What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a system of natural complementary medicine that has been in worldwide use for over 200 years. Putting the patient at the centre of their own healthcare, it is a natural system of medicine that works with the body's own ability to heal itself. Homeopathy safely restores balance to the body with gentle stimulating remedies.

Homeopathy can be used alongside conventional medicine, offering a safe and natural treatment for a wide range of acute and chronic conditions. It is a holistic therapy, as it considers the whole person.

History

200 years ago a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, came upon the principle of homeopathy by accident. Hahnemann found that if he gave the patient a much diluted remedy made from a substance that could cause the symptoms a patient was suffering from, he could cure those very same symptoms.

Homeopathy is based on the core principle that ‘like cures like’ i.e. a substance which can cause symptoms if taken in large doses, can be used in minute doses to treat similar symptoms. The idea that a substance can be damaging in large amounts, but beneficial in small amounts is not new to science, in fact this concept (‘hormesis’) has been around for decades and is increasingly well documented in such fields as biology and toxicology.

There are even examples of ‘like cures like’ in conventional medicine, for example, the stimulant amphetamine-based drug Ritalin is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and small doses of allergens such as pollen are used to de-sensitise allergic patients.

All homeopathic remedies are highly diluted and therefore have no side effects. Hahnemann’s discoveries were a turning point in the history of medicine and since then homeopathy has proved itself a safe and highly effective therapy, to the point where, today, 450 million people around the world use homeopathy as their principle form of medicine.

Research

Homeopathy has been shown to work on adults, children, babies and animals and there are numerous published scientific trials which demonstrate its beneficial effects.

Homeopathy can support you with:

Emotional stress, anxiety, low self-esteem and depression

Fears, OCD and phobias

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), digestive problems

Skin conditions, psoriasis and eczema

Allergies, hay fever or asthma

Hormonal conditions (PCOS), menstrual difficulties, menopause or infertility

Childhood illnesses ranging from colds to viruses

Chronic fatigue (CFS) and cognitive difficulties

Autoimmune or chronic long term illnesses

Homeopathy a sustainable and environmental medicine

Are you interested in a sustainable form of natural health care for yourself and family? Homeopathy is one of the world's most environmentally friendly and sustainable forms of medicine. The production of homeopathic medicines creates no toxic waste. Only a small amount of the original substance is required to create homeopathic remedies. This has enormous potential for environmental sustainability.

Do you still have questions?

To help answer frequently asked questions about homeopathy, the Homeopathy Research Institute have put together a helpful page on their website here.

For more information on Homeopathy, visit the British Homeopathic Association website here.

Practitioners: Kirstin Bruges