Exciting stuff! That is, if you know what homeopathy actually is—which most of us don’t. Here’s what you need to know. A 200-year-old medical system, homeopathy is based on the concept that “like cures like”—meaning, natural substances that cause symptoms in a healthy person will cure those symptoms in a sick person. “The biggest benefits to homeopathic care are the lack of side effects and the safety of the substances used,” says Vincent Pedre, MD, director of the Pedre Integrative Health practice in New York City. Here’s how homeopathic docs differ in approach from their conventional counterparts:
They take a whole-body approach. Many times we go to a cardiologist for heart problems, a podiatrist for foot pain, and an orthopedic specialist for knee issues—but none of these doctors really know what the other is doing, says Dr. Pedre. During a homeopathic evaluation, on the other hand, a practitioner tries to uncover your symptoms and idiosyncrasies (such as your sleep positions and hobbies) to define your personality on all levels—physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, says Todd Rowe, MD, director of the Desert Institute School of Classical Homeopathy in Phoenix. A homeopath then works on choosing a single remedy to match your physical symptoms and traits.
They use all-natural treatments. Instead of using synthetic chemicals to treat patients, homeopathic physicians use very small doses of natural products that are diluted from plants, animals, and minerals.
They encourage symptoms. Another big difference is that homeopathic medicines don’t try to suppress symptoms. They use tinctures that provoke the very symptoms patients are suffering from in order to elicit a healing response in the body, says Andrew Weil, MD, Prevention advisor and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. For example, unlike a traditional cough suppressant, a homeopathic cough syrup helps loosen chest congestion to make a cough more productive—helping your body cough up what’s clogging it.
Ready to give homeopathy a try? You can find a doctor near you through the North American Society of Homeopaths’ physician directory. Be sure your practitioner is certified and has one of these: CCH (Council of Homeopathic Certification), DHANP (Homeopathic Association of Naturopathic Physicians), or DHt (American Board of Homeotherapeutics). More from Prevention: Natural Alternatives To The Top 10 Prescription Drugs
