What is Homeopathy?
A holistic approach, unique to you
When homeopathy first emerged, it was used to treat acute conditions like bronchitis, ear complaints, menstrual problems, indigestion and colds. However, it was noted that, over time, patients would return with these same conditions. For that reason, the conditions were no longer considered acute, but rather chronic.
That’s when homeopathy evolved its holistic approach to include an understanding the whole person, even when they weren’t having a specific attack. The thinking was that people developed certain diseases, including recurring ones, due to susceptibility, whether inherited, acquired over our lifetime, or both. That’s why all aspects of the person are considered and the reason a homeopath looks beyond present symptoms and physical health.
People are unique. Five people can have the same “disease,” but each one could manifest very differently. Consider all the different ways people get a simple flu. Some need blankets, some need to cool off; some feel worse in the morning, while others feel worse at night. Some people feel defeated and helpless; others get angry and impatient.
The constitution, and what makes you unique, is where the disease arises in relationship to external factors. An external factor in itself is not the cause — otherwise, everyone would react the same way. The true cause of disease lies in the individual’s susceptibility to that factor.
For this reason, homeopaths treat your unique constitution as a whole. Our consultations are comprehensive and the remedies we prescribe are unique to you. By understanding your unique being, a homeopath can select a remedy that strengthens your constitution and mitigates your susceptibility to these factors.
What to expect
Generally, people feel better soon after they begin treatment. How long it takes for a cure, however, is impossible to say. Just as the remedy choice is individual, the duration and extent of cure is also individual. The more complex the condition, the longer it can take.
The purpose of homeopathy is to cure, not to manage or control symptoms. True cure from the inside out takes time. As a very general rule, try to see your homeopath every four to six weeks for the first three months.
Homeopathy looks only at the individual and therefore has no formulas. This is one of the hardest things for us to understand and makes it very demanding for the practitioner. It’s also the most beautiful aspect of this wonderful system of healing.
Homeopathy is truly all about you. What could be more healing?
Treating Like with Like
Homeopathy began in the 1700s when Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, discovered it by chance. He read a book that claimed Peruvian bark could cure malarial fever due to its astringent and tonic properties. He was skeptical — after all, other substances had these properties but didn’t help fevers. Curious, he took large amounts of the bark to see how it would affect him as a healthy person. Within days, he began getting symptoms of malarial fever. This fascinated him. If a healthy person could take a substance and develop symptoms, then what if you gave that substance to a person who was already sick with those symptoms? This is how Hahnemann formed his first hypothesis: could you “treat like with like”? Could the substance that causes disease symptoms also cure those same symptoms?
The concept is simple: a healthy person who takes coffee might have a heightened state of mind and sleeplessness. For a person sick with sleeplessness and anxiety, a homeopath might prescribe a homeopathic remedy that mirrors these symptoms.
Over his lifetime, Dr. Hahnemann tested this hypothesis with an array of natural substances on a number of healthy and sick subjects. In doing so, he learned he was correct. He also discovered that healing took place on all levels: physical, emotional and mental. He concluded that these substances could stimulate the body’s own natural healing (life force), which he believed existed within us.
Over his lifetime, Dr. Hahnemann made the science of homeopathy his life’s work. He learned that what can present as a sudden, acute condition (like a cold) can actually be part of a larger, more chronic picture. He also realized that different people can have the same disease, but react differently to it.
Finally, he developed a technique to dilute substances to make them 100% safe to ingest. These methods continue to be used by chemists today to create remedies, and by homeopaths to create the liquid and pellet remedies we use today.