Homeopathy is a comprehensive medical system practiced by both homeopathic doctors and physicians fully trained in orthodox medicine. It is one of the most gentle and sympathetic forms of healing and the use of homeopathic remedies are growing rapidly all over the world. As with all complementary therapies, homeopathy recognizes that every individual is unique and understands different people may react to the same illness in different ways.
The governments of a number of European countries have been so impressed with the effectiveness and safety of homoeopathy that for many years homeopathic remedies have been available on the national health services of these countries.
Research has shown that 42% of British doctors refer their patients for homoeopathic treatments, in France, 1/3 of doctors prescribe homoeopathic remedies, and these natural remedies are stocked in 90% of French pharmacies. The official pharmacopeias of France and the German Federal Republic have separate sections for homeopathic medicines and in 1938 the US food, drug and cosmetic act finally recognized the homeopathic pharmacopoeia as the legal equivalent of the allopathic one.
In many other European countries, the USA, India and New Zealand, homoeopathy is extremely popular, and the World Health Organization has stated that homoeopathy is the second most popular system of medicine in the world.
A large amount of research has been carried out on homoeopathic remedies. In 1991, a review of 105 clinical trials on homeopathic medicines was published in the British Medical Journal, and 81 of these trials were successful. This confirms what practitioners of complementary medicine and their many clients already know – that is – Homoeopathic Medicines Work
Homeopathic treatment is a system of alternative medicine whose principles are even older than Hippocrates. Modern homeopathy was finally formulated in the late 18th century by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician and chemist who had become disenchanted with the way in which traditional medicine was being practiced, the strong medicines that were being used and the problems with the many side effects they were causing.
Hahnemann dedicated the remainder of his life to researching and ‘proving’ a variety of substances from the animal, vegetable and mineral worlds, ascertaining the symptoms produced in healthy people, then giving the corresponding, diluted substance to a patient presenting with a similar collection of symptoms. During his life, Hahnemann ‘proved’ more than 1,500 medicinal substances and many of these core homeopathic remedies are still used by the homeopathic doctor of today
Homeopathy treats the “whole individual” and relies for its effects on the body’s own powers of self-regulation and self healing.
Homoeopathy seeks to cure in accordance with natural laws of healing and uses homeopathic medicines made from natural substances: animal, vegetable and mineral. Homeopathy is based on the principles of “curing like with like” and relies on a unique system of diagnosis and homeopathic treatment to arouse the immune system to overcome sickness and restore health. The homeopath will prescribe homeopathic products that will induce symptoms similar to those of a disease.
Unlike traditional allopathic medicine, which suppresses symptoms, homoeopathic treatment regards the symptoms of the disease as a part of the body’s attempt to defend itself from illness. A holistic doctor believes the symptoms of any illness are signals that your body is struggling to maintain a state of natural health. The human body has an inherent ability to stay healthy; however all of us inherit the potential for some form of disease. Most diseases begin when this inherited problem is triggered by an outside influence. Conventional medicines could possibly suppress or mask the symptoms, and this suppression may lead to chronic disease that becomes harder and harder to deal with.
Homeopathic medicines work with your body to stimulate the body’s own response to overcome the illness. Homoeopathic remedies re-balance the body’s energy system and therefore cure the problem because they stop the body responding to the pollen, virus, stress or other trigger that started the disease process. Homeopathic healing acts deeply inside the patient and therefore is able to make lasting cures on all levels; physical, emotional and mental. This holistic healing treats the whole person, not just the presenting disease.
Many conventional doctors are not trained to look at the patient as a whole; and as a result they tend to treat each ailment separately and consequently, the root cause of the patient’s presenting symptoms, are rarely found. Most pharmaceutical medicines mask the symptoms without dealing with the cause of a health problem. A disease is not just symptoms. Symptoms are the body’s reaction to the cause of a health problem and simply stopping the symptoms does not make the disease go away, it just masks its presence. The symptoms may disappear but the disease is often merely suppressed and therefore it may re-occur or surface again in the form of another seemingly unconnected illness. Although conventional medicine eases the discomfort of ailments with painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and ante-depressants the accompanying side effects can be a major problem and complete cure often remains out of reach.
The homeopath’s job is to find the best homeopathic remedy whose action on the body is most similar to the patient’s condition. The principle behind homoeopathy is called the “Law of Similars”, and is based on the fact that the symptoms that large amounts of a substance can cause, can be treated by using that same substance in highly diluted amounts.
Hahnemann discovered, in the course of his research that progressively diluting the dose of a remedy and “succussing” or shaking it vigorously at each stage of dilution (a process known as potentization) makes the homeopathic remedy more powerful when given in the lowest concentration or highest dilution. The most powerful homeopathic remedies are so diluted that there is little probability of any molecule of the active original substance remaining. Homeopaths believe it is the energy or vibrational pattern of the remedy, rather than its chemical content that stimulates healing by activating what Hahnemann called the Vital force or healing power or energy that exists within all of us.
Generally acute symptoms or those of a more physical nature require potencies of 6C, 30C or 200C while more longstanding chronic symptoms or symptoms that have more of a mental component respond better to higher potencies of M, 10M or even higher. Although the lower potencies of 6C, 30C or 200C can be safely used in a home first aid kit the higher potencies are best used only under the care of an experienced homeopathic practitioner.
Homoeopathic medicines are natural remedies which mean that they:
- Are effective
- Provide relief of specific symptoms
- Are easy and convenient to take
- Are not habit forming
- Are suitable for children
- Can be taken with pharmacy and other medicines
- Act quickly
Instructions for taking and storing homeopathic products
- Homeopathic remedies may be taken directly or under the tongue and held for 30 seconds before swallowing and if desired the medicine may be diluted with a small amount of water.
- Homeopathic medicines are best taken between meals or half an hour away from food.
- Homeopathics should be stored in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight, perfumes or other strong smelling substances.
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