Today more Americans than ever are using complementary and alternative care to help manage or prevent a variety of health conditions. For some people, complementary medicine is an integral part of their cultural or personal beliefs. Others simply enjoy the way complementary care can help promote a greater sense of emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

You may be more familiar with complementary and alternative medicine than you think. Maybe you practice yoga to strengthen your muscles, increase your flexibility, and renew your spirit. Or perhaps you have a friend who takes a supplement of glucosamine or chondroitin for her aching knees, or a coworker who used hypnosis to stop smoking.

Chances are that you or someone you know practices some form of complementary or alternative care. In fact one-third of American adults do. When you include megavitamins and prayer for health reasons, the number jumps to 62 percent!