What is Homeopathy?

Last week on my Instagram, someone asked, “What are Remedies?” Sometimes, when you know a subject well, you assume everyone knows it well. I saw that comment and thought, “How long have you got?” I figured that if you were following my homeopathy account, you would know what homeopathy is and what remedies are. But maybe I need to start from the beginning.

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a form of medicine that uses very small amounts of substances that, at higher amounts, cause a disease or symptom. It is a federally recognized form of medicine regulated by the FDA. Homeopathy can help strengthen the body to fight short-term illnesses such as colds, flu, earaches, sore throats, and more. It is also effective for chronic conditions like asthma, depression, autism, or arthritis.

Homeopathy is a medical system that was developed in Germany by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann over 200 years ago. It’s based on two theories:

• “Like cures like”—the notion that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people.
• “Law of minimum dose”—the notion that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. Homeopathic products are so diluted that the molecules of the original substance can only be seen by powerful electron microscopes.

All That to Say

Homeopathy is the medicine you want medicine to be. It has zero side effects. It is cost-effective. And it often works immediately.

What are Remedies?

Homeopathic remedies are environmentally friendly and cruelty-free. Additionally, they are often derived from natural sources. These are extremely affordable. Additionally, these over-the-counter remedies are available at natural food stores and homeopathic pharmacies. You might even find them at some traditional grocery stores and pharmacies.

Homeopathic products can come from plants (such as red onion and stinging nettle), minerals (such as iron), or animals (such as crushed whole bees). Homeopathic products are often made as sugar pellets to be placed in the mouth. They may also be used in other forms, such as ointments, gels, and tablets. 

However, remedies are not herbs, home remedies, or essential oils. They are often made from herbs, but the preparation makes it very different. So even though the name may sound the same, you will not get the same effect of drinking an herb as you will taking the remedy. And while our grandmothers had wonderful home remedies, these are different. This is an elegant form of medicine.

Truly, Madly in Love

I am madly in love with homeopathy. I love the little bottles. One of my favorite pastimes is organizing my remedy bottles. I love the names that I can’t pronounce half the time. Even though it’s not a requirement, I like to pretend I am required to buy all the books so I can buy all the books. My favorite thing about homeopathy is seeing people’s lives changed by using it.

• A woman no longer dealing with daily seizures.
• A young man no longer dealing with daily headaches or requiring daily naps due to an old head injury.
• A woman who can eat gluten and dairy again.
• A woman who would have panic attacks if she tried to leave her house is now able to go to church.
• A young mother no longer suffers in the depths of postpartum depression.
• A child calmed, and the bleeding stopped when the tip of her finger had been severed.
• A woman no longer has constant eczema that keeps her awake at night.
• An elderly woman no longer suffering from arthritis in her knee.
• A child no longer deals with monthly tonsilitis.
• A man with cancer has remedies to ease the side effects of chemotherapy.

I could go on and on. Eighteen years of using homeopathy on anything that would stand still gives you a lot of examples of its effectiveness. I have seen some amazing things in my nearly two years of having a homeopathy practice. I am humbled and awed that the Lord has given me a front-row seat to watch Him work. He is the healer. How and when He does the healing is His. I’m just the spectator with the giant foam finger.