Complementary health practices are often classified by how the therapy is delivered or taken. They include:

• Nutritional
• Psychological
• Physical
• Combinations such as psychological and physical or psychological and nutritional.

Nutritional approaches include a variety of products such as herbs, vitamins and minerals and probiotics that are available as dietary supplements. Dietary supplements are popular and widely used. A 2012 national health survey found that about 18 percent of American adults used a dietary supplement other than vitamins and minerals.

Psychological and physical approaches include a wide variety of therapies from tai chi, yoga and acupuncture, to meditation. These practices have grown in popularity and several have been proven to be helpful for a variety of conditions.

For more information and a list of some complementary therapies, visit the Complementary and Integrative Therapies section on the Komen website.