Guest Author - Linda Paul

Homeopathy is actually an ancient system of healing dating back to Hippocrates. It really did not become fully recognized, however, until about 200 years ago. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German linguist and physician is credited for that revival. By doing testing on himself and others, Hahnemann discovered that using very small amounts of various substances adhered to the idea presented by Hippocrates that the law of similars -an ancient principle that recognizes the body’s ability to heal itself-was correct. Hahnemann began treating people using homeopathic remedies. By 1900 homeopathy was being used as a treatment in Europe, and much of the United States, primarily in Chicago. In fact, about 20-25 percent of all doctors in the United States were homeopaths. There were 22 homeopathic training schools and over 100 homeopathic hospitals.

The principle of homeopathy is that minute amounts of safe, non-toxic, natural substances that are derived from the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms can be used to activate the law of similars. In Greek the word homeopathy means “like suffering.” Thus, homeopathy treats like with like. This is similar to the process of vaccination, which uses a minute amount of dead viruses or weakened viruses from a disease or related but less severe disease which allows the body to build up resistance or immunity against that disease. This is done as a preventative measure, whereas homeopathy is a curative measure for existing symptoms. For instance a polio vaccine made of dead polio virus would be injected as a precautionary measure against contracting polio. A homeopathic treatment for existing polio would involve treating the disease with a natural substance which would “cause“ almost identical symptoms of the disease. The polio vaccine actually gives the patient a very mild case of polio, so that the body can build up a resistance to that virus, and the homeopathic treatment actually gives the patient much less severe, but similar symptoms to the disease, so the body can produce the processes that are needed to cure the symptoms of polio. Either way, the body is using its own defenses to defend itself against the intruder.

For various reasons, including political, economic and social changes, homeopathy lost it following in the U.S., although it is still widely practiced in Brazil, India, Germany, Mexico, Great Britain, and France.

A homeopath is a holistic doctor. He or she treats the entire person rather than just the symptoms of a disease or disorder. During an initial consultation a homeopath will ask questions about your life style, nutritional choices, and family history of disease.

They will ask very specific questions about the symptoms you are experiencing, including your mood and the time of day when you experience an increase in symptoms, your appetite, and your sleep patterns. The reason for this is to pinpoint how this disease or disorder effects you on a personal level, rather than just looking at the commonly recognized effects of the disease or disorder.

Homeopathy is a treatment which can be used for people of all ages. It basically strengthens your immune system, so it can be used both for prevention and cure. Because it enhances the functioning of the immune system, it has recently been looked at with interest for treating AIDS, and other immune deficiency related diseases.

Almost all homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substance, and broken down into minute quantities to “wake up” the bodies natural defenses. While chronic disease or severe symptoms may take quite a while to correct, most patients feel better after the first treatment. Once the person’s own immune system kicks in, health will begin to return to normal.

Unlike antibiotics which destroy a specific disease organism, but also can destroy beneficial bacteria in the process, homeopathic remedies do not attempt to destroy the disease by themselves. They simply stimulate the body’s own ability to throw out the offender. They work with rather than against the immune system.

Homeopathy is compatible with just about any other holistic treatment, including herbal treatments, chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga, and most other treatments and procedures. As with any other treatment of procedure, always consult your doctor before beginning anything new when disease is present.