Providing a comprehensive overview of alternative health practices and complimentary therapies from a nursing perspective, this enlightening and informative text covers the principles, techniques, research, health promotion methods and healing practices for specific illnesses and symptoms. Offering a broad understanding of alternative therapies, this text empowers students with the knowledge to guide future practice decisions and incorporate alternative approaches in patient care. It begins with introductory concepts, followed by a presentation of ancient systematized health care practices, then devotes the remainder of the text to a variety of therapies with information on how nurses can integrate that knowledge into practice.