You’ve heard a lot about “holistic medicine” in recent years, but what is it, exactly? Holistic medicine is simply an approach to medical care that takes into consideration all aspects of a person’s – or animal’s – health, including physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual health. Holistic medicine, therefore, not only focuses on the medical complaint but rather treats the entire individual using all safe, available, and appropriate modalities. Homeopathy is one such modality that’s becoming more and more preferred due to its use of natural and organic ingredients, rather than lab-created, manufactured medicines. In fact, homeopathy is not new – it’s a centuries-old practice rising in popularity that is helping both humans and animals alike.
Bailey’s Story
My first experience with homeopathy dates to my first “heart dog,” Bailey, about 10 years ago. He was suffering from many physical and emotional issues, and with the help of Will Falconer, DVM, I began my journey to learning more about this amazing practice and its healing properties. Since then, I’ve studied it more thoroughly as part of my Small Animal Naturopath Certification. I’ve seen so many wonderful results from homeopathy that my own physician, an M.D., also specializes in homeopathy.
How Homeopathy is Different
Homeopathy differs from allopathic, or conventional medicine, in that conventional medicine focuses on the law of opposites. This translates into treating disease by the use of agents that produce effects different from those of the disease being treated (Webster’s College Dictionary). Allopathic medicine suppresses symptoms with medicines such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and immunosuppressants for autoimmune disease. Symptoms frequently return without the drug, alongside many other undesirable effects, because it only treats the systems and not the cause.
Conversely, homeopathy, grounded in the philosophy that our bodies have the ability to heal themselves naturally, focuses on the Law of Similars – let likes be cured by likes. Remedies are chosen for each individual that matches their own signs of illness.
Homeopathy and The Vital Force
What is the vital force? It’s the energy that maintains life in an individual. The vital force maintains balance and normal function. Symptoms, therefore, is your vital force’s response to imbalance (disease), as your body attempts to return to a balanced state, known as homeostasis. The individual symptoms, therefore, are used to identify a matching homeopathic remedy that acts by stimulating the vital force to a healing response.
The Body’s Innate Ability to Heal Itself
One way to think about the body getting out of balance is to imagine your car’s check engine light. If it were to turn on, you are warned that something is out of balance in your car. Would you consider unplugging the light (allopathic model of suppression), or taking it to a mechanic to get to the bottom of the issue and repair what needs to be repaired (homeopathic model of healing)? Homeopathy is the catalyst that “kicks” the body into healing itself when the remedy is matched with the symptoms.
Download this Free Guide
I’ve put together a guide as a PDF download of what to keep in your first aid kit. Download it, laminate it, keep it handy. Feel free to share with your friends and family! There is a special offer contained within to make it easy for you to get all the featured herbal remedies for a discount. Download it for free and enjoy!