Category: homeopathy

Homeopathy Awareness Week takes place from April 10th-15th and is a celebration of homeopathy, a safe, gentle, natural system of medicine. April 10th was the day on which Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, was born.

I think it’s a shame that some people talk about homoeopathy as though it was money down the drain as I’m sure most of the ones questioning it have not even tried it yet. Celebrity actress Nadia Sawalha’s eczema drove her to ‘tie her hands to the bedstead’ in an attempt to stop her scratching it, then found that a controversial homoeopathy treatment cleared it up.

A homoeopathic consultant looks at the whole person to choose remedies that are decided on the basis of all aspects and symptoms the patient has. It can help with many acute illnesses, like earache, fever, flu, tonsillitis, IBS, migraines, anxiety, depression and more. It is stated that remedies are nonaddictive and they have no dangerous side effects, and are safe for the elderly, young and during pregnancies. Nadia believed the homoeopathic cream, ‘mezerum’, a Eurasian shrub extract, traditionally used to heal skin complaints, was what she could only describe as ‘biblical’, as over 48 hours, she watched as her skin renewed itself.

There are however, still lots of sceptics, with a Professor in Edinburgh, and Pharmacists questioning that there is no evidence or scientific basis to suggest homoeopathy is an effective treatment for eczema. I guess Nadine thinks differently.

Homoeopathy is a form of alternative medicine founded by a German physician Samuel Hahnemann, himself an orthodox Doctor (MD), in 1796. The name is derived from two Greek words that mean “like disease”, basically “like cures like”. He established the law of ‘similar similibus curentur’ – the law of similitude – (disorders can be cured with substances which behave in a similar way). When a poison is causing certain symptoms, the same poison, but very highly-diluted, can be used to cure these symptoms. Samuel Hahnemann was disliked by pharmacists at that time, who were the traditional suppliers of medicines to doctors, because he only needed one ingredient at a time, whereas pharmacists needed hundreds of ingredients.He was then banned from working in different regions so he had to move his family from village to village to escape legal threats and injunctions from the medical establishment.

Homoeopathy is the third most popular method of healing in India, after conventional medicine and Ayurveda. Nine million people use it in Brazil and in some developing countries like India, Mexico and Cuba, where homoeopathy is integrated into the system of healthcare. In countries such as India, Mexico, Pakistan and South Africa, homoeopathy is on an equal level with conventional medicine, and it is also recognised in countries like Bangladesh, Singapore, Dubai, and Malaysia etc.

It is also recognised in Germany, Switzerland and Canada and in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where it’s developing into a complete healthcare profession and is receiving government recognition. The theory is actually quite simple, as they just take all the patient’s symptoms, and then find a matching remedy, i.e., something that could cause similar symptoms in a healthy person.

A qualified and experienced homoeopath can sometimes cure serious chronic diseases when traditional medicine can do nothing further, and when used in the right way. The treatments are made from the elements found in nature, i.e., mineral, animal and plant extracts, which are the bases of the remedies which are then diluted to avoid side-effects. By knowing the toxic effects of herb, mineral or animal fluid, a homoeopath can then turn it into a homoeopathic remedy which will then have the direct opposite effect and with no side effects or reactions.

Apparently, according to an article in Woman & Home, ‘a whole cast list of celebs, including the Queen’ , the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles use Homoeopathy for treating different conditions. Homoeopathy is a 200 year-old holistic healing method, where a substance that causes symptoms when it’s taken in large doses, can, when used in highly-diluted amounts, treat those same symptoms. You can buy remedies over the counter, but for a serious condition it’s best if you visit a Homoeopath to discuss your needs. You usually need at least one or two different types of homoeopathic medicine to help with your problems, but it’s usually not too expensive and has no known side-effects.

The Homeopathy Awareness Week’s website says that “In the UK, 15% of our population already use homeopathy, and a further 80% have heard about it. However, many people are not quite sure what makes homeopathy different from other systems of medicine”. They go on to say “Lots of people already know that homeopathy works. That is why across the world an estimated 450 million people use homeopathy each year. After all, if homeopathy didn’t work, why would so many people choose to use it, and carry on using it?

Usually there are lots of events being held around the U.K. but due to the COVID-19 they are all cancelled but you can gets lots of information from the Homeopathy Awareness Website which has some great animations you can watch.

Another great site with lots of Celebrity comments is Homeopathy Awareness, Some other Homoeopathic websites to check out are The Faculty of Homoeopathy’, and ‘The Society of Homoeopaths’,

You can buy your remedies at ‘Ainsworths’ – who reputedly hold royal warrants from the Queen and Prince Charles for their homoeopathic remedies. ‘The Organic Pharmacy’ – which is modern and helpful. ‘Helios Homepage’ which has great first-aid kits and soothing creams, and all are open for business.

My choice of book is “What’s The Remedy for That?: The Definitive Homeopathy Guide to Mastering Everyday Self-Care Without Drugs by Kathleen K. Fry MD CTH Hom.