Homeopathy: Safe, Sensible, Effective Medicine for Your Family
Homeopathy is a wonderful form of medicine to use in all stages of life. It is particularly well suited to the needs of young families, as it is non-toxic, cost-effective, and easy to administer to infants and children.
Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was developed by a German physician over 200 years ago. Homeopathic medicines are specially prepared from substances from all the kingdoms of nature, including plants (e.g., chamomile [Chamomilla] and deadly nightshade [Belladonna]), minerals (e.g., Sulphur and Phosphorus), animals (e.g., honeybee [Apis] and snake venom [Lachesis]), and also “imponderables” (e.g., sunlight [Sol] and X-Ray).
The homeopathic medicines are produced in licensed laboratories and are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). During their production, the medicines are diluted to the point where any toxicity is removed, and serially shaken (a process called succussion), which brings out the ability of the substances to resolve and heal various conditions by assisting the body to self-correct and balance itself. Most of the medicines are classified as over-the-counter (OTC), as they are very safe and virtually free of side effects. They can be used in combination with other forms of therapy, such as herbs and conventional medicine. Many people use homeopathy at home for minor ailments that can be safely self-treated. This is similar to home use of conventional OTC medications, such as Benadryl, Tylenol, and cough syrups.
If a condition is more serious or longstanding, however, it is best to seek homeopathic treatment from a trained homeopathic practitioner. The practitioner will take a detailed history about the current illness, past medical history, the personality and temperament of the patient, and some of the patient’s general characteristics (including, in part, appetite, food likes and dislikes, temperature sensitivities, and sleep habits). Then, a homeopathic medicine that is known to treat the person’s condition, and that resonates with the nature of the person, will be given. Healing can happen quickly, especially for milder, acute conditions of short duration; or can unfold over time, which is more likely in chronic, more deep-seated, and more longstanding conditions.
Homeopathic medicine has definite advantages for use in pregnancy, childbirth, the neonatal period, infancy, and childhood. The first advantage is safety. Since homeopathic medicines act on the energy plane of the body and not directly on the physical body (similar to the way acupuncture accesses and works via the “chi” or energy channels in the body), the medicines do not have toxicity. Therefore it is safe for pregnant woman, nursing mothers, and children of all ages to use homeopathic medicines. Expectant mothers can be treated successfully for the nausea of pregnancy; mild infections, including bladder infections, bronchitis, and sinusitis; hemorrhoids; and other concerns. Homeopathic medicines can be given in labor for such conditions as failure to progress; dysfunctional uterine contractions; and out-of-control emotions, such as fear, anger, tearfulness, or irritability. Use of homeopathy may help a mother to forego conventional medical procedures such as epidurals and inductions. If such interventions are subsequently needed, however, the fact that homeopathic medicines have been given will have no negative effect on the safety or effectiveness of the procedure.
Since homeopathic medicines are so safe, they can also be given with confidence to breastfeeding mothers and infants. Common problems of nursing mothers can be treated. Homeopathy is very effective for mastitis, often allowing a mother to avoid the antibiotics that might otherwise be necessary. Other conditions of mothers that can often be successfully treated include bruising and trauma from the birth process, post partum rashes, and post partum “blues,” among others.
For infants, homeopathic medicines can be used for treating colic, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and upper respiratory infections. Teething is very amenable to homeopathic treatment. Many infants have successfully been treated for ear infections without antibiotics. Using homeopathy not only helps treat the problem at hand, but will oftentimes result in a happier, healthier, more adaptable baby… one who progresses through the developmental stages more smoothly.
In addition to homeopathy’s safety and wide scope of applications, it is also quite affordable. If a professional is treating your family, it is likely that the recommended homeopathic medicine will be provided with the cost of the appointment. If there is a charge or a medicine needs to be purchased, usually the cost is quite low, most likely around or less than the co-payment for a conventional medication, or the cost of an OTC medication. Also, with homeopathy, a little goes a long way, so one container of medicine lasts a long time.
Lastly, I would like to mention that another advantage of using homeopathy is that it is easy to administer. Homeopathic medicines are made by incorporating liquids into small tablets or granules that are sweet, so once children are introduced to them, they often open their mouths up readily to receive the treatment. The medicines do not actually need to be swallowed…. just being in the mouth (either in small tablet or granule form, or after being diluted in water) is good enough. After seeing many children struggle to avoid taking conventional medicines, it is a welcomed relief to see them readily accept homeopathics.
In summary, homeopathy has much to recommend, it as a safe, effective, affordable, easy-to-administer therapy.
(This article was written by Dr. Levatin in 2010, and was originally
published in Expectant Mother's Guide to Boston, volume 1, 2010.)
|
