Homeopathy, a form of medicine that relies on minute amounts of herbs,
minerals, and other substances to stimulate a person's natural defenses and
help the body heal itself, often tames illnesses with a single dose of
medicine and causes virtually no side effects.

HOMEOPATHY, which is derived from two Greek words, literally means "similar
suffering."  Although the concept dates back to at least the tenth century
B.C., modern homeopathy is based on the observations of Samuel Hahnemann,
an eighteenth-century German physician.  Dr. Hanemann considered the
medical practices of the time barbaric, because patients were regularly
bled, leeched, and blistered to purge them of fluids believed to cause most
illnesses.

Disillusioned, he quit medicine and became a translator of scientific
texts.  But Dr. Hahnemann continued to experiment on himself with various
substances in hopes of finding a more humane way of healing people.  He
suspected that disease represented an imbalance in what he called the
body's vital force (modern homeopaths believe he meant the immune system)
and that only a small stimulus was needed to restore balance in the body's
natural defenses.

But that hunch didn't fully bloom until he began experiments to discover
why small doses of quinine, an extract from a Peruvian tree bark, cured
malaria.  To his surprise, Dr. Hahnemann found that large doses of the drug
had unexpected effects.  After taking massive doses of quinine for several
days, he developed trembling, heart palpitations, and other symptoms of
malaria.  As soon as he stopped taking the drug, his symptoms disappeared.
>From this experiment, Dr. Hahnemann developed his belief that "like is
cured by like," also known as the law of similiars, which is the basis of
homeopathy.

Dr. Hahnemann theorized that if large amounts of a substance such as
quinine cause symptoms of illness in a healthy person, then small doses of
that same substance should cure an ill person who has similar symptoms.

But Dr. Hahnemann had to overcome one major obstacle.  Some of the
substances he used, such as arsenic, mercury, and belladonna (deadly
nightshade), were extremely poisonous.  So Dr. Hahnemann diluted the
substances in water and alcohol until he believed he had safe doses that
would trigger healing in the body without causing any harmful effects.  In
fact, Dr. Hahnemann theorized that as the doses got smaller, the remedy not
only would become less toxic but wuold actually be more potent and
effective as well.

Today, more than 1,200 substances are recognized as homeopathic remedies.
These remedies are diluted so that 1 drop of a medicine is mixed with
either 9 or 99 drops of solution--that is 87 percent alcohol and 13 percent
distilled water--creating a dilution of 1 to 10 or 1 to 100.  This mixture
is vigorously shaken, then 1 drop of the mixture is diluted and shaken into
another 9 or 99 drops of solution.  After about 24 dilutions, there usually
isn't one molecule of the original homeopathic medicine left in the
solution.  This process, however, often continues for 1,000 or more
dilutions and shaking to increase the solution'sx potency, homeopaths say.

Homeopathic remedies are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Available as pill, powder, or liquid, these remedies are considered safe
enough for 95 percent of them to be sold over the counter in many or most
health food stores in the United States, according to the National Center
of Homeopathy.  (When buying, remember that remedies that are labeled X
have been diluted 1 to 10, whild remedies labeled C, which are more potent,
have been diluted 1 to 100.  So a 3C remedy, for example, has been diluted
three times at a ration of 1 to 100 and is the equivalent of one drop of
homeopathic remedy in one million drops of a solution of water and alcohol.)

Homeopaths say they don't treat specific diseases. Instead, they treat the
whole person based on all of his emotional and physical symptoms.  So
depending on their symptoms, a person who has a wart and a person who has a
headache may be given the same remedy.  On the other hand, homeopaths also
believe that two people with the same illness can have very different
symptoms and need very different remedies.

Although it sounds complex, homeopaths say the basis are easy to learn and
many people can develop enough homeopathic skills to treat most of their
families' minor ailments at home.

HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENTS YOU CAN USE

FOR TREATING ALLERGIES:  If you are sneezing a lot and have itchy, watery
eyes and a runny nose it is suggested that you try Allium cepa 30C once or
twice daily until you begin to feel better.  The same does of Sabadilla can
help people who have violent sneezing attacks in addition to other hay
fever symptoms.
        For people whose prime symptom is watery, burning eyes, take Euphrasia 30C
once or twice a day.  If one of these remedies doesn't seem to help within
seven days, consult your medical doctor or homeopath.

FOR TREATING ANXIETY:  A dose of Ignatia 6X every 15 minutes may help you
reduce the fear and anxiety.  Do not exceed four doses, since excessive
repetition of Ignatia can actually trigger anxiety.
        Gelsemium is another excellent remedy that can help you deal with stage
fright or anticipation of an ordeal such as an important business
conference.  If you have anxiety accompanied by diarrhea, that's a sure
sign for Gelsemium.  Take a dose of Gelsemium 6X every 15 minutes until you
begin to feel calmer, do not exceed four doses.

FOR TREATING ARTHRITIS:  Rhus toxicodendron will help relieve painful
joints accompanied by stiffiness in the neck and in the small of the back
that is worse in cold weather and better on warm, dry days and after
exercise.  Take a 30C dose once a day or a 12C dose twice daily.  A similar
dosage of Bryonia will help if you have stiff and painful joints that are
hot and swollen and feel worse with motion.  A 30C dose of Cimicifuga is a
good remedy if you have an uneasy, restless feeling and achy muscles that
are worse with cold and in the morning.  It is recommended that any of
these remedies be taken in the indicated dosage until you begin to feel
better.

FOR TREATING A BACKACHE:  To lessen back pain, try one of the following 6C
or 12C remedies three to four times a day until you begin to notice
improvment.  If you feel bruised and sore and don't want to be touched, and
if the pain is better while you're lying down, it is recommended that you
take Arnica.  Aesculus may help if your lower back gives out, accompanied
by dull pain that is worse after walking or stooping.  For a painful, stiff
neck that feels worse with motion, cold, and weather changes and better
with rest, try Bryonia.  Rhus toxicodendron may help if your back symptoms
make you restless and you can't get comfortable in any position, especially
if you have stiffness in the small of your back that is worse with motion.

FOR TREATING BURNS:  To treat a minor (first-degree) burn, put 20 drops of
Calendula tincture in four ounces of water and bathe the skin with it four
or six times a day until the pain goes away and the burn heals.  You can
also use Urtica urens as a tincture in the same way as Calendula or you can
take 6C or 12C tablets every two or three hours as needed to relieve the
pain.  If it's a stinging, swollen burn, try a 6C or 12C of Apis every two
or three hours until the pain goes away.
        If you have a second-degree burn, a burn that has blistered and is very
painful, you shold seek medical attention immediately.  But as additional
therapy, take a 12C or 30C dose of Causticum or Cantharis once every 30
minutes to an hour until the pain is relieved.

FOR TREATING COLDS:  If you have sinus congestion, thick green nasal
discharge, sensitivity to touch, and pain in your cheekbones or on the
bridge of your nose, then try a 30C dose of Kali bichromicum once or twice
daily until you begin to feel better.  If you feel warm, if you feel better
in fresh air, if you don't feel thirsty, and if you're unusually emotional,
try a 30C dose of Pulsatilla once or twice a day.  If you have a chest cold
with a cough, irritability, and thirst to the point of gulping water, and
if your sinuses feel raw, a 30C dose of Byronia three times a day is
recommended.  On the other hand, if you feel restless, anxious, irritable,
chilly, thirsty (but drink in sips), and if you have a watery, burning
nasal discharge, a 30C dose of Arsenicum once or twice a day is advised.

FOR TREATING CUTS, SCRAPES, AND SCRATCHES:  Cleanse the wound with soap and
water, then apply Calendula ointment.  If it is a painful scrape or
abrasian, wash the wound well with a mixture of 20 drops of Calendula
tincture and 20 drops of Hypericum tincture diluted in four ounces of
water.  Then apply a sterile dressing moistened with this mixture two or
three times a day until the wound has healed.

FOR TREATING THE FLU:  Oscillococcinum, Flu Solution, and other commercial
combination remedies containing duck liver and heart extract are excellent
flu fighters.  Combination flu remedies work for a lot of people,
particulary if they take one in the first 4 to 12 hours after symptoms
appear.  Follow the dosage recommendations on the label of the remedy you
choose.  If it's going to work, you should feel relief with a single dose.
        If the flu persists, you'll probably need a more specific remedy, such as
a 12C or 30C dose of Eupatorium perfoliatum, which is good for a flu that
causes aches and chills in your back and bones, fatigue, thirst and bad
headaches.  If you feel dizzy, drowsy, and weak but momentarily better
after urinating, try a 12C or 30C dose of Gelsemium.  Take up to four doses
of these flu remedies in 24 hours.  If you don't feel better after then,
see your medical doctor or homeopath.

FOR TREATING HEARTBURN:  If you have heartburn associated with heaviness
after meals, excess gas, and a bitter taste in your mouth, especially after
large meals, try Nux vomica 30C every couple of hours until you feel
betteer.  If food feels stuck behind your breastbone, your tongue is
coated, and you crave starchy foods (which only make the symptoms worse),
try Pulsatilla 3C every two hours.  Naturm muriaticum 30C every two hours
may offer relief if your heartburn is accompanied by nervoursness, tension,
and pain in the upper abdomen.

FOR TREATING INSOMNIA:  For mild bouts of insomnia, try taking a 30C dose
of the following remedies one hour before bedtime for 10 consecutive
nights.  It is suggested repeating the dose if you wake and can't get back
to sleep.
        If you can't pop your mind out of gear because of some good or bad news,
try Coffea.  Pulsatilla is recommended if you feel restless when you first
go to be, it you alternate between being too hot and too cold, if you
aren't thirsty, and if your insomnia seems worse after eating rich foods.
Ignatia is a good remedy if you yawn a lot but aren't able to drift off, if
you dread not being able to sleep, or if you have nightmares when you do
fall asleep.  If you're anxious, worried, or restless, if you have ominous
dreams about fire or danger, and if you're wide awake between midnight and
2:00 AM, try Arsenicum.  Lycopodium may help if you talk and laugh in your
sleep, if you're aware that you dream a lot, if you often wake about 4:00
AM, and if your mind is usually very active at bedtime.

FOR TREATING LARYNGITIS:  If you suddenly develop laryngitis along with a
bright red, dry throat but you don't want water or other fluids, try a 30C
dose of Belladonna every two hours.  If your condition persists for more
than two days, or if you notice white spots on the back of your throat, see
your medical doctor or homeopath.

FOR TREATING MUSCLE CRAMPS AND PAIN:  Rubbing Arnica ointment, cream, gel,
or oil into a sore muscle, then applying a warm washcloth three or four
times a day can help relieve cramping and pain.  Taking a 12C or 30C tablet
of Arnica two or three times a day until the pain and soreness are relieved
may also help.

FOR TREATING NAUSEA AND VOMITING:  If you feel nauseated and don't know
why, you first thing to try is a dose of Ipecacuanha 6X every 15 minutes
until you begin to feel better.  Do not take more than four doses.

FOR TREATING PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROM:  Although PMS is usually treated on a
personal, case-by-case basis by homeopaths, you might want to try one of
the following 30C remedies before seeking professional help.  It is
suggested taking the remedy for the symptoms that most closely match yours
every 12 hours for up to three days, beginning 24 hours before PMS usually
starts in your cycle.
        If your breasts are tender and your symptoms are worse in the morning, try
Lachesis.  Calcarea is recommended if you crave eggs and sweets, if you
have cold sweats and swollen and painful breats, and if you feel clumsy or
tired.  Nux vomica will help if you're irritable, chilly, constipated,
urinate frequently, and crave sweet or fatty foods.  If you are
disinterested in sex, if you crave sweet or salty foods, and if you feel
irritable, weepy, chilly, and emotionally detached try Sepia.

FOR TREATING TOOTHEACHE:  To relieve a throbbing toothache that develops
suddenly, try a 30X dose of Belladonna every 30 to 60 minutes until the
pain begins to diminish.  If cold weather or foods make your tooth pain
feel worse and if warmth and light pressure on the jaw make it feel better,
a 30X dose of Magnesia phosphorica every 30 to 60 minutes as needed is
recommended.

FOR TREATING VAGINITIS:  Ladies since I don't want to sent the guys on this
mailing list into too much shock, I will send private emails to those of
you who are interested in the homeopathic treatment for vaginitis...Roxy

SOURCE:  DRUG-FREE HEALING:  Breakthrough Remedies for Healing Yourself
Naturally, by the editors of PREVENTION Magazine Health Books