Homeopathy

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How many of you guys use homeopathy to treat your health issues? I'm really interested in hearing how it has worked (or didn't work) for other people. I have to admit that homeopathy is one healing system that I just don't understand. I'm OK with the theory of using like to cure like, but my mind is having a lot of problems coping with the premise that diluting something out until there's nothing left makes the substance even stronger. (I have a degree in Medical Technology/Immunology and have worked as a research chemist, so I have a lot of mental biases to overcome)The main reason why I've decided not to become a ND is because of all the homeopathy involved and I don't want to practice a healing system that I don't believe in.

Please understand that I'm not trying to say that homeopathy is wrong or doesn't work. I'm hoping that you'll be able to help me realize that it does work. My background has given me some very stubborn mental biases that I'm working very hard to overcome, and I need your help.

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001

Answers

Sherri, I used to take my kids and I to a Homeopathic Dr. to tell you the truth I couldn't say if it worked any better then any other kind of Doctoren. But one thing is for sure he sure spent alot of time getting to know us and asked alot of questions. I really liked that about him. The Dr. we go to now, believes also in natural remidies but we are only in her office for about 5 minutes, and I doubt if she would reconize us if we bumbed into her on the street.

Now one homeopathic thing that I know works because it worked a miricle for me and that is eating local honey if you are allergic to any pollin in your area.

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001


Hey Sherri, I go regularly to an acupuncturist who also practices Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and homeopathy (and other stuff too). So that is what my 'knowledge' is based upon, plus some reading.

First, let me say that I think that believing in the effectiveness of something makes it more likely to help you, and conversely, believing it something is worthless will work against it helping you. Our minds are more powerful allies in our health than was realized until recent years, and IMO, we really don't know yet the full extent of the mind's role and power in healing.

Beyond that, however, yes, homeopathy HAS worked for me. It usually isn't a FAST cure, especially if something is chronic, deepseated, or merely one component of something else that is wrong. There have been many times with homeopathy remedies that I am not SURE they've done any good. One primary example is when I've had a cold coming on, and my practitioner gives me a remedy (or three or four!). The cold symptoms are mild and go away soon. Is that due to the homeopathy or was it going to be a mild cold anyway? It's really hard to tell!

However, here are some examples of it working: I was having shooting pains in two front teeth for no apparent reason. It was waking me up, and flaring at times during the day. I went to my practitioner ASAP, because this REALLY hurt. She did some energy testing, which showed that I needed a particular remedy (she has whole trays of them which she tests you for need). She said she didn't ever remember having that one come up and it was in German and she couldn't even read what it was -- had to look it up in one of her books. Well guess what, it was for ostitis -- inflammation of the root canal.

So, she gave me the remedy, and I started taking it (standard method, 10 drops under the tongue), plus making sure to swish some around the affected teeth. I got QUICK improvement, but it didn't go away entirely. Then I woke up one time and discovered that I was clenching those particular teeth in my sleep. Once I told myself not to clench those teeth and not to sleep in that position, I quit clenching my teeth. Then the condition was able to clear up.

Then, after I'd had time to forget about that, I had some work done on two other teeth, and ended up with shooting pains from those too. That's the incident that I posted here a few months back, July maybe. When I remembered the homeopathic remedy and tried that, it was amazing! The pain that Advil had only dulled, the remedy took away. It flared up a few times, but I'd just take more of the remedy, and the pain would soon leave.

That is just one of the success stories. I don't know why I FORGET in between.

How about flower essences, such as Bach Flower Remedies? Those are the essence of the flower diluted down many times. My practitioner gave me one of those for anger and frustration when I was having trouble with that, and it really did help. I'd take a dose and be much more calm within 15-30 minutes.

Ask anything else, if I didn't answer enough or if you think of something else.

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001


Sherri, I don't have near the qualifications you have but have the same biases. One event that happened to my wife really opened my eyes.

My wife used to get kidney infections a lot; twice a year was the norm. She drank cranberry juice and stayed hydrated as much as possible. She went to all kinds of specialists and even had surgery to no avail. She then went to a doctor in Mexico (we live extremely near the border), where the doctor told her to buy Jamaica tea. The latin(?) name on the box is Hibiscus sabdariffa. That is all it took. As long as my wife drinks it at least once a month (tastes a little bitter), she has had NO INFECTIONS the past three years. The next time my wife visited with one of the specialists, the doctor was surprised to see my wifes condition. When she asked my wife what happened, my wife told the doctor about the tea. The doctor was flabbergasted; couldn't say a thing.

I don't know if this experience is indicative of all homeopathy treatments, it is just one experience I have seen first hand.

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001


Sheri... I couldn't live without homeopathy here ... I have raised 7 kids on it... and have one grandson that uses too...

I learned of homeopathy over 26 years ago... before I had kids... and I started them all on it...

my regular MD... whom we seldom see... camp and atheltic forms to be filled out you know... knows I'm into herbs and homeopathy... he shrugs his shoulders...

my kits have saved thousands of $$$$ by going to them... tho I don't have a doctor around... I dig into books that help the lay person...

I can say that arnica is the biggest one item we use... a bottle over 5000 (yes, five thousand) lasts about 3 years... we go through it for sore muscles, overexecertion and you name it.... dental work...

then apis, ledum for bee and wasp stings...

and right down the line...

for me... I totally believe in it!!!!!

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001


Folks, homeopathy and naturopathy are not the same thing.Naturopathy is like ..the practise of natural medicine..accupuncture,reflexology,iridology,kinesiology,herbs,touch for health,homeopathy etc.But homeopathy is a thing all by itself where you use a remedy that in its "first" or original form gives the same symptoms you are trying to treat.For example,belladonna eaten would give you a high fever,quick onset,flushed cheeks....so homeopathic belladonna would be a minute partical of belladonna ,diluted sometimes 1000 or more times given to relieve the same symptoms.It works on the same premise as a vaccine.Yah,Sherri its a weird thing to get your brain around isn't it!!!LOL.Homeopathy is not the umbrella name for all natural medicines,just so you know...hope that doesn't sound snotty.hugs.Sherri ,you'd probably make a great N.D....you don't have to special in homeopathy,my doc uses it heavily ,but not all do.

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2001


I just posted this over on another thread, but I guess it could stand repeating.

We were doctoring one of the geldings, who is quite a knob at times, and on this particular evening, he didn't much like what his vet (and owner) was doing. He was getting progressively lighter on the front end and eventually he went all the way up, then came straight down, with steel shod hooves no less, onto the feet of the barn manager, Jayme. At first we thought that her feet were broken, luckily the vet was able to look at them and pretty much ascertain that nothing seemed broken.

I immediately ran in to my tack trunk, where I keep a small selection of appropriate homeopathic remedies for the horses (and myself) and got out the Arnica 6X and got her taking those orally immediately. Then I slathered Arnica gel onto her feet. I kept pumping the Arnica into her for the first couple of hours, she went home and put some ice on them and continued the arnica gel as well as the 6X.

Next day there was hardly any swelling, and almost no bruising at all, and she had only been wearing thin Ariat paddock boots. She hasn't been a particular believer in homeopathy, but has been interested the times I've been treating the horses with it (she has been an assitant to a conventional vet, and her boyfriend at the time was an EMT). It isn't a complete test because we did use the arnica topically as well, but even I was amazed when she pulled off a shoe to show me her foot the next day, and I'm pretty well convinced about a lot of homeopathic remedies. Part of that, I think, is that I've been using them on my animals, and seeing positive results, and as far as I know, you can't get a placebo to be effective on a horse.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001


Well, Julie, I think it's conclusive. The arnica gel was likely a homeopathic preparation as well -- check the label sometime and see. I've only seen arnica as a homeopathic preparation, including gels and creams -- that's what the Traumeel is. Maybe I didn't make that clear when I posted before. I think arnica as a straight herbal preparation is toxic, but I'm not sure.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001

I'm just about to dash out of the door, but since we're talking about arnica I just had to mention this. I bought tapes of some of the lectures I couldn't attend last week, the one I'm listening to now is by Greg Tillford (another one of my favorites) on "Weed Medicine". He lives in Montana, and about 1 1/2 years ago his land, which was a botanical sanctuary, was burned completely down to bare soil in a major forest fire. Rather than giving up, he is using this disaster as an opportunity to research plant regrowth in heavily damaged areas. What is amazing is that he's finding that the "weeds" that grow back first are the same herbs that we use to treat trauma and burns. One of the very first plants to return was arnica.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001

Sherri, have you ever heard about the sinature of the creator on herbs?I know very little about it but ,it's like damp areas grow plants that help with arthritis etc.And natural arnica creates burns and swelling,contains heat ...isn't it interesting that it was the first to grow back in a place where there was trauma and heat????

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001

There's also something else I've read about, where the cure grows next to the problem. For instance, jewelweed alleviates the effects of poison ivy, and supposedly, they grow right near each other. I don't have any poison ivy (YAY) -- can anyone else confirm this?

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001


Yeah, the doctrine of signatures can be a help in remembering what each of the plants is good for. Another couple of examples are that plants with yellow flowers are good for the liver, while plants with blue or purple flowers are good for the nervous system.

I've heard the saying about the cure growing next to the "problem" plant, but skeptical me wonders if it's just because the cure plants (jewelweed, plantain, etc) grow everywhere! But I'm not going to argue theory when I"ve just brushed up against some nettles. :)

There's also an old Welsh saying that goes "The plant that you need to cure you is the most common weed in your garden."

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001


Okay, I've got a buttload of ground ivy growing here! I mean it. Gill-go-over-the-Ground, whatever you want to call it. What is it that it's trying to tell me?

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

Huh! The most common weed in my garden this year was ironweed. Maybe I'm anemic?!

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

Then I'll be making a LOT of dandelion wine this year!!!

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

Signature plants are used in flower essences... impatiens... for impatience...

this site is unique with signatures and plants...http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/botanytextbooks/economicbota ny/Doctrine/

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001



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