ESL Podcast 222 - Alternative Medicine
to be prescribed - to have something, usually medicine, recommended in writing by a doctor to treat pain or an illness
The doctor told her that she should never take medicine that was prescribed for someone else.
lasting - permanent; continuing for a long time
Living in another country has a lasting impact. It often makes people more respectful of cultural differences and more interested in world news.
alternative medicine - ways to treating pain or illnesses that are not taught in most western medical schools or considered standard in a community
The doctors said her illness could not be treated, but with alternative medicine she got better.
to swear by - to believe in; to rely on; to trust in
Manuel swears by carrots as the key to a long life because his grandfather eats them every day and he is 103 years old.
acupuncture - a treatment for pain by placing needles in the skin on certain parts of the body
Kim would never use acupuncture because she's afraid of needles.
therapy - a set of exercises or treatments designed to reduce pain or treat an injury
After I broke my leg, the doctor said I would need two months of therapy to be able to walk normally again.
skeptical - doubtful; not believing; questioning
Why are you so skeptical about being able to pass the test? You've studied for weeks and I think you're going to do very well.
New Age - related to a movement about religion or spirituality that believes in a holistic (both mental and physical) way to treat pain and illness
Their friend writes New Age music that sounds like it's from another planet.
homeopathic - a system of medicine that uses small amounts of something to treat an illness, believing that large amounts of it will cause harm
Homeopathic doctors believe that small amounts of medicine can have powerful effects on our health.
herbal supplements - medicines or vitamins that are made from plants
My aunt drinks teas as herbal supplements during the winter so that she doesn't get sick.
all natural - without artificial ingredients; without man-made chemicals
His message at the talk was that If you're worried about getting cancer, you should eat all natural foods because other foods have too many chemicals in them.
to be injured - to be hurt; to have a damaged body part, like a broken bone
The driver was injured in the car accident when he hit his head on the window and the glass cut his face.
complementary - something that is added to something else to make it complete; putting things together that make each part even better
We chose to send our son to that school because its classes are complementary to what we teach him at home.
medication - a drug; something taken to treat an illness
She is taking two medications: one is for her throat pain and the other one is to help her stop coughing.
to undergo clinical trials - to participate in laboratory studies that use people to study a new drug
The new drug treats bone problems in mice, but it needs to undergo clinical trials before doctors will know whether it works in humans.
unorthodox - non-traditional; unusual; not generally accepted
At first, her unorthodox ideas about the project shocked her co-workers but eventually, they all agreed with her.
what does (one) have to lose? - it can't hurt and it might help
He should apply for the job. What does he have to lose? If they say no, he'll still have his old job, but if they say yes, he'll have more interesting work.