Do we divide up "regular" medicine like this? Do we discuss the merits or lack thereof of orthopaedic surgery, dermatology, gynaecology or oncology, which, after all, are totally different disciplines, but yet still accepted as bona fide fields of medical practice.

Why should nutritional medicine, herbal medicine, Chinese medicine, homeopathic medicine and psychological medicine, all be lumped into some amorphic grab-bag that seems to be the target of everyone's vitriole and/or hyperbole? It is insulting, demeaning and downright unprofessional for practitioners of therapies in some instances far older, practised and in many cases, more effective than pharmaceutically-driven medicine to be subjected to anything less than the respect due them as practitioners of the healing arts.

I don't care for the term "Alternative Medicine" either, I'm afraid.

This sets up an even greater dichotomy - as though allopathic medicine is somehow legitimate and everything else a bastardised lesser entity.

"Holistic", too hackneyed to stomach either.

What do readers think? Is "Natural Medicine" too holier-than-thou? What about just having plain old Medicine, full stop, with all therapies, disciplines and specialities being simply different approaches. I very much look forward to receiving your comments, suggestions, arguments, etc on the subject.