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Learn more about homeopathy here...
What is homeopathy?
The word Homeopathy is made of two Greek words, 'Homois' meaning similar and 'Pathos' for suffering or disease. It is a natural system of medicine that uses highly diluted doses of substances to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism to promote health. The use of homeopathic medicines – popularly known as remedies – is based on the discovery that natural substances are capable of curing the same symptoms that they can cause. By studying the symptoms that develop when a healthy person tests or “proves” a remedy, homeopaths can determine which symptoms the remedy is capable of curing. This is called the Law of Similars or “like cures like.” A simple example of this principle can be seen with the common onion. Slicing an onion can cause symptoms of burning and watery eyes, as well as sneezing and a runny nose. Many hay fever sufferers with symptoms of burning, watery eyes, sneezing, and a runny nose have found dramatic relief after taking homeopathic Allium cepa (the remedy made from red onion). Thus, the substance that can cause symptoms can, as a remedy, also cure them. A homeopathic approach uses minimal doses of medicines to stimulate specific responses in the body and trigger a natural healing response. Symptoms are addressed by treating the underlying cause of the symptoms and not the symptoms themselves. Every time you ingest a substance, it triggers both a primary and a secondary reaction. The primary reaction is a direct result of the substance in your system, e.g., a rush of energy resulting from eating simple carbohydrates – a spike in blood glucose. The secondary reaction is your body’s response to the primary reaction, e.g., a sugar crash (sense of tiredness, lethargy, or irritation) – a drop in blood glucose resulting from the triggered over-production of insulin. As a practitioner, I understand and appreciate the power that homeopathic medicine has to stimulate systemic, deep healing in my patients. Well-selected, individualized homeopathic treatment, given in minimal doses (only enough to trigger and then sustain a healing reaction) is a gentle, but very powerful stimulator of the body's natural healing response. As the body heals, the root causes of the symptoms themselves diminish and then disappear. This is the goal of the homeopathic approach: elimination of the root cause of the symptoms.
Everyone. Since homeopathic medicine is devoid of all chemical toxicity, homeopathy is suitable for everyone, including pregnant women, newborn babies, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
What can homeopathy treat?
Homeopathy can be effective in treating virtually any health issue - from allergies to zoster (shingles) - regardless of whether the origin is physical, mental, or emotional. Your diagnosis is much less important than your unique symptoms. For example, ten people with severe headaches can describe ten different sets of symptoms, each requiring a different remedy. By matching a remedy to your particular symptoms, your homeopath is treating you, not the disease.
The following list represents only some of the most common illnesses homeopaths treat:
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Effects of injuries - including sprains, broken bones, back injuries, head injuries, sports injuries
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Auto-Immune Disorders - including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Lupus, Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, fibromyalgia
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Women's health - including menstrual disorders (prolonged or absent menstruation), menstrual cramping, PMS, infertility, menopausal symptoms, breast/ovarian/uterine tumors, fibroids and cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, prolapse, vaginitis, bladder infections, cervical dysplasia (abnormal PAP tests), post-partum depression, breast infections during breast-feeding, sexually transmitted diseases
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Men's health - including prostatitis, prostate enlargement, bladder infections, impotence, sexually transmitted diseases
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Children's health - including teething, ear infections, frequent colds, asthma, tonsillitis, childhood infectious diseases such as measles and chickenpox, attention deficit and hyperactivity, developmental or learning disorders, behaviour disorders
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Emotional disorders - including depression, anxiety, phobias, grief, post-traumatic/abuse disorder
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Musculoskeletal - including arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, tennis elbow, repetitive strain injury, fibromyalgia
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Back and neck conditions - including lower back pain, back injuries, sciatica, cervical pain and stiffness, whiplash
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Gastrointestinal - including irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, Crohn's, hemorrhoids, gastritis, peptic ulcers, gall bladder stones and inflammations, chronic constipation or diarrhea, chronic heartburn, reflux oesophagitis, parasites, hepatitis, jaundice
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Respiratory - including asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic coughs
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Nervous system - including shingles, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, neuropathy, neuralgia, paralysis, restless legs syndrome, tics and twitches, Tourette's, Belll's palsy
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Cardiovascular - including angina pectoris, Raynaud's, ischemia, heart conditions
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Colds, influenza, coughs, tonsillitis, sore throats, strep throat
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Sinusitis and rhinitis
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Headaches, migraines and neuralgias
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Allergies - including hay fever, allergic rhinitis, food allergies, multiple sensitivities
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Infections - including ear infections, bladder infections, vaginitis, prostatitis, and other types of infections
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Urinary - including bladder infections, kidney infections, kidney stones, incontinence
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Skin conditions - including eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, fungal infections, boils, abscesses, growths, acne, impetigo, herpes
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Balance and dizziness disorders - including Meniere's and other diseases of the inner ear, as well as non-specific vertigo
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Symptoms of pregnancy - nausea of pregnancy, hemorrhoids
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Mononucleosis
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Chronic fatigue
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Fibromyalgia and other forms of chronic pain
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Environmental illness
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Attention deficit and hyperactivity
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Poor concentration, forgetfulness
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Obsessive-compulsive disorders
What are homeopathic remedies?
Homeopathic remedies are prepared from diluted substances such as plants, minerals, or animal products, which are repeatedly diluted and succussed (vigorously shaken). As this standardized process of dilution and succussion continues, the remedy becomes more and more powerful. This method is called potentization and it is the hallmark of all homeopathic remedies. The extreme dilution used in the preparation of homeopathic remedies renders them non-toxic and safe for everyone of all ages, even during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. In the preparation of homeopathic medicine, the material dose that triggers the primary reaction is removed, leaving only enough of a substance to trigger a secondary reaction. When you take the appropriate homeopathic medicine, your body responds as if you have ingested a large amount of the material substance, and a secondary reaction is triggered. (See What is homeopathy? for more information on primary and secondary reactions) Using only this knowledge, disregarding the fundamental principles of homeopathy, it is possible to use broadly selected homeopathic medicine in high doses with frequent dosing to force a patient’s body to temporarily respond to homeopathic medicines. With this approach, palliation will last only as long as the dosing continues, and the symptoms will eventually return. For immediate relief of some minor acute conditions, this may not be a bad thing. However, this approach only takes advantage of the ability of a homeopathic medicine to elicit a secondary response and ignores the idea that the body can be triggered to heal itself.
Is homeopathy new?
No, homeopathy has been used worldwide for over 200 years. It is recognized by the World Health Organization as the second most widely used therapeutic system in the world. Millions of people benefit from homeopathy. References to the basic principles of homeopathy are found in ancient writings and in the traditions of native medicines. These principles were re-discovered over 200 years ago by German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) who developed them into the science that he called Homeopathy – from the Greek words homoios (similar) and pathos (disease or suffering). This new system of healing quickly spread throughout Europe and beyond. Members of Britain’s Royal Family have used it since Queen Victoria’s reign. By the late 1800s, homeopathy had become one of the most popular healthcare systems in North America, valued by both doctors and families using home remedy kits. The popularity of homeopathy declined in the early 20th century with the advent of pharmaceutical drugs and other modern therapies. In recent decades, however, as many people have turned to alternate forms of medicine to avoid side-effects from conventional treatment, the use of homeopathy has exploded throughout most parts of the world. It is now an accepted form of medicine in many European and Latin American countries, the UK, and India. In North America, the most common approach to prescribing homeopathy is known as Classical homeopathy, which is based on the selection of a single remedy that most closely matches your symptoms at a particular time and then waiting to observe your response before administering another remedy. This method focuses on the underlying disturbance or dis-ease that causes the symptoms, rather than on the symptoms themselves. Classical homeopathic treatment is sometimes referred to as Hahnemannian or constitutional prescribing.
What kind of training is required to become a homeopath?
Homeopathy is practiced by professional homeopaths and some naturopaths. Homeopaths must take a 3-4 year accredited training program at a recognized homeopathic college. Homeopathic training includes training in medical sciences (the basic applied sciences, medical and clinical sciences - anatomy, physiology, pathology, physical examination) nutrition, pharmacology, homeopathic diagnosis -education in conventional diagnosis-, homeopathic philosophy and therapeutics, as well as hundreds of hours of supervised clinical experience. Professional Development Credits are required annually to upgrade their skills and knowledge and contribute to their profession. I studied with the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine, which is the only Canadian homeopathic college accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Homeopathic Education in North America (ACHENA).
What is the difference between homeopathy and naturopathy?
Homeopathy is one part of the spectrum of treatment that is called ‘naturopathy’. A homeopaths studies are focused on one method of healing, whereas naturopaths study a variety of healing techniques. Homeopathic medicines themselves are different from naturopathic herbal remedies in that they have been diluted to a micro-dose of their original substance.
Can I use homeopathy to treat myself, or my family or pets?
Yes, you can easily learn to treat simple first aid conditions such as cuts and burns, sprains and strains, insect bites and stings, and much more. You can also learn how to use homeopathy for minor acute conditions ranging from common colds to constipation, from indigestion to insomnia, from mastitis to morning sickness, and from toothaches to travel sickness. When administered correctly, it is a safe and inexpensive method of health care for humans and animals alike. You should not attempt to treat any serious or persistent condition, and if a minor complaint doesn't respond to your treatment, you should seek professional help. Tammy will be offering information sessions to help you grow your knowledge and understanding of homeopathic medicine, so you can treat yourself and your loved ones at home for minor ailments.
Do I have to take a bunch of supplements?
Typically no. In Classical Homeopathy, we typically prescribe a single remedy that most closely matches your symptoms and observe your response before administering another remedy. This method focuses on the underlying disturbance or dis-ease that causes the symptoms , rather than the symptoms themselves. As a Holistic Nutritionist I will look at diet and lifestyle choices and may recommend some changes to you in order to improve and speed up your healing process. Classical homeopathy is sometimes referred to as constitutional prescribing.