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Homeopathy
LifeWave
Plus products
are formulated based on the principles of Homeopathy. They work by
activating your body’s energy system to heal
itself
and maintain a natural state of excellent health.
Homeopathy
is a
scientific system of healthcare that activates the body’s own healing
processes in order to treat disease naturally, gently, and promptly. It
is a natural pharmaceutical science that uses very small or
infinitesimal doses of substances from the plant, mineral or animal
kingdoms to activate the body’s nervous system to initiate the healing
response. It does not treat disease, though. Homeopathy actuates the
body’s own healing processes to address the causes of disease.
People
use homeopathy
for a range
of health concerns, from wellness
and prevention, to the treatment of diseases and conditions such as:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Cholera
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Depression
- Digestive Disorders
- Ear Infections
- Headaches
- Influenza Epidemics and Pandemics
- Skin Rashes
- Yellow Fever
Homeopathy
has been proven to be more effective
than allopathic medicine in the treatment and prevention of disease,
without
risk of harmful side effects. In a U.S. cholera outbreak in 1849,
allopathic
medicine saw a 48 to 60% death rate, while homeopathic hospitals had a
documented
death rate of only 3%. Roughly, similar statistics still hold true for
Cholera. Recent epidemiological studies show homeopathic remedies as
equaling
or surpassing standard vaccinations in preventing disease.
Background
Homeopathy was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago and has
been practiced in the United States since the early part of 19th
century. The
term homeopathy came from the Greek words homeo, which means similar, and pathos, which means suffering or disease.
Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's
ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted
substances - a therapeutic method developed by German physician
Samuel Christian Hahnemann at the end of the 18th century.
Main Principles of Homeopathy
- The principle of similars or
"like cures
like" states
that
a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in
healthy people. This idea, which can be traced back to Hippocrates, was
further developed by Hahnemann after he repeatedly ingested cinchona
bark, a popular treatment for Malaria, and found that he developed the
symptoms of the disease. Hahnemann theorized that if a substance could
cause disease symptoms in a healthy person, small amounts could cure a
sick person who had similar symptoms.
- The principle of dilutions or
"law of minimum
dose"
states that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. In homeopathy, substances are diluted in a stepwise
fashion and shaken vigorously between each dilution. This process,
referred to as "potentization," is believed to transmit some form of
information or energy from the original substance to the final diluted
remedy. Most homeopathic remedies are so dilute that no molecules of
the healing substance remain; however, in homeopathy, it is believed
that the substance has left its imprint or "essence," which stimulates
the body to heal itself - a theory called the "memory of water".
Homeopathy treats people based on
genetic and personal health
history, body type, and current physical, emotional, and mental
symptoms. Homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substances
that come
from plants, minerals, or animals. Common remedies include red onion,
arnica (mountain herb), and stinging nettle plant. Treatment
reinforces natural resistance and stimulates the body to
fight illness and disease more effectively. Homeopathy aims at
helping the body heal itself rather than passively in-taking drugs that
suppress the symptoms of the illness.
Regulation
Homeopathic remedies are prepared according to the guidelines of the Homeopathic
Pharmacopeia of the United States (HPUS),
which was written into law in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
in 1938. Homeopathic remedies are regulated in the same manner as
nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. However, because
homeopathic products contain little or no active ingredients, they do
not have to undergo the same safety and efficacy testing as
prescription and new OTC drugs. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) does require that
homeopathic remedies meet certain legal standards for strength, purity,
and packaging. The labels on the remedies must include at least one
major indication, list of
ingredients, dilution strength, and safety instructions. In addition,
if a
homeopathic remedy claims to treat a serious disease such as cancer, it
needs to be sold by prescription. Only products for self-limiting
conditions or minor health problems like a cold or headache can be sold
without a prescription.
Research
Studies
The following studies are just a few of many confirming the safety
andeffectiveness of Homeopathy:
- A
study entitled: “The Safety of Homeopathy” published January 2009
by
the European Council for Classical Homeopathy has concluded that
homeopathic remedies are safe.
The report was
based on the results of the following approaches:
- a
description of regulation and production methods for HMPs;
- a literature
review considering current research evidence for the safety of
HMPs;
- a survey on
the safety of treatment provided by practitioners;
- an overview
of regulation of the practice of homeopathy; and
- an overview
of international measures taken by the profession to
self-regulate.
The
report
also looked at over 20 observational studies with a total of 7,275
patients.
Some of the
conclusions were:
“There
is
overall agreement between practitioners, national
Governments and the European Union institutions that the safety of
patients is of paramount importance. There is also a widespread
and
longstanding belief that CAM therapies such as homeopathy have a
high safety profile when correctly administered. Some authors have
however pointed out the need for such claims to be
researched.
Current
evidence seems to support the claim that ADRs (Adverse Drug Reactions)
rarely arise
in connection with HMPs [homeopathic remedies] and where they do
they
are only mild or moderate, and transient. We have been unable
to find
any evidence to support a claim that HMPs may cause serious AE or ADR.
The results we have seen are in line with claims such as those put
forward by Reilly (2005) who states that homeopathy lacks the
potential
for life-threatening side effects and it may be used in pregnancy and
the treatment of infants and children without risk of harm."
- Homeopathy
and
Acute
Respiratory and Ear Problems
A
study using
57 primary care centers in Europe showed that
homeopathy is as effective at treating acute respiratory and ear
complaints as conventional treatment. Data of 1,577 patients was
evaulated and 857 patient received homeopathic treatment.
The study was
designed as an
international, multi-centre, comparative cohort study of non-randomised
design. Patients, presenting themselves with at least one chief
complaint: acute (≤ 7 days) runny nose, sore throat, ear pain, sinus
pain or cough, were recruited at 57 primary care practices in Austria
(8), Germany (8), the Netherlands (7), Russia (6), Spain (6), Ukraine
(4), United Kingdom (10) and the USA (8) and given either homeopathic
or conventional treatment. Therapy outcome was measured by using the
response rate, defined as the proportion of patients experiencing
‘complete recovery’ or ‘major improvement’ in each treatment group. The
primary outcome criterion was the response rate after 14 days of
therapy.
The study
concluded that homeopathic treatment for acute respiratory
and ear complaints, including those in children was at least as good as
conventional medicine. And as importantly, the study also showed that
the onset of improvement was much faster for patients using homeopathy
with adults having less adverse reactions using homeopathy.
“However, onset of improvement
within the first 7 days
after treatment was significantly faster upon homeopathic treatment
both in children (p = 0.0488) and adults (p =
0.0001). Adverse drug reactions occurred more frequently in adults of
the conventional group than in the homeopathic group …”
A
study of 82 patients suffering Psoriasis treated with homeopathy in
primary care over a period of two years shows significant improvement
in their quality of life and reduction in their Psoriasis symptoms.
Many of the patients had suffered Psoriasis for as long as 15 years and
had previously unsuccessfully tried conventional treatments. The full
paper of the study is published in the Journal of the European Academy
of Dermatology and Venereology, a conventional medical Journal.
Objective: To
evaluate details and effects of homeopathic treatment in patients with
Psoriasis in usual medical care.
Methods Primary
care
patients were evaluated over 2 years using standardized
questionnaires,
recording diagnoses and complaints severity, health-related quality of
life (QoL), medical history, consultations, all treatments, and use of
other health services.
Results: Forty-five
physicians treated 82 adults, 51.2% women, aged 41.6 ± 12.2
(mean ± SD)
years. Patients had psoriasis for 14.7 ± 11.9 years;
96.3% had been
treated before. Initial case taking took 127 ± 47 min.
The 7.4 ± 7.4
subsequent consultations (duration: 19.4 ± 10.5 min)
cumulated to
169.0 ± 138.8 min. Patients received 6.0 ± 4.9
homeopathic
prescriptions. Diagnoses and complaints severity improved markedly with
large effect sizes (Cohen’s d= 1.02–2.09).
In addition, QoL improved (SF-36 physical component score d = 0.26, mental component score d = 0.49), while conventional treatment and
health service use were considerably reduced.
Conclusions: Under
classical homeopathic treatment, patients with Psoriasis improved in
symptoms and QoL.
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