Homeopathy
Homeopathy was developed by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, in the late 1700s, and has been practiced around the world continuously since that time. Homeopathy is used widely in numerous countries, including India, Mexico, Israel, Canada, USA, and many countries in the European Union.
The practice of homeopathy is based on scientific principles, including the “principle of similars,” whereby patients are treated with medicines selected specifically for their symptoms and dispositions.
Homeopathy can be used to safely and effectively treat many acute and chronic conditions in children and adults, such as ear infections, viral illnesses (including flu), teething, behavior disturbances, vomiting and diarrhea, sinus problems, arthritis, sleep problems and more.
Homeopathy assists the body to heal and balance itself by stimulating the body’s own natural defense mechanisms and healing capacities.
Homeopathic medicines are developed in experiments called “provings,” and are prepared in a manner that removes the toxicity often found in conventional pharmaceuticals. It is virtually free of side effects and negative interactions with other treatment modalities. Homeopathy can be used alone or in concert with supplements, acupuncture, herbs, chiropractic, conventional medicine, and more.
Homeopathy is safe for babies, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and the elderly. It can also be safely and effectively used for animals (livestock, pets, and wild animals).
Dr Janet Levatin, our holistic pediatrician, offers a homeoprophylaxis program for boosting resistance to childhood illnesses without vaccines. She recently won an award for the best Pediatrician in Middleburg Heights!
Homeoprophylaxis
Homeoprophylaxis is a method used to protect individuals – from infants to adults – from contracting infections. In contrast to vaccinations, homeoprophylaxis does not rely on antibody formation to prevent an illness. Instead, the homeopathic remedies boost the innate immune system to lower a person’s susceptibility to diseases.
Homeoprophylaxis is based on the philosophy that micro-organisms are not the sole cause of illness, but rather the symptoms of the illness are the interplay between a micro-organism and the individual’s susceptibility to it. The healthier the patient, the less susceptible to contracting an infection.
Specific homeopathic remedies are used to prevent the individual from becoming ill. For example, the founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, wrote in 1801 on scarlet fever: “Who can deny that the perfect prevention of infection would offer infinite advantages over any mode of treatment, be it of the most incomparable kind soever?”
Homeopaths who have practiced according to this principle during the centuries include Boenninghausen, Kent, Burnett, Tyler, Blackie, Boger and others. In modern times Dr. Isaac Golden from Australia, has addressed this issue in a systematic manner.
There are many studies on the effectiveness of homeoprophylaxis (HP). Here’s one example:
In 1974, during a meningococcal epidemic in Brazil, 18,640 children were given HP for protection against Meningococcal, and 6,340 were not. The following results were obtained:
• 18,640 protected homeopathically – 4 cases of Meningococcal infection.
• 6,340 not protected – 32 cases of Meningococcal infection.
Based on the infection (attack) rate in the unprotected group, 94 cases of infection would have been expected in the homeo-pathically protected group. Instead, there were only four cases of meningococcal infection, showing that the homeopathic option was 95% effective against the meningococcal disease. HP was also used very successfully in Cuba in 2008 to decrease leptospirosis, a disease contracted from infected water, by 84%.