The human body has a remarkable capacity to heal itself. This healing manifests in a multitude of forms including the generation of new tissue, sprouting of blood vessels, and the repair of DNA. The body strives to maintain balance in the face of many chemical, microbial, and physical threats. Chronic disease and degeneration develop when there is a prolonged disturbance in this balance due to a compromise of homeostatic mechanisms. Strong evidence supports the use of sleep, nutrition, and regular physical activity to promote health and natural healing. This healing takes place at the level of the cell which senses the needs of the tissues and responds accordingly. Regenerative medicine offers new possibilities in the treatment of injuries and disease. It is not limited to merely one type of tissue, but includes the healing of skin, muscle, bone, tendon, cartilage, and almost every other tissue type. In recent years, there has been great progress in the study of cellular biology, genomics, tissue engineering, and the clinical translation of these technologies. In orthopedics, the transplantation of regenerative cells and cell products has played a major role in the modulation of inflammation, pain, and tissue homeostasis. The evolving field of orthopedic biologics has produced an ever-increasing number of clinical trials which demonstrate promising results despite our limited understanding of the mechanisms of healing. Further work in this field will continue to offer physicians the tools necessary to benefit our patients.