What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a federally recognized form of alternative medicine, backed by thousands of research studies, papers, and clinical trials, that is significantly different from “conventional” Western (allopathic) medicine. Allopathic medicine tends to rely heavily on pharmaceuticals which only cover up your symptoms while causing many side-effects that lead to further imbalance. Conversely, Homeopathy stimulates your body’s own means of healing in order to correct the lurking issue(s) that caused the symptoms in the first place.
It’s regrettable that the word homeopathy begins with “home” because it suggests to the casual bystander that homeopathy is synonymous with home remedies, food supplements, vitamins, herbal medicine and the like, when in reality, Homeopathy does not incorporate any of these modalities.
The word “Homeopathy” is derived from the Greek words “homœo” meaning like or similar, and “pathos” meaning pathology or illness/suffering. So the literal meaning of homeopathy is “similar suffering”. This means that a homeopathic medicine is chosen based upon its ability to mimic the sufferer’s symptoms, which stimulates the body’s own healing mechanisms.
Homeopathy is a scientific system of medicine that was developed in the 18th Century by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician and scholar, whose practice included aristocracy and royalty. Disillusioned by the results of the allopathic medicine that was practiced at the time, Dr. Hahnemann left his prominent practice and for a while worked as a translator of medical and chemistry texts, a total of 22 different books and almost 10,000 pages. He was fluent in eight languages, and this exposed him to medical knowledge from around the world where he read that a specific Peruvian bark (cinchona) cured malaria. Dr. Hahnemann prepared and ingested a dose of Peruvian bark and began to feel very thirsty, feverish, drowsy, and restless. (He developed only the symptoms of malaria but did not actually contract the disease.) When he ceased taking the cinchona bark preparation, the symptoms went away!
Dr. Hahnemann continued to experiment with many other substances and he discovered two profound natural laws, the Law of Similars and the Law of Minimum Dose, which he set as the foundation for homeopathy. In short, the Law of Similars asserts that any substance which can cause symptoms when given to a healthy person can help to heal those who are experiencing similar symptoms when given in a very minute amount (Law of Minimum Dose).
It is noteworthy that the only monument in Washington, D.C., that honors a physician is one to the founder of homeopathic medicine, Samuel Hahnemann, MD (1755–1843). This monument was dedicated in 1900 by President William McKinley. Dr. Hahnemann is buried in Paris and his tombstone is inscribed with these Latin words to describe his life’s work: Non Inutilis Vixi (I have not lived in vain). Indeed.
