About Homeopathy

What Is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a distinct and unique, natural form of medicine that has been used successfully for over 200 years. It is used all around the world by thousands of people and is integrated into the national health systems of many countries such as Switzerland, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico and Pakistan. It is particularly popular in India where many medical doctors use it as a complimentary form of treatment alongside standard medical practices.

What Can Homeopathy Be Used For?

Homeopathy has been used effectively to help with a wide range of health issues for many years and has supported millions of people around the world through times of well-being as well as times of stress.

First Aid Situations: Homeopathy can be very effective for the treatment of simple, first aid situations such as bruises, cuts, superficial burns, insect bites, stomach upsets, shock, sprains and strains.

Acute Conditions: Homeopathy can also be very helpful when acute (short term) illnesses or injuries arise, which need a little support to help your body’s natural defense system resolve them.

Chronic Conditions: Homeopathy can effectively support ‘chronic’ conditions that have been present for a long period of time. Homeopathy does not just manage symptoms but actually works to address the underlying cause of the condition to support deep healing from within.

Mental/Emotional Support: Homeopathy is particularly helpful for addressing mental emotional issues and supporting people through times of stress. This support often allows people to adjust their old patterns of stress response, enabling them to form new, more positive responses and work through past issues.

Adjunct to Other Treatments: Homeopathy has been shown to work effectively alongside many other conventional treatments.

Who Can Benefit From Homeopathy?

When taken under the guidance of a qualified Homeopath, Homeopathy can be helpful for people of all ages including babies, toddlers, children, teenagers, pregnant women, during and after childbirth, breastfeeding mums, adults of all ages and the elderly.

Homeopathic remedies are made from natural substances such as plants, flowers and minerals. They are prepared according to strict guidelines making Homeopathy a completely safe, gentle, yet effective form of medicine suitable for most people. Homeopathy can also be beneficial for pets, livestock and plants.

How Does Homeopathy Work?

Homeopathy was first introduced by a German physician, Dr Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), who wanted to help treat his patients in a more gentle way than was generally practiced at the time.

Hahnemann believed that every living thing has a ‘Vital Force’ or an innate life force that naturally provides the body with an ability to self-heal.

A strong life force enables the body to fight disease more readily and cope with emotional stress more efficiently, whereas an imbalance or weakness within this life force allows disease to take hold.

Homeopathy works on an energetic level in order to stimulate this natural life force within the body to restore a state of balance and health within the individual.

The Principles Of Homeopathy

The Law of Similars: Homeopathic remedies work on the law of ‘Like Cures Like’ i.e. a substance which produces symptoms in a healthy person can cure those same symptoms in a sick person.

An example of this is the onion. When a raw onion is chopped, it releases chemicals that irritate our eyes and make them start to stream with tears, turn red and become irritated. When prepared as a homeopathic remedy through the process of ‘potentisation’ (see below), onion or ‘Alium Cepa’, can help relieve those very same symptoms making it one of the top remedies for hayfever, other allergies as well as flu and colds.

The totality of symptoms: Each client is treated as a unique, entire individual taking into account the full picture of all their symptoms and characteristics on a physical, mental and emotional level.

Minimum dose: Only the minimum amount of the remedy is administered in order to stimulate the healing process. Only one single remedy is usually given in order to show a clear picture of the effect that the remedy is having upon the individual before a further dose or different remedy is administered.

How Are Homeopathic Remedies Made?

Homeopathic remedies are made from natural substances and prepared under precise, strict guidelines using the method of potentisation.

Based on the recognition that substances have the capacity to both harm and heal, depending on the level of exposure, the preparation of Homeopathic remedies involves diluting the substance to eliminate any possible side effects and also ‘succussing’ the substance (vigorously shaking and repeatedly pounding the preparation against a hard surface) to activate the latent energy found within the substance.

This method retains and intensifies the healing properties of the substance whilst eliminating any harmful effects.

A good example of a homeopathic remedy is Coffea Cruda, made from unroasted coffee beans. When coffee is consumed in its natural form, we are all aware of the effects that too much caffeine can have on us, such as increased alertness, anxiety, restlessness, hypersensitivity and wakefulness. However, when Coffea is taken in a Homeopathic form, it can help to ease the nerves and help with many stress related symptoms including hypersensitivity, nervous piercing headaches, and of course, sleeplessness due to an overactive mind, excitement, or stress.