Homeopathy is a safe, gentle medicine without toxic side effects and is useful for all sorts of conditions, whether acute or chronic, physical or emotional. It stimulates the body's innate capacity to heal itself.

Most people are more familiar with homeopathy's herbal counterparts, but many homeopathic medicines are made from herbs and plants, and there is often a degree of overlapping action. Chamomile, St. John's Wort, Artemisia (Wormwood), Calendula, Comfrey and Eyebright are a few common examples. Homeopathy is not the same as herbal medicine though. It is not the same as natural supplements. Sometimes the word "homeopathy" is incorrectly used interchangeably with "holistic" supplements, but they are not the same. Homeopathy is holistic, but not all holistic supplements are homeopathic in nature.

Homeopathy is its own, whole system of medicine and has been around for over 200 years. It was developed by a German medical doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, who was disturbed by the harsh and dangerous medical practices of his time, such as the use of mercury ointments, bloodletting, emetics and purgatives.

In homeopathy, substances such as plant parts are diluted and succussed and administered in keeping with the principle of "like cures like." This means that a substance which in larger amounts can produce symptoms of an illness, can, in diluted, succussed, tiny amounts, facilitate resolution of those same types of symptoms.

I often use the example of an onion. When you chop it, it can make your eyes and nose burn and water. These are some of the same symptoms that onion, in homeopathic preparation, can alleviate, as with colds and allergies. This is Allium cepa. "Like cures like." So each remedy has its own unique qualities and symptom picture.

This is very different from recommending a particular medication for whatever the diagnosis name is. In homeopathy, it’s more about how the person experiences the condition rather than the name of it. For instance, there are all types of headaches. Conventional medicine would say to take Tylenol or Advil to suppress the pain, while in homeopathy, we’d want to know the particulars about the headache. Where exactly is the pain? How long does it last? What kind of pain is it--aching or stabbing or throbbing? Does it come on at a particular time of day or month or weather condition or stressor? Was there any injury which preceded this? What makes it better or worse? And so on.

There are hundreds of homeopathic medicines that cover headaches, but by matching the particulars of the symptom picture, we can deduce which remedy the person’s headaches will best respond to, which will nudge the body toward resolution. Homeopathy can be amazing for acute complaints but it is also exquisite, gentle medicine for deeper, longstanding issues rooted in trauma and toxicity.

Homeopathic medicines are safe even for babies and animals. They are highly diluted and specially prepared, so there is no toxicity left even with remedies made from raw materials which are toxic. Homeopathy is successfully used by millions worldwide, with a growing body of scientific evidence to support its use.