Elle Macpherson is being dragged in the news today for her choice to treat her cancer 'holistically'. By this she means without the help of an oncologist and chemotherapy, but with alternative medicine practitioners instead. Without reading her memoir or hearing how that went for her, I'd like to make a comment on this kind of thing generally.

When a high-profile case like this becomes news, the language used by the media and the outspoken medical professionals is around holistic medicine being 'alternative' and not effective.

I'd like to make the point that as a naturopathic professional with a solid background in woo and mysticism I agree that anti-science beliefs are dangerous, and have been proven killers. However what I and many accredited holistic health professionals do is not 'alternative' but complementary.

Our work is to bring out the healthiest potential possible for our clients. We do this by working with the body and giving it the best chance at healing on it's own. This can be done alongside medical treatment, as a complement to the best evidence-based medical practice available.

I respect others rights to bodily autonomy, and especially medical bodily autonomy, however I also respect biology. And even with the basic oncology knowledge I possess, I respect the power a cancerous cell can have to take over your body. A power that does not care how much your ego aligns with spiritual healing.

You may want to heal, you may have a diagnosis and be determined to overcome it. You may even be a part of the kind of social group that shuns conventional medicine. It may be difficult to agree to a medical treatment because of a deep mistrust of conventional medical practice. You even may know of someone whose cancer went into spontaneous remission.

Spiritually however, what we want and what we need are two very different things. There is a divine beauty in life and in death, in peace and in suffering. It is not up to us, or our ego, if we die from cancer. It doesn't make us a failure to try everything we can to stay alive for our children and families. Nor are you silly if you prefer holistic treatments to seeing your doctor, because the beneficial effects of these practices are not just scientifically proven, they are obvious to whomever partakes in them. Complementary medicines such as nutrition, exercise, good sleep, meditation, herbs and massage, are all effective at restoring health, and as a complement to the best medical care science has to offer (ie what you get with your doctor). Patients who use complementary medicine have better outcomes. It would be a shame to leave a chance at survival on the table.