HOMEOPATHY

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is derived from the Greek words for "like" and "suffering." The guiding principle behind homeopathy is "like cures like," originates from Egypt and ancient Greece. In the late 18th century, a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann read that quinine-containing Peruvian bark (chinchona) cured malaria. Hahnemann swallowed a dose of Peruvian bark and began to feel feverish, drowsy, extremely thirsty, and agitated, which are all symptoms of malaria. Hahnemann started to experiment more and formed his theory that like cures like, or the Law of Similars: that when a substance in large doses causes certain symptoms, in small doses it can cure these same symptoms.

Herbs and other plants, minerals, venom from snakes, and other substances can be used to make homeopathic remedies. They are diluted again and again and "succussed" or shaken vigorously between each dilution. The process of sequential dilution and succussion is called potentization.