1 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy

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1 1 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy Never heard of it! If it s so great why isn t it popular here? Actually, homeopathy is quite popular in many countries in the world. As for homeopathy in the U.S., it was also very popular here. At the turn of the century, 15% of physicians were homeopathic physicians. The A.M.A. was seriously threatened clinically, philosophically, and economically by homeopaths. As distinct from other unorthodox practitioners, homeopaths graduated from respected medical schools. The A.M.A. was so threatened by homeopathy that from 1860 to the early 1900s a conventional physician would lose their membership in the A.M.A if they simply consulted with a homeopath. The A.M.A. also applied pressure on various funding sources so that the homeopathic schools had difficulty staying alive. Despite the strong pressure from A.M.A. and the drug companies, homeopathy has survived and has flourished throughout the world. How long has it been around? Homeopathy has ancient origins in many different culture and traditions. The Vedas practiced forms of homeopathy 5,000 years ago in India. The ancient Greeks, most notably Hippocrates, also practiced homeopathically. In more recent times, Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician re-discovered homeopathy during the late 18th century. He became quite famous for curing cholera epidemics amongst the returning Napoleonic armies. Today homeopathy is practiced around the globe. It is used widely in Europe, South America and India. It is said that in the city of Bombay alone there are 10,000 homeopaths. What can homoeopathy help? By its very nature, homeopathic treatment is not specific to a particular illness, but is directed at the underlying state of the person suffering from that illness. By addressing this state, the appropriately chosen remedy effectively addresses the illness and a wide array of health problems, both acute and chronic. The following are just some of the conditions for which homoeopathy has proven particularly effective according to the British Government National Health Service (NHS): Mental / Emotional problems Anxiety states: attention deficit disorder; hyperactivity; after effects of stress, grief, bereavement; depression; panic attacks; fears; Sleeping problems: Nightmares, insomnia; poor concentration and memory loss; fatigue; neuroses; obsessional disorders; anorexia and bulimia nervosa; psychosomatic problems; post traumatic stress. Womens Health Hormonal related disorders: Premenstrual tension (PMT), menopause, painful periods, excessive period bleeding; vaginitis; candidiasis; iinfertility Pregnancy: Mastitis, labour injuries and wounds, morning sickness (nausea), lack of breast milk, post-natal depression. Joint / Musculo-skeletal Rheumatism; polyarthritis; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; gout; repetitive strain injury; sports trauma. Dermatology Most skin problems respond well to homoeopathic treatment: Eczema, psoriasis, urticaria Infections: Bacterial and fungal herpes simplex and zoster, nappy rash, impetigo, pruritis. Children s health Both mental and physical well being problems are treated including: Behavioural disorders, social dysfunctional problems, recurrent acute illnesses; recurrent otitis media (ear infection); recurrent sore throats and tonsillitis; teething; colic; croup; bronchitis; enuresis; atopic eczema and other skin problems; asthma; bedwetting.

2 2 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy General Chronic and recurrent illness: Recurrent Tonsillitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Gastritis, Colitis, Hay Fever, Headaches, Migraines, Thyroid disorders, Sinusitis, Allergies and allergic syndromes. ME, Post Viral Syndrome, MS. Addiction: alcohol, drugs, withdrawal. Travel sickness. What is Homeopathy anyway? Homeopathic medicine is a natural pharmaceutical science that uses various plants, minerals or animals in very small dose to stimulate the sick person's natural defenses. The medicines are individually chosen for their ability to cause in overdose the similar symptoms the person is experiencing. "Homoios" in Greek means similar and "pathos" means disease or suffering. Since one's symptoms are actually efforts of the organism to reestablish homeostasis or balance, it is logical to seek a substance that would, in overdose, cause the similar symptoms the person is experiencing. The medicines, thus, go with, rather than against, the person's natural defenses. In essence, homeopathy is composed of two highly systematic methods: toxicology and casetaking. First, homeopaths find out the specific physical, emotional, and mental symptoms that various substances cause in overdose. Homeopathic texts have more detail on toxicology than any other source. Second, the homeopaths interview their patients in great detail to discover the totality of physical, emotional and mental symptoms the person is experiencing. The homeopath seeks to find a substance that would cause the similar symptoms the person has and then gives it in small, specially prepared dose. Is homoeopathy covered by insurance? Sadly, no. But the cost of homeopathy is rather inexpensive. Remedies usually only cost $8, and will last quite a long time. Therapy for acute complaints can be as inexpensive as $35 and chronic conditions can often be successfully resolved in a few visits with a good homeopath and may only cost a few hundred dollars. There are no expensive tests or medical drugs. The cost to our health is $0 unlike many pharmaceutical drugs that have serious complications and side effects. What is classical homoeopathy? Homoeopathic medicines are used by a wide range of healthcare providers all over the world with results ranging from poor to outstanding. The classical homoeopath is guided by the principles set forth by Hahnemann the principle of like curing like ; the minimum dose of the potentized medicine; the single remedy; and the individualization of every case of disease. By following these principles, classical homoeopaths find they obtain the most consistent and reliable results. Only one remedy at a time is used. Classical homoeopaths do not use machines or divining methods to choose the remedy. Many remedies sold labeled homoeopathic are not true homoeopathic medicines at all, and results from taking them are so unpredictable their use can not be recommended. Bottles containing a mixture of remedies with a name implying a particular use should be avoided. Can I treat myself with homoeopathy? You can learn to use some homoeopathic remedies at home. It is particularly effective in first aid situations and this is a good way to familiarize yourself with homoeopathy. Ask a homoeopath ( Lise Is a Certified Classical Homeopath and Bach Flower Essences Practitioner) check with the National Center for Homeopathy in Virginia. If any apparently minor complaint does not respond quickly to your own treatment, consult a homoeopath. Use only classical remedies, not mixtures.

3 3 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy What is in those remedies, how are they made and how do they work? Homeopathic remedies traditionally derive from an extraordinarily wide variety of plant, animal and mineral substances. They are made through a process of serial dilutions, where the original substance is diluted in water and is successed, meaning that it is energized by shaking the dilution. The resultant remedy solution is then diluted and succussed again. This process is done repeatedly, sometimes hundreds or thousands of times, resulting in an extremely dilute and highly energetically potent remedy. By selecting a remedy that closely matches the individual characteristics of a person, a homeopath is able to stimulate a deep curative reaction. How does a homeopath choose a particular remedy for a person? Homeopaths take great care to understand people s symptoms, how they experience illness as well as their general state of being. By exploring what truly makes people unique, the homeopath gains insight into the nature of their vital life force and is thus able to select an appropriate remedy to stimulate it to effect a curative reaction. 1st appointments are usually 2 hours and follow ups and acute conditions are evaluated in minutes. Are there harmful side effects from taking a homeopathic remedy? Since the remedies are highly diluted, they do not contain significant amounts of the original substance from which they are made. Therefore, they do not have the toxic effects associated with many conventional medications or other substances. They are, however, powerful energetic stimuli and must be used with discretion. Sometimes, as part of the curative process, a person will experience a temporary intensification of symptoms. Can homeopathic remedies be taken along with conventional medications? Yes. Many people who seek out homeopathic care are already taking conventional medication with the goal of reducing or eliminating the medication. With the proper remedy and treatment plan, this is often possible. Is it ok for children, pregnant women, elderly people or animals to take homeopathic remedies? Absolutely. Homeopathy is a wonderful, gentle healing modality appropriate for people of all ages and conditions. It also is extensively used to treat animals. Are there any situations or reasons to not use homeopathy? Yes. Although homeopathy can possibly be of benefit for the treatment of any condition, a positive outcome is based on working with a competent homeopath and a willingness to commit to a mutually acceptable treatment plan. If you are unable to do this, it is not the time to do homeopathy. How long does it take for homeopathy to work? Homeopathy can work in seconds or it can take years. It all depends on the circumstances and how one defines work. Generally speaking, a really good constitutional remedy will begin to alleviate symptoms fairly quickly, sometimes within days, and then continue to have a positive effect over months and years. The severity and history of the problems will usually determine the length of time needed for true cure to happen. For example, a chronic pathology such as lifelong asthma will take more time to heal than an acute case of poison ivy. What happens during a homeopathic consultation? Essentially your homeopath will listen deeply to you - listening to understand many different aspects of your personality and state of health. Facts of disease, descriptions of pains, emotional reactions, dreams and physical

4 4 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy sensations are all relevant, as well as how you move your body and how you react to stress. Your homeopath may ask you to repeat yourself many times in order to understand what you say on different levels. It is important to express yourself honestly. The better your homeopath understands your nature, the easier it will be to find the best remedy for you. How frequently is it appropriate to have consultations? For the first 6 months to year it is best to see the homeopath every 4-6 weeks in most cases. However, this may differ in any particular instance. What is Constitutional Homeopathy? Constitutional prescribing a system of prescribing remedies based on a deep understanding of the individual s basic energetic state. When this basic energy imbalance is corrected, any troublesome symptoms will fall away. Constitutional prescribing is a challenging discipline for which professional homeopaths train and study many years. Why not just treat myself with homeopathic remedies from the health food store? It is next to impossible to understand one s own deepest energetic imbalance. We seem to be blind to our own states. Even professional homeopaths need to see another practitioner for their own treatment. In addition, professionals use up to 5,000 possible remedies in varying strengths. Health food stores usually carry 20 to 30 basic remedies in lower strength. Treating oneself with constitutional homeopathic remedies usually is a recipe for frustrations and can lead to greater difficulties. It seems illogical to give doses of substances that cause symptoms to those the sick person has in order to cure them. Please explain this. Homeopaths, like many modern physiologists, recognize that symptoms represent the best efforts of the organism to adapt to and defend against various stresses or infections. Because the body is not always successful in dealing with every stress or infection, it is important to find a substance in nature that has the capacity to mimic the symptoms the person is experiencing in order to aid the body in its efforts to defend and ultimately heal itself. The "law of similars," the basic principle of homeopathy, is even used in some conventional medical therapies, such as immunizations and allergy treatments. These treatments, however, are not pure homeopathy since homeopathic medicines are more individually prescribed, given in smaller doses, and used to treat sick people and to prevent disease. But the doses are so small. How can they possible work? Although we don't understand precisely how the homeopathic medicines work, there is clear evidence that the medicines are active and can heal. Homeopathy became popular in this country and in Europe during the 1800s because of its success in treating the many infectious diseases that raged during that time, including yellow fever, scarlet fever, cholera, and many others. The death rate in homeopathic hospitals was between one-half to one-eigth of those in conventional medical hospitals. Homeopathic medicines also have been shown to work on infants and on various animals (including dogs, cats, horses and even cows) where it is highly unlikely that they are acting only as a placebo. Homeo-paths also find that people who are being treated with homeopath-ic medicine for a chronic disease sometimes experience a tempo-rary exacerabation in their symptoms as the body's defenses are being stimulated. Homeopaths have found that a "healing crisis" is sometimes necessary to achieve healing. It is highly unlikely that this temporary worsening of symptoms is the result of a placebo response.

5 5 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy There has also been some good scientific research published in medical journals and other scientific publications. The LANCET (September 20, 1997) published a review of 89 double-blind or randomized placebo- controlled clinical trials. The authors conclude that the clinical effects of homeopathic medicines are not simply the results of placebo. In fact, they found that homeopathic medicines had a 2.45 times greater effect than placebo. The lead author of this review of homeopathic research was the same German professor who reviewed the research on St. Johns wort that got international attention. Another survey of research published in the British Medical Journal (February 9, 1991) indicated that there have been 107 controlled clinical trials, 81 of which showed that the homeopathic medicines had beneficial results. For more detail about many of these studies, see my book, The Consumer's Guide to Homeopathy, Jermey Tarcher/Putnam, 1996) or Drs. P. Bellavite and A. Signorini's new book The Emerging Science of Homeopathy: Complexity, Biodynamics, and Nanopharmacology (North Atlantic, 2002). Another excellent and ongoingly updated source of information about clinical research in homeopathy is my new e- book, called Homeopathic Family Medicine." This e-book covers 100+ common acute and chronic ailments, their homeopathic treatment, and reference to and description of over 150 clinical trials published. It is important to know that the small doses used by homeopaths only have an effect when a person has a hypersensitivity to the small doses given. If the wrong medicine is given to a person, nothing happens. If the correct medicine is given, the medicine acts as a catalyst to the person's defenses. In any case, homeopathic medicines do not have side effects. Where is Homeopathy popular? Homeopathy is particularly popular in France, England, Germany, Greece, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa. Approximately 40% of the French public have used homeopathic medicines, and 39% of the French physicians have prescribed the medicines. About 20% of German physicians occasionally utilize these natural medicines, and 45% of Dutch physicians consider them effective. According to a survey in the British Medical Journal (June 7, 1986), 42% of British physicians survey refer patients to homeopathic physicians, and a New York Times article reported that visits to British homeopaths is growing at a rate of 39% a year. Despite these impressive statistics, homeopathy is particularly popular in India where there are over 120 four-year homeopathic medical schools. Homeopathy is also growing very rapidly in the United States. Market research shows that sales of homeopathic medicines have grown at a rate of 10-20% per year during the past ten years. Many of the most famous people and cultural heroes of the past 200 years have been known to use and/or advocate for homeopathy, including 11 U.S. Presidents and dozens of world leaders, 7 popes and numerous other spiritual leaders, literary greats, sports superstars, world-class musicians & articles, and corporate leaders. For amazing details and stories about these famous people, see Dana Ullman's Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy. Is homeopathy legal in the U.S.?

6 6 Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy Certainly! Most of its practitioners are conventionally trained medical doctors who have furthered their training with the study of homeopathy. Some of its practitioners are other types of health professionals, including dentists, podiatrists, psychologists, physicians assistants, nurses, naturopaths, chiropractors, and even veterinarians. There are also some laypeople who have seriously studied homeopathy and are very good practitioners (they call themselves "professional homeopaths"), though the legal issues surrounding their practice remains unclear. Because homeopathic medicines are legally considered "drugs," some authorities assume that anyone who prescribes or recommends them needs to be a physician or have the license to prescribe drugs. However, because the vast majority of homeopathic medicines are considered "over-the-counter drugs" which means that consumers do not need a prescription to purchase them, some authorities assume that one does not need a license to use them. Homeopathic practice by unlicensed individuals may be legal if they practiced under the supervision of a physician, but this physician would subsume all legal responsibilities for patient care. Are Homeopathic Remedies safe? The small doses used in homeopathic medicines make them extremely safe. Of course, it is important to know how to prescribe the medicines. The book I co-authored with Dr. Stephen Cummings, Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicines (Jeremy Tarcher/Putnam, 2004) provides the step-by-step information on how to use the medicines and when it is necessary to seek medical care. The homeopathic medicines are officially recognized by the F.D.A. as "over-the-counter drugs" and thus any person can order them without a prescription. Because they are recognized as drugs, their manufacture is regulated by the F.D.A. to assure consumers that they are getting what they ordered. Can I take them with my regular medications? It is possible to take them together, though the homeopathic medicines often work fast and well enough that the person does not need to take conventional drugs. Some conventional medicines, however, are so strong that they inhibit any action of the homeopathic medicine. In such situations the individual must decide if he or she wishes to use the conventional or homeopathic medicine. What about the combination remedies in the Health Food store? These homeopathic medicines found in most health food stores are called "combination medicines" or "formulas," since they have between three to eight different homeopathic medicines mixed together in them. The various manufacturers choose the medicines most commonly prescribed for specific symptoms and assume that one of them will help cure the ailment that the consumer has. These combination medicines are popular in the U.S. and in Europe because they are so easy to prescribe and because they work. Because of this, the homeopathic combination medicines are "user friendly." Also, since these medicines are much safer than conventional drugs, they are generally preferrable to a growing number of consumers. Combination medicines are invaluable, but most professional homeopaths have found that the medicine individually chosen for the person tends to work more often and more deeply. Still, if a person does not know how to choose the individual homeopathic medicine or if it isn't readily available, the various homeopathic combination medicines are invaluable. It is, however, gener-ally believed that combination medicines should not be prescribed for chronic or serious acute health problems. Such conditions require the supervision of homeopathic or medical experts.