They can be made from just about any substance known to man. The majority include plants, minerals, animal products, and energy fields. Currently more than 5,000 substances have been prepared and made into a homeopathic remedy. Examples are, in the Plant kingdom Mistletoe, Calendula, Bryonia, Belladonna, in the Mineral kingdom Mercury, Calcium carbonate, Argentum, Aurum, Ferrum (basically any element of the Periodic table and their salts). In the Animal kingdom we snake venoms like Lachesis, bee venom like Apis, milks like Lac Del (dolphin milk), and in the energy field realm Sol (sun rays) or Light spectrum (a rainbow). They are FDA approved.
In order to make any homeopathic medicine, you must first know which substance from nature has healing properties for certain illnesses. To find out which are the curative powers of the natural substance a Proving need to be done.
So, what is proving?
A proving is a procedure which determines the curative properties of the natural substance by observing and cataloguing its effects. The proving process involves giving the natural substances to healthy individuals through a period of time and observing and recording symptoms that are produced, unusual sensations, and alterations from normal health, including what makes each of these better or worse.
Once a substance is proven, it is used to treat people who have the same symptoms as those produced by the substance in healthy individuals.
And how are remedies made?
The chosen natural substances become remedies through a very specific process called “potentization,” which involves sequential dilution and succussion, which is a hard pounding or shaking. In the old times these were made by hand, by banging the flask containing solution in a hard resilient surface, but nowadays this pounding action is made by specialised lab equipment.
How are remedies labelled?
Remedies are labelled by the ratio of dilution and the number of times diluted.
In this process, a substance may be repetitively diluted 1:10 (X scale) or 1:100 (C scale) or 1:1,000 (M scale) or 1:1000000 (CM scale) or 1:50,000 (LM scale). Then the number of times it is diluted and succussed is noted, e.g. 12X, 30C, 10M, CM, LM3.
The fascinating and scientifically confusing thing about homeopathic remedies is that the more diluted they are, the stronger they become-that is, potentized and the deeper they will act in the organism.
Potency | Dilution |
1X | 1:10 |
2X | 1:100 |
6X | 1:1 million |
12X | 1:1 trillion |
12C | 1:1×10^24 |
In chemistry, there is a concept of how many molecules of a substance are present in a defined solution (it is called one gram mole). This is called Avogadro’s number, and it is 6.023 x 1024. Therefore, if you dilute a solution 1 to 10, twenty-four times, or 1 to 100, twelve times, there cannot be any molecules of the original substance left!
Nevertheless, we know now, that this is not true and nanotechnology among with other advanced laboratorial technologies have countless times proven that there are nano particles present above the Avogadro’s number as well as a change in structure of the solution caused by potentization.
Therefore, with homeopathic remedies, the higher the dilution, the less “material” doses in the remedy and the stronger the energy appears to be.
Lower dilutions may still have some material in them and work more on the physical plane, while higher dilutions seem to work more on the mental and emotional planes, and are often observed to result in deeper and longer lasting effects.
Where can I buy remedies?
The FDA regulates the manufacturing and distribution of homeopathic remedies, as it does over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. And like over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, you can buy single remedies in lower potencies (usually 12X or 30C) without a prescription at health food stores.
Higher potency remedies must be obtained directly through a homeopath or through a specialised homeopathic pharmacy.
Homeopathic remedies are very inexpensive, especially compared to most prescription pharmaceuticals.
In modern times, when we are faced with viral epidemics such as the one of December 2012 outbreak of monovirus infection with severe vomiting, marked nausea, projectile vomiting, watery diarrhoea and strong abdominal cramps, with associated prostration, weakness, muscle pains, headaches and low-grade fever, characterizing this condition as severe viral gastroenteritis. This disease is highly contagious, infects thousands and has led to schools and hospital wards to be closed.
The symptom picture of this particular gastroenteritis, is identical to that caused by crude arsenic poisoning, pointing to Arsenicum album (Ars alb) as the homeopathic remedy of choice for this incapacitating condition. This specific remedy is a well-known remedy for gastroenteritis in homeopathic households and a remedy that should never be missing from any homeopathic self-aid medicine kit.
When correctly chosen homeopathic remedies act promptly, both clinically and prophylactically, bringing about a gentle, speedy and permanent state of well-being as well as potentially halting contagiousness (when used prophylactically).
Hence the ultimate goal of homeopathic treatment goes beyond relieving symptoms and even beyond preventing recurrence, but will help the patient to live to his fullest capacity, whether mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially, and physically.
It is truly rewarding to witness patients using their newfound health and energy in fulfilling their destined role in life. Hahnemann expressed this concept beautifully, defining health as the state in which “our indwelling, rational spirit can freely avail itself on this living, healthy instrument (the body) for the higher purpose of our existence.”
Therefore, Homeopathy requires more than just knowledge. Homeopathy is based on affection for our patients, respect for the human condition, and compassion towards the foibles and weaknesses of humanity.
About the Author
PRACTICING CLASSICAL HOMEOPATH AND DOCTOR OF MICROBIOLOGY
ALEXANDRA CARNEIRO DE MELO, PhD MSc, PhD (London), DIHom (Pract), FBIH, RSHom
Education Personal
Accreditations:
• BSc – Food Engineering, 1989 – Porto University, Portugal (High Class Honors)
• MSc – Food Microbiology, 1991 – University of Reading in the UK
• PhD – Applied Microbiology, 1997 – King’s College, London
• DIHom(Pract) – Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine, Practitioner Level British Institute of Homeopathy
• FBIH – Fellowship for life, British Institute of Homeopathy
• RSHom – Member of The Society of Homeopaths
As a homeopath, my ultimate goal is to help you live to your fullest capacity, where the entire spiritual, mental, emotional, social and physical being is restored to the natural state it was created in. Please do get in touch if you are ready to begin your healing journey.
Website: www.alexcmelo.com
Email: alex_homeopathy@yahoo.com