Homeopathic Remedies
The word 'homeopathy' comes from two Greek words: 'omio'- meaning 'same', and 'pathos' - meaning 'suffering'.
A homeopathic remedy is one which produces the same symptoms as those the sick person complains of, and in doing so sharply provokes the body into throwing the sickness off. Homeopathic remedies contain certain chemicals in precise amounts which, in healthy people, cause the same symptoms as are suffered from by the ill person.
The most effective remedy is always the one which matches 3 things: the physical symptoms, the mental and emotional symptoms and the general sensitivities of the person concerned.
Most homeopathic remedies are available in centesimal potencies, that is, successfully diluted by a factor of 100. 6c is the potency recommended for most acute or self-limiting ailments and 30c the potency recommended in chronic conditions or emergencies. 6c = 1 drop diluted into 100 drops of the carrier 6 times.
30c remedies are many many more times potent in homeopathic terms although they contain much less of the original substance. The reason for this isn't fully understood, but it is believed that the minute amount triggers the highly sensitive and instinctive part of our bodily defense system (known to homepaths as the 'Vital Force'). Homeopathy is not the cure for the illness, it merely gives our bodies a prod in the right direction towards healing itself. Helping the body to help itself, which as any of you who have contacted me will know, is something I believe to be incredibly empowering.
In outbreaks of acute infection where the basic symptoms are the same for most people (eg. measles) the same remedy could routinely be prescribed for those afflicted. The same remedy can also be prescribed as a preventative.
The cure takes place in reverse order to the onset of symptoms. Other homeopathic laws state that:
1. Small stimuli encourage living systems, medium stimuli impede them and strong stimuli tend to stop or destroy them altogether. (Arndt's Law)
2. The quantity of action necessary to effect a change in nature is the least possible, and the decisive amount is always the minimum.
3. Functional symptoms are produced by the Vital Force in exact proportion to the profundity of the disturbance, and functional symptoms come before structural change.
For more information, read: 'A Family Guide to Homeopathy' By Dr Andrew Lockie, you are also strongly recommended to consult your doctor before discontinuing medication in favour of a homeopathic remedy and should do so under the supervision of a registered and qualified homeopath.