Homeopathy Q & A

Homeopathic remedies are made from countless sources

What is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is a method of holistic healing. It is based on the fundamental law of nature, like cures like, which has been written about at various times throughout history. Hippocrates (460 – 377BC) wrote, “By similar things a disease is produced and through the application of the like is cured.”

How is homeopathy different from standard healthcare? One major difference is that homeopaths look at the whole person, not just one part. A dermatologist looks at skin, an ophthalmologist looks at eyes, an ENT looks at ears, noses, and throats, and a psychiatrist looks at the mind. A homeopath looks at the whole person.

Why is looking at the whole person desirable? Standard doctors have protocols that treat the illness, regardless of the individual. Homeopaths treat the individual, regardless of the diagnosis. In this way, people receive a highly specific treatment that addresses their whole being, not just the ailment. In the process of being treated homeopathically, one will often hear that the remedy taken for ailment “A” also cleared up ailment “B” – something chronic the person had learned to live with over the years.

In homeopathy, there are many remedies that help a specific ailment (eczema, whooping cough, asthma, depression, otitis media, or whatever diagnosis is given). But the main goal in homeopathy is to find the remedy that best fits the whole person, which goes beyond fitting the ailment alone.

How do homeopaths understand a whole person? By asking many questions and listening carefully to the answers, a homeopath comes to understand a client’s general constitution.

An initial homeopathic consultation often takes well over an hour. Questions related to the ailment hone-in on the details of that ailment. For example, asthma has an array of triggers, depending on the person. Homeopaths are interested in the exact triggers of the asthma, and what the person does to feel better (in lieu of medication). Some might breathe better by lying down; another person might breathe more easily by getting into the fresh air. The scenarios of amelioration are numerous, and a homeopath will discover what they are. More general questions during the initial consultation include temperature preferences, food and drink preferences and aversions, sleep patterns, dreams and more!

When do I take a remedy, and how often? The dosing of homeopathic remedies is also individualized. The homeopath takes into consideration the age and vitality of a person, as well as whether or not the illness is acute or chronic.

Why do some say that homeopathy is only placebo? Homeopathic remedies are highly diluted substances and some people find it impossible to connect a result with something they cannot see with their eyes. Yet sound waves and radio frequencies are invisible, and we know they exist and have an impact. Homeopathic remedies also have an impact, particularly when their energetic patterns closely match the energetic patterns of the disease. The best argument against the placebo claim is to remember that animals and babies are also helped by homeopathy.

Where can I find a homeopath? There are many good homeopaths. It’s good to get a referral, just as you would for any medical doctor, but many homeopaths also offer a free 15-minute chat that can help to determine if the two of you are a good fit for one another.

Rudy's homeopathic miracle

by Lucille Locklin

RUDY

This is a story about my dog, Rudy, whose buoyant presence enriched our family from 2001 to 2013.

I found one-year-old Rudy on the way home from work one rainy day. He was sitting in the median of a highway, his tongue lolling out happily as he watched the cars go by. I stopped and got him out of the median and took him home.

We looked for his owners and it wasn’t hard to find them. This beautiful chow-golden mix loved to go exploring whenever he had the chance, so the local pound knew how to track down the nice people who had raised him from puppyhood. They took the dog they called Dale back home, but it turned out that we had wormed our way into his heart (and vice versa) in the two weeks that we had doted on him. He pined for us so much that they returned Dale—now Rudy again—back to us.

But Rudy still enjoyed his breakout explorations, so his veterinarian recommended that he get neutered, which he was. After the surgery Rudy wasn’t a happy dog. His sad demeanor was noticed by us all, and he began having accidents in the house, something he had never done before. Luckily, I knew about Staphysagria, the homeopathic plant remedy made from Knight’s spur. It is well-known for its success after surgical procedures and has a keynote of relieving trauma in the urogenital area. Anyone who has been catheterized could try a dose, even if the tissue damage is mild. Staphysagria is also an excellent remedy to remove feelings of victimization or indignation.

Rudy only needed one dose of Staphysagria, placed in his water. Ten minutes after lapping up the remedy, he transformed back into his happy self…no more moping, no more accidents, no more sad and accusing eyes. In fact, his reaction was one of the miracle cures of homeopathy! Some homeopathic cases take more than one remedy to resolve, but every homeopath loves the miracle cure when it comes along.

A quick question for any homeopathic naysayers out there: How is homeopathy only a placebo effect when it helps animals? Rudy had no idea that he had taken a remedy, and yet he was cured.