HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy is a form of holistic medicine used by over 200 million people worldwide to treat both acute and chronic conditions. It is based on the principle of like cures like – in other words, a substance taken in small amounts will cure the same symptoms it causes if it was taken in large amounts. This concept is sometimes used in conventional medicine, for example, the stimulant Ritalin is used to treat patients with ADHD, or small doses of allergens such as pollen are sometimes used to de-sensitise allergic patients, and the venom of snakes used to create the anti-venom.

Homeopathic medicines are manufactured using a process combining serial dilution and succession, and are perfectly safe to use for babies, children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, who are under the supervision of a medically-qualified practitioner.

Contrary to popular belief, ‘homeopathy’ is not the same as herbal medicine. It is a system of medicine which involves treating the individual with highly diluted substances, given mainly in tablet form, with the aim of triggering the body’s natural system of healing.Based on their specific symptoms, a qualified homeopathic doctor will match the most appropriate medicine to each patient.

As yet, science has not been able to explain the mechanism of action of ultra high dilutions in the body, but laboratory experiments have demonstrated that substances prepared for homeopathy can cause biological effects and are distinct from ‘pure water’, as some sceptics have suggested.  There is a growing body of research into homeopathy in practice that supports the suggestion that homeopathy can be effective, cost- effective and safe as a treatment option.

Homeopathy has been integrated into the healthcare systems of many European countries including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Portugal. In India homeopathy is one of the most popular forms of medicine. Today there are over 200,000 registered homeopathic practitioners, 215 homeopathic hospitals and 7,000 homeopathic dispensaries.