今日のテーマは、代替医療（alternative medicine）
いつまでも健康で元気に暮らしたいですね

Q: Agree or disagree: The benefits of alternative medicine outweigh its disadvantages?

A：サンプルエッセー(賛成)

In modern society, major medical treatments are based on Western medicine in developed countries. However, alternative medicine has come into the spotlight in the last decades. Though its effectiveness remains unclear in most cases, I agree with the idea that benfits of alternative medicine outweigh its disadvantages for the following three reasons.

Fristly, alternative medicine reduces government healthcare costs. Unlike Western medicine, alternative medicine focuses on holistic approach to preventing diseases. For example, yoga creates a balance between the mind and body by improving blood circulation and relieving stress. This practice will prevent illness and decrease the number of patient, thus lowering national medical costs.

Secondly, alternative medicine can compensate for the weeknesses of Western medicine. Oriental medicine treats diseases by dealing with the causes that Western medicine doctors find it difficult to identify. This is especially true for the treatment of diseaes related to the autonomous nervous system, immune system, and the endocrine systems.

Finally, alternative medicine has fewer side effects than Western medicine. For example, therapies without drugs including yoga, meditation, and massage do not harm the human body. In addition, alternative medicine often uses natural substances such as plants and minerals, which are often far less harmful than chemicals.

In conclusion, for the above-mentioned three reasons, reduing government healthcare costs, complementing Western medicine, and causign fewer side effects, I agree with the idea that the benefits of alternative medicine outweigh its disadvantages.

【気になること】

“alternative medicine”の定義が気になるので調べてみました。

①Oxford Learner’s dictionaryでは、
”any type of treatment that does not use the usual scientific methods of Western medicine, for example one using plants instead of artificial drugs”

②Oxfard Language では、
”Any of a range of medical therapies that are not regarded as orthodox by the medical profession, such as herbalism, homeopathy, and acupuncture.”

いずれの定義からも、Western medicineの見地から、科学的根拠がない・一般的ではないと考えられるものがAlternative medicineにあたるようです。例えば、yogaという運動による血行促進・リラックス効果は科学的に根拠付けられると思うので、yogaまでalternative medicineと言っていいのか微妙だなと思いますが、投薬や手術などの生物学的な妥当性があるもの以外のものが、Alternative medicineのようです。

線引きが難しい気がしますが、Alternative medicineの例をいくつか記載します。
漢方薬 Chinese medicine
針 acupuncture
音楽治療 music theraphy
整体 chiropractice
ヨガ yoga
アロマセラピー aromatherapy

【語彙】

come into spotlight 注目される
　対義語 take the spotlight off
autonomous nerve system 自律神経系
endocrine system 内分泌系