“Green pathology” critique of Functional Medicine
Completely revised 5–2025
In the decade of the 1990s, many of us in holistic health and healing believed Functional Medicine (FM) might be a new more holistic paradigm, which could start to replace antiquated Germ Pathology.
Green Pathology defined
By 2010, better minds than mine observed something was off about Functional Medicine. Nicholas Gonzalez, MD, trained in both journalism at TIME magazine; and, in Metabolic Typing with Wm. Donald Kelley, DDS, put his finger on it. He said FM was too often characterized as no more than “Green Pathology,” “remedy-driven medicine.” Instead of prescribing patent drugs one after another to chase away symptoms, FM prescribed herbs and vitamins one after another, to chase symptoms. “Trial-and-error medicine.” To paraphrase him, FM was a “whack-a-mole medicine paradigm; with, little insight where new moles were coming from.
Further, the old 1850s pathology biases remained:
- Distrust of Nature, fearing Nature and her microbes,
- Distrust of the body and its God-given natural, healing intelligence, and
- Little to no interest in methods to query the body to learn which foods it needs to build new cells and replace old ones (To digress, 20 or more methods of Specialized Kinesiology, also coming on strongly in the 1990s, became crazy good at exactly this).
Where we are in 2025
Today no alternative medical-healthcare paradigm to replace trial an error medicine remains obscure and uncertain. The good news is we do have many new green shoots and leaves, promising directions.
Dr. Joseph Mercola’s Dec. 2024 book, Cellular Health
Of his 12 published books, this is his best, most accessible and up-to-date take on the root causes of all illness and all wellness. In Cellular he done an excellent job summarizing the main environmental and dietary villains causing mitochondrial dysfunction which have been identified. Citations to relevant papers to back up each claim are included. Cellular then summarizes methods, techniques, tips and tricks to upgrade your diet and lifestyle to support your mitochondria (plenty of citations again). I asked my public library to order a copy; they did. Ask your library to order a copy.
Cellular Health is an excellent window and doorway thru which anyone interested can view many of the green shoots and leaves of a new, holistic healthcare-medicine paradigm.
I want to at least mention the additional “green shoots and leaves” not mentioned in the first edition of Cellular Health.
Metabolic Typing and hair analysis 2.0
These two healthcare methods share overlapping concerns. After their client intake tests, the biomarker numbers generated are only referenced to the values for optimally well persons.
Why is this a big deal, a breakthru? In the past, biomarkers were referenced only to the values for “average persons,” “normal persons.” These were statistical averages from data collected from large populations passing thru hospitals, schools, colleges and the military.
What was the problem with reference ranges based on “average persons,” “normal persons”? Many “average” and “normal” Americans, eating the Standard American Diet, today are already sick with one or more sub-clinical conditions. Chief among these sub-clinical conditions are pre-diabetes and malnourishment.
In 2003, 66% of all Americans were taking one or more prescription drugs (Georgetown Univ Health Policy institute — https://hpi.georgetown.edu/rxdrugs/ ).
A search on two Internet browsers, Google and Yandex (Yandex does not censor holistic methods like Google and Wikipedia do) informs me there is no more recent research on the percent of all American taking one or more prescription drugs. On multiple health policy website, the 2003 info above is commonly cited as “current.” This is why Dr. Mercola estimates in 2024 perhaps 80% of Americans are taking one or more prescription drugs.
The widespread use of “average” and “normal” reference ranges pretending to be “healthy” norms only serves the antiquated medical paradigm. How? The lower the bar for “health” is, the more patients are told they are healthy, making AMA MDs look good to the public.
Reference ranges from optimally well athletes
The above problem was understood in the 1960s. The solution was to junk biomarker reference ranges based on average-normal; and, do the lab research to find optimally well athletes. Dr. Lawrence Wilson describes the process. Dr. Eck had local athletes as clients. He worked with them individually to improve their minerals levels, which improved their performance. He then noted where they peaked in their performance. He created new biomarker reference ranges based on these peak performance values. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qutbu-Qg04&list=PLjYGZJMyf5wsgQjwlAMA5FvXV8RTH9Igc&index=5 )
Was this project spearheaded by the AMA? By medical schools? No. As usual innovation came from the fringes. In this case, from Dr. Paul Eck. In 1974 he founded Analytical Research Lab (https://arltma.com/newsletters/ )
SIDEBAR ~ Brief summary of hair analysis 2.0
Dr. Paul C. Eck established ARL in 1974 after devoting most of his adult life to evaluating major research studies in biochemistry, physiology, pathology, nutrition and psychology.
To correctly interpret a tissue mineral analysis, Dr. Eck combined a number of modern biological, physiological and biochemical concepts. He used:
- The stages of stress discovered by Dr. Hans Selye,
- Sympathetic and parasympathetic balancing as taught by Dr. Melvin Page,
- Oxidation types as taught by Dr. George Watson, and
- Mineral balancing [in farm soils] as taught by Dr. William Albrecht and others [such as Dr. Carey Reams].
Except for TEI, spun off from ARL, no other laboratory uses all these concepts to help understand the significance of tissue mineral levels, ratios and metabolic patterns.
Dr. Eck pioneered many innovations in the study of trace mineral deficiencies and excesses and their relationship to various metabolic dysfunctions associated with disease. Dr. Eck was widely regarded as an authority on the science of balancing body chemistry through hair tissue mineral analysis.
Summary origin of hair analysis 2.0:
-=+ -=+ -=+
The coming, new healthcare-medicine won’t be based solely on technical innovations like the above. For the public to engage with it, it will have to “tell a new story” of healthcare, a better story than “germs and viruses cause all disease” and “invisible microbes are out to get us, so be very afraid!”
Nature has a Plan for human physical health
A detailed historical account of techno innovations will not suffice to sway the public. In order to engage and inspire them, the mythological level must be accessed.
It’s a Plan for optimal physical wellness. Human adults are simply challenged to learn what the Plan is and how to cooperate with it.
To understand Nature’s Plan, it helps to start with how Nature already supports optimal physical wellness by giving humankind three “freebies.”
She takes care of both our
- Optimal blood pH
- Optimal oxygen-Co2 regulation (breath), and
- Optimal basal body temperatuere.
In optimally well individuals, these three functions are handled “automatically.” The numerical values for optimal wellness are well known. We often take these freebies for granted, simply giving them an abstract name, “Homeostasis,” then forget about them, Next!
Optimal lymph biochemistry is NOT automatic
Our lymph is the “fish bowl” all our cells and all our organs have to live within; and, from which they draw their minerals to do repairs; and, receive materials to build new cells. Nature does NOT freely give us optimal and steady biochemistry for our lymph-water-body.
Each of us determines our own lymph-water-body biochemistry by the daily choices we make; specifically, which food and drink we put into our mouth. The main thing humans have most control over, what food and drink we eat, determines almost 100% wether our lymph biomarkers stay within their optimal A Range or deviate from it.
Dr. Carey Reams and RBTI
Uncovering the numerical biomarkers representing optimally well lymph biochem occurred in 1931. Dr. Carey Reams, with a medical degree; yet, chiefly a soil agronomist focussed on soil testing. Reams traveled to various farms gaining experience and success testing soils for mineral composition; and then, prescribing soil amendments to optimize soils for crops the farmer wished to grow. In 1931, for the first time, he was asked to help a dying neighbor child. The child’s doctors had given up on him.
Thru fasting, prayer and pages of hand calculations on teletype paper he uncovered seven numerical biomarkers representing optimally well lymph biochemistry.
Reams reasoned (paraphrase), “All our cells and all our organs have to live within the “soil (terrain) of our lymph. If I could represent optimal lymph biochem with numbers; and, identify a range of values for optimally healthy lymph; then, I could take fresh daily samples from a new person and see how their numbers are trending, closer or further away, from the optimal A Range of values.” Over decades of clinical testing; including, in many controlled retreat settings, this theory was proved workable and effective.
Until the 1970s, RBTI was a rare and wonderful, non-invasive, whole body approach to physical health.
This topic survives today as “RBTI.” A more descriptive name for what Reams uncovered is Urine-saliva biomarker testing and analysis (USBA). Find RBTI here:
- Three active Q&A forums on Facebook; including, many free handouts,
- Three entry-level, journalistic books on RBTI, with client testimonials, and
- Four professional grade text books by Dr. A.F. Beddoe — https://AdvancedIdeals.org/books.html#Page_Top
If we learn nature’s Plan, follow Her Plan, bring our biomarkers back into the A Range of health, our cells and organs have the best chance to do what their were programmed by genetics and Nature to do, produce excellent physical function. If our cells, organs lymph, blood and mitochondria get their preferred biochemical terrain and food-stuffs, they know how to produce physical wellness.
Naturally each organ or body system has its own set of Biomarkers 2.0.
Q: Will this paradigm change happen quickly?
A: Such changes never happen quickly. For a new healthcare paradigm to become mainstream will take decades.
Q: How does this new paradigm contrast with Germ Pathology, Functional Medicine/Green Pathology?
A: Nature’s Plan is NOT based on trial and error. Her Plan is based on learning the biomarkers identifying optimal functioning wellness for that organ or system. Then making better choices of food and drink to conform your numbers with the known optimal numbers. In this way you can “follow the numbers” (Reams).
In this way Nature’s Plan says, “Starts at the roots. Learn and know the optimal biomarkers for the organ or system you wish to improve. Then, transform your bad habits, upgrade them so you eat and drink what supports your numbers remaining in the A Range.”
As healthy function returns, all dysfunctions subside. Cells and organs go back to producing functional wellness.
Are you are “sick and tired of being sick and tired”?
Q: I’m not sure I’m interested in my own biology enuf to learn about it and cooperate with it more.
A: Yes, most people do not take seriously befriending their biology unless and until they are sick and tired, of being sick and tired (John-Roger).
To understand the reasons most people won’t change their food and drink habits Iain McGilchrist’s platform of topics supports learners.
No more one-sided thinking
Iain McGilchrist’s platform of topics clarifies Nature’s Plan for physical wellness. Iain explains left and right brain hemispheres in current terms, citing peer-reviewed, evidence-based research. He explains the dangers of using only one side of our brain, one hemisphere, exclusively; is in few words, “one-sided thinking.”
This idea directly critiques mainstream AMA-Big-Pharma medicine. A right-brain-hemisphere and a left-brain-hemisphere approach to physical wellness both exist. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. The differences correspond somewhat closely to male~female differences made famous in Mars vs Venus by John Gray. Consider:
Right-hem celebrates living things and how vitality streams thru each of us, thru each living being. Right-hem looks to and visualizes optimal wellness, not only physical — on all levels: physical, imaginal, emotional, mental and mythological.
Right-hem looks to insights, practices and methods which nurture, maintain and increase physical vitality. Right-hem looks to do more of of the practical behaviors which have proven workable; such as, every local community of like-minded persons benefits from tending a communal garden.
When in doubt, Right-hem involves left-hem, gets him involved, to ask more questions; and, thru analysis, arranges details and steps into a logical sequence.
Left-hem finds the vision of optimal wellness too bright. As if looking directly at the noonday Sun, left-hem can’t bear this. Left-hem only feels comfortable in Plato’s Cave, manipulating man-made symbols, words and numbers, to analyze what is, and is not, occurring (see online “Plato’s Cave” for more on this).
Dead vs. living medicine
Left-hem is more comfortable looking at and analyzing dead things than living things. Why? Dead things stay in one place; they don’t move around erratically, confusedly. Also dead things can be controlled, poked and prodded and don’t complain. Left-hem finds dead things less threatening to his sense or order and sequence. Left-hem prefers to look only at the precursors of dead cells, tissues, organs, systems. It hypothesizes, “If I can stop the precursors of death, I can control wellness-health; or at least, get back to “no complaints.” That is good-enuf-health.
Light-hem is part of our “naive scientist.” Like a child, he likes to blame others. He does not like to take personal responsibility; nor, be accountable for negative consequences of his choices. In this way, in the 1850s, it was very easy to persuade the public how germs (microbes) caused all diseases. Why? Because microbial overgrowth is present with all dead and diseased tissue, microbes must therefore be the cause of all dead and diseased tissue!
Since the 1970s this is understood as the classic error of “correlation equals causation.” Anyone with an open mind who has studied microbes, understands they are Nature’s clean-up crew. They attack dead, damaged and low-performing cells which can no longer express Nature’s excellence and beauty (excellent function). When cells and organs tire and no longer express nature’s excellence, microbes and parasites, break down them down. Why? So a newer, younger version more expressive of Nature’s unending caring can be born.
Between the 1850s and 1970, the right-brain-hemisphere approach to wellness — start with how Sunlight, vitality and rhythm are at the core of wellness — was suppressed, neglected and ignored by left-hem males.
Q: What will happen as Right-hem medicine comes back to partner with left-hem medicine?
A: Feelings, Intuitions, Imagination and Inspirations will again be given due honor; their intelligence will be consulted, no longer discarded and downplayed.
People will recall Intuition, Imagination and Inspiration accompany every scientific breakthru. Honoring Intuitions, Imagination and Inspirations again will permit more complex, more nuanced; and, more at the root (radical) insights into the foundations of health. Easy, lazy preoccupation with only the dead and the diseased will be downplayed.
This bodes well for women in healthcare. Women are already over 75% of all healthcare workers (“Women Hold 76% of All Health Care Jobs, Gaining in Higher-Paying Occupations” (2019) — https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/08/your-health-care-in-womens-hands.html )
To Learn More
https://ChannelMcGilchrist.com/home
Iain McGilchrist’s platform of topics about left and right brain hemispheres, The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World (1st ed 2010, 2nd expanded ed 2019)
The Matter With Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions, and the Unmaking of the World (2023)
CONC Building on Metabolic Typing, I conceive of Metabolic Patterns as the largest therapeutic pattern in progressive healthcare. It incorporates Biomarkers 2.0:
References
“Hypoxia Makes the Gut Healthy” (2025) Sahana Sitaraman, PhD. https://www.the-scientist.com/hypoxia-makes-the-gut-healthy-72804
Oxygen metabolism and barrier regulation in the intestinal mucosa (2016) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5096807/#:~:text=Studies%20in%20the%20mucosa%20have,in%20health%20and%20during%20disease
To Learn More
The shift AWAY FROM “normal-average” biomarkers:
The “wake up call” to think about the dangers of referencing all biomarkers to only “average-normal” ranges was spelled out in a paper, “Biologic and Methodologic Issues for Nutritional Biomarkers” (2003) by Nancy Potischman. In: The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 133, Issue 3, March 2003, Pages 875S–880S, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.3.875S
Some readers may benefit from hearing this phrased in the negative: “Biomarkers are referenced to ranges denoting the lowest risk of disease and mortality for the organ or system tested. These can help overcome a lot of the issues with older [average, “normal”] reference ranges.” — “What are optimal blood test ranges?” (2022?) — https://thriva.co/hub/blood-tests/what-are-optimal-ranges
-=+ -=+ -=+
Okay to contact me. I share a MetType 101 list of books, videos, etc to get oriented. Me: HealingToolbox atttgmale c-om
-=+ -=+ -=+
- Befriending Our Biology (2021) — Set in the year 2120, it shows how RBTI was adopted by the WHO and began to be the worldwide baseline for optimal healthcare.
- Befriending Your Nervous System (DRAFT title, text coming 2025). Excessive Sympathetic Dominance (SD), shows up in Western culture as excessive male domination over women, children and Nature. Chronic, one-sided, unregulated drives to control, to compete, to produce, to make a profit all cause STRESS. This text supports leaners to reduce and re-direct excessive Sympathetic Dominance (SD), also known as “Type A behavior.” How, any chronic, one-sided use of our autonomic nervous system (ANS) is unhealthy; and, methods to redirect your Habit Body.
