You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Nowadays, a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor. Do you think this is a positive or a negative development? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

From the beginning of human history, there were records showing how humans used herbals and other natural therapies to treat disease and enhance physical fitness.

This

is called

alternative

medicine

and

treatment

, and it is still practised by some

people

around the world today.

However

, some

people

think

this

has numerous negative effects on human

health

compared to conventional

medicine

. In my opinion, I totally agree with

this

viewpoint, and I will explain the reasons in the following paragraphs.

First

, there are numerous statistics showing the number of

people

who have suffered from

alternative

medicine

in their bodies, because most of

this

has not been scientifically proven and acknowledged.

For example

, cases of liver damage were reported by the UN hospital due to the use of a type of herbal

medicine

derived from a plant called kava-kava.

In addition

, the effect of various herbal medications is questionable,

such

as ginseng, which is often used to improve physical and cognitive performance;

however

, there is no clear scientific evidence to support

this

use. In fact, in some kinds of herbal

medicine

, scientists have found elements that cause dermatitis or carcinogenesis.

Secondly

, the unconventional

treatment

also

lacks convincing proof of beneficial effects on human

health

.

For example

, acupuncture caused heart and lung damage or even fatality was recorded in many cases. Admittedly, several

alternative

therapies may have positive outcomes for human

health

.

For example

, massage therapy can decrease stress, anxiety, and depression.

However

, compared to the consequences of

this

treatment

,

people

should take precautions when making the decision of whether to choose

this

treatment

instead

of conventional medical

treatment

. In conclusion,

alternative

medicine

and

treatment

have a lot of negative impacts on human

health

.

Besides

, their positive effects are not totally supported by scientific evidence.