Alternative medicine is a term used for various medical solutions or practices of curing or preventing a particular ailment by physicians or non-physicians, as an additional to or apart from the conventional medicine. It is projected that a little over 33% of the United States population are practicing some form of alternative medicine that is mainly included of remedies derived from several different types of traditional and ethnic therapies.



Those therapies have diverse practice and/ or product based guidelines that are not a part of conventional or the usual medical practices. This alternative implementation include meditation, acupuncture, prayer, herbal or botanical supplements, chiropractors, massage therapy and other natural medicines.

Alternative Medicine typically have practices like metaphysical, spiritual, religious and non-European medical treatments and other new techniques that are developed for healing various diseases. The promoter of Alternative Medicine claim that alternative therapies give services to public that are otherwise impossible through conventional medicines. This covers parts ranging from patient empowerment, providing medical treatments based on bio-psycho-social model of individual health, alternative methods for pain management and stress reduction etc.--these are usually not included under conventional medication.

The other usual features that differentiate Alternative Medicine from Conventional medicines are presented below:

-Alternative Medicine is considering the physical, social, spiritual and mental well being of an individual while providing treatments, whereas conventional medicines are aimed only towards the physical arena of an individual.

-Alternative Medicine stresses on health maintenance by following idea of a healthy living like healthy diet, regular exercise, positive outlook, body hygiene, moral and spiritual values, sexuality, social relations etc. Thus the individual is kept aware about maintenance of overall health- including the inner self.

-Alternative Medicine has a quaint philosophy of its own, with inexpensive ways of treatment and diagnosis, and tries to stay away from the unnecessary surgical and diagnostic interferences as far as possible and does not involve intake of strong pills to a great extent.

-Alternative Medicine has no side-effect or is substanced only minimal side-effects

-Alternative Medicine is the only traditional system of medical treatment for certain particular diseases such as degenerative diseases, collagen disorder, problem related to joints and bones and psychosomatic disorders for which there are not much alternatives available in conventional or contemporary medicine.

More and more people nowadays are health conscious. Some even try alternative therapy in health and medicine just to achieve the healthy body they desire. Well, that scenario just proved that health is really a wealth.

Healthy living comes when good diet and health program is considered. Physical fitness depends on your diet. Proper diet will result to fitness. When it comes to health diet fitness programs these three elements are going to keep you on the road to healthy living with a good diet and a regular fitness program.