Homeopathy: A Misunderstood But Important Modality
A friend of mine has two kids both currently completing pre-med studies at different colleges and applying to medical schools. When I recently suggested they consider naturopathic or homeopathic options their reactions were typical of the uninformed. I was a little saddened at the prospect of two young, bright, would-be doctors entering the very broken conventional medical industry where they would be brain-washed from day one that only expensive pharmaceuticals and surgeries are the way to treat health issues.
Homeopathy is perhaps the most misunderstood of the various “alternative” modalities that can address illness much more effectively and safely than conventional medicine. It is scientifically rigorous and used all over the world, often as fully complementary to conventional medicine by conventionally trained physicians.
While I touch on homeopathy briefly in my first book, I recently learned a lot more about the practice from a new movie that has just been released Introducing Homeopathy which I highly recommend. It intersperses the latest science and research with the stories of several patients with widely differing conditions that homeopathy cured. I’ll be covering it in more detail in my next book as it is particularly useful for children and infants.
Homeopathy Basics
The founder of homeopathy was Dr Samuel Hahnemann, a brilliant scientist born in Germany in 1755. He discovered one of the foundational principles of homeopathy (and the basis of its name) – the law of similars. The principle is that a substance will help to heal symptoms similar to those it is known to cause. Homeopathic remedies are any plant, mineral or animal that when given to healthy people cause certain symptoms.
A second principle – the use of minute doses or potentization – is part of the reason homeopathic remedies are so safe. The substances are heavily diluted in distilled water, shaken vigorously and diluted again to reach potencies denoted 12x or 24x (indicating they have been diluted 1:10 parts, 12 times or 24 times) and even 3c and 12c (indicating they have been diluted 1:100 parts, 3 times or 12 times). The laws of physics indicate that if something has been diluted in this way at least 24x there is unlikely to be any molecules of the original substance left. This is where a lot of the skepticism arises. Yet the science actually shows that the more the substance is diluted, the more powerful the remedy, and the fewer doses are needed.
Another principle of homeopathy is to recognize the pattern of symptoms. A person’s condition is not simply the label (they have the flu) or the main symptom (a headache) but a combination of all the physical, emotional and mental symptoms they are experiencing. It recognizes each person as an individual who may experience a particular illness (like the flu) differently to everyone else in their family, and require a different remedy.
Commercial homeopathy treatments do exist to combat “the flu” but they tend to be combination therapies to try and address different symptom clusters.
The fourth principle of homeopathy is to understand the healing process itself. It recognizes symptoms as the body’s way of trying to heal. The body creates fevers to make the environment inhospitable to invading germs. Inflammation can help isolate foreign substances. Nasal discharge helps excrete dead viruses and white blood cells. Pain draws attention to an injury and condition that needs to be treated.
Conventional medicine works against the body by trying to suppress these symptoms which often ends up making matters worse. Its why the homeopaths dubbed the orthodox physicians “allopaths” back in the 19th century and we still refer to allopathic medicine.
As an example, one common homeopathic remedy for the common cold is Allium cepa made from onions. As onions often make our eyes water and our noses run, the remedy is stimulating processes the body is already using. I like to compare it to the idea of noise-cancelling headphones which identify a soundwave and in producing an exact inverse wave, cancels it out, producing silence.
Safety and Efficacy
The underlying explanation of how homeopathy works was a mystery until more recent scientific developments came to light. But there are many conventional medicines that we don’t actually know how they work. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) remains a mystery as a pain reliever, and aspirin has only recently been understood. It doesn’t deter billions of doses of acetaminophen being taken even though it has a dubious safety record due to its toxic effects on the liver.
Homeopathic remedies on the other hand are extremely safe and non-toxic even if a child were to consume a whole vial of a remedy. They are highly regulated by the FDA (in the US) and the MHRA (in the UK) being denoted as over-the-counter drugs available to anyone without a prescription.
Homeopathy tends to be much more accepted in the UK and Europe, with many conventionally trained physicians also using homeopathy. Growing up in the UK, my pharmacist Mum would always reach for a bottle of Arnica to remedy any sprains and scrapes I got into (which was often!). I didn’t view it as anything unusual and have used Arnica regularly in my own family.
The Homeopathy Research Institute is a UK-based charity that was established to promote research into homeopathy, how it works, what it can treat, and how it compares to conventional treatments and other modalities. It is now internationally recognized and holds a bi-annual conference attracting some of the brightest minds in science and medicine.
Many people don’t realize there are hundreds of rigorous double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials on homeopathic remedies. You can browse some of the research here.
One vocal supporter of homeopathy was the eminent Dr Luc Montagnier who won a Nobel prize for discovering the human immunodeficiency virus (better known as HIV and involved in the development of AIDS). While principally a virologist, his genius led him to broad scientific research for the truth. His 2010 published paper on DNA Waves and Water provided evidence for the existence of water “imprinting” and the foundations for understanding how homeopathy works. While much of his work is above my head, I have always been fascinated by the science of water and how God uses water in the body and in nature at a level we do not yet fully understand.
The Benefits for Children
While homeopathy has wide applications, in animals (veterinary and farm use) and plants, as well as in humans, its benefits are particularly helpful when used in the care of children and infants.
Conventional medicines have their downsides for everyone, but they can be particularly detrimental to the younger crowd. Most have not been formally tested on children and their safety and effectiveness therefore not established. Children are not little adults. Their systems have not developed fully and the harsh effects of conventional medicines can be unpredictable and downright dangerous.
Plus, so much of what ails the littlest humans is of a viral nature, and conventional medicine just doesn’t have any good options to treat them. Antibiotics are not effective against influenza, gastroenteritis or the hundreds of viruses that opportunistically invade little bodies with underdeveloped immune systems. So called antivirals like Tamiflu are of little use with potentially serious side effects.
Homeopathic remedies are extremely palatable to children. They commonly come in little pellets or pills that dissolve under the tongue and have a slight sweetness to them. The pellets can be crushed between two spoons and easily given to infants.
My children are now young adults but I wish I had been more informed of homeopathy benefits when they were little. Many pediatricians are becoming more aware though and getting additional training which can be completed online and part-time. For those who are not already MD’s or naturopathic doctors, the training takes longer, to make sure topics like anatomy and physiology are fully covered, but can usually be completed in 3-4 years.
One book I would recommend as invaluable to families is Dana Ullman’s Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants. In addition to an explanation of homeopathy and how to use homeopathic medicines, it provides an alphabetical list of common ailments in children and what are the most useful remedies depending on a detailed symptom assessment. From allergies, asthma, and bedwetting to sunburns, teething and x-ray exposure. Dana has dedicated his life to educating the medical profession and public on homeopathy topics. He’s authored several books and now consults to the World Health Organization.
Worth a Try
I’ve provided a bunch of resources below so you can look into this modality further. While many acute conditions can be treated at home with a little research and knowledge, for ongoing chronic illnesses you need the expertise of a trained homeopath. Homeopathy doesn’t negate the need for healthy living, whole food, sleep, supplements, regular movement and avoidance of toxins, but it is a valuable modality when lifestyle adjustments aren’t reversing the condition.
You might need to just give it a go to see it in action.
For my friend’s kids currently assessing which medical school to attend, I hope they will give some weight to consider the very valid options that are likely to lead to a more rewarding career. The world will be a better place with two less conventional doctors, now focused on true healing.
