Drug Free Doctor Movement: What It Gets Right — and Where Individualised Care Matters

Written by Dr Avni Sheth NHS GP and Registered Nutritional Therapist

“Do I need to be on this forever?”

I see this question almost daily in my NHS GP clinic. A patient sits down, lowers their voice slightly, and says:“I’m grateful for this medication… but I don’t want to be on it forever.”

If you are on long-term medication, there is a good chance you have asked yourself a quiet question: “Do I need to be on this forever?” It’s a perfectly normal thought. You might be feeling better and wondering if the prescription is still necessary. Perhaps you are concerned about potential long-term medication side effects. Or maybe you feel that while the medication helps, it doesn’t address the underlying reasons you became unwell in the first place.

This question is becoming more common. A growing conversation, which has been brought into the mainstream by doctors such as Rangan Chatterjee, whose books, podcasts, and BBC television programmes (most recently; Live Well with The Drug-Free Doctor) have helped normalise lifestyle-first approaches to health. His work has resonated with millions because it articulates something many patients already feel: that health is shaped by far more than prescriptions alone.sometimes referred to as the “drug-free doctor” movement, is gaining traction in the UK. It taps into a desire for a different approach to health — one that looks beyond just managing symptoms. While the idea of being "drug-free" is appealing, it's crucial to approach this topic with caution, expert guidance, and a clear understanding of what it really means.

This article will explore the principles behind this movement, examining what it gets right and highlighting where a truly individualised, clinically responsible approach is essential. We will discuss why medicine often relies on long-term prescriptions, the common medications people question, and how a root-cause approach can offer a path toward optimising health, sometimes reducing the need for medication under careful supervision.

Why Modern Medicine Defaults to Long-Term Prescriptions

The NHS is a remarkable institution with highly dedicated professionals, but it operates under immense pressure—this is not a failure of individual doctors, but a feature of the system. In a typical 10-minute GP appointment, the priority is to provide safe, effective, evidence-based care swiftly. For chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or depression, long-term medication remains the most practical and reliable tool in that setting.

These prescriptions are often life-saving, strongly supported by evidence and NICE guidelines, especially for preventing serious events like heart attacks, strokes, or mental health crises. However, this model was created to manage disease—rarely to build true health. With limited time and resources, there’s rarely space in the system to explore the full complexity of what caused the condition in the first place. That means nutrition, stress, sleep, and gut health are often left unexamined, and prescriptions become the default solution while underlying causes remain unaddressed. This is not a failure of individual doctors, but a feature of the system they work within.

Part of the appeal of the drug-free message, popularised through mainstream media and figures like Dr Chatterjee, is that it gives language to a previously unspoken frustration: people want to understand why their body is struggling, not just how to suppress symptoms. But translating population-level lifestyle advice into safe, individual medical decisions requires nuance and clinical oversight.

Common Medications People Question Over Time

As patients become more engaged in their health, certain long-term prescriptions often come under review. It’s important to state clearly: you should never stop or change a prescribed medication without consulting your doctor. Doing so can be dangerous. The following are simply examples of medications where patients often begin to seek a more holistic GP UK approach.

Antidepressants

While antidepressants can be a vital lifeline for those with moderate to severe depression and anxiety, many people on them for milder conditions or for long periods wonder about alternatives. They may feel emotionally numb or experience side effects, prompting them to explore therapies and lifestyle changes that could address their mental health more foundationally. In clinic, this often overlaps with unresolved trauma or chronic stress.

Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)

Medications like omeprazole are highly effective at reducing stomach acid to treat reflux and heartburn. However, NICE guidance recommends PPIs primarily for defined indications and durations, with periodic review of ongoing need. Long-term use can be associated with concerns about nutrient absorption and changes to the gut microbiome. Many people with persistent reflux may benefit from investigating dietary triggers and gut health imbalances instead of relying solely on acid suppression. What’s frequently missed is the role of gut motility and food timing.

Statins

Statins are a cornerstone of preventing cardiovascular disease and have saved countless lives. For individuals at high risk, they are indispensable. Yet for those at lower risk, the conversation around diet, exercise, and blood sugar control as a primary strategy becomes more relevant. Patients often want to know what they can do to improve their cholesterol profile naturally. This is where a medication review becomes crucial to assess individual risk factors.

Blood-Pressure Medication

Like statins, these medications are crucial for managing hypertension and preventing strokes. However, factors like stress, diet (particularly sodium and potassium intake), alcohol consumption, and body weight have a profound impact on blood pressure. A comprehensive lifestyle medicine UK approach can sometimes reduce, or in some cases even remove, the need for medication in certain patients under medical supervision. In clinic, stress management techniques often play a significant role in reducing blood pressure.

Sleep Medication

Prescription sleep aids are typically recommended for short-term relief from insomnia. Long-term reliance can lead to dependency and may not address the root cause of poor sleep, which could range from sleep apnoea and hormonal shifts to poor sleep hygiene or chronic stress. What’s frequently missed is the impact of light exposure and circadian rhythm misalignment.

Hormonal Contraception

While used for contraception, hormonal pills are also frequently prescribed for issues like acne, heavy periods, or irregular cycles. Women may later question if the pill is simply masking an underlying hormonal imbalance, such as in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or perimenopause, and seek ways to regulate their cycles naturally. In clinic, we often explore underlying hormonal imbalances like PCOS or thyroid dysfunction.

What “Drug-Free” Actually Means — and What It Does Not Mean

The term “drug-free doctor” can be misleading. It sounds absolute and can even appear anti-medication. A responsible medical professional would never adopt such a rigid stance. Medications are essential tools in healthcare.

A more accurate interpretation is a “medication-light” or “medication-sparing” philosophy. This drug free approach to health prioritises non-pharmacological interventions first, wherever safe and appropriate.

What it means:

• Investigating the "Why": It focuses on uncovering and addressing the underlying factors driving your symptoms, a practice known as root cause medicine.

• Using Lifestyle as Medicine: It uses personalised nutrition, targeted movement, stress management, and sleep optimisation as powerful therapeutic tools.

• Patient Empowerment: It aims to give you the knowledge and tools to take an active role in your own health and wellbeing.

• Individualised Care: It recognises that your health journey is unique and requires a plan tailored specifically to you.

What it does not mean:

• Rejecting Conventional Medicine: It works alongside, not against, your existing medical care. A functional medicine doctor UK should be willing to collaborate with your NHS GP and specialists.

• Stopping Medication Abruptly: It never involves advising a patient to cease essential medication without a careful, supervised plan. This is a critical safety boundary.

• A "Cure-All": It is not a magic bullet. It requires commitment, effort, and patience from the individual.

• Appropriate for Everyone: For many acute illnesses, medical emergencies, and high-risk chronic conditions, medication is and will remain the primary, non-negotiable treatment.

Root Causes Commonly Missed in Standard Care

Most appointments simply don’t allow enough time to untangle the real reasons behind health complaints. A root cause medicine approach gives practitioners the scope to dig deeper, exploring issues often left unaddressed.

Blood-Sugar Dysregulation

Even without diabetes, subtle imbalances in blood sugar or insulin can fuel inflammation, fatigue, hormonal disruption, and unwanted weight gain. Diets high in refined carbohydrates often drive a "blood sugar rollercoaster," impacting many aspects of wellbeing.

Micronutrient Deficiencies

Standard blood tests rarely look at key nutrients like magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, or zinc. Lacking these can explain everything from tiredness and low mood to frequent infections.

Chronic Stress and Nervous-System Load

Endless work, family, and digital demands keep us on constant high alert. This chronic stress response quietly drives inflammation, raises blood pressure, disrupts gut health, and unsettles hormones.

Gut Health and Inflammation

Your gut microbiome is central to feeling well. Imbalances, increased gut permeability, or low-grade inflammation can show up as digestive issues, skin flares, joint pains, or even changes in mood.

Sleep and Circadian Disruption

Poor sleep isn't just inconvenient—it actively drives ill health. Lack of restorative sleep or a misaligned body clock disrupts hormones, weakens immunity, and destabilises metabolic health.

Hormonal Transitions (e.g., Perimenopause)

Hormonal shifts like perimenopause trigger symptoms from anxiety and brain fog to sleep disturbance and weight gain. These are often treated in isolation but are best understood and managed as part of a broader transition.

Who a Medication-Light or Root-Cause Approach May Be Suitable For

Exploring alternatives to medication is not right for everyone. This approach is most effective for individuals who are motivated, stable in their condition, and looking to optimise their long-term health. It may be suitable if you:

• Have a chronic condition that is currently well-managed on medication, but you want to address the underlying lifestyle factors.

• Suffer from persistent, medically unexplained symptoms despite having “normal” test results from your GP.

• Are concerned about the potential for long-term medication side effects and want to explore a proactive, preventive health strategy.

• Prefer a collaborative approach where you can be an active participant in your healthcare decisions.

• Are going through a life transition, like perimenopause, and want support that addresses the full spectrum of your symptoms.

Conversely, this approach is generally not suitable for acute medical emergencies, severe and unstable chronic diseases, or for individuals who are not in a position to safely make and sustain lifestyle changes.

To find out if our approach is the right thing for you, book a 15 minute no obligation chat to find out more

What Patients Experience When Exploring Alternatives

Many patients arrive after years of wrestling with unexplained symptoms, side effects, or the uneasy sense that prescriptions are only scratching the surface. They’re often searching for genuine relief—something beyond just “coping” with a diagnosis.

Working together, we uncover why symptoms persist and chart a path that addresses root causes, not just symptom management. As we clarify what’s driving your condition, many patients feel a renewed sense of control, notice improvements in their energy and wellbeing, and feel reassured by a plan that is safe, evidence-based, and tailored to them.

Relief often comes from understanding your body in a way standard appointments rarely allow; from discovering nutrient or hormone imbalances, connecting the dots between stress, gut, and sleep, or finally feeling heard after years of “normal” tests. There’s comfort in knowing that any changes to medication are made slowly, with careful monitoring—always prioritising your safety and worked out together with your medical team.

If you’re questioning whether lifelong medication is the only option—but want that conversation handled carefully, medically, and without ideology—this is exactly the work I do in clinic. Book an initial consultation to explore your options.

Conclusion: Empowering Patients to Ask Better Questions, Not Reject Medicine

The conversation around the “drug-free doctor” movement gets one thing profoundly right: it encourages patients to be curious and engaged in their health. It validates the instinct that true wellness is about more than just the absence of disease or the suppression of symptoms.

However, a responsible path forward does not involve rejecting conventional medicine. Instead, it involves integrating the best of both worlds: the life-saving power of modern medication and the foundational impact of a drug free approach to health focused on nutrition, lifestyle, and root causes. It’s about asking better questions and seeking more comprehensive answers.

By working with a qualified functional medicine doctor UK, you can explore whether a medication-light strategy is a safe and viable option for you. You can gain a deeper understanding of your body and learn how to build a foundation of health that may, over time and with expert guidance, reduce your reliance on long-term prescriptions. It’s about shifting the focus from simply managing a condition to actively creating a more vibrant and resilient state of health.

If you are ready to move beyond managing symptoms and start investigating the root causes of your health concerns, a personalised, evidence-based approach may be the right next step.

To explore how a root-cause approach could support your health journey, you are invited to book an initial consultation at our private functional medicine GP clinic in Cheshire.

Last medically reviewed: 9/1/2026

 Author: Dr Avni Sheth MBBS, BSc, DRCOG, MRCGP (2016), BANT, CNHC

Dr Avni Sheth is a practising GP and registered Nutritional Therapist, and the founder of The Holistic GP Clinic, a CQC-registered functional-medicine and nutrition practice based in Cheshire. She combines conventional medical training with evidence-based functional nutrition to help patients identify and address the root-cause drivers of ill-health.

Medical & Editorial Oversight All educational content on The Holistic GP Clinic blog is written or medically reviewed by Dr Avni Sheth. Articles adhere to NICE, NHS, and BANT evidence hierarchies and are reviewed regularly for accuracy. Updates are made whenever new peer-reviewed research or clinical guidance becomes available.

Disclaimer This article is provided for general information only and should not be taken as personalised medical advice. If you have ongoing symptoms or a diagnosed medical condition, please consult your own GP or a qualified healthcare professional.