Alternative medicine is often defined as healing remedies or treatments that are outside the realm of traditional western medicine. The roots of many alternative medicine techniques are based more on religious, cultural or historical principles, rather than scientific ones. They can be passed down through family members, folklore, and ancient texts. The National Center for Contemporary and Alternative Medicine includes the following treatments into their repertoire: herbalism, color therapy, Chinese medicine, hypnosis, acupuncture, yoga, naturopathy and mediation. In some states where alternative medicine is very prevalent, authorities have sought to regulate and license the providers.

Herbalism is the use of plants and herbs to heal the human body. Also known as herbology or herbal medicine, this can include activities like drinking herbal teas to fight colds, or using real aloe extract to salve sun burns. This form of alternative medicine has been employed since the times when humans first discovered the medicinal properties of regional flora. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into the body to relieve pain, ease muscles or provide relaxation. Many who partake in this form of healing believe that the puncture hole can release toxins from the body much like a steam release valve. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese ritual that has many modern physicians and researchers at odds over its use.

Naturopathy is a conglomerate view of alternative medicine. It involves using various forms of alternative healing in order to support the body’s own ability to heal itself. People that subscribe to this lifestyle usually do not take any medication, have medical procedures or even get vaccinated. They prefer to use natural remedies, balanced whole food diets, and exposure to the elements to cure their ailments. Color therapy is also known as colorology and chromotherapy, and uses various colors to realign the body’s energy. When a person’s energies, or chakras, are out of alignment, a person can suffer from illnesses or even disease. Each color is believed to be associated with a particular body part or system, and to have a healing function. For example, the color blue is thought to mean physical and spiritual communication, and be associated with the throat, ears, mouth and hands.

Many traditional medical professionals believe that some alternative medicine procedures do work, but are inconsistent and can’t be tested in controlled studies. Still, those that enjoy these alternative remedies often believe they work successfully and sometimes better than more traditional treatments.