Sue:
I noticed that you define acupuncture, Chinese medicine as "Complementary and Botanical" therapies.  They are often placed in the "alternative  therapy" pile.  Why have you made this differentiation?

Dr. Mayo:
There is considerable shuffling around of terms. Alternative medicine is often used to define any approach to healing that is not commonly taught as a main treatment modality in conventional medical schools.  It implies an either or approach.  Consequently you hear the term "complementary" medicine used to try and get away from the sense of one modality being right while the other is wrong.  I tend to refer to what I do as Integrative medicine. The best of both worlds is found in the combined use of conventional and complementary medical approaches as needed. Acupuncture, the use of botanicals, massage, and so on, all fall under the general umbrella of "alternative," "natural," or "complementary."  I, along with others, sometimes use the word "functional medicine" because our focus is to look beyond treatment for a verifiable disease to what is going on in cellular and biochemical pathways and how that relates to disease.

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Linda Ojeda, author of Menopause without Medicine says, "A number of herbs have been proven to calm anxiety and reduce tension.  It is advantageous to use herbs in conjunction with positive changes in nutrition and lifestyle." She also talks about using Ginkgo biloba, Passion flower, Skullcap and other natural ways to improve mood.

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