Despite incredible advances in conventional Western medicine, alternative medicine continues to have a large impact on our society.

More than one-third of Americans use an alternative medical therapy, according to a study conducted by Harvard University.

The term alternative medicine or complementary medicine refers to a broad range of healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies. It includes the combination of a proper diet, the use of herbs, and medical therapies such as acupuncture.

Teresa Snyder, a Marist College biology professor said, "The areas of alternative medicine that deal with proper diet and healthy living styles are excellent preventive medicine as far as I am concerned,"

Alternative medicine is often recognized for its Eastern medical approach. Many therapies are known as "preventive." The doctor educates and treats the person to prevent health problems from arising, rather than treating symptoms after problems have occurred.

"I prefer alternative medicine because of their holistic approach to treating the entire person instead of just isolated symptoms-which is what many medical doctors do,"

said Snyder.

Among the alternative medicine therapies that are gaining popularity is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a 3,000 year-old Chinese medical treatment which involves inserting very thin needles in the body.

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, Americans make an estimated 9-12 million visits to acupuncturists every year.

Alternative medicine is not usually reimbursed by medical insurance companies.According to Gerald Celente of Rhinebeck, NY, author of Trends 2000 said, "In 1995, one-third of all Americans made use of alternative therapies spending $14 billion of their own money."

Insurance companies and consumers are both beginning to recognize the value of alternative medicine.

Jamie Court, director of Consumers for Quality Care, an anti-HMO group based in Santa Monica said, "HMO’s have in the past tried to deny coverage to any unorthodox medical procedure. Only now are they coming around for the logic that a $20 acupuncture session now can save them a $4,000 hospital bill later,"

As a result of this growing trend of alternative medicine, Edward Ullmann of Kingston, N.Y. developed an insurance company that covers alternative medicine called Bienstar.

"I don’t even think it’s even debatable that there is a revolution in health care that is going to occur," said Ullmann.

Although alternative medicine has created several medical breakthroughs, people still need to be cautious.

"I think people need to be very careful about the source of some alternative treatments. They can be marketed to those who are desperately ill and some are the modern equivalent to ‘snake oil’ from the past," Snyder said.