Alternative medicine has always appealed to a niche group in the United States, but has not quite caught on as much as hoped.

However, in recent years, as healthcare costs mount, people are turning more frequently towards alternative cures for common ailments.

The most frequently used alternative medicines in America are:

  • nonvitamin, nonmineral natural products (18 percent)
  • deep breathing (13 percent)
  • meditation (9 percent)
  • chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation (9 percent)
  • massage (8 percent)
  • yoga (6 percent)
  • special diets (4 percent)
  • homeopathy (2 percent)
  • acupuncture (1 percent)
  • t’ai chi or qigong (1 percent)
  • energy healing or Reiki (.5 percent)
  • naturopathy (0.3 percent)
  • biofeedback (0.2 percent)
  • Ayurveda (0.1 percent)

This mostly corresponds to how many people know about these alternative remedies.

As education of alternative remedies increases, so will the use of alternative remedies.

Also, the more widely alternative remedies are adopted, the more affordable they will become.

Which of these alternative remedies have you tried?