The notion of right and wrong is a simple one. You have never doubted this, have instead known it to be true. There can only be one correct answer; there can only be one accepted standard. All elements of life are to be shaded singular — and medicine, you believe, is no different. You are willing therefore to recognize the existence of alternative methods. You simply know them to be distinctive from traditional ones, understand that they’re contained, unique. They’re unable then to cross that borderline you’ve created in your thoughts.
Those thoughts must be changed, however — because alternative medicine isn’t so easily classified. It instead defies expectations.
The Western scientific community defines alternative healing as any practice that does not conform to conventional methods. This is often believed to be the only standard to consider, the only rule to follow. The truth, however, is that the classification simply doesn’t… work: because often this brand of medicine reflects cultural practices and those are still used to great effect in other countries, where they are conventional.
Proximity is instead the true decider of alternative healing. Specific cities, regions and continents all have unique methods — and these may be the only ones that are recognized even today. Any Western influence would therefore be considered the uncommon practice and could easily be rejected, simply because it is not understood.
Many individuals would scoff at such a notion, unwilling to believe that their medicine is being ignored for what they deem different. All must note, however, that there are many sides to all opinions — and what is conventional in the west is often unheard of in other areas. Alternative is just another word for new.
And it is this definition that must be remembered.
Do not assume traditional elements to be the only ones worthy of your time. Understand instead that they could instead be considered strange in other corners of the world — and medicine is shaped instead by distance.