The 10 Most Popular Alternative Treatments of All Time

• Turmeric – Zerdeçal is called turmeric in English, and its active substance is curcumin. It is marketed as a miraculous spice capable of treating everything from cancer to sports injuries. You can read the story of how curcumin does not work in cancer in our article Turmeric (Curcumin) and Cancer .
• Homeopathy – One of the alternative treatments with the weakest claims. Although discovered 200 years ago, it regained popularity with the discovery that water has memory. Homeopathy is based on the principle that like cures like , and repeatedly diluted homeopathic remedies are used in ill people showing the symptoms these remedies produce when given to healthy people. High-dose vitamins and curcumin on one side, herbal products diluted thousands of times on the other—alternative medicine cannot seem to find the ideal…

- Related topic: A child died because of homeopathy

• Cupping Therapy – Although record-breaking swimmer Michael Phelps brought it to worldwide attention, it has a very long history. It is being tried as a physical therapy tool. Since it makes no cancer claim, we will not discuss it in detail here.
• Aromatherapy – Pleasant smells may help soothe the nerves. massage therapies are complemented well by it.
• Detox – Its name alone could be said to be enough to market it. It claims to cleanse the body of heavy metals. Because there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of different detox methods, measuring the medical effects of methods under this heading is almost impossible. Nowadays, it is more a wellness service than a health claim.
• Coffee Enemas – Its “advocates,” who consider almost everything produced by science and technology, particularly vaccines, a cause of autism, claim that administering coffee enemas rectally can treat autism.

- Related topic: AUTISM: Vaccines, Special Diets and Its Relationship with Cancer

• Black Salve – Numerous mixtures of many kinds have been used under the name black salve throughout history. Its counterpart here is ichthammol ointment. Ichthammol is crude petroleum treated with sulfuric acid to make it water-soluble. It is tried for eczema and subcutaneous abscesses commonly known as boils. Some regions of the world still try black salve to treat superficial tumors. Some of these salves chemically burn and cauterize wounds. Very limited benefit despite great pain…
• Paleo Diet – Also known as the Stone Age diet, this dietary pattern is, according to the American Association of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the best diet ever discovered. But scientific evidence says otherwise: the Stone Age diet ranks near the bottom of the world’s healthiest diets.

- Related topic: The World’s Best Diet and Eating Plan Rankings Announced

• Chiropractic Manipulation – Unsurprisingly, chiropractic manipulation is among the best and most profitable of all CAM practices. Chiropractic (Greek: chiro hand + praktikós done by) is the name given to manipulating the spine, bones and muscles to regulate the nervous system. Recently, increasing numbers of parents have been allowing chiropractors to manipulate their newborn babies’ spines. Particularly in infants, it is clear that a lack of care can have very serious consequences.
• Cannabis – This miraculous (?) plant, said to treat every known disease, is either prohibited or produced under government control in many countries. According to cannabis enthusiasts, if a cancer patient uses cannabis to recover but still dies, the likely explanation is that they did not start early enough, received another conventional therapy or used the wrong plant.

- Related topic: Can cannabis be used medicinally? What are its potential risks and benefits?

Recognized worldwide as an authority on complementary and alternative treatments, Professor Dr. Edzard Ernst added the following to this list in a satirical style, just for fun and because they are worth thinking about.

• Bach Flower Remedies – Not as good as Mozart chocolate balls.
• Craniosacral Therapy – Flashes in the brain, along with a nice payment. - Gerson Diet – An alternative way to enjoy coffee.
• Urine Therapy – Making your own medicine saves you a trip to the pharmacy and spending money.
• Vitamin B17 – Apricots are very good, worth a little indulgence.
• Chelation Therapy – Calcium is removed from your blood so you can take calcium supplements afterward.
• Colloidal Silver – Do not be fooled; gold is always better.
• Gua Sha – No pain, no gain (for its practitioners).
• Weight-Loss Supplements – Guaranteed to lighten your wallet.
• Naturopathy – The art of turning the “natural = good” fallacy into a successful business.
• Mistletoe – Something valuable to look forward to at Christmas.

Dozens more alternative treatments could be added to the list. Perhaps something more important than these needs discussion: Why People Feel a Need for Complementary and Alternative Treatments in Cancer