To support my own health I find little more valuable than when traditional medical professionals are knowledgeable or open to complementary and alternative modes of healing. I am grateful to those who are willing to consider every option when it comes to my own wellness. Medical practitioners who incorporate non-conventional modes of healing are said to practice “integrative medicine”.

What follows are some interesting definitions and statistics from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (http://nccam.nih.gov), used with permission.

What is integrative medicine?

Integrative medicine “combines mainstream medical therapies and complementary/alternative therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.”

Are complementary medicine and alternative medicine different from each other?

Yes, they are different.

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery.

Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. An example of an alternative therapy is using a special diet and herbs to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.

Who Uses CAM Most?

CAM use spans people of all backgrounds. But some people are more likely than others to use CAM. Overall, CAM use is greater by:

Women than men
People with higher educational levels
People who have been hospitalized in the past year
Former smokers, compared with current smokers or those who have never smoked

How Many People Use CAM?
In the United States, 36% of adults are using some form of CAM. When megavitamin therapy and prayer specifically for health reasons are included in the definition of CAM, that number rises to 62%.

Reasons for Using CAM
A recent survey asked people to select from five reasons to describe why they used CAM. Results were as follows (people could select more than one reason):

CAM would improve health when used in combination with conventional medical treatments: 55%

CAM would be interesting to try: 50%

Conventional medical treatments would not help: 28%

A conventional medical professional suggested trying CAM: 26%

Conventional medical treatments are too expensive: 13%

My thanks go to the good people at NCCAM for this valuable information.
Examples of complementary and alternative medicine include: chiropractic medicine, massage, homeopathic medicine, aromatherapy, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, vitamin/herb therapy, prayer, yoga, nutrition, colon hydrotherapy….

The beauty of using CAM is that it tends to be very safe if used properly…and most often benefits the patient in broad and unexpected ways.