Examples of alternative

medicines: Why people turn to alternative medicine:

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
 Chiropractice  It doesn’t have nasty side effects.
 Ayurvedic medicine  It works for them./ It has a placebo effect.
 Homeopathy  Interaction between alternative practitioners and  My mum swears by homeopathic remedies.
 Acupuncture patients is more positive.  There are things that science can’t explain like
 Reiki  The media promotes alternative medicines. love or spirituality, psychics, auras, the afterlife,
 Witchdoctors  Their friends recommend it. and the power of prayer.
 Chinese medicine  They don’t realise that is has no scientific basis.  There’s something to be said for Reiki.
 Laying of hands  People are prone to magical thinking.  I’m a great believer in alternative medicine.
 Meditation and  Alternative medicines may be cheaper.  I highly recommend it. / I can’t recommend it
hypnotherapy enough.

Differences between alternative and conventional medicine:

ALTERNATIVEMEDICINE
Based on anecdotal evidence, belief or
magical thinking.
Administered by practitioners.
Not recognised by the medical profession .
Not scientifically proven.
Many date back longer than conventional
medicine.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
Based on scientific knowledge and
evidence.
Administered by doctors and nurses.
Recognised by the medical profession
and taught in medical school.
Scientifically proven to work.
 I try to keep an open mind.
 I’m on the fence.
 I haven’t decided one way or the other.
 It’s hard to know.
 No-one knows for sure.
 I’m in two minds about it.

 By definition, alternative medicine, has either not been

Conversation questions
 Do you think alternative medicines work better than modern drugs?
 Has alternative medicine helped you or anyone you know?
 Do you think alternative medicine is just a fad?
 What kind of people use alternative medicine?
 Do you think we can find all the medicines we need from the natural world
rather than using manufactured drugs?
 Should governments fund alternative medicines and treatments?
proved to work, or been proved, not to work.
 If you ask me it’s absolute nonsense/ vacuous rubbish/
bunkum/ quackery/ poppycock/ dumb.
 They’re snake oil salesmen.
 A fool and his money are easily parted.
 I find the very idea of it absolutely ridiculous.
 It’s based on theories which are highly questionable.
 There’s no such thing as chakra.
 Alternative Therapies and Medicines
Exercise 1: What types of alternative medicines and therapies do the pictures show?

A B C D E
Exercise 2: Match the alternative therapies with their descriptions:

reiki homeopathy acupuncture Ayurvedic medicine hypnosis massage meditation aromatherapy diet therapy

1. It consists of various postures and breathing exercises which
helps in improving flexibility and promote relaxation
2. It involves the insertion of very fine and thin needles into the
skin at specific points (meridians) along a person's body. These
needles are then manipulated by hand or by electrical
stimulation to remove the blocked energy flow and re-achieving
the person's qi (also known as chi) balance.
3. It is the traditional Hindu system of medicine practiced in India
for more than 5,000 years. Practitioners use a whole lot of
techniques like herbal remedies, diet therapy, massage therapy,
breathing exercises and meditation to restore the imbalance in
the body’s system (three doshas) which are responsible for
illness and maintain a healthy prana or life energy.
4. A substance that causes disease symptoms in an average person
may, is diluted and administered in to a person who is ill. It
promote the same set of symptoms and initiate a healing
response.
5. It’s a mind and body practice which puts a person in an altered
state of consciousness to facilitate behavioural or emotional
changes in the person
6. Therapists manipulate a person's muscles and other soft tissues
by rubbing and kneading muscles and joints in the body to
promote health and wellness.
7. It’s a mind body practice used to relieve stress and promote
relaxation. It involves clearing the mind of all thoughts.
8. It’s an Energy Healing Therapy used to restore physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual balance.
9. It uses a variety of diets to improve health and treat certain
health conditions.
10. It’s a healing method which uses aromatic plant extracts and
essential oils e.g. lavender, peppermint.
Exercise 3: Watch Tim Minchin’s Storm, an animated movie.
How does Tim feel about alternative medicine?
What’s your opinion of alternative medicine?