Well Tuned Naturally

Homeopathy is a system of medicinal treatment that would be considered a form of alternative medicine. The homeopathic system of treatment is based on two principles: Law of Similars and Potentization.

Law of Similars

Back in 1796 a German physician by the name of Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann published a paper in which he detailed his principle that “likes are cured by likes”. Hahnemann claimed that quinine, a medicine widely used for successful treatment of malaria, produced symptoms of malaria in a healthy person. The patients of malaria were treated with a medicine which created the same symptoms as those created by the disease. The observations with quinine and other medicines led Hahnemann to his “Law of Similars”.

Four years later Hahnemann advanced his doctrine of “potentization of dynamization” which stated that medicines in small doses effectively exerted their curative power.

Potentization

Potentization is a process by which medicine is diluted in precise steps and subjected to a vigorous shaking action called “succussion”. This process brings about an energetic change that gives medicines a deeper curative effect. Repeated dilution ensures that the medicine has no toxic effect. This allows homeopathic use of many substances which would be unsafe under normal conditions.

Homeopathy is relatively young – just over 200 years old. New medicines and treatments are constantly being evolved and documented. Such research studies are called “provings”, after a German word meaning ‘test’. As a result of these research studies, Homeopathy is used in a wide variety of health conditions.

Lower Concentrations More Effective

Homeopathic medicines do not work strictly by chemical action. At ‘higher potency’ the medicine is diluted so much that concentration of original medicine reduces to insignificant level. Yet at these lower concentrations, the medicines not only work, they are more effective. The “potentization” process brings energetic change in the medicine. In turn the medicine stimulates the body’s defense mechanism to fight the cause of disorder. This approach produces more stable cure as compared to treatment with drugs. Direct chemical action of the drugs often produces harmful side effects. Homeopathic medicines on the other hand have no or little side effects. They are safe and non-toxic.

Two centuries of existence has firmly established homeopathy. It is accepted form of treatment in many parts of the world. However, the theory of homeopathy is inconsistent with known laws of science; therefore the critics often dismiss it as pseudoscience and quackery.

While critics dismiss it as an effective treatment method, those who have been helped have a different opinion. Because homeopathic medicines have a relatively slow but lasting effect, they are not first choice in emergency situations, but do have their place in many others.