Homeopathy Basics Plainly Explained

August 25, 2009 by  
Filed under Healthy Family

Sugar pillsHomeopathy is an alternative form of medicine that has been used for thousands of years to treat from life threatening illness to the common cold.  It’s one of the most used types of medical treatment worldwide and is steadily gaining popularity in the western world, even being recognized as a valid health treatment by most health insurance companies.

This alternative medicine is based on three basic principles.  The most important principle of homeopathy is that like treats like.  Instead of treating based on the disease doctors think you have, treatment is done based on the symptoms you know you have.  The second principle is that there is only one treatment, not two or even ten like a traditional doctor might give you.  The third principle is that everything is given in extremely small doses.

To treat yourself homeopathically, you must figure out all the symptoms.  Once you know your symptoms, you (with the help of an expert) find a substance that causes the exact same set of symptoms and take a small amount of it.

For some people, treating symptoms with something that causes your symptoms seems counterintuitive. However, this is a concept that’s used in modern medicine as well as more ancient cures.  Even in allopathic medicine (western medicine), shots commonly used to treat allergies contain a small amount of whatever you’re allergic to.  Many vaccines contain a small amount of the disease they’re designed to protect against.

Homeopathic medicine is not only considered effective, but also found to have many benefits over modern medicine.  Like many other natural medical treatments, most homeopathic remedies are totally natural.  Of course, this doesn’t necessarily make them safe, but these remedies tend to cause fewer side effects, have little drug interactions, and are generally better for your health.


Homeopathic medications are also a better alternative for your body because they work with it. Many modern medicines work to suppress symptoms like fever or coughing, which are the body’s natural ways to get rid of disease.  Instead of suppressing symptoms, homeopathic medicine works to cure the problem itself while addressing the specific symptoms.

When the right treatment is found, homeopathy is considered very effective.  The problem is that if you don’t pick exactly the right one, it won’t work.

While you can buy homeopathic remedies over the counter, just like herbal and other alternative medicines, that doesn’t mean it’s 100% safe to treat your specific symptoms.  Therefore, if you’re not an expert, it’s very advisable that you  talk to a doctor who is specialist in the area.

Creative Commons License photo credit: distillated

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Comments

3 Responses to “Homeopathy Basics Plainly Explained”

  1. Homeopathy Basics Plainly Explained | Natural Familly World | Write What on August 27th, 2009 4:08 pm

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  2. Arthur on August 27th, 2009 11:23 pm

    Please check your facts.

    Homeopathy not “been used for thousands of years”. It is a notorious 200 year old quack notion concocted in Germany. There is no evidence homeopathy has ever cured any medical syndrome beyond basic placebo. Homeopathy is simply water with claimed “memory properties”, and it has been fooling people for years. Promoting this kind of psuedoscience is not helpful.

  3. Monica on August 28th, 2009 6:52 am

    Arthur,

    Homeopathy’s principles have indeed been used for thousands of years, although not known as “homeopathy”

    I personally know people with severe conditions who has been successfully treated with homeopathy. However, I think common sense and listening to our own guts comes first when you’re looking for a treatment/doctor.

    If someone believes that homeopathy can’t do any good, it’s certainly better to look into other options.

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