From Hollywood to traditional medical schools, alternative medicine has earned recognition as an effective and reputable means to improve an individual's health and quality of life.

Trends in the field, as the following list illustrates, point to a continued progression toward holistic health consciousness and practice as a matter of convention.

Integrative Health Care: One-Stop Holistic Healing Services

Through rigorous scientific studies, groups such as the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine dedicate themselves to creating new models of clinical care and educational programs that integrate conventional medicine and holistic healing practices.

Gradually, the rise of integrative medical clinics will allow more patients to experience a one-stop solution to their conditions—a visit to a naturopathic doctor, a touch therapist and an herbalist all in the same location, and all with the same goal of providing individualized care to each unique patient.

More Education Options for Natural Health Degrees

Today, students interested in an alternative medicine degree can likely find a school in their neighborhood or in the nearest city. There are also many convenient, online programs available.

Online natural health degree programs include holistic nutrition, herbology, homeopathy and other fields. Many schools also offer preparation and training for certification or state licensure exams, along with job placement assistance.

Before choosing an online alternative medicine degree program, students should research a college's curriculum, requirements and accreditation to ensure that the school meets their educational and professional goals.

Emerging Fields Setting Standards through Professional Associations

Massage therapy started to flourish in the 1950s, chiropractic medicine surfaced in the 1960s and acupuncture has been increasingly popular since the 1980s. Through professional associations as well as accreditation commissions, holistic health fields have established and promoted standards of competence, safety and education.

In recent years, fields such as energy medicine, holistic nutrition, homeopathic medicine and zero balancing have established national or international associations in an effort to advance education, practice and research in their respective areas. Such associations increase public awareness and improve the credibility of a field. Not to mention, they can attract more prospective students toward a particular natural health degree.

Becoming a Part of Society’s Health Regime

Many people are turning toward alternative medicine to better their health and improve their quality of life. People are becoming more health focused, and holistic fitness, treatments and therapy are becoming more popular. For example, many people practice yoga for toning, strengthening, flexibility and relaxation and use holistic health treatments for reducing anxiety, easing pain and maintaining wellness.

According to a study conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, daily meditation can lead to increased activity in the area of the brain related to positive emotions. The study found that people who dedicate 10 minutes each day to concentrating on little more than the breath going in and out of their body can dramatically decrease their stress level to make themselves healthier and happier individuals.

In addition, research at Yale University on nutritional and supplement intervention to treat brain-related conditions, such as autism, depression and ADHD, has shown that high doses of vitamins and nutrients can help modify or eliminate specific symptoms. Further studies in nutrition therapy hope to uncover additional information on treatments in the coming years.

FDA is Tightening Regulations for Supplements

Until recently, loose manufacturing guidelines and testing standards have meant that not all supplements delivered what their labels promised. Through the emergence of independent testing laboratories and new regulations from the FDA, consumers have a new avenue for uncovering whether their supplements reach their expectations.

Supplements that meet quality standards will carry a seal of approval on the label. Additionally, consumers can refer to testing reviews of a product to determine whether the manufacturer has reached compliance. Groups such as ConsumerLab.com provide independent testing results along with reviews of supplements on the market (www.consumerlab.com).

A History That Is Becoming Tradition

Alternative medicine has been practiced for thousands of years, but holistic health practices are now standardized in mainstream culture. Trends, such as those listed above, illustrate the increased popularity in alternative medicine and holistic health. People are becoming more health conscious and mainstream society is recognizing the benefits of holistic health. With the increasing interest in alternative medicine and the growing demand for qualified practitioners continues, schools are offering more training programs in alternative medicine specialties. This makes today a great time to join this popular and growing industry.

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Looking for Alternative Medicine Schools?

Try our Natural Health Degree + Training page. There you will find a comprehensive list of schools which offer program descriptions and request information forms to find out more.