These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), alternative medicine refers to medical therapies used in place of conventional medicine (allopathic). Complementary medicine refers to medical therapies used along with conventional medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners see the body as responsible for its own healing. They try to find the best methods to support the body in its self-healing. Docere is a main part of alternative and complementary medicine. It means doctor as teacher. Doctors see themselves as teachers. They instruct their patients in the ways of health and wellness and should also be examples themselves.

Another principle of both of these kinds of medicine is prevention. This means doing all you can to keep yourself healthy and not get ill. This is a principle also used in conventional medicine. Some complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe in different types of balance between forces or energies. The body needs to balance these forces or energies in order to heal. An example of this is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It uses very thin needles put into the skin at certain points on the body for a short period of time. These points run along "meridians" and correspond to different health concerns and conditions.

Homeopathy is based on the idea that "like cures like." The theory is that a homeopathic remedy stimulates the body with very tiny amounts of a substance. If this substance were given in large amounts, it would cause illness. Homeopathy triggers the natural healing process.

Naturopathic medicine focuses on the natural healing process of each person using a variety of approaches to support each patient. This might include lifestyle and nutritional advice, herbal and homeopathic medicine, acupuncture, body work and adjustments, and hydrotherapy. It also focuses on reducing toxic exposures and finding and treating nutrition deficiencies. Naturopathic healthcare providers also work with patients through counseling to create lasting and healthy behavioral changes, A naturopathic healthcare provider focuses on the person as a whole. They encourage people to take charge of their health, to follow a healthy lifestyle to prevent disease, and to combine the body's built-in pull toward health with the healing power of nature.

Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes treating the mind, body, and spirit as the way to promote wellness. Controlled breathing is just one factor. Other elements of treatment can include diet, exercise, meditation, herbal medicine, and massage. Studies have been done in India on the effectiveness of ayurvedic medicine, but not enough research has been done to prove that this type of medicine helps. Ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit word ayus, which means life, and veda, which means knowledge. So Ayurveda means the knowledge of life.

TCM believes that the body has two opposite and balancing forces. Yin is the cold, slow and passive force. Yang is the hot, fast and active force. Illness occurs when these two forces are out of balance and when qi (chi) or life energy is blocked. TCM uses several types of treatments. These include acupuncture, heat, herbs, massage, and body movement. TCM also encourages changes of certain habits or lifestyle in order to better balance the yin and yang. For example, diet may be changed to encourage warming, fully cooked and nourishing foods if a person has too much yin from a certain type of illness or symptom. Parts of TCM such as acupuncture and massage are safe and work well in some cases and for some health conditions. But research hasn't proved that all aspects of TCM work well for every person.

Artemisia Annua contains the chemical artemisinin, which researchers used to create drugs for malaria treatment.

St. John's wort has been marketed as a treatment for depression. The NCCIH says that studies on the herb's effectiveness have had mixed results.

A dietary supplement should be regarded as medicine. It can interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Gingko, for instance, can boost the action of blood-thinner medicines (anticoagulants), causing bleeding. Other supplements that have been shown to interfere with medicines include St. John's wort, garlic, glucosamine, ginseng, saw palmetto, and valerian.

Although water-soluble vitamins aren't stored in the body the way fat-soluble vitamins are, they can still cause problems while they are being digested. High doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. High doses of vitamin B-6 can cause nerve damage. Talk with your healthcare provider before taking a dietary supplement, particularly if it's more than a multivitamin.