what do you mean by alternative medicine?

I believe alternative medicine refers to the use of more natural ingredients and a focuses more on cleansing the body from the inside out.

As for me, alternative medicine is a sort of medical behaviors that takes a place of traditional medicine(western medicne). For example. We can cure for cancer by speical food therapy, but not adopt regular operation. It is just my personal idea. www.iduai.com

Western Medicine is what you call 'scientific medicine' it's made through a scientific process of extracting nutrients and chemicals to create a cure or medicine for a specific type of sickness or condition. On the other hand, the alternative medicines are those which are claimed as made out of herbs. They said that no chemical is used for such a process. Most are supplements and most have no therapeutic claims meaning they don't claim to cure anything.

I may be wrong, but to my knowledge the treatment methods which are approved by WHO (World Health Organization) are the normal treatment systems. For example allopathy, homeopathy, herbal, acupuncture etc. The treatment styles which are not approved by WHO are called the alternative treatments or alternative healing methods. Among these alternative healing methods many has got their own medicines, they may be called the alternative medicines. Some examples of alternative treatment or healing methods are acupressure, bach flower remedies etc. Thank you.