Page "Alternative medicine" Paragraph 3

Alternative medicine methods are diverse in their foundations and methodologies.

Methods may incorporate or base themselves on traditional medicine, folk knowledge, spiritual beliefs, or newly conceived approaches to healing.

" Although heterogeneous, the major CAM systems have many common characteristics, including a focus on individualizing treatments, treating the whole person, promoting self-care and self-healing, and recognizing the spiritual nature of each individual.

In addition, many CAM systems have characteristics commonly found in mainstream healthcare, such as a focus on good nutrition and preventive practices.

Unlike mainstream medicine, CAM often lacks or has only limited experimental and clinical study ; however, scientific investigation of CAM is beginning to address this knowledge gap.

Thus, boundaries between CAM and mainstream medicine, as well as among different CAM systems, are often blurred and are constantly changing.