conforming your beleifs to evidence presented to you by reality is the opposite of a religious beleif. As someone with no medical degree, and very limited knowledge on the medical industry, I am more than happy to put the decision making of any drugs that I am taking in the hands of people who are far better educated than myself on this subject. I suffer with Colitis and need to take immune suppressant drugs so that I don't have any of the symptoms that comes with colitis. Being skeptical is fundamental to the process of science. Medications go through rigorous tests again and again before they are approved and people are working all the time to immprove medical care. Without the process that we call science, we would not be able to differentiate between drugs that work and drugs that don't work

People are people.

"whenever possible" It makes it your choice. Generally it's your body, you take care of it. You've done a good job.

I am somewhat of a skeptic. I have some doubts about some things that most of the scientific community has accepted as gospel. Scientist are people too, subject to prejudice and bias like anyone else. It tends to be the young scientist that change things. They are not yet so ridged in their thinking and can entertain new ideas more easily.

Understanding the reality of things is my biggest goal and am afraid that my brain cannot understand all things. It sounds like you’re making a rational decision; at least to my understanding.

Of course not! Science is built around skepticism - scientists continually (and continously) challenge their belief system - which is about as far away as you can ever get from religion ...

First of all, I don't think atheists have blind devotion to religion. Second, I'm not entirely sure atheists know much more about science as their religious counterparts. Even on this site you see people who call themselves atheist who espouse the ideals of Depak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer...

A lot of people I run across can easily answer most of the simple questions about things like holistic medicine, vaccinations, flat earth... but there's still a large gap in what they actually do understand scientifically. In fairness, it's true of us all, but it's those who consider that they know far more than they do.

As Socratic paradox goes: "The only thing I know, is that I know nothing." That realization is the beginning of wisdom, and that's the real reason science exists... because of our deep and yearning desire to "know."

actually, if diet and nature work, it seems that is preferable to putting various chemicals into your body. Science isn't confined to artificial substances as best I know.

How does that mean this person was not skeptical about drugs too? I also prefer natural methods first, but there are times during which the dangers of side effects are the best alternative to death. Whenever I need chemical help, I look at all the alternatives, including life style changes and meditation - as most atheists that I know of.

Relying on exercise and nutrition for health isn't anti-science. Take a look at the Microbiological and Biological effects of what's consumed and how the body is challenged - that is not denying modern medicine, that's the molecular basis of "natural" health care.

1. If you accept it without questioning it, it's not science. Period. Doesn't matter what it is. Anyone who doesn't get that doesn't know science.

2. Western medicine has problems--like everything else that people create. One of the problems is over-prescribing of medications (a la opioid crisis). It's a thing. Doesn't mean you should never take drugs, or should necessarily be prohibitively skeptical of all possible Rxs. But be skeptical. Ask questions, do research. Get a second opinion, maybe. Approaches and attitudes can vary widely. Sometimes not. Sometimes the biochemistry is very clearcut. It depends.

I'm with you: my feeling is that drugs should be an intervention of last resort--after you've worked on your diet and exercise and sleep and psycho-social-emotional well being. Im not saying have a crack at curing your diabetes with kale smoothies. I'm saying maybe give the Big Macs a rest and switch to decaf if you have high blood pressure BEFORE you start taking pills...not instead of.

I think some people have blind devotion to science regardless of whether they are atheist or not .
[sciencebasedmedicine.org]

Science is a method, not a body of facts. Devotion to it is not blindness - it's the most clear-headed way of living we have ever come up with. We look at events and try to explain them. If the explanation doesn't fit, we reject it.