12 Common Myths about Homeopathy

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Is Homeopathy safe? Does it work? Is Homeopathy real science?

We’ll be answering all of those questions here.  We’ll also address 12 common misconceptions about Homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a topic that is often surrounded with skepticism. In this article we’ll be explaining if Homeopathy is a legitimate form of alternative medicine, if it’s safe and multiple other questions regarding Homeopathic medicine. We’ll also be debunking some common myths about homeopathy.

All of the information in this article is based on data-backed facts and does not rely on any speculation whatsoever.

1.   It is unscientific.

All homeopathic remedies are tested in double blind studies to show their effects on a healthy person. By noting the symptoms that are revealed in these provings, homeopaths can determine the healing potential of each remedy. 

In studies concluding in 2009 by the World Health Organization (WHO), 74 out of 142 randomized controlled trials (RCT) concluded with 63 positive for homeopathy and 11 negative. There is clear evidence that Homeopathy is both scientific and legitimate.  

2. It is practiced only by “quacks”.

Samuel Hahneman(1755-1843 Germany), the founder of homeopathy, was a medical doctor, a skilled chemist, and a son-in-law of a pharmacist. He left the medical profession because he saw that the drastic procedures of that time were doing more harm than good.  A genius in languages, he began to earn his living by translating medical texts. This gave him a profound understanding of the nature of healing which led to the development of homeopathy.  

Proofs that Homeopathy has legitimacy in it’s very roots

  • It would be surprising to note that Dr. Hahneman, the founder of homeopathy also created the concept of the double blind study!
  • Almost all of the early practitioners of Homeopathy were themselves medical doctors.
  • Until the 1920’s one quarter of the medical schools in the United States were Homeopathic!  
  • Surprising FACT: Today, approximately 50% of the hospitals in India are Homeopathic.  

3. It is only a placebo.

I do not wish to denigrate the healing power of the mind through the use of placebos.  However, the effectiveness of homeopathy on even infants and animals clearly shows that the effect of the healing power of homeopathy cannot just be a result of a placebo. What clarifies this even more is the clinical evidence shown in the study that we mentioned above. Homeopathy has been proven to work on its own merits when tested against individuals who were administered placebos.

4. It is just like a form of  herbalism.

Homeopathic remedies undergo potentization. Although many homeopathic remedies are prepared from plants (as well as minerals and animal substances) they are diluted to the point where there is very little or none of the original substance left. They are prepared and subscribed for and used very differently than herbal remedies. 

5. It can’t possibly work because there is no active ingredient left after all the dilutions.

What is left is the “potentized” energy of  that substance. It is this energy, that when it matches  the energy and symptoms of the patient, that is curative.

6. It is a form of Oriental or Eastern medicine.

As noted above, homeopathy developed in the West in the context of classical Western medicine. The one thing that it does share with Eastern medicine is the understanding that we are animated by a “vital force” which needs to be strengthened in order to facilitate healing.  

7.  It won’t work if I don’t believe in it.

See  #3

8. It didn’t work for my mother (or friend or cousin) so it won’t work for me.

Perhaps they didn’t follow the homeopath’s instructions or they self prescribed, or they went to a doctor that was not trained in Classical Homeopathy? Homeopathy is a complex art and science that takes years of training and experience to become a skilled practitioner.     

9. Homeopathy works just for simple things like colds  mild injuries, childhood illnesses, etc. that would get better sooner or later anyway.

It’s true that these are some of the easiest things to treat homeopathically even by home prescribers.  However, for over 200 years Homeopathic physicians have been treating almost all of the scourges that have plague mankind; including epidemics , mental illness, degenerative diseases and even cancer.  The homeopathic literature is filled with amazing success stories, including many cures of people who were considered incurable by the orthodox medical profession.

10. Being treated by homeopathy means giving up all of my medications and/or drastically changing my lifestyle.

It is true that conventional medications can make homeopathic evaluation and treatment more difficult. However, most homeopaths do not encourage any change in medication until there has been some improvement from the homeopathic treatment and not without the cooperation of the prescribing physician.

As for lifestyle changes, there are certain things such as drinking coffee or taking recreational drugs that can interfere with the healing process. Many homeopaths have ways of accommodating to the needs of each patient and only encourage gradual positive changes in lifestyle.

11. Homeopathy is dangerous.

Homeopathy has a track record of safety unsurpassed by any other established method of healing. 

For more on the regulation of homeopathic medication see the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States website.

Any side effects are rare, minor and temporary.  Occasionally, there may be an aggravation of symptoms as a normal part of the healing process. This too is in most cases temporary and can be moderated (even in very sensitive individuals) by a skilled practitioner.

Homeopathy is safe. It is proven to be safer that any other established method of healing.

12. Homeopathy treatment is just little white pills.

Yes, the primary tool that a practitioner of homeopathy uses for healing are the remedies prescribed which often may come in little white pills.  However, the philosophy of homeopathy is based on a holistic approach. It has a clear vision of what constitutes full health and well being and  has a deep understanding of what the process of healing entails. 

Dr. Hahnenman encouraged his students to use any tools(including exercise, psychology, diet, massage and positive lifestyle changes)  that can be shown to strengthen the vital force of the patient and to remove any blocks  faster and more complete cure.

Conclusion: Homeopathy is safe and recommended for nearly anyone with any sort of ailment. While it certainly can and should accompany generic medicine, it should not replace generic forms of medicine or healing without the recommendation of a certified physician.

About Yaakov Wieder

Yaakov Wieder Lic.Ac. has practiced 5 Element Acupuncture for over 30 years and successfully healed many people.

His relationship with Classical Homeopathy started over 12 years ago and when he began integrating Homeopathy into his practice of 5 Element Acupuncture and Integrative Bodywork; he discovered that taking an effective homeopathic remedy can have an effect on the patient’s acupuncture pulses and other subtle measurements. Shortly thereafter, he was astounded to find that he could duplicate the same effect merely by placing the remedy bottle on the patient’s body! In this way he feels more confident that he is sending the patient home with the proper remedy. He has invested much time lately studying what other homeopaths around the world have been doing to try to successfully deal with the current Covid-19 epidemic.  

You can reach out to Yaakov for a free phone consultation or via zoom or schedule an appointment to receive treatment at his office in Jerusalem, Israel. You can reach out to Yaakov here.

Yaakov Wieder

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Yaakov Wieder has a unique and rare style of integrating various forms of healing modalities. Whether I had chronic pain, acute pain, trauma, visceral pain, Yaakov was able to relieve my stress. I have been a chiropractor, body worker, and massage therapist for over 25 years and I have received many treatments from acupuncturists and body workers over the years. Every session I received from Yaakov Wieder has been profound and life changing. I cannot recommend any one more highly.
JW, Chiropractor

Diet

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What to eat can be a very complicated and controversial topic for most people, and finding the correct diet is an individual process.

The majority of patients who come to me do so for problems that are not influenced by diet, such as trauma, emotional issues and musculoskeletal problems, therefore, dietary counseling is not a significant part of my practice. However, I’ve had a lot of personal experience with dietary principles, and much communication with other professionals in the field, so that I have what to offer when somebody comes to me with issues where diet can play an important role in their healing. For example, digestive problems, obesity, hyperactivity, general fatigue and overall unwellness.

What to eat can be a very complicated and controversial topic for most people, and finding the correct diet is an individual process. One of the most important principles that we learn in alternative medicine is that no two people are the same.

Despite the complexity and many divergent opinions on what the healthiest diet is, I’ve gleaned a few principles that should be helpful for most people, the most important being that no two people are alike and any diet that claims to be the “one size fits all” is one to be wary of.

I’ll divide them into five levels.

  1. Anyone can benefit from cutting out junk food and white flour products. Most things in packages, coffee, sweeteners, snacks, carbonated drinks, especially Cola, processed meat, food with colorings and preservatives offer very little nutrition and often rob the body of vital nutrients. If you must eat from a package, then the less ingredients the better.
  2. Just about anybody could also benefit from giving up wheat, dairy and fried foods. Because of the way modern dairy products are processed they can be difficult to digest, they are mucous forming, and enzymes prevent the milk from digesting properly. It difficult to digest dairy because of the pasteurization, homogenization of dairy products. Wheat is not the wheat it was in biblical times and is also much more difficult to digest. High temperature frying alters the chemical nature of the oil to a form that is very difficult for the body to absorb or excrete.
  3. As controversial as it might be, I have found that eating according to one’s blood type to be of enormous benefit. I spent many years eating primarily things that were organically grown or bought in a health food store without feeling particularly healthy from my diet. It turned out that many of the things that are standard in health food stores were not suitable for my blood type. The science and theory behind the blood type diet is that every food has its own group of proteins and some of those proteins are incompatible with the blood chemistry of each of the blood types and those particular foods can cause problems in both digestion and absorption.
  4. Traditional wisdom from the orient, including Chinese medicine and macrobiotics, classifies food by its energetic, rather than its nutritional, properties. For example, most foods can be considered expansive or contractive, cold or hot, acid or alkaline producing. Accordingly, the ideal diet would be based primarily on eating foods that are closer to the middle of the spectrum, and to be very adaptive to the change of seasons and possible constitutions.
  5. The ideal guide to eating healthily is to be aware of which foods are good for one’s self, and using the above guidelines to various diets in response to changes in mood, physical needs and realizing that this sensitivity to listen to the body’s wisdom is really within the grasp of everyone, we just need some time and guidance and siyaata dishmaya to develop this sensitivity, as well as this willingness to eat leshem shamayim.
  6. I have found moderation to be of utmost importance in making any dietary changes. The detrimental effects of changing a diet too quickly and too drastically offset any of the health benefits that might be accrued. However, certain diets, under proper guidance, including macrobiotics, strict vegetarianism and juice fasting, have been known to cure very serious diseases.
  7. If you suspect that you may have an allergy to a specific food eliminate one food for at least three days. When you reintroduce that food, if you are allergic to it, there will be a physiological response, the most common being an increased pulse rate.
  8. How you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Choose healthy foods and enjoy them. Take time to prepare them in a way that you enjoy them. Take time to relax while you’re eating them, with enjoyable company or in your own peaceful space. Take time to chew your food properly and feel free to eat whatever you like on Shabbos.

On a personal note, I grew up with eating one of the unhealthiest diets possible. My teenage years were spent moving up to a standard American diet. The move towards a standard American diet during my teenage years was actually a big improvement. Then at age 20 I realized there might be some things I shouldn’t be eating and gave up carbonated drinks and processed meat. Several years later I eliminated wheat and dairy from my diet and had a significant reduction in my allergies. For several years I ate a primarily vegetarian diet, which at first seemed cleansing but then weakening, especially while living in New York City. I then moved to a primarily macrobiotic diet for many years, including mostly organic foods until moving to Eretz Yisrael. For the first few years, the merit of my spiritual growth seemed to have compensated for a less healthy diet, but now and then my body feels a strong yearning for a healthier diet.  I got particular siyata d’shmaya after this past Pesach, when I lost almost all desire to eat bread and most other things that are not healthy for me, Baruch Hashem.