Homeopathy – Some Background and How Homeopaths Think….
Homeopathy is over 200 years old. It was first developed by a German Physician called Samuel Hahnemann. The fundamental homeopathic principle is ‘The Law of Similars’ (like cures like), which states that a disease can be cured by a substance that can create symptoms similar to those the patient is experiencing. Homeopaths believe that their remedies stimulate the body’s self healing and self regulating mechanisms, thus assisting the body to heal itself. This is contrary to conventional medicine that uses chemicals and surgery to suppress symptoms creating antibiotics,anti-inflamatories, antidepressants, antihistamines, antiseptics, etcetera.
Whereas allopathic doctors believe that the suppression of a symptom is a successful outcome, in homeopathy we consider suppression to be a bad thing and possibly responsible for many of mankind’s ills. As doctors have become more succesful at suppressing the acute inflammatory diseases, the incidence of chronic degenerative diseases has increased. We believe there is a link between these phenomena, and are therefore very much against the aggressive suppression of symptoms.
Nowhere is this more the case than with skin diseases. The skin is the most superficial outlet for the body to express its imbalances. If that outlet is blocked, the body needs to find an alternative. As we continue to thwart the body’s attempt to express itself via the skin, it eventually gives up and the symptoms begin to manifest on a deeper level. That is when more important parts of the body the lungs, nervous system, joints etc begin to malfunction.
There is a lot that can be written about homeopathy and how it works, but the above is one of the most important things I want to get across in this section. The homeopathic view is that all symptoms, however superficial, are a reflection of a deeper inner disorder. In treating the skin we are therefore always concerned with treating the whole person at the same time. In fact we believe that suppressing eruptions can lead to the development of more serious internal complaint. This is typically seen in the eczema/asthma syndrome.
That is not to say that there is no place for treating the skin itself. I would not have developed 7 CREAM if that was the case.
There are 3 occasions when topical treatment of the skin are appropriate:
1) When the skin has been damaged or affected by external factors. This includes, cuts and scrapes, burns, scalds and environmental overexposure, e.g. to sun, water, cold etc. Particularly when the uppermost part of the skin structure is damaged. It also includes some infections like fungal infections that, while not entirely ‘external’ as they depend on individual susceptibility, they do not arise from within like say, eczema and psoriasis. More information about this can be found on the homeopathy page and skin diseases pages.
2) To nourish, moisturize and protect the skin from the outside while the inner healing process is being encouraged.
3) To temporarily palliate distressing symptoms like severe itching while the internal treatment (like homeopathy), is given time to work.
The skin is an organ that mirrors your internal workings. Treating skin symptoms in isolation is focussing on the tip of the iceberg and can be detrimental to your overall health.
Watch Dr. Oz’s Television Show Segment on Homeopathy to learn more:
www.doctoroz.com/videos/homeopathy-starter-kit-pt-1 Video pt. 1
www.doctoroz.com/videos/homeopathy-starter-kit-pt-2 -Video pt. 2
www.doctoroz.com/videos/homeopathy-starter-kit-pt-3 Video pt. 3