Homeopathy is a safe, natural form of medicine, based on the practice of
treating like with like. Homeopathy is derived from the Greek words homios,
meaning like or similar, and italios, meaning suffering.
Homeopathy is
concerned with treating the whole person rather than the illness alone. The
homeopath will consider the patient as a whole, both physically and
psychologically, taking into account the patient's physical appearance, their
likes, dislikes and their temperament. It is there fore a highly personalized
form of treatment, so patients who apparently suffer from the same ill ness may
be given advice for different medicines.
Homeopathy is a well
established form of healing. Today many of the leading pharmaceutical companies
are researching and mass-producing homeopathic medicines.
Homeopathic
Medicines
Homeopathic medicines look very much like conventional
medicines, are taken in the same way, but the way they work is entirely
different.
The medicines are not synthetic and are derived from natural
sources. Over 60% of homeopathic remedies are prepared from vegetable or plant
materials. Other remedies are prepared from naturally occurring mineral
substances, including metals, non-metallic substances, and mineral salts. Animal
sources of homeopathic remedies include: Cuttlefish (the ink or juice provides
sepia) and Honeybee.
Homeopathic medicines are prepared by obtaining the
remedy in its most concentrated form, and then, through a long process of
dilution, by preparing a medicine whose potency is sufficient to effect a
treatment. The potency describes the measure of the dilution of the remedy and
is denoted by the number which follows the name of the medicine itself. The
higher the number, the greater the dilution (up to one part remedy to one
trillion parts dilutant).
Homeopathic Medicines
Homeopathic
medicines, commonly referred to as remedies, may come from the plant, mineral,
or animal kingdom. Some common remedies include: arnica montana, from the
Leopard's bane plant; belladonna, from the deadly nightshade plant; calcarea,
calcium carbonate from oyster shells; sepia, from cuttlefish ink; and the
element, sulphur.
Homeopathic remedies today are produced using the same
dilution principles as in Hahnemann's day. In a common dilution of 1:100, one
drop of the homeopathic substance is added to 99 drops of water and/or alcohol.
The mixture is then potentized by a process called "succussion" - repeated
tapping on a hard surface for a specific length of time. Remedies may be diluted
up to 1000 times, leaving only an infinitesimal trace of the substance. Remedies
are typically diluted 10, 100, or 1,000 times, which translate into potencies
that are marked with the Roman numerals X, C, and M. Homeopathic remedies range
from 6X as the lowest potency to 1M or more as the highest potency.
Remedies can be taken orally in pill, powder, or drop form, rubbed topically, or
injected. There are usually no side effects from homeopathic treatments, but a
patient can experience what is called a "healing aggravation," a temporary
accentuation of symptoms. This is seen as a positive sign that the remedy is
working. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, a homeopath may choose an
antidote, which produces the opposite effect of the remedy. The antidote may be
another homeopathic remedy, or a strong substance, such as perfume, camphor, or
coffee, which are known to block the effects of a remedy.
In the United
States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recognized homeopathic
medicines as drugs since 1938, working with the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia
Convention to produce and update their reference book of homeopathic medicines.
Over the years, the FDA has classified homeopathic medicines as either
prescription or more commonly as non-prescription (over-the-counter), depending
on their strength. In the United Kingdom, homeopathic medicine has been part of
the National Health Service (NHS) since it began in 1948. There are currently 5
homeopathic hospitals in the NHS. Homeopathic medicines are available
over-the-counter or by prescription.
Safety of Homeopathic Medicines
Because of the very, very small doses used in homeopathic treatment, the
medicines are completely safe, non-addictive and have no unwanted side effects.
The curative properties of the remedies are released even in extremely high
dilutionand render the medicine completely safe for the treatment of both
children and babies.
Always consult a practitioner before buying
homeopathic remedies, and make sure that they are kept safe and out of the reach
of all children.
Where dosing instructions have been followed, no case
of toxic action has ever been reported in association with homeopathic
medicines.
Receiving Homeopathic Treatment
Homeopathic treatment
is practiced by fully qualified Health Practitioners who understand the
philosophy of homeopathic medicine's well as patients' emotional and daily
situations.
While some homeopathic medicines are readily available in
both regular pharmacies and health stores, you MUST consult your homeopathic
practitioner before attempting treatment for any serious ailment or illness.
If you are currently on medication for a serious medical or psychological
condition, you should NOT stop taking your medication in order to start
homeopathic treatment. Your practitioner will advise you on the best course of
treatment, often working with your internist or therapist.
About the Author:
Rene Graeber graduated from the University
of Munic in Educational and Sports Science and from the Paracelsus School
of Medicine in Hamburg from Naturopathic Medicine and
Homoeopathie.
An alternative treatment of disease involving the consumption of natural
materials that simulate the symptoms of the disease. These materials are
first diluted in pure water to such an extent that there are generally no
molecules of the original material left. The efficacy of this treatment is
rejected by most medical experts. It has the potential of causing harm,
because individuals may seek a cure through homeopathy, and ignore the
potential for a cure from a physician.
A natural pharmaceutical science that utilizes substances from the plant,
mineral, and animal kingdoms and is based on the premise that these
naturally occurring substances can cure disease symptoms similar to those
they produce if taken in overdose. Each medicine is individually prescribed
according to how it stimulates the immune and defence systems of the sick
person. Sometimes it is called the “royal medicine.
A form of medicine that relies on minute amounts of herbs, minerals, and
other substances to stimulate natural defences against disease. It is more
widely used in Western Europe than the United States. Developed in the late
18th century by Samuel Hahnemann, MD, the therapy uses the "law of
similars" to treat disease. That is, if large amounts of a substance such
as quinine cause symptoms of an illness in a healthy person, then smaller
amounts should be used for the cure.
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