{"id":189678,"date":"2023-04-03T15:06:03","date_gmt":"2023-04-03T15:06:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.boiron.ca\/?p=189678"},"modified":"2023-11-02T21:05:26","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T21:05:26","slug":"what-is-homeopathy-and-can-it-fit-into-your-regimen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.boiron.ca\/en\/all\/others\/homeopathy\/what-is-homeopathy-and-can-it-fit-into-your-regimen\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Homeopathy, and can it fit into your regimen?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Below is an article on homeopathy, entitled “What is Homeopathy, and can it fit into your regimen?”<\/strong> and written by Karen Robock.<\/strong> This article was published this March in the Canadian Living, and is now available on their website.<\/a><\/p>

Can homeopathic remedies really cure my migraines, or help my kid kick a cold?<\/strong><\/h4>

Homeopathy is a 200-year-old holistic healing practice and health philosophy that has been hotly debated in Canada in recent years. But it\u2019s tricky to explain exactly how it works and even harder to demonstrate its effect, so, as a result, many have chosen to dismiss the modality entirely. Some have gone so far as to call it quack science, woo-woo\u2014and worse. But in other parts of the world, including France and Germany, homeopathy is integrated into the mainstream medical system as an accepted form of complemen-tary therapy, like acupuncture or massage. And it\u2019s used to treat everything from allergies to headaches to joint pain.<\/p>

What is homeopathic medicine?<\/strong><\/h4>

\u201cOne of the difficulties in understanding homeopathy is that it works opposite to conventional medicine,\u201d says Nicole Duelli, a certified classical homeopath based in Vancouver. Homeopathy is based on the principle that \u201clike cures like,\u201d meaning that a disease or disorder and its accompanying symptoms can be cured with a product that\u2019s known to produce sim-ilar symptoms at a higher dosage. For example, if you are prone to headaches, your doctor might suggest taking a painkiller like acetaminophen, while a homeopath may suggest you also try a remedy like a belladonna tincture to trigger your body into healing the pain you are experiencing. (Belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade, is a plant that can be poisonous\u2014and so could cause pain\u2014but is highly diluted in a homeopathic medicine.) \u201cThe word \u2018homeopathy\u2019 comes from the Greek\u00a0homeos<\/i>\u00a0pathos<\/i>, meaning \u2018the similar suffering,\u2019\u201d says Duelli. Homeopathic solutions are made of plant, mineral or animal starting materials that are then put through a repeated dilution and intense shaking process (known as succussion) before being incorporated into pellets, oral droplets, syrups and ointments. Some remedies, like arnica cream, which is often used at home for sore spots and bruises, can be purchased over the counter at the drug store, but complementary health-care practitioners trained in homeopathy, like some naturopaths, can also give personalized remedies to their patients. Although not all physicians endorse it, about five million Canadians use some form of homeopathy on a regular basis, either on their own or following the advice of a natural health practitioner. And all homeopathic medicines are regulated by Health Canada as natural health products. \u00a0<\/p>

Ho\u2022me\u2022op\u2022a\u2022thy (1826): the treatment of disease by minute doses of drugs that in a healthy person would produce symptoms of the disease.<\/strong><\/h3>

Complementary Care<\/strong><\/h4>

Homeopathy is sometimes described as a substitute for mainstream medicine, but it should be seen as \u201ca complementary approach to use alongside allopathic (or conventional) therapies to bring relief to patients\u2019 ailments and symptoms,\u201d says Dr. Christiane Laberge, a family doctor based in Montreal. \u201cIt\u2019s not an alternative\u2014they can work together,\u201d she says. For example, when treating a patient with seasonal allergies the two modalities can often work in tandem. \u201cWe don\u2019t recommend that the patient not use antihistamines,\u201d she says. \u201cBut if they present with symptoms like itching at the back of the throat, and the medication isn\u2019t already helping with that, a homeopathic medicine like sabadilla pellets may help to bring relief.\u201d (Sabadilla is a flowering plant native to Central America and Mexico.) \u201cAll the different alternative medicines, including homeopathy, are in fact complementary, but I think homeo-pathy is the most complementary to what medical doctors are doing,\u201d says Dr. Shahram Ayoubzadeh, a naturopathic doctor, classical homeopath and the dean of the Canadian College of Homeopathic Medicine. That\u2019s because, due to the high dilution of all active ingredients, they don\u2019t pose a threat of interacting with prescription medications. Though, of course, a practitioner of homeopathy will do a full medical history on new patients and be up to date on which prescriptions they are taking. And, if you are picking up an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy at the pharmacy, you should confirm with the pharmacist that it\u2019s safe for you to take. A large study conducted in France (where homeopathy is widely integrated with mainstream medicine) and recently published in the journal\u00a0Clinical Breast Can-cer<\/i>\u00a0looked at how homeopathic treatments could be used to support conventional therapies, including radiation and mastectomy. Researchers concluded that homeopathy could help alleviate treatment side effects and as a result lead to a better adherence to treatment plans and improved quality of life during breast cancer treatment. \u201cHomeopathy is an integrative tool for taking care of patients as a whole,\u201d says Dr. Laberge.<\/p>

The power of plants<\/strong><\/h4>

There have been hundreds of controlled and standardized studies conducted to improve knowledge of homeopathic medicines. In one example, duckweed plants that were poisoned with arsenic, then treated with the homeopathic cure arsenicum album were revived and returned to a healthier state than the plants that were not exposed to the treatment. In a different laboratory study, a homeopathic solution of Gelsemium sempervirens boosted through neuronal cells the production of a hormone that reduces stress and anxiety. \u201cOf course, when we see this research on cells and plants, we can\u2019t extrap-olate that to humans, but that kind of evidence helps people to see that there is something here,\u201d says Anne-Laure Leclere, head of global scientific and medical affairs for Boiron, one of the largest manufacturer of homeopathic products in the world.<\/p>

Is it just placebo effect?<\/strong><\/h4>

At this point, there isn\u2019t much question that homeopathy has an effect of some kind\u2014in a lab, and in the real world. In one systematic review of high-quality clinical trials, homeopathic treatments prescribed on an individual basis were up to two times more effective than placebo. Plus, the placebo effect doesn\u2019t explain the effects of these medicines on plants, animals, or cells under a microscope. Or why so many people seem to find relief with homeopathic remedies when pharmaceuticals alone have failed them. \u201cWhen patients have tried four or five allopathic remedies without much help, then they take a homeopathic remedy and it works, it\u2019s illogical to say it\u2019s just placebo,\u201d says Dr. Ayoubzadeh. Physicists and chemists have used a variety of techniques to analyze homeopathic medicines and are able to observe different physiochemical properties, but there\u2019s still no simple way to explain how they work. And we are uncomfortable with things we can\u2019t fully explain, says Leclere. In the meantime, supporters of homeopathy are satisfied to just see results. Boiron Canada\u2019s bestseller, Camilia, is a solution for teething babies (containing Chamomilla vulgaris, Phytolacca decandra and Rheum) that\u2019s designed to relieve the restlessness, pain and diarrhea that come along with cutting teeth. Infants can\u2019t tell their parents if it works, of course, but in a survey of nearly 600 customers across three countries, 94 percent of parents who responded were satisfied with how it helped their little ones. \u201cIn my practice, I clearly see the benefits of homeopathy on my patients,\u201d says Duelli. \u201cAgain, we\u2019re not talking about a replacement therapy here, we\u2019re talking about a complementary medicine that has its place and its benefits.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>

HOMEO\u00a0TO GO!<\/h3>

To get the full benefits of this healing modality, it\u2019s best to visit a homeopath or naturopathic doctor who practices homeopathy. But, if you\u2019d like to give an over-the-counter remedy a try, these three are trusted favourites from Boiron Canada. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

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Oscillococcinum<\/b><\/a> Get relief of flu-like symptoms, including body aches, fever and chills. \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

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\"\"<\/a>Arnicare Gel<\/a><\/b> Banish bruising and swelling and soothe muscle and joint pain. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

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Quietude<\/b><\/a> Designed to relieve minor sleeping disorders and night waking, so you can catch more z\u2019s. And there\u2019s a version for kids, too!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Below is an article on homeopathy, entitled “What is Homeopathy, and can it fit into your regimen?” and written by Karen Robock. This article was published this March in the Canadian Living, and is now available on their website. Can homeopathic remedies really cure my migraines, or help my kid kick a cold? Homeopathy is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":256980,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[74],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-189678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homeopathy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t