In today’s world, we face a paradox. Never before have we had so many medical interventions at our disposal, yet rates of chronic illness continue to rise. Heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, and even anxiety are now woven into everyday life. It raises an important question: are we truly healthier, or have we lost touch with the roots of resilience?

One researcher who devoted his life to exploring this question was Dr. Raymond Obomsawin (1941–2020). Of Indigenous descent and with decades of experience in health policy, Obomsawin studied the intersection of traditional knowledge, modern medicine, and public health. His findings shed light on how deeply our well-being depends on living in harmony with natural law.

Ancestral Diets and Robust Health

Across his research, Obomsawin documented the health of Indigenous and traditional peoples around the world. Before the arrival of processed foods, their diets were local, seasonal, and nutrient-rich. Communities thrived on fresh fish, wild meats, roots, fruits, and vegetables grown in fertile soil. Chronic disease, as we know it today, was virtually unknown.

The contrast became clear when refined foods — white flour, sugar, canned goods, and industrial oils — entered these communities. Almost overnight, new illnesses emerged: cavities, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems. Obomsawin’s conclusion was simple yet profound: ancestral diets fostered resilient bodies and strong immunity, while modern food systems eroded them.

This mirrors what many of us sense in our own lives. When we eat fresh, local, and natural foods, our energy is steadier, our digestion calmer, and our minds clearer. Nature provided the right foods for each climate and season; our task is to return to them.

Vaccination and Chronic Illness

Perhaps most controversially, Obomsawin also examined vaccination policies. He argued that while vaccines were credited with eliminating infectious disease, much of the decline actually followed improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and living conditions. In his view, vaccines interfered with the body’s natural immunity and, over time, could contribute to chronic illness.

This is a sensitive and deeply personal topic. For Obomsawin, the point was less about condemning medicine and more about reminding us that true immunity is built from within. The strength of our defenses depends not only on what we avoid, but on how well we nourish and care for ourselves.

The Modern Trade-Off

Today, many of us live far from the rhythms our ancestors knew. Artificial light replaces natural cycles. Packaged food replaces fresh harvests. Fear-based health messages replace the quiet confidence of communities rooted in nature.

We must ask: are we trading long-term vitality for short-term fixes? And if so, how do we begin to restore balance?

Reclaiming Ancestral Practices

The answer, Obomsawin suggested, lies in a return to natural law — the principles by which all healthy ecosystems thrive. For human beings, this means:

Eating local, seasonal, and minimally processed foods

Spending time in sunlight and fresh air

Honoring rest, rhythm, and community

Trusting the body’s innate ability to heal

These aren’t radical ideas. They are the practices that sustained our ancestors for millennia. They are also the practices that modern science increasingly validates, from the importance of circadian rhythm to the role of gut health in immunity.

A Path Forward

We cannot change the past, but we can reclaim our future. The choice is not between rejecting medicine outright or surrendering our sovereignty. The choice is to walk in harmony with nature, listening to the body and supporting it with what it was designed to thrive on.

As Obomsawin wrote, “Health is a by-product of living in harmony with natural law.” His reminder is clear: by returning to ancestral wisdom — through food, lifestyle, and connection to the earth — we create the foundation for true health.

https://openheart.bmj.com/content/4/2/e000673

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