Haws 1

Rebecca Haws
DeBock
English IV Honors
24 September 2015
Essential question: Should alternative medicine be used instead of conventional medicines when
treating certain illnesses?
Working thesis: Alternative medicine should be used over conventional medicines when treating
certain illnesses.
Refined thesis: It would better benefit users to use alternative medicines rather than conventional
medicines when treating disorders such as anxiety and insomnia, along with other common
pains.
Annotated Bibliography
Allen, John M. "Herbal Supplements Can Be Harmful." Health. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego:
Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Herbal Medicines and Dietary
Supplements." Skeptical Inquirer 25 (Jan. 2001): 36. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
John Allens article displays a stance on the opposing side of alternative medicine. The
vocabulary organic and natural are in scientific terms and proposes several arguments stating
why herbal medicines can be dangerous. Allen states his theories on the possibility of herbs
causing cancer, without any verifying evidence. He continues with the argument that herbal
medicines dont go through the thorough and intense testing that conventional medicines go
through, making it dangerous to intake substances with unknown chemical composition.

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Although this article makes valid points on the unascertained herbal therapies, it holds no
statistics or evidence that herbs are actually dangerous. The weak arguments help make the
argument that herbal drugs are beneficial, stronger.

"Alternative Medicine." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2015. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
This article implements an overall background on alternative medicine. Statistics on the
popularity of alternative medicine and frequency it is used in medical centers are stated.
Alternative medicine has been around since prehistoric times, prevalent in several different
cultures, including Chinese, Indians, and Native Americans. The history on the development of
alternative medicine is based on thoughts about spirituality rather than science. The article also
concentrates on several different alternative therapies. Additionally, it includes incite of opposing
views of alternative medicine. Despite this, it overrides the negative opinions with more valuable
data. This article will provide crucial background information on alternative medicine and the
way it came about. This will allow the understanding of how alternative medicines can benefit
users and why they are becoming more popular than conventional medicines.

"Herbal Drugs." UXL Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances. Ed. Barbara C. Bigelow.
Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, 2006. 379-398. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Sept.
2015.
This is a non-bias article that gives clear factual information about herbal drugs. Many
herbal drugs that have been shown to benefit users in various studies. Although many opposers
and officials who label these drugs as ineffective exist, the studies show otherwise. Many herbal
drugs can be considered dangerous, especially if used cooperatively with other drugs. However,

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much of these dangers can be easily avoided with the right knowledge. This article is useful for
my position on alternative medicine because it approaches the opposing arguments from other
articles with a more factual position that can support my position that despite some of their
downfalls, herbal drugs can still be more beneficial than conventional drugs. It also provides
logistics and examples that show the growing popularity of alternative medicine and how it is
benefiting people with many illnesses.

Ince, Susan. "Alternative Therapies Are Beneficial." Health. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego:
Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Five Alternative Remedies
Even Doctors Use." Redbook 195 (Aug. 2000): 28. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
Susan Inces article describes the different forms of alternative therapies, providing both
positive and negative opinions of each. It takes a deeper look into massage therapy, acupuncture,
hypnosis, and yoga. It gives you incite on what ailments the treatment could cure, how the
treatments work, and if there is any reason why a person might not want to use a treatment. It
also provides useful information on how you can best treat your condition. Since the article
shows views from both a positive and negative angle, the non-bias information provides clear
facts that will support my position that these alternative methods of medicines can benefit people
with various problems.

Kane, Kristin, and Sharon Liao. "Alternative Medicine Is Effective to Relieve Pain." Medicine.
Ed. Louise Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from

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"Pain Free Naturally." Prevention 59 (Jan. 2007). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web.
21 Sept. 2015.
This article provides several ways natural therapies can be beneficial. Kane, Kristin, and
Sharon Liao list a large variety of pains the common person upholds. These pains vary from
headaches, to muscle pains, to sore throats. For each of these ailments, herbal medicine,
acupuncture, or other alternative therapies can be used in place of modern medicines to obtain
the same effect, if not better. Given statistics and percentages show that in a majority of cases,
the alternative approach to solving certain pains and aches are more reliable than previously used
conventional medicines. This article will provide crucial statistics that will clearly support the
benefit of alternative medicines over conventional medicines.

Lamarine, Roland J. "Alternative Therapies Are Harmful." Health. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San
Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Alternative Medicine:
More than Just a Harmless Option." Journal of School Health 71 (Mar. 2001): 114.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
Ronald Lamarines article proposes opposing views on alternative medicine. He
categorizes the type of people who use alternative medicines and why they might use them. He
argues that no scientific proof that these untraditional methods of healing actual works exists.
Alternative medicines are scientifically unproven and may only be effective because of the
placebo effect. If the patients do not believe that the alternative medicine will work, it most
likely will not. The only inflictions that Lamarine states are those that have to deal with social
and economic harms. Lamarines article contains arguments that will help support my position

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that alternative medicines are not harmful, since he provides no strong evidence of dangerous
effects.

Prousky, Jonathan E. "Natural Help For Anxiety Disorders." Alive: Canada's Natural Health &
Wellness Magazine 369 (2013): 51-55. Alt HealthWatch. Web. 21 Sept. 2015.
Jonathan Prouskys article gives a background on anxiety disorders and provides natural
ways to treat them. Prousky begins with a general description of anxiety and the effects that it
has on people. Various types of anxiety are stated, including GAD, OCD, PTSD, PD, and social
anxiety disorder. Within each of these different categories, specific herbal treatments that would
best benefit the patients are given. Several alternative methods revolving around diet and fitness
also exist. The author gives many examples and reasons why treating the disorders naturally
would be better than a modern method. He also shows a complete understanding of the disorders,
along with a healthful way to manage them. Prouskys article will provide crucial information
about anxiety and support my position that natural ways to cure it are more effective and less
risky than conventional methods.

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