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•	What is Homeopathy
•	Types of Homeopathy
•	Where Did it Originate
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Homeopathy

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a gentle, holistic system of healing, which is considered a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)Health care systems, practices and products not currently considered part of conventional medicine and defined by its users as preventing or treating illness, or promoting health and well-being. The term Homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning “similar,” and pathos, meaning “suffering.” 

Homeopathy involves using highly diluted “remedies” of a specific substance (or substances) which in higher doses would actually cause the illness or symptom being experienced.  Based on the theory of treating “like with like,” Homeopathic remedies serve to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities.  For example, symptoms of a throbbing headache may be treated with a remedy of belladonna (which at full strength would actually cause the throbbing headache).

Similar principles form the basis of conventional allergy treatment, where the allergic substance is given in a small dose, and in vaccines where a weak form of the virus is given to boost the immune system against that particular virus.

Plant, animal or mineral extracts are used in Homeopathic remedies and are diluted thousands of times, usually in a water/alcohol combination.  Each remedy is prepared by diluting 1 drop of the original substance in 99 drop of water/alcohol, the mixture of which is then shaken vigorously.   One drop of this resulting mixture is added to 99 more drops of water/alcohol, and then shaken vigorously.  This process is repeated until the resulting solution is diluted to usually contain less than one molecule of the original extract (around 1 to 1,000,000,000,000).

Vigorous shaking of the solution is considered to make the remedy more effective and also reduce potential side effects.  Dilution may also continue to a point where the molecules of the original substance are gone, but the therapeutic effect remains due to the remedy holding the “memory” or absorbing the “vital essence” of the original extract.

Whereas conventional medicine focuses on 1) pain relief, and 2) eradicating the disease, Homeopathy holds that the disease is not external but is an internal imbalance which is expressing itself in symptoms.  Homeopathy draws out the symptoms and assists the body to begin healing itself by stimulating the body's natural defenses.  With conventional medicine, individuals who are diagnosed with the same condition will all typically be given the same medication, whereas with Homeopathy, each person will be treated individually based on the entire "symptom picture" of the person, including their state of mind, lifestyle, diet, and emotional characteristics.

Homeopathic remedies are so extremely diluted, they are considered non toxic and have no known side effects.  They can be used on people from all walks of life from babies, to the elderly, and pregnant women.  Homeopathy is often used to compliment conventional medicine and there is considered little to no danger with medicine interactions due to the extreme dilution of the remedies.  However, as with all CAM, it is important to discuss any alternative therapies that you are considering using with your doctor.

The World Health Organization noted in 1994 that Homeopathy had been integrated into the national health care systems of numerous countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Mexico. 

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