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Adviser and Development Professional for Cement Manufacturing, Concrete and Construction. Arbitrator. Motivational Speaker.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

HOMOEOPATHY AS A WAY OF LIFE

Homoeopathy is a system of medicine and the treatment, based on the Nature's Law of Cure, namely the "law of similars", otherwise known as "like cures like" (Latin: similia similibus curentur) as a fundamental healing principle. The truth of this law was discovered by a German scientist Dr.Samuel Hahnemann in 1796, and has been verified experimentally and clinically for last 200 years. Homoeopathy is the modern, scientific and the revolutionary natural medical science, best suited for the 21st Century. It is a gentle but effective system of medicine. The remedies are prepared from natural substances to precise standards and work by stimulating the body's own healing power (response).

We, myself and wife, have taken homoeopathy as a way of life for last two decades. We are not the qualified homeopaths. We were introduced to the science by qualified homoeopaths and thereafter learned it through sustained efforts. We have successfully treated all acute and chronic diseases by homoeopathy. Making homoeopathy as a way of life implies that we treat all our ailments, acute or chronic, only by homoeopathy. It also means that we do not search for instant cures but rather prefer to wait to get the disease cured by natural process i.e. body response. This process minimizes the side effects of medicines.

Homoeopathy treats the disease in holistic manner. The concept of disease in homoeopathy is that disease is a total affection of mind and body, the disturbance of the whole organism. Individual organs are not the cause of illness but disturbance at the inner level (disturbance of the life force, the vital energy of the body ) is the cause of illness.

The disease is treated in homoeopathy by its symptoms. The homoeopath does not diagnose or identify the disease but rather treats the symptoms. Thus even an unknown disease can be treated by homoeopathy. As the treatment is based on the symptoms, homoeopathic remedy never fails.

In producing medicines or remedies, homeopaths use a process called "dynamisation" or "potentisation". In this process, the remedy is successively diluted with alcohol or water and vigorously shaken by striking against an elastic body. The process is called "succussion". Using this process, medicine of a certain potency is produced. Homeopaths believe that the vital curing properties of the diluted substance are activated, during the process of potentisation. The solids, such as quartz and oyster shell insoluble in water or alcohol, are diluted by grinding them with lactose (trituration). Higher the potency of the medicine, higher is the curing power.

Mainly there are three potency scales in regular use in homeopathy.

(a) The centesimal or "C scale" created by Hahnemann: Diluting a substance by a factor of 100 at each stage. Thus a 6C dilution repeats this process six times, ending up with the original material diluted by a factor of 1,000,000,000,000 or 1006. Higher dilutions follow the same pattern. In homeopathy, a solution that is more dilute is described as having a higher potency. Higher potencies (that is, more dilute substances) are considered by homeopaths to be stronger and deeper-acting remedies.

(b) The decimal or “X scale” scale introduced by American homeopath, Constantine Hering: Diluting the substance to ten times its original volume each stage. The X scale dilution is therefore half that of the same value of the C scale; for example, "12X" is the same level of dilution as "6C".

(c) The millesimal or “M scale”: Diluting a substance by a factor of 1000 at each stage. The medicines under this category fall under higher potency, for example CM potency means, repeating the process of dilution 100 times, i.e. by a factor of 1000100.

The C and X scales are more commonly used. Sometimes C is called the homoeopathic and X is called the biochemic potency, as the later is more commonly used in biochemic medicines. However this differentiation is more by convention and not the rule. The ‘potency’ and the ‘frequency’ (i.e. doses and the time gap between consecutive doses) of medicine is decided on the basis of the seriousness of the disease. For example a serious acute condition may require administration of CM (101000) potency in quick succession or a chronic disease may be treated by a single dose of lower potency, say 30 C, taken every day over long duration. An expert homoeopath decides the potency and the frequency of the medicine on the basis of symptoms. It should be noted that the symptoms keep changing as the disease gets cured and accordingly the medicines are also required to be changed.

Our experience shows that, most common diseases can be treated by 10-12 homeopathic medicines. A small pouch will be adequate to keep these medicines, prepared in sugar globules and stored in 5-10 ml bottles. The 30 C and 200 C are the most commonly used potencies.

The following are the merits of homoeopathy.

(a) While curing one disease, homoeopathic medicines do give rise to another as a side effect.

(b) The potentised medicines stimulate the power of resistance of a sick person, towards the disease. Thus cure is done in a most natural way.

(c) The selection and the administration of homoeopathic drugs is based on the totality of symptoms. The ‘diagnosis’ step is avoided, which may at times go wrong, leading to the administration of wrong medicines.

(d) Homoeopathy treats many diseases without surgery, where surgery is advised in other systems of treatment; for example tonsils, piles and so on.

(e) As the homoeopathic treatment is based on the totality of symptoms, even unknown disease can be treated

(f) Homoeopathy treats the disease mildly and quickly. The patient does not have to bear with long periods of weakness, after getting fully treated.

(g) Homoeopathy offers cure for chronic diseases

(h) Homoeopathic medicines do not expire

(i) Homoeopathic drugs are available at cheap rates thus the treatment is affordable by the poor.

(j) Homoeopathy treats the body as a whole and the disease is treated by the response of the body to the homoeopathic medicine

It is also seen that homoeopathy goes well with ‘pranayama’ or ‘controlled breathing exercise’. In fact the effectiveness of homoeopathic medicines depends on the body response and pranayama helps improving that. Read about the author's experience on Pranayam

The viewers should keep in mind that the content of this blog refers to our personal experience on homoeopathic treatment. The aim is to bring forward the positive aspects of homoeopathy. This narration should not be considered as the medical guideline. We will call our effort successful, if the article generates interest in homoeopathy, in the minds of general public. The homoeopathic medical practitioner should be consulted to obtain the treatment.


View other blog on sustainable living:

Pranayam or controlled breathing for sound mind and body