In today's world, many people assume that the latest medical technologies and treatments are always the best option. However, all over the world, different techniques are used to cure diseases and foods. These methods fall into the category of complementary and alternative medicine. According to Sandra Augustyn Lawton in Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Teens, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be defined as "a group of diverse medical and health systems, practices, and care." products that are currently not considered part of conventional medicine” (Lawton, 2007, p.3). Although complementary and alternative medicine are often interpreted as the same thing, complementary methods are used in coordination with conventional methods and alternative methods are used in place of conventional medicine methods (Lawton, 2007, p.3). Another method used is integrative medicine, which uses conventional medicine and complementary medicine together because there is proven scientific evidence that the treatment plan is safe and effective (Lawton, 2007, p.3). Complementary and alternative medicines are used around the world in many different countries, some more specifically than others. CAMs can be divided into different categories. These include natural products, mind-body medicine, manipulative and body-based practices, and medical systems as a whole (National Center, 2011, para.4). Each of these categories includes a variety of medical practices, medications, and treatments. Natural products include food supplements and probiotics. Dietary supplements can range from multivitamins to additional herbs. Probiotics are live bacteria found in the digestive tract (National Center, 2011, para.6). H...... middle of article......m/TaoismMedicine.htmTraditional Chinese Medicine: An Introduction [NCCAM Backgrounder]. (nd).National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [NCCAM] - Home page of nccam.nih.gov. Retrieved December 11, 2011, from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/chinesemed.htmWhat Is Osteopathic Medicine?.(nd).American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. Retrieved December 11, 2011 from www.aacom.org/about/osteomed/Pages/default.aspxWhat is music therapy | What is music therapy? | American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). (nd).American Music Therapy Association | American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Retrieved December 11, 2011, from http://www.musictherapy.org/about/musictherapy/What is the Alexander Technique?.(nd).The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique. Retrieved December 14, 2011 from http://www.alexandertechnique.com/at.htm