How Does Homeopathy Work?

Homeopathic medicine is used to treat an illness or disease using minimal doses of a natural substance. Homeopathy stimulates the immune system and encourages the body's natural ability to combat symptoms and heal.

You may have heard the terms homeopathic medicine or homeopathic remedies, but what does homeopathy mean, and how does it work?

What is Homeopathy?

Simply put, homeopathy is a way to treat an illness or disease using minimal doses of a natural substance. This small dose might produce symptoms in an otherwise healthy person. Homeopathy has been around for centuries. Natural substances such as soil, charcoal, silica, crushed bees, and even St. John’s Wort are just some used in homeopathic remedies. Homeopathy stimulates the immune system and encourages the body’s natural ability to combat symptoms and heal. Of course, you will want to work with a homeopathic practitioner to identify the best remedies before trying things at will.

As you may have guessed, Crunchy Mama, I love homeopathy. To this date, I am still learning new things about it. I think nature and Earth are full of fantastic remedies and elements that help us and our children live extraordinary, healthy lives! However, as a nurse, I always say I respect medicine’s power. I don’t think we can blindly trust all conventional medicine. Also, it really doesn’t have to be either/or. I think a blend of homeopathic and allopathic disciplines is essential for optimal health. When it comes to determining what you need in your life, the truth is you need to determine what is best for you.

Homeopathy vs. Allopathy

Speaking of conventional medicine, another term you may hear thrown about is allopathy. Allopathy is the opposite of homeopathy. It means the conventional treatment of disease or illness. Allopathy is mainstream medicine often seen in most Western healthcare systems. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. For our purposes, I’ll continue to shed some light on homeopathy.

Homeopathic Remedies

So many different homeopathic remedies exist for just about every kind of illness or disease. The possibilities are almost endless.

For example, cell salts are a homeopathic medicine that aids in mineral imbalance. Dr. Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler discovered there were twelve mineral salts in all human cells and tissues. When our bodies experience mineral imbalance, we may feel a bit off or undergo symptoms of illness—the homeopathic suggestion: cell salts.

Cell salts can be taken for stress, GI issues, allergies, colds, and headaches. Cell salts are pretty versatile as well. You can take them as a mixture or tonic. A homeopathic practitioner can help you determine what cell salts to help your symptoms. Many homeopathic remedies come in the form of a tablet. Cell salts are taken up to six times their potency, at three or four tablets, four times a day. You can take them as a single dose or add them to your water throughout the day.

Another homeopathic remedy is chamomile. Now, chamomile can be taken as a tea or a supplement to promote stress relief and relaxation. Chamomile tea has been known to potentially reduce menstrual pain, reduce inflammation and slow or prevent osteoporosis. Plus, it tastes good!

There are more remedies out there. You just need to do your research and work with your practitioner who understands you and your wellness journey.

Is Homeopathy Safe?

Homeopathy as a topic can be quite controversial. There are many allopathy proponents out there who believe homeopathy is ineffective. However, there are also brilliant homeopathy experts such as Cathy Lemmon, BA, LCPH, CHP, MARH, who can serve as great resources for your homeopathy journey. I had the privilege of interviewing Cathy on my podcast and learning more about her certification of the prophylactic use of homeopathic medicines.

“When you look at homeopathy for what it really is, it is not herbs, it is not oils. It is a full system of medicine in and of itself,” Cathy says.

Benefits of Homeopathy

There are many benefits to homeopathy. One of my favorites would be the holistic approach necessary for homeopathy medicines. So, let’s say you have the sniffles. Instead of treating you as a patient with sniffles, isolating the symptom, and trying to provide symptom management, homeopathy could help determine the underlying cause of the sniffles and not just ease your symptom but help get rid of them. Also, homeopathy treats all the spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional symptoms. If you’re experiencing stress because the sniffles mean you have to miss out on a big family event, homeopathic remedies take that emotional toll into account. After all, stress weakens the immune system. It is all related and all connected.

Another benefit is the natural component of homeopathy. What I mean by that is natural products are used. Not just natural products, but a low dose of natural products. You know what is going into your system to help treat your ailment. There are no mysterious chemicals or added medications. This makes homeopathic remedies gentle and tolerable while still being powerful.

Since homeopathic remedies can tackle an illness’s emotional components, they can reduce anxiety and depression. If used alongside cognitive behavioral therapy, or other forms of psychotherapy, homeopathy addresses the holistic gamut of symptoms leading to the possibility of a swifter recovery from anxiety and depression. Think about it, one of the symptoms of depression is extreme fatigue. What if your treatment addressed not only the chemical and hormonal reactions in your brain but also relieved stress and helped you feel more energized, naturally?

Homeopathic remedies may also relieve chronic pain by targeting whole-body system symptoms such as inflammation.

Beginning Your Homeopathic Wellness Journey

If you are ready to explore homeopathic medicine for you and your family, you first want to find a homeopathic practitioner. You will want a knowledgeable and compassionate provider who listens to your concerns, explains homeopathic remedies clearly, and treats the whole person instead of isolated or compounding symptoms. My personal homeopath is Lotus Homeopathy, and she does work remotely.

Next, you will want to follow their medical advice. You will probably be encouraged to read the labels of various homeopathic supplements to learn what is truly 100% natural and what may contain added ingredients despite being “branded” as a homeopathic product. We buy most of our homeopathic remedies from Fullscript, a trusted dispensary. If you want to get yours there you need a practitioner code to create a free account. You can sign up through mine (and get my 10% discount!) HERE. Finally, remember it is your body and your family, so do what you feel is best. If a friend or family member learns you are interested in homeopathic medicine, they may try to sway your views on the subject with their own opinion. Thank them for their opinion but vow to make the right healthcare decisions for you.