Some of it is good, some of it is bad, some of it has really useful placebo effect which fits nicely into the "do no harm" injunction. It's hard to find good reliable research due to problems with funding, especially with drug companies providing so much of the funding out there.

Some people have a tendency to buy any alternative therapy on faith. A lot of times that isn't a problem (see placebo effect), but when people with really serious illness neglect to seek professional help because they are pursuing alt therapy on their own or from a less than ethical practitioner, that can be deadly.

That isn't to say to just by what the first doctor you see tells you. There's a huge amount of BS out there. It means to do the work. Get a second or third diagnosis from the best docs in the field that you can find.

Do the research, on both the conventional and alternative therapies. Make sure that the research is reliable. Sometimes the science will support the conventional, sometimes alternate therapies. If you consider diet an alt therapy, it and lifestyle changes are the best for diabetes type 2, prediabetes etc IMO. A lot of times an alt therapy will be extremely useful in conjunction with conventional.

Just don't buy into something on faith. Go with the science.

Herbs/herbalism work because herbs are FOOD - they are true compounds with significant chemical power to alter our body chemistry in a (hopefully) positive way.

Homeopathy is bull and until someone comes out with a study showing homeopathy has ANY effect, nobody should waste their money on overpriced water.*

As far as chiropracty, acupuncture, and herbalism I say it depends on how they're used and what they're used to treat. I think they can help in some cases, do nothing, or hurt in others. It depends on context, but I don't rule them out and I appreciate discussion of their merits.

Except for homeopathy. That stuff is wierd. I don't buy it at all.

I used to think that all those naturopaths, herbal doctors and acupuncturist were nothing but people who took advantage of poor innocent "naive" patients. I thought they were there to take your money and sell you a bunch of voodoo medicine.

Till I got so sick that all "traditional" medicine could not figure out what was wrong with me. A friend of mine kept telling me about a herbal doctor that really helped her, but even then, feeling like I was dying, I was reluctant to see him - I thought - if a normal doctor does not know what is wrong with me - how in the world some herbal doctor would know?

I was wrong. Very very wrong. As soon as I started taking herbal medicine, I got much better within a matter of days. And, even though I am not fully recovered yet, I cannot function without my herbal medicine. Literally, my life was saved because of some Chinese herbs with names that are difficult to pronounce.

I have also heard many interesting experiences from people who went for acupuncture. From everything I heard, it really helps.

So, I wish all those insurance companies would cover certified Chinese herbal doctors and holistic nutritionists because THEY REALLY HELP.

If nothing else works, go alternative. I swear by it.

But then there is this to consider

http://www.gaia-health.com/articles251/000277-quackbusters-are-busted.shtml

I see a chiropractor twice a week and an acupuncturist every two weeks. They have helped far more than Western medicine. Sinus infections are treated with herbs and saline rinses; allergies are treated with herbs. Hubby is allergic to fish and shellfish, so we do keep an Epi-pen and Benedryl on hand just in case.

Western medicine has its place in critical situations, but for chronic issues, I prefer to go the natural route. You do have to be careful. There are quacks in every field, in both "alternative" and Western medicine. Research every bit of information and get a second opinion when something seems off.

The good thing about chiropractors is (1) they can think outside of the box, unlike most MDs, (2) they don't and can't (thank God) prescribe drugs, (3) they know anatomy and physiology, and (4) they understand that the body heals itself, unlike MDs who fancy that they are gods and do all of the healing. Other than that, which is actually a very good place to start from, there is nothing magical about chiropractors. If a chiropractor has done his homework or if the problem resides in the back, a chiropractor can be of great help.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to answer your question completely, since the term 'alternative medicine' is so broad. It encompasses a huge number of disciplines (each with its own variations and combinations) and there even more practitioners from all kinds of backgrounds, some of whom know what they're talking about and genuinely trying to help you, others just looking to scam you.

I can give no general answer to this. Food-based healing (diet, herbs, supplements) definitely can work in a great number of circumstances if the therapist knows what he or she is talking about. Homeopathy seems to be utter B.S. to me (using the substances that make you ill in reduced form to treat that illness) and I know little credible people who promote it. Acupuncture seems to work because of a placebo effect (at least that's what I've heard, based on a recent clinical trial), but it's hard to draw strict conclusions based on that (was the therapist well-trained, was it possible for a clinical trial, which is based on western thought, to draw conclusions from a eastern practice,...?).

So, I would advise you to research both the discipline and the therapist before going to them. That's the only general advice I can give you: research, research, research, and be skeptical.

EDIT: be skeptical, not only about alternative medicine, but also about conventional medicine. There are industry interests involved in many cases, which means some clinical trials are also biased. What I've written above about alternative medicine may seem more negative than my actual position on the matter.

I think most of it is bunk, particularly homeopathy. That one does a lot of damage, especially by those thinking they can innoculate their children with homeopathic remedies.

I think diet is very important, and drinking teas certainly won't hurt, but thinking you can dilute something out of existence, and that the "memory" of it remains and does anything is flat out quackery, and the practitioners are charlatans or dupes.

http://www.quackwatch.com/

I can speak personally to having a chiro make my sliding hiatal hernia go away. He specializes in it. I had an endoscope which diagnosed my hiatal hernia (I had symptoms of nausea after eating anything) and mild gastritis (which the GI said alone wasn't enough for the nausea) but I started seeing a chiro shortly thereafter after looking up those who specialize in hiatal hernia/soft tissue manipulation, and I began to feel better immediately. 6 months later I had an endoscopy and a GI/small bowel series (the barium swallow) and both showed that I no longer had a hiatal hernia. I also lost a lot of weight in this time, this could have only helped.

I've been doing acupuncture once a week for 4 months for anxiety and acne. It has done absolutely nothing.

I have also tried countless natural remedies for anxiety and acne. None of them have helped even the slightest bit.

there is an aphorism for modern medicine stating it's statistical, especially with the Benefit-to-risk ratio.

Like any healing system, you have got to think for yourself. Complementary (complementing the body's own healing powers) healing has been very valuable for me and my family.

Has it been backed up by scientific data? Are the finding significant? Does it avoid the word "energy" at all costs in any sense other than food? No?

Then it's trash.