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Alternative medicine is made up of a rich array of techniques and therapies that are, for the most part, for the majority of the public. These techniques serve as an "alternative" to what most people use for health care, western medicine.

Alternative medical systems involve complete systems of theory and practice that have evolved independent of and often prior to the conventional biomedical approach. Many are traditional systems of medicine that are practiced by individual cultures throughout the world, including a number of venerable Asian approaches. They include acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage, naturopathy, crystals, and many more.

The term alternative medicine is very subjective and it means very different things to different people. Also, as these alteranative medicine systems are proven effective scientifically, they are accepted as "mainstream" healthcare practices.

Several national surveys estimate that around 40% of the US populace uses a complimentary or alternative medicine therapy in a given year. While a few people use these therapies instead of conventional medicine, the vast majority continue to access the official health care system.

Contrary to popular belief, many alternative medical techniques are used everyday by people from all walks of life. Prevention magazine's New Choices in Natural Healing explains, "While the term alternative medicine may conjure up some pretty exotic images, many of these therapies are more familiar than you think. If you've ever massaged your temples to ease a headache, applied an ice pack to a sprained ankle, or listened to your car radio to de-stress during a traffic jam, you've already practiced some simple natural healing techniques." So whether you were aware of it or not, it is likely you have already used alternative medical techniques in your own life.

Generally speaking, most high quality alternative medicine is founded on six core principles and practices that differ from the principles and historical practices of conventional medicine. These are :

1. The healing power of nature first, and technique and technology second.
2. Patient centered rather than physician centered.
3. Do no harm
4. Results generally take longer
5. Use of natural and whole substances
6. Higher standard of health

     (taken from www.healthy.net)

To learn more about alternative medicine, follow the links provided. And then come to our events to learn about it from people who actually practice it !! If you have any suggestions or comments on this web-site or would like to see something up here, please e-mail the webmaster.

Disclaimer: Tthis site is meant for educational purposes only. The information found on this site has been compiled from various resources available in the public domain, and is provided "as is" without any warranty.No known infringment of copyright laws has taken place. If you believe otherwise, please e-mail me.