Alternative medicine

Because alternative medicine is many things to many people, there is no one-line answer that would define the term simply and clearly to satisfy everyone. This reason alone is why it can be so difficult for some people to get a clear sense of what alternative medicine is — and what it is not. The truth is that one simple definition can't possibly describe all that is now considered "alternative medicine."
The World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 percent of the world's population (about 3 billion people) rely on "traditional" (read: "alternative") medicine as their primary form of health care. They further state that when these traditional medical treatments are introduced into Western culture, they are seen as complementary or alternative.
Many alternative treatments use natural substances such as herbs, botanicals, homeopathics, nutritional supplements and whole foods. There is a general belief among naturopathic doctors that the use of whole or natural products to treat maladies adds more to the healing process than their synthesized counterparts. While many synthesized pharmaceuticals may be more potent and fast-acting, they also often come with unpleasant side effects.

See
Acupuncture
Alexander Technique
Aromatherapy
Herbal Medicine
Homeopathy
Macrobiotics
Massage
Naturopathic Medicine
Osteopathy
Reflexology

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