If you've never heard of homeopathy, you're not alone. Many people are either 1. unfamiliar with the term, or 2. have a vague but mistaken notion of what it's all about.
Let's shed light on both problems by addressing a few popular misconceptions about homeopathy:
- Homeopathy is like “home remedies”, right? This is easy to assume by the sound of the name, but no, homeopathy is not the same thing as home remedies. Homeopathy comes from two Greek words: homeo (like) and pathos (illness) (there's your nerd moment for the day 🙂 ). “Like illness” is the basis of the system of homeopathy - something you may have heard referred to before as "like cures like.” But we'll hold our horses on that for another time.
- Is this the latest trend? Because I tried essential oils and they didn't work like all the hype said they would. Homeopathy is most certainly not the latest trend. It has been around for over 200 years, and has weathered the storms of plagues, epidemics, and wars, serving humanity from royalty to the impoverished on every continent on the globe.
3. Wait, this is that energy-healing stuff I heard about, right? I have to believe in it, and then it works? No. Homeopathy's effectiveness does not depend on one's ability to believe in or visualize the end results. Homeopathy has been used very effectively with babies, dogs, cats, goats, birds, pigs, cattle, plants (to name several). Further, in many cases, the medicine has been added to the recipients' water, unawares, so there is no possibility of association and resulting “placebo effect.”
4. But I'm pregnant/need it for my toddler/have cancer/am diabetic/am allergic to ______. There is good news! Homeopathy is not off-limits for you. Homeopathy has a long and documented history of relieving the suffering of pregnant woman, infants, and people with varied (including extremely serious) medical conditions. Please, if you're pregnant, want to give it to your baby, or are currently being treated by your doctor for a medical condition, please continue with your doctor's treatment and please don't take anything without doing your research (and talking to a qualified professional if you're on other medications). I'm assuming you already know that 🙂
So if homeopathy is time-tested, safe, and effective, why am I just hearing about it? That's an excellent question, especially when one considers homeopathy's widespread use in Europe (including by the royal families), its accessibility by the poor and under-served in India, and the fact the very first medical college in our own country was a homeopathic college. But we'll have to wait for the answer til another post. 🙂
Have you heard of homeopathy before? Do you currently use it with your family or animals?
