towards exceptional health...one step at a time
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions
about Homeopathy (see also our section
on homeopathy)
Questions about Naturopathy (see
also our section on naturopathy)
What is the difference between Homeopathy and Naturopathy?
Naturopathic medicine is an umbrella term, a profession which integrates various methods of natural healthcare, including homeopathy, nutrition, Chinese Medicine, botanical medicine, hydrotherapy, lifestyle management, etc. Some naturopathic doctors are general practitioners, incorporating many different natural healthcare approaches to a lesser or greater extent. Others specialize in one or more methods, devoting all their time to refining and perfecting their knowledge in one modality. Like Chinese Medicine, homeopathic medicine is a whole method of healthcare unto itself, with its own history and tradition, and its own definition of what is health, disease, and healing. It takes a life time of dedicated study and practice to become excellent and most effective in homeopathic medicine.
What is Homeopathy? How does it differ from traditional medicine?
Homeopathy is a sophisticated method of natural healthcare which works by harnessing our body's natural defenses, the most powerful medicinal tool we have at our disposal. It focuses on bringing the entire body back into balance, treating the patient as a whole by differentiating those symptoms which are peculiar or characteristics to the individual, instead of diagnosing and prescribing on the basis of the common expression of symptoms of a particular disorder.
The homeopathic understanding of
a disease is that nothing happens in a chaotic way; a person is producing symptoms
because something is wrong. And the body is producing these symptoms in a very
specific order; they are thus all related to each other, expressions of a common
imbalance in the system that shows itself at different parts of life through
different disorders.
Therefore, unlike traditional medicine, which focuses on the symptoms, Homeopathy
treats the entire person.
Conventional medicine has its place
in health therapy when there is irreversible structural damage or when the manifestation
of the disease has compromised an individual's health to the extent that the
vital force is no longer capable of stimulating a viable curative response.
But conventional medicine does not correct inherited or acquired imbalances
of the autoimmune system, which, when functioning properly, protects an individual
from chronic and acute diseases. By giving the patient medicines created to
suppress the outcome of the disease, rather than its cause, conventional medicine
in fact weakens our natural defense mechanism.
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Even though Homeopathy has been in use for more than 2000 years, it was only developed as a systematic and scientific therapy of medical treatment in 1796 by the German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann having become disenchanted by conventional medical practices. Dr. Hahnemann observed that substances which produce symptoms in healthy people, cure similar symptoms in the sick, thus describing the "Law of Similars".
As a matter of fact, Homeopathy works on the basis of the principle, "like cures like". Thus, a substance that is capable of producing morbid symptoms in a healthy person has the ability to cure similar symptoms in an individual whose health has been unbalanced. By matching the individualizing symptoms within a patient to those related to a particular homeopathic substance, a homeopathic remedy stimulates the autoimmune system in order to eradicate the underlying cause of the imbalance, thus restoring health and equilibrium.
The aim of a consultation with a
homeopath is to find out why your body doesn't heal itself as it should, and
to identify a way to make it do it, as it was supposed to when it got exposed
to stress. In fact, symptoms are the way our body reacts to stress, expressions
of dormant tendencies we inherited from our ancestors. From your description
of all your different symptoms, even if they seem totally unrelated to you,
the homeopath draws the picture of a tree, your symptoms being all the different
branches, but with a common trunk feeding all of them, the "root cause".
He thus chooses a natural substance to correct this imbalance, the remedy acting
like a vaccine tailor-made to boost your own resistance.
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What conditions are treated by a Homeopath?
Homeopathy is about treating the whole person, any person, and not just the condition. Thus, anyone can come and see a homeopath, be it men, women, from any age group, or with any condition.
From the foundation of homeopathy, there is only one disease per person. And this disease has been there for a while; it is called a constitutional disease. And if it's not stopped, it's going to grow to something else, and something else, etc. If you are only treating the symptoms, you are constantly chasing the disease. But once your practitioner has identified the root cause of the disease, and has treated it, then not only you get rid of what is happening now, you also eliminate all that has been happening in the past, as well as things that will happen in the future. So Homeopathy is prevention, it is cure of today, but it also is cure of something that shouldn't have happened 150 years ago.
What
types of remedies are used in Homeopathy?
Homeopathic remedies are made from
pretty much everything that exists on earth, including plants, minerals, metals,
or animals. Everything has a healing property. There are over 3000 homeopathic
medicines to choose from; when used correctly, homeopathic medicines can help
you heal yourself, with no harmful side effects.
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Is there any risk to Homeopathy? How can I be comfortable that it will help me and not harm me?
Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic
and devoid of any side effects. The very nature of homeopathic remedies is integrated,
working harmoniously and directly on the vital force instead of merely on the
physiological body. Consequently, they are safe, gentle and efficacious. Homeopathy
has been designed to analyze each case individually, and suggest the most appropriate
remedy and dosage on the basis of an individual's particular symptoms, instead
of by the name of a disease or disorder. The recommended dosages have been clinically
proven safe and effective.
The simplest way to look at homeopathic remedies is as energetic medicines.
Even though you cannot have a side effect reaction to a homeopathic remedy, you can have a strong reaction to it, which can be seen as a healing crisis. As a matter of fact, healing means that your body is trying to correct itself. By taking a homeopathic remedy, you are trying to help it achieve this, giving it a substance that mimics your symptoms better. For a day or two, those symptoms might get worse, but after this healing crisis you will be feeling much better.
Some conventional drugs may interfere
with the curative power of the homeopathic medicines; yet there is no possibility
of a homeopathic medicine interfering with the action of a conventional drug.
The necessity for conventional medicines is sometimes reduced or even eliminated
as a result of the homeopathic treatment. In many instances a homeopathic remedy
will be able augment or speed up the recovery process. In most situations the
action of a homeopathic medicine eliminates the need of conventional drugs because
the homeopathic medicines are able to work quickly and thoroughly, and without
any side effects.
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How popular is Homeopathy worldwide?
Conventional practices in any field or discipline are often prejudiced against innovation or change. The greatest discoveries in human history, i.e. the earth revolves around the sun and is not the centre of the universe, or that the earth is round, were treated initially with great skepticism and disbelief. The same is the case with homeopathy, which is now beginning to revolutionize traditional and conventional beliefs regarding the relationship between health, disease and cure. Recent studies suggest that homeopathy is much more than just an alternative system of medicine, and is now the preferred method of therapy for more than 650 million people worldwide, and is daily drawing more individuals, of all ages and from all walks of life, who have become dissatisfied with conventional medicine and therapy. In the United States the sales of homeopathic medicines have grown at a rate of 10-20% per year over the last ten years.
Homeopathy has been endorsed by
the World Health Organization, The Red Cross, The National Institutes of Health
(NIH - USA), National Centre for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, International
Medical Volunteers Association, which have setup numerous public homeopathic
clinics and projects all over the world. In Britain, France, The Netherlands,
Norway, and Greece, homeopathy has been incorporated into their respective national
healthcare systems. In Asia, especially India, government councils for the regulation
and administration of homeopathy have been in effect for the last 75 years.
All over the globe, homeopathy is rapidly gaining recognition as a major force
in health care. This is evidenced by the numerous societies and national fellowships
for homeopathy currently flourishing (The European & International Councils
for Homeopathy, European Committee for Homeopathy, Liga Medicorum Homeopathica
Internationalis - LMHI, Homeopathes Sans Frontieres - France, The Asian Homeopathic
Medical League, The Homeopathic Doctor Without Barriers - International, Comision
Latinoamericana de Farmicias Homeopaticas, North American Society of Homeopathy
- NASH), as well as a vast increase in educational institutes and colleges to
meet the growing demands for homeopathic medicine.
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Is Homeopathy covered by employment health insurance plans?
Many employers, such as the federal and provincial governments and the high tech industry have coverage, as well as third party insurance companies. Check with your employer to determine what kind of coverage you have.
How
can I make the most out of my Homeopathic care?
Homeopathic medicine is not a substitute for a healthy life-style. On the contrary,
homeopathy works best in conjunction with balanced eating and exercise habits.
None the less, improved health through homeopathy often results in greater vitality
and awareness, enhancing motivation towards a better life style.
Your guidance is essential in helping your homeopath help you. Remember, your
life story is important to understanding your unique coping style. It holds
the key to understanding how your disease evolved, shedding light on the profound
mystery of how your natural defenses work.
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What kind of training does a naturopathic doctor receive?
The training of a naturopathic doctor
is rigorous, and involves a minimum of seven years postsecondary training, requiring
a Bachelor of Science degree and the four years of naturopathic medical school.
The first two years of naturopathic medical school are exactly the same as for
conventional medical doctors as we all complete courses in anatomy, biochemistry,
physiology, microbiology and immunology, pathology, and clinical and physical
diagnosis. Additional classes focus on natural treatments and therapies that
remove obstacles to cure, as well as clinical hours under the supervision of
licensed naturopathic doctors. Prior to becoming licensed in the province of
Ontario, naturopathic doctors have to pass a series of comprehensive clinical
board examinations.
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Who goes to see a naturopathic doctor (N.D.)?
People of all ages and walks of
life visit naturopathic doctors. They may come in with an acute or chronic condition,
or may be healthy and want to focus on prevention in order to optimize their
health. Naturopathic doctors address the entire body, looking at the underlying
cause of disease, looking at the entire person - the physical, emotional, and
mental components of each person.
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What conditions are treated by a naturopathic doctor?
Most acute and chronic diseases
can be treated by your naturopathic doctor, ranging from colds to cancer. Treatments
are tailor-made for each person, as we recognize the inherent individuality
of each patient. The first visit typically takes an hour and a half, whereby
a detailed medical history is taken, as well as a relevant physical examination.
Depending on the nature of one's health condition, lab tests may be ordered,
such as blood tests, urinalysis, and salivary hormone testing.
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What types of natural medicines are used?
A variety of natural medicines are
used by Naturopathic Doctors, ranging from herbal and nutritional supplementation
to acupuncture, homeopathy, lifestyle counselling, and physical treatments like
the Bowen technique.
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The Bowen technique is a physical
treatment that involves a gentle rolling motion over muscles, tendons, and ligaments
that fast tracks healing and releases energy flow. The technique can be effectively
and safely used on infants to the elderly to address primarily musculo-skeletal
conditions, such as low back pain as a result of injury, motor vehicle accidents,
and repetitive stress. Other conditions that can be helped with the Bowen technique
include: neck pain, a variety of shoulder and elbow conditions, tempero-manidibular
joint disorder, sprained ankles and bunions, as well as respiratory, digestive,
and immunological conditions.
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Is Naturopathy covered by employment health insurance plans?
Many employers, such as the federal
and provincial governments and the high tech industry have coverage, as well
as third party insurance companies. Check with your employer to determine what
kind of coverage you have.
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Do Naturopathic Doctors work with other health care practitioners?
Yes, your naturopathic doctor works
with the rest of your health care team, which may include a combination of practitioners
such as: medical doctors, homeopaths, osteopathic doctors, chiropractors, physiotherapists,
optometrists, and massage therapists.
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