Sarah Bowden BSc(Hons), RSHom
About Homeopathy
What is homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a natural and complete system of medicine which is safe, gentle and effective.
The symptoms that we have are expressions of disharmony within us. In homeopathy we recognise
that it is therefore the patient as a whole who needs to be treated, not the symptoms in isolation.
To use an analogy to help illustrate this, imagine you’re driving along and a warning light appears
on the dashboard of your car. If you took your car to the garage would you be happy if all the
mechanic did was remove the warning light bulb? The symptoms that we experience are our body’s way
of putting on the warning light and telling us that there is a problem. Sometimes we take creams or
pills to say ‘shhhh’ to our symptoms. With homeopathy we look to gain some understanding of what the
symptoms are telling us. We then prescribe a remedy to try to resolve the problem that put the light
on in the first place.
Homeopathy was developed over 200 years ago by Dr Samuel Hahnemann and is based upon natural laws first
noted thousands of years ago by Hippocrates. It is now used in almost every country in the world and can
be used to treat a wide range of diseases – both acute and chronic (see Homeopathy for the whole family below).
It can also be used alongside other therapies and/or conventional medicine.
Homeopathy is used by The Royal Family, Tina Turner, Catherine Zeta Jones, David Beckham, Jane Fonda,
Jane Seymour, Cybill Sheppard, Boris Becker, Martina Navratilova, Priscilla Presley, Jerry Hall,
Olivia Newton-John and Sir Paul McCartney who said "I can't manage without homeopathy. In fact,
I never go anywhere without homeopathic remedies. I often make use of them".
How does it work?
Homeopathy works by stimulating the natural healing response which is intrinsic in all of us.
The part that homeopathy plays is to give our healing response a jump start. In the same way as
you would jump start a car the homeopathic remedy acts as a jump lead to spark the healing
response into action. This then enables the body to rebalance itself, to restore health and vitality.
The principles of homeopathy state that "like cures like". Therefore whatever the remedy causes in the
healthy it will cure in the sick. For example, if a person was stung by a bee the skin would become hot,
swollen and painful. If someone else naturally developed a boil that was also hot, swollen and painful
i.e. similar, then a small dose of Apis Mellifica (honey bee) would cure it.
Is it safe?
Homeopathic remedies are safe for anyone to take where prescribed by a qualified practitioner and
can be taken in conjunction with allopathic (conventional) medicines if necessary.
The remedies are made by diluting the original substance, usually until there is no physical trace of
that original substance left. Thus the remedies have no bad taste or smell, they don't have toxic side
effects and are non-addictive.
Homeopathy for the whole family
Homeopathy is a system of medicine that can be used by the whole family through all the milestones
of life - birth, childhood, puberty, adulthood, pregnancy, the menopause and old age.
Babies and children
These days more and more parents are looking for alternatives to prescription drugs such as
antibiotics, steroid creams, inhalers and the like, that are commonly and repeatedly prescribed for
children. Some of them are starting to believe that these drugs work well in the short term, but
the longer term picture is less rosy. Pharmaceuticals don’t necessarily offer a long term solution
other than a reliance on drugs that may produce side effects. Homeopathy can be a safe, gentle and
effective alternative in supporting children by allowing their own natural defence mechanisms to combat
illness. With homeopathic treatment we are looking to strengthen the immune system and restore balance
on a physical, mental and emotional level.
It can help in the treatment of:
Colic, asthma, eczema, allergies, bedwetting, constipation,
cough, earache, glue ear, teething, nappy rash, recurrent and prolonged infections, slowness to
recover after acute illness, sleep problems, behavioural problems, night terrors, sore throats,
slow development, shyness, warts, head lice and so on.
Teenagers
Going from childhood to adulthood is one of the biggest transitions of our lives. In our teenage
years our bodies and minds are both going through big changes and many people find puberty a major
challenge. These years can shape who we become as adults and homeopathy can support teenagers through
this often exciting, sometimes difficult or daunting part of our life journey.
It can help with: Menstrual problems, effects of exam stress, acne, effects of bullying, mood swings,
eating disorders, growing pains and so on.
Adulthood
We face a myriad of changes and challenges in adulthood and homeopathy can help to support us through
the illnesses and events that each of us may face. It would be impossible to experience adulthood
without going through life crises in our relationships, with our families or at work. What is
important is how we cope with these challenges and whether we can adapt to the inevitable
changes that we encounter. If we struggle to get through a certain event homeopathy can offer
the push start that you need to move through whatever you may be struggling with.
Pregnancy
Homeopathy is a gentle, safe and effective medicine that can be used during and after pregnancy
without the worry of toxic side effects. The following common ailments suffered by women during
and after pregnancy can all be helped with homeopathy:
Morning sickness, tiredness, indigestion, sciatic pains, piles, varicose veins, constipation,
breast-feeding problems, mastitis, cracked nipples, post natal depression and so on.
The Menopause
The menopause is a natural transitional phase in a woman’s life cycle but some women experience either
mild, moderate or extreme symptoms throughout. These can include:
Hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, headaches, migraines, fatigue, depression, mood swings,
irregular menstruation, heavy blood loss etc.
Homeopathy can be effective to support women through the menopause and can be used to enable a
smoother journey through this phase in life.
Senior years
Homeopathy can be effective in treating typical symptoms experienced by the elderly including
Osteoporosis, arthritis, difficulty with concentration, lethargy, flu, fatigue and so on.