Homeopathy
What is it?:
"Homeo" means "like, or similar" while "pathy" means "suffering" in Greek. In other words, Homeopathy is a type of medicine that uses something like the illness to treat the suffering. This is opposite to Antipathy which means "against suffering," like antibiotics (which literally means "against life"). Allopathy (another name for conventional Western medicine) uses medicines with no particular rule/law/order to treat suffering.
Brief History:
The idea of homeopathy was seen as far back as the ancient Egyptians in 1500 BCE where a papyrus leaf showed using the eyes of pigs to treat blindness. This is the idea that like, cures like (in this case, eyes treat blindness). Hippocrates (the Father of "Modern" Medicine) then mentions two methods of healing as contraries and similars.
The true founder of homeopathy; however, was Samuel Hahnemann, a German traditional doctor in 1791 when bloodletting was still a major form of treatment. He was upset with the lack of success of the modern day practices and felt that the methods of treatment were random and had no law or reason. Hahnemann was extremely intelligent and fluent in several languages where he translated many books from doctors and researchers around the world. That is how he discovered Dr. William Cullen's experiment on cinchona (often referred to as China) as a malaria treatment. He found that in a healthy person, China would cause the symptoms in malaria, but on a sick person with malaria it cured those symptoms. This discovery lead Hahnemann to practice and discover the idea of homeopathy. He published hundreds of remedies in his Materia Medica.
From then, homeopathy has spread throughout Europe and the United States. Today, India has the largest number of homeopathic hospitals in the world.
Unfortunately, through many events, homeopathy has lost its place and understanding in much of the United States, but the medicine is still proving effective to much of the rest of the world. It is even being used successfully on organic farm animals who cannot be treated using antibiotics.
Main Principles:
+ The Law of Similars = any substance that causes specific symptoms in a healthy person can cure a sick person with those same symptoms.
+ Provings = testing the substance on healthy volunteers to find the symptoms that the substance is capable of producing, and therefore curing in a sick person with those symptoms.
+ Single Remedy = This is an example of Classical Homeopathy (there are many different beliefs and practices of homeopathy today). It states that there is only one TRUE remedy that matches the individual's symptom picture as closely as possible, and that would be the cure/ideal remedy for that individual. Other practices of homeopathy are not classical and believe that different remedies can be used together to help one individual.
+ Minimal Dose = an ultra diluted amount of the substance (remember it would cause symptoms in a healthy person if it was not diluted) to act on the body energetically and not mess with it chemically. Often times this means diluting the substance in water/alcohol past Avogadro's number (6.022 x 10^23), meaning not a single molecule/atom of the original substance remains (only the imprint of that substance remains). In Homeopathy, remedies past this number is 12C (anything less than 12C or with an X still has molecules in it, while anything greater than 12C or an M does not...see the section on "Dosing" for more info about this).
+ Symptom Picture = This is what the homeopathic practitioner is trying to develop in the individual in order to match them with their perfect remedy. They look at everything holistically, including (but not limited to) posture, gait, complexion, mood, perception of temperature (are they wearing a heavy ski jacket in summer?), odor, behavior, and any rare or peculiar symptoms. Usually a homeopathy listens to the entire story without much interruptions (which is why consultations can easily take up to two hours per person). They generally classify symptoms into emotional/mental, generals (food cravings, thirst, time of day symptoms appear, when things feel better or worse, etc.), and body parts. All of these observations, along side listening to the patient, help the practitioner find that one perfect remedy.
How it works:
Science is still trying to figure this out. How could something that has NO known molecules of any substance that was originally diluted have any physiological effect on the body? Homeopaths would say that somehow the water obtains a memory of the original substance, and once in our body's water it has the desired physiological effect. This has not yet been proven. Despite not knowing how it works, it still does work. There have been MANY scientific studies on homeopathy for animals (such as dogs, and cattle) who use homeopathy and are not influenced via placebo. Still, since homeopathy ideally uses a specific remedy for every individual (even those with the same medical illness but that is presented differently) it makes sample sizes in studies small, and replicating them difficult. Still, organic farmers who no longer bombard their livestock with antibiotics need to keep their animals healthy, and homeopathy has been an answer. :)
What homeopathic remedies are made of:
Remedies can be made of plants (using the whole part or active part), minerals and chemicals in their purest forms, insects (usually whole, but sometimes just their venom), mammal milk, reptile venom, feathers or blood from birds, and the occasional nosode (which I may decide to mention later but are basically diseased tissues like blood or puss. Not all homeopathic practitioners believe in the use of nosodes, however it is worth mentioning). It is KEY to understand that the smallest amount physically possible to obtain of these are actually used and then further diluted to obtain the minimal dose possible and prevent actual cause of disease. Dose is key when using potentially poisonous substances as medicine.
In Classical Homeopathy each remedy only contains ONE substance (hopefully the closest one symptom-wise to your situation), where in other branches of homeopathy several substances may be added together (energetically symbiotic). Both practices can be beneficial when used correctly. If the one substance is all you need then why add others that may interfere (positively or negatively)? But if it is difficult to find the one right remedy (like for a pet who cannot explain all their symptoms) a combo of several similar acting remedies might have the right one mixed in and a successful cure can be more likely. I can see where both practices have their place. There are many other different ways to practice homeopathy (and I am not here to judge which way is best, but rather explain what I learned in my class. Please feel free to comment or contribute your understanding of homeopathy in my blog amongst the "Contact" link, but please be respectful).
Main Beliefs that generally all practitioners of Homeopathy agree on:
Cure is...NOT just suppressing symptoms. It is when the individual is healthy and thriving in all aspects of their life.
Disease is..."a disorder of structure/function in a person, animal, or plant, especially one the produces signs or symptoms that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury." -Direct quote from Homeopathy class Fall 2014
Symptoms are...the body's ability to tell you something is wrong. Homeopathy views it as a result of the vital force weakening or being overpowered by and exciting cause. The symptoms are clues for the homeopath, and not just something to be suppressed.
Vital force...is the energy that makes life alive (kind of like an aura or like qi...it's the same energetic idea).
The Law of Cure says...that healing begins from the inside out and from top to bottom. Previous symptoms could also reappear briefly as the cure is working its way out of the body.
Dilutions/Minimal dose...read the section above about Minimal dose to understand that each substance is highly diluted already. This space will be used to talk about how they dilute the substances.
If you see a potency reading 1X, that is the smallest amount of dilution. It means there was 1 drop (part) of the remedy in ten drops of water and usually alcohol mix. The alcohol is used as a preservative, and some practitioners believe it helps carry the energy of the remedy better than water alone (but many pet safe remedies are diluted only in water if you wish to avoid alcohol. -It would help to refrigerate those remedies if they were in a liquid form after using). These drops are then either used as a tincture, put into a tablet, or dropped onto sugar pills (seen on the above picture for this page).
2X is when they then take a drop of the 1X remedy into ten parts of water/alcohol mix thus making a 10^2 power dilution. The number in front of the X resembles how many times the makers diluted 1 in 10 in this fashion. A 1C dilution is 1 drop of remedy in 100 drops of water/alcohol.
Once a 12C dilution is reached (and higher C numbers), then NO original molecules of the remedy can be scientifically recorded. In other words, only the water/alcohol atoms are seen and the remedy is said to work on a purely energetic level on the body. This is one reason that homeopathy is viewed with skepticism in the scientific community, but it also is a reason why homeopathy (when used correctly) can be extremely safe (despite using potentially dangerous substances to make up a remedy).
1M is 1 drop of remedy in 1,000 drops of water/alcohol mix. Generally, these remedies are said to be extremely effective energetically on the body which is why they are generally not sold in health stores and reserved for practitioner use mainly for constitutional remedies. This means that (again, generally speaking) this potency is not used long term and may possibly only be given once.
The overall idea of this method of diluting a remedy is that the more dilute the substance is, the more potent it becomes as a remedy. The theory is based off of the understanding that if these substances are not diluted they would cause symptoms in a healthy individual (provings). Practitioners of homeopathy do not want to make you sick, but rather use a correct dose and potency of a remedy for the individual to teach their body how to overcome those symptoms and heal themselves.
Health Risks/Concerns:
Generally speaking, when homeopathy is used correctly it is quite safe for all. It can be used on animals, children, and elderly people, and everyone in between. However, like previously mentioned, homeopathy can use dangerous substances and too much (more than recommended) can actually cause symptoms (a proving). You also want to be mindful of any possible allergies or medications which may conflict with the homeopathic treatment. Certain essential oils conflict with homeopathy as well since both are believed to work energetically on the body. Talk to a naturopathic or holistic doctor if you have any concerns, especially before self medicating.
You can find your remedy here:
Although not quite as thorough as going to a holistic doctor or homeopath, www.abchomeopathy.com does ask important questions that any holistic doctor will ask regarding symptom picture. It does a great job matching your symptoms to a remedy for you. It is free, so give it a try. :) I have found it very helpful for a friend who was getting motion sickness learning to fly air planes.
Cure is...NOT just suppressing symptoms. It is when the individual is healthy and thriving in all aspects of their life.
Disease is..."a disorder of structure/function in a person, animal, or plant, especially one the produces signs or symptoms that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury." -Direct quote from Homeopathy class Fall 2014
Symptoms are...the body's ability to tell you something is wrong. Homeopathy views it as a result of the vital force weakening or being overpowered by and exciting cause. The symptoms are clues for the homeopath, and not just something to be suppressed.
Vital force...is the energy that makes life alive (kind of like an aura or like qi...it's the same energetic idea).
The Law of Cure says...that healing begins from the inside out and from top to bottom. Previous symptoms could also reappear briefly as the cure is working its way out of the body.
Dilutions/Minimal dose...read the section above about Minimal dose to understand that each substance is highly diluted already. This space will be used to talk about how they dilute the substances.
If you see a potency reading 1X, that is the smallest amount of dilution. It means there was 1 drop (part) of the remedy in ten drops of water and usually alcohol mix. The alcohol is used as a preservative, and some practitioners believe it helps carry the energy of the remedy better than water alone (but many pet safe remedies are diluted only in water if you wish to avoid alcohol. -It would help to refrigerate those remedies if they were in a liquid form after using). These drops are then either used as a tincture, put into a tablet, or dropped onto sugar pills (seen on the above picture for this page).
2X is when they then take a drop of the 1X remedy into ten parts of water/alcohol mix thus making a 10^2 power dilution. The number in front of the X resembles how many times the makers diluted 1 in 10 in this fashion. A 1C dilution is 1 drop of remedy in 100 drops of water/alcohol.
Once a 12C dilution is reached (and higher C numbers), then NO original molecules of the remedy can be scientifically recorded. In other words, only the water/alcohol atoms are seen and the remedy is said to work on a purely energetic level on the body. This is one reason that homeopathy is viewed with skepticism in the scientific community, but it also is a reason why homeopathy (when used correctly) can be extremely safe (despite using potentially dangerous substances to make up a remedy).
1M is 1 drop of remedy in 1,000 drops of water/alcohol mix. Generally, these remedies are said to be extremely effective energetically on the body which is why they are generally not sold in health stores and reserved for practitioner use mainly for constitutional remedies. This means that (again, generally speaking) this potency is not used long term and may possibly only be given once.
The overall idea of this method of diluting a remedy is that the more dilute the substance is, the more potent it becomes as a remedy. The theory is based off of the understanding that if these substances are not diluted they would cause symptoms in a healthy individual (provings). Practitioners of homeopathy do not want to make you sick, but rather use a correct dose and potency of a remedy for the individual to teach their body how to overcome those symptoms and heal themselves.
Health Risks/Concerns:
Generally speaking, when homeopathy is used correctly it is quite safe for all. It can be used on animals, children, and elderly people, and everyone in between. However, like previously mentioned, homeopathy can use dangerous substances and too much (more than recommended) can actually cause symptoms (a proving). You also want to be mindful of any possible allergies or medications which may conflict with the homeopathic treatment. Certain essential oils conflict with homeopathy as well since both are believed to work energetically on the body. Talk to a naturopathic or holistic doctor if you have any concerns, especially before self medicating.
You can find your remedy here:
Although not quite as thorough as going to a holistic doctor or homeopath, www.abchomeopathy.com does ask important questions that any holistic doctor will ask regarding symptom picture. It does a great job matching your symptoms to a remedy for you. It is free, so give it a try. :) I have found it very helpful for a friend who was getting motion sickness learning to fly air planes.
Examples of Remedies:
Coming soon!
Coming soon!