What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is an alternative system of medicine founded in the early 19th century by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahneman. Based on a system of medicine that treats illness by the stimulation of the body's own healing powers, homeopathy gently encourages the body to do more of what it is already trying to do to heal itself. Think of homeopathy as somewhat similar to the principle behind vaccines: a little bit of the "disease" is given in order to prompt the body to better heal itself. Homeopathy has the added advantage of using micro-doses, which means there are no side effects and no risk of toxicity.
Understanding the "Law of Similars"
Homeopathic medicine is based on a principle called the "Law of Similars" which states that if a natural substance in large amounts causes a symptom in a healthy person, it will, in small amounts, stimulate the body's own curative powers in the unhealthy individual. An example of the Law of Similars is red onions. Imagine what happens when someone chops a red onion-they get watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, and possibly an irritated throat. A medicine can be made from the red onion following a very specific laboratory process; this medicine will safely and effectively treat the symptoms of watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and throat irritation. According to the Law of Similars, the symptoms experienced by an individual do not need to be caused by the red onion; they can result from a mild allergy or the common cold, just as long as the symptoms are similar. A homeopathic remedy using the same chemistry found in red onions will alleviate allergy symptoms in general.
The Three Underlying Rules of Homeopathic Therapy:
- Any pharmacological substance can cause symptoms in an otherwise healthy person.
- Anyone suffering from a particular disease will present the symptoms characteristic of that disease.
- The administration of a small quantity of a substance whose experimental effects are similar to the symptoms of a disease can create a remission of the symptoms.
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