmacy' creates unpredictable and potentially harmful side effects.
Dr. Smith reframes the doctor-patient relationship, stating that "doctors don't cure you—you cure you." The body has an innate ability to heal, and a doctor's function is to act as a facilitator, removing obstacles and providing support, rather than being the direct agent of the cure.