Homeopathy
What is homeopathy?
Homeopathy as we know it today dates back to 200 years ago. The German doctor Samuel Hahneman (1755-1843) discovered that when healthy people were given cinchona, which is used to process quinine, back then the most effective substance to treat malaria, they showed symptoms that resembled strongly those of malaria. After further research, he showed that it was possible to cure certain diseases with substances that would cause the same disease symptoms in perfectly healthy people. This lead to the basic law of homeopathy (derived from Greek Homeos, meaning similar, and Pathos, meaning illness, disease), that every substance that causes certain symptoms, can also treat and cure these symptoms.
In homeopathy, this law is called the “law of similars”: SIMILIA SIMILIBUS CURENTUR (or like cures like).
Can conventional and homeopathic medicines be combined?
Antibiotics and corticosteroids do not pose a threat to homeopathic medicine. Homeopathic medicine does not affect an antibiotics treatment and the effect of the granules does not decrease because of antibiotics.
Conventional medicine, such as antihypertensives, antidepressants, etc. will only be omitted or reduced if the reason why these medicines were prescribed falls away.
Conventional and homeopathic medicine work in a different manner. This is also why a combination of both is rather significant.
May homeopathic granules be touched with our hands?
Yes. By impregnating granules with methylene blue, it is shown that the methylene blue is spread in the whole granule. Granules thus may be touched with our hands. The working substance is inside of the granule and is not lost upon contact with our hands.
Meanwhile, we also know why lactose is such a good carrier of homeopathic substances. The 8 nano-millimeter pores proved to be excellent carriers of water molecules holding homeopathic substances.
How does homeopathy work?
In case of a depression, conventional medicine prescribes antidepressants. Possible anxieties and agitations are taken into account, when a certain antidepressant is prescribed. At the moment of writing there are 23 different kinds of antidepressants, which all belong to certain subcategories. The most common antidepressants are SSRI’s, which inhibit serotonin uptake.
In homeopathy there are 548 different kinds of medicine to treat a depression. When prescribing homeopathic granules, it is important to both take into account physical, mental and emotional symptoms. It is necessary for a homeopath to be aware of certain causes of the depression, wether the depression stems out of anxiety, and if so, which anxieties, maybe what caused the depression is a feeling of powerlessness, sorrow, anger or even a feeling of guilt. For every emotion there is a different homeopathic treatment. This enables infinite variations and possibilities. This sometimes results in a very rapid cure. In other cases it might be more difficult to pinpoint the core problem, prolonging the treatment.
Just as a conventional doctor, a homeopathic doctor is also trying to determine the cause of an ailment. The approach however, is different. A conventional doctor will administer antibiotics to treat an infection or hormones to treat menopausal symptoms. A homeopathic doctor will stimulate the immune system of our bodies to conquer germs or stimulate the production of female hormones so menopausal symptoms will decrease.
Do you have to take in homeopathic medicine in between meals?
No. Simultaneous consumption of homeopathic medicine and other substances should be avoided. However, it only suffices to have an empty mouth when taking in homeopathy. The granules are to be melted inside of the mouth and not swallowed as a whole. The homeopathy will start working immediately after contact with the mucous membrane. In this way, even people in a coma can be treated with homeopathy.
Does the effect of homeopathic medicine decrease or halt by the consumption of mint tea or brushing your teeth with regular toothpaste, or coffee?
You can continue brushing your teeth with any kind of toothpaste.
It is best not to consume too much herbal tea. It is important to switch between different kinds of herbal tea and not to limit yourself to only one kind of herbal tea.
Moderate use of coffee does not pose any harm. Coffee has certain positive and negative qualities, which do not interfere with homeopathic medicine. The effect of homeopathy will not decrease because of the consumption of coffee. You can continue to enjoy your cup of coffee in the morning without worrying.
What is the difference between a CH - dilution and a K-dilution?
CH-dilutions are centesimal (C) dilutions, using Hahnemann’s (H) dilution method. The homeopathic mother tincture is diluted to a 1/100 dilution rate and then shaken vigorously (also known as dynamization). This dilution is known as 1 CH.
When 1 CH is diluted again, following the same process, this results in a dilution rate of 1/ 10 000 of the mother tincture, or 2 CH. This can then be diluted again to create 3 CH and so on. The most common dilutions are 4 CH, 5 CH, 7 CH, 9 CH, 11 CH and 30 CH.
A K-dilution is a Korsakov-dilution. In Flanders, Belgium, K-dilutions are most common. The Korsakov method begins its dilution with a 3 CH dilution. The 3 CH dilution is poured out of a flask, and what remains of the substance sticking on the sides of the flask is used to make a K-dilution. The flask gets refilled with an alcohol solution and then shaken vigorously, the process of dynamization. This dilution is known as 4 K. To obtain a 5 K dilution, the substance in the flask is once again emptied, refilled and dynamized.
Every time the substance is dynamized, kinetic energy is added to the substance. This is essential in the preparation of homeopathy. Without dynamization the medicine would not active.
The most commonly used K-dilutions are 6K and 30K. These dilutions are particularly effective in treating acute illnesses or diseases and can be repeated multiple times.
200 K, M K and XM K are more effective in treating chronic diseases.
K-dilutions cannot be regarded equal to CH-dilutions. 6 K differs from 4 or 5 CH.
