WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY?

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy was developed over 200 years ago by German physician Samuel Hahnemann, based on principles going back hundreds of years to the likes of Paracelsus & Hippocrates.

The practice of homeopathy is based on the Law of Similars, which means that a substance which can cause symptoms when taken in large doses by healthy people, will cure similar symptoms if taken in minute doses by sick people.

The smallness of the dose is very important, and the second rule of homeopathy is known as the Minimum Dose. Extreme dilution and succussion (or shaking) enhances the medicine’s curative properties, and all undesirable side-effects are lost.

For example, Allium Cepa is made from the onion, and is used in homeopathic potency to treat colds & hayfever which present with runny noses, itchy, watery eyes, discharges that burn & irritate the skin and a lot of sneezing, the very symptoms you may develop when peeling & chopping onions!

Homeopathy treats the whole person, not just the symptoms.

There are over 4000 different homeopathic remedies, so we as homeopaths need to know as much as possible about you, in order to prescribe the correct homeopathic remedy for you.

Disease is the disturbance of the vitality of the whole person, which can be expressed on any level – mental, physical, emotional or spiritual. It is the patient who requires treatment, not the symptoms, and homeopathy treats the whole person on all levels, not just the visible ones (i.e. the symptoms).

For example, two people with Arthritis may have been labelled with the same disease, but their symptoms may differ dramatically, and we believe that the treatment should differ accordingly. Some arthritis pains become worse in cold, damp weather, causing stiffness & discomfort, but another person’s pains may feel worse in the heat of summer, which increases the inflammation in their joints. There is no point giving both these people the same treatment. Homeopaths give individualised treatments for individual patients.

Instead of giving drugs to mask the symptoms of disease (e.g. painkillers, which by masking pain can actually encourage the sufferer to do themselves more damage, as they cannot hear their body telling them to stop the self-destruction), homeopathy aims to stimulate the body’s own healing forces (the Vital Force) to combat the deep-seated causes, with one remedy for all symptoms, in the minimum number of doses. As a result, the symptoms will disappear.

 

If you have a chronic, deep seated or long-term illness we strongly advise you seek the help of a fully qualified, experienced and insured homeopath. 

In the case of acute illness (e.g. chicken pox, fevers, colds, digestive upsets), a limited number of homeopathic remedies appear to work best. These are known as “specific remedies,” and make prescribing in these instances easier for the “novice.” With accurate information and advice on choosing the correct remedy, most people can easily treat themselves and their family during minor complaints.

 

Why not attend one of my fun, informal and highly informative courses, which give you greater confidence in prescribing for your own family? See our Events page. Contact us for dates and details or if you would like to organise a workshop / course in your area.

When used correctly Homeopathic remedies are safe, non-toxic, non-addictive & pleasant to take. They will not interact with any other medicines you may be taking, and they will not produce side-effects. This makes the practice of homeopathy safe for everyone, from babies to geriatrics, including pregnant & nursing mothers. This means that with the right guidance, anyone can use homeopathic remedies to treat minor ailments.

 

Clare’s journey into Homeopathy

Why homeopathy? What’s it all about? How can it help me? These are just some of the questions I asked myself when I was advised to try homeopathy.

I’d had a deep vein thrombosis, endured months on Warfarin, years on painkillers and the indignity of surgical stockings and elastic bandages. I decided that even though I knew nothing about homeopathy, it couldn’t make me feel any worse than I already did.

I was pleasantly surprised. The consultation lasted 1 & 1/2 hours. The homeopath was interested in me, not just the blood clot in my leg. She made her prescription based on my personality, medical history and personal history. She told me the remedy would work on all levels – mental, physical and emotional. “Funny,” I thought, “I’ve only come about my painful, swollen legs and my limp.”

I’d forgotten that living with pain for 4 years had made me miserable, that my social life was virtually non-existent, that my quality of life was poor.

What a difference those few little white tablets made. The lift in my spirits was truly amazing. Within 3 appointments my legs were back to normal – no pain, no oedema, no limp.

I was so impressed I attended a basic homeopathy course and began using homeopathic remedies at home for accidents and minor ailments.

My next encounter with homeopathy came when my little 2yr old cat was hit by a minibus, and was so badly injured that the vet wanted to amputate her leg. I contacted a homeopathic vet who gave me invaluable advice, and to cut a long story short, Lucy’s leg was saved incredibly quickly, and like me, she didn’t even have a limp. So that put paid to any placebo effect theories – Lucy had no idea I was giving her Homeopathic remedies to help her bones heal. She lived another 16 1/2 years, without even developing arthritis in that leg!

I resolved to study this fascinating subject. I wanted to make a real difference in people’s lives in the same way as my homeopath had in mine. I wanted to be able to offer hope and an alternative to people who had reached the end of their tether, and their GP’s prescription pads.

People whose medication was making them feel worse than their original condition, or who needed to take more medication to counteract the side effects of their original prescription. I wanted to be able to offer a real improved quality of life, not just suppression of symptoms.

I particularly liked the fact that the cure comes from the correct match of the patient and their remedy working together in harmony. I wanted to be able to facilitate this process. So, I enrolled at the Northern College of Homeopathic Medicine. My first step on my road to a new life.

However, my excitement was short lived. Within months of enrolling at College I contracted Scarlet Fever. As time went by my condition worsened. I was exhausted all the time. Every joint and muscle ached. I had constant headaches, skin rashes, visual disturbances, tinnitus, raging fevers and recurring infections. I couldn’t sleep at night and had no energy during the day. Now what? My course fees were paid. Yet again I felt I had nothing to lose. I went to college. My fellow students carried my books and ensured I had the comfy armchair in class. They took notes for me when I fell asleep in lectures. The lecturers were extremely caring and understanding.

It took almost a year of referrals to almost every consultant in the region before my GP confirmed I had M.E. or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In time I was retired from work on medical grounds. I abandoned conventional medicine and returned to the care of my homeopath, and steadily my symptoms began to disappear.

At the end of four years I proudly graduated from college. I was literally a new woman – great health, great colleagues and a great vocation. I have not looked back from that day. I have boundless energy (take a look through my website to see just how much energy & enthusiasm!).

M.E.? What M.E.?

So, why homeopathy? Because it worked for me and countless happy patients.

What’s it all about? Come to my self-help classes to find out.

How can it help you? Contact me to find out – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Believe me, I know.