Also referred to as complementary medicine when used in conjunction with orthodox medicine, alternative medicine encompasses a wide range of treatments and therapies that are not generally considered to be part of the conventional medical system. Alternative medicine, which includes homeopathy, shiatsu, acupuncture and osteopathy, focuses on the relationship between mind and body. ‘Energy flow’ and ‘vital energy’, known in some forms as ‘Ki’ or ‘Chi’, are central concepts of many alternative practices, which often claim to treat the person as opposed to the illness — Dr John Cormack