Homeopathy is big news these days. During the last twenty years the number of people using homeopathy has increased significantly. Many people are turning to this branch of natural medicine and finding it a most effective alternative to treatment with conventional drugs and medicines. Despite this, there are still far too many myths and misunderstandings about the science and the way it works. Dr. Raaj Swetta sets the record straight on this ancient form of healing.
Homeopathy is a holistic form of healing. This means that it takes account of the uniqueness of each person in the treatment of illness. Whereas orthodox medicine might treat a number of people with a cold in the same way, homeopathy will treat patient-specific symptoms as closely as possible. Thus each person might end up with a completely different remedy.
Homeopathy is word derived from the Greek word homois meaning ‘similar’ and pathos meaning ‘suffering’. It is based on natural Law of Similars, and works on the principle that ‘like can cure like’ – in other words, that a disease can best be cured by a medicine, which when given to healthy people, produces symptoms similar to the disease. Essentially homeopathy works by helping the body’s defence system to fight the disease itself.
The Greek physician, Hippocrates was the first proponent of this principle in the fifth century. In subsequent years the theory was abandoned in favor of other alternatives.
However, treatment in accordance with this Law of Similars was re-discovered and refined about 200 years ago by a German physician called Samuel Hahnemann. He is considered to be the founder of homeopathy, as we know it today.
While the ‘like’ principle is also the theoretical basis for the use of vaccines and allergy treatments, in homeopathy, it is taken a step further. Homeopathic medicines are prepared by dissolving a natural extract – plant, mineral or animal – in an extremely diluted solution and shaking it, then repeating the process over and over again.
Hahnemann used these in his system of ‘provings’ which methodically tested the effectivity of medicinal substances used at the time by giving them to health human volunteers and recording the observed changes. From these provings detailed remedy pictures have been compiled which have subsequently been confirmed by clinical experience.
Hahnemann also observed that only minute amounts of appropriate medicine were needed to stimulate the human body into building up resistance to disease and restoring health to the system. In fact he found that the weaker dilutions (or solutions) acted more quickly and were more effective than the more concentrated solutions.
Homeopathy can be used by anyone of any age for most physical and mental complaints. It can also help where other forms of medicine find the symptoms too vague to treat.
Homeopathy treats the whole person – all of you – body, mind and spirit!
There are other advantages as well:
* The medicines are easy to take and pleasant-tasting.
* They are non-toxic and non-habit forming.
* The practice of homeopathy encourages the body to heal itself.
* Homeopathy is effective in the permanent cure of chronic diseases.
Dr. Raaj Swetta is Doctor of Homeopathic Medicine and a Fellow of the British Institute of Homoeopathy. He is currently completing his PhD at the American State University.