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Homeopathy is really remarkable. It is a two-hundred-year-old system of medicine that is an exceptionally safe and effective treatment of the whole individual. It seeks to assist Nature rather than bludgeon Her, to assist the body's natural healing energies rather than override them. It is based on the principle that "like cures like." That is to say, if a substance creates symptoms in a healthy person, then it should be able to cure those same symptoms in a sick person. For example, suppose someone was unable to sleep due to an excited, overactive mind. Instead of taking a toxic sleeping pill, the homeo-path would suggest Coffea, the homeopathic preparation of coffee. Or in the case of an insect bite where a red, raised welt stings and itches, then Apis, made from the stingers of bees, would be the remedy of choice.
This principle of similars was developed back in the 1700’s by German physician Samual Hahnemann. A learned man fluent in eight different languages, Hahnemann was an esteemed physician and chemist. Despite his successes, Hahnemann became disheartened by the medical practices of his day, which included bloodletting, excessive purging and the cavalier prescribing of drugs that often caused more harm than good. He closed his practice and took up translating medical texts to support his family.
As he was translating an excerpt by William Cullen, Hahnemann was startled by his claim that it was the astringent and bitter qualities of quinine, an ingredient of Peruvian Bark, that was responsible for the effective treatment of malaria. Hahnemann was puzzled by this because many more astringent and bitter substances proved useless for malaria. And so his challenge of contemporary medical theory began.
He decided to test the physiological effects of Peruvian Bark, and he used himself as a guinea pig. By ingesting small quantities of Peruvian Bark over time, his body reacted to the herb. To his amazement, he developed symptoms much like malaria. He wondered whether the success of quinine lay in its curious capacity to create symptoms similar to the disease. Now he began to experiment with many different plants, chemicals and minerals on himself and later on family and friends. In each case, the substances created symptoms of the illnesses that they were known to alleviate. He then discovered that by systematically diluting the doses of these substances, they produced the opposite effects. Instead of creating symptoms of disease, these dilutions reversed the course of disease! And so he coined the term "Law of Similars": A
substance that causes a certain set of symptoms in a healthy person will, in minute doses, cure a sick person of those same symptoms. The truth of this principle has been verified experimentally and clinically for over 200 years. And though the exact mechanism by which homeopathy works seems to elude scientists, its effectiveness is widely accepted around the world. The British royal family, for example, has been under the care of homeopathic physicians since the days of Queen Victoria.
Homeopathy treats the person holistically- mentally, physically and emotionally- and at the same time treats the person individually. For example, there are dozens of homeopathic flu remedies because there are many different ways of experiencing the flu. For some, they experience fever with exhaustion while others experience fever with restlessness, or perhaps lack of thirst or unquenchable thirst. The homeopath treats the whole person by identifying the complete picture of that person's individual experience and then selects a remedy that best matches that symptomatic profile.
Homeopathy stimulates the body's natural, dynamic ability to heal itself. It recognizes that symptoms are evidence of disease and are not the disease itself. Treating or suppressing symptoms is like shooting the messenger for bringing bad news. Symptoms represent the body's best effort to heal itself and, when interpreted properly, can lead to the curative medicine.
I have used homeopathy for over twenty years. I have seen remarkable results when the correct remedy was administered. Homeopathy can be used at home to treat a wide range of acute health problems. What I enjoy most is that it is empowering. As parents, we feel helpless when a child awakens ill in the middle of the night. However, with the right remedy close at hand, relief can be immediate. My children have never been to a traditional doctor. With the use of my homeopathic kit, which has been the most precious investment in my parenting experience, and Dana Ullman's book, Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine, I was able to successfully address ear infections, bronchitis, strep throat, allergies and insomnia, plus our share of colds and flu, without the use of antibiotics and other drugs.
Homeopathic remedies are completely safe, non-toxic and prepared from natural sources. They can be used by infants, children, and adults, including pregnant women and the elderly. There are no known contraindications or drug interactions between homeopathic remedies and conventional medicine. And best of all, they work!
My Favorite Homeopathic Tools
The Home Remedy Kit is a comprehensive collection of 48 remedies in 30c potency, plus two salves, one tincture and an instruction booklet. This kit is actually filled with over $ 340.00 worth of products. It is an exceptional deal! If you purchase
this kit, however, do not rely on the instruction
booklet as it is not comprehensive enough.
Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine by Dana Ullman and Stephen Cummings is my favorite introductory book because the remedy descriptions are so clear. And to this day, I still refer to this book first. This is a must have!
The Family Guide to Homeopathy by Andrew Lockie is my #2 choice of reference. It covers a broader spectrum of health concerns but with less specific remedy descriptions.