The popularity of alternative (or complementary) medicine is not in any doubt. A lot of people prefer to try alternative or natural remedies before turning to standard medication and the growth of it’s popularity shows no signs of waning.

There are a variety of benefits to this type of medicine. They generally work on holistic principles. This means that the aim is to treat the body and mind and not just the specific symptoms that are being experienced. The use of alternative medicine helps to combat the environmental and lifestyle habits that damage our health and wellbeing.

Few side effects

Natural remedies are often plant-based and used in as pure a form as possible. This helps to minimise any potential side effects. Anyone who has read the list of side effects on a conventional medication is generally horrified at the potential problems that they might face by taking it. In reality, only a small proportion of people will experience a serious side effect, but for those who want to avoid them as much as possible, then a natural remedy is a valid alternative.

Cost

Many natural remedies are low in cost when compared with conventional medications. As an example, a small bottle of lavender oil costs just a few pounds and it can be used to help a variety of conditions. It can be used in aromatherapy to help with sleep, heal wounds and soothe bruises. A conventional cream would not be able to do all of these so you would have to spend more money for solutions to these things than you would on the oil.

Holistic approach

There are many conditions that are caused or aggravated by stress. For this reason, alternative medicine is designed to treat the whole person rather than just the symptom. As an example, if someone is unable to sleep, it could be due to stressful days at work. Finding it easier to cope with stress in the workplace will help to solve the problem with lack of sleep.