Homoeo Info

He is a doctor who believes that prevention is better than cure. And that prompts him to visit primary and Madhyamik schools and train the kids in yoga and other physical exercises. All for free.
Pabon Kolay, 58, a resident of Qazipara at Dum Dum, at present visits 10 schools where he goes alternately and imparts physical training to the kids. An the homoeopathy practitioner, Kolay also buys the necessary kit for the children and also teaches them the virtue of patriotism.
For the last 17 years thus has been his daily routine.
“It was in 1990 when I realised that I should do something for the improvement of the health for our children. As a medical practitioner I saw most of the children suffer from ill health. I went through the syllabus of our schools, particularly our the primary sections and saw that there was a certain period of time every day in their daily routine that was earmarked for physical training. But after checking with most of the schools I have found that PT classes are not held as the schools have hardly had any PT teacher,’’ Kolay said.
He then offered himself as an honorary PT teacher and most of the schools gladly accepted him. “I suggested that I could give them physical training and for that they won’t have to pay me anything. And whatever kit is required, which includes the costumes and mat will be provided by me. And they readily agreed,’’ Kolay said.
Kolkata Newsline, India - Nov 24, 2007

Labels: India

Last week, novelist Jeanette Winterson published an intelligent and lucid account of why she believes homeopathy works. Three days later, along came Ben Goldacre, who gave us a longer piece showing us all the errors of Winterson's ways. Yesterday, Tom Whipple reiterated several hoary, tired, and inept anti-homeopathy arguments in order to condemn the 206 MPs who signed an early day motion in support of NHS homeopathic hospitals.
Goldacre's article was laden with his usual sarcasm. In it, he paraded his superior knowledge and accused homeopaths of "killing patients" and being "morons". As a fellow sceptic I understand where he is coming from; I identify with his pro-science stance, and have as little time for unscientific nostrums as he, but I came away from this piece with a feeling of embarrassment, a conviction he doesn't know what he's talking about, just like Whipple.
His ignorance is most grossly displayed in the preface to his piece:
"Time after time, properly conducted scientific studies have proved that homeopathic remedies work no better than simple placebos."
What utter hooey. There has never been a proper trial of homeopathy. There have been countless trials based on the methodology applied to orthodox medicines, as if homeopathy is a form of orthodox medicine. Some have been positive, most negative. This proves nothing, because what they have tested was never homeopathy in the first place.
In orthodox trials, all patients in the "real" group are given the same drug for the same length of time. Homeopaths do not work like that. For one condition, they may select one of a dozen or more remedies, chosen after long and detailed interviews. They see patients repeatedly over the course of months or years, refining and changing prescriptions, and watching a steady development that follows a strong internal logic. It is a long process. But this is how homeopathy works: mangling it for the chance to jump on the clinical trial bandwagon is not science. No scientist of repute carries out tests of A by running trials of B. All the vaunted meta-analyses that proclaim the ineffectiveness of homeopathy are scientifically illiterate, as Ben Goldacre seems to be in this instance.
He must know something as elementary as this about homeopathy, yet he puts up an Aunt Sally, "proves" homeopathy does not work, and calls all homeopaths "morons". This is not science, and as someone who believes strongly in science, I would challenge the good doctor to prove that his vaunted trials had anything to do with homeopathy at all. It would be to his credit to come clean on this and to help design trials that would match the homeopathic way of prescribing. If he isn't willing to do that in collaboration with homeopathic doctors who know as much as he does about the science and are not morons, he is demeaning the very notion of scientific medicine.
Denis MacEoin/Guardian Unlimited, UK - Nov 22, 2007

Labels: UK

It was a joy to listen to The Lancet’s editor-in-chief Richard Horton during a recent debate on homeopathy on BBC Radio 4. “There are five homeopathic hospitals in the National Health Service, 40 per cent of GPs refer patients for homeopathic treatments,” he told listeners, “and there’s not one shred of evidence to support homeopathic efficacy for any disease.” After publishing a series of articles on homeopathy, the respected medical journal was coming out firmly in the “anti” camp.
However, there was still something about the debate he had with the homeopathic doctor, who was defending his own corner, that jarred. The homeopath accused some of his opponents of behaving like “playground bullies” and there seemed to me a suggestion that to be anti-homeopathy meant you were anti-caring.
It would be nice to see progress in the debate on homeopathy. The bottom line, and no homeopath with half an eye on the evidence can ignore it, is that homeopathic remedies are no better than taking a placebo. Homeopathy does not work. We should accept this and move on.
However, we must not dismiss the placebo effect as well. The placebo effect – where a chemically inactive treatment produces beneficial effects – is one of the most useful, consistent, cheap, and side-effect free medical treatments we have. The problem is rather that one of the main ways we distribute the placebo effect on the NHS – via homeopathic hospitals – is expensive and unfair as only a few can benefit from it.
This problem highlights one of the NHS’s main challenges: how to practise modern medicine while getting the best out of the placebo effect. Why should it be that only those who believe in homeopathy are allowed the benefits of the placebo effect?
Margaret McCartney/Financial Times, UK - Nov 23, 2007

Labels: UK

Asthma is generally common with people who are very sensitive to a few allergens that cause chronic inflammation of airways in lungs. There are various effective medications that are available for the treatment of asthma, but considering their side effects many people refrain from taking them. For such people, asthma natural cure is another alternative treatment method.
These asthma natural cure remedies have no side effects and are non-toxic. The basic aim of these natural medications is to strengthen the immune system of an individual thereby giving him strength to fight his diseases. Furthermore, these are also not very expensive when compared with other medications. But before taking any asthma natural cure remedies or treatment, it is important to consult a doctor to ensure that these will not create any further complication if taken with your existing medicines.
Also, no matter which medicines you are taking, it is essential to carry an emergency inhaler along with you for any serious asthma attack.
Ricky Lee/American Chronicle, CA - Nov 23, 2007

Labels: USA

Dr. James Forsythe practices a type of medicine called "integrative oncology" because it uses aspects of both homeopathic (use of vitamins and supplements) and conventional medicine. He has his conventional degrees in medicine and cancer specialty from the University of California, San Francisco. He studied with the British Institute of Homeopathy before passing his oral and written boards in 1995. He's been practicing in Reno since 1974, taught at the University of Nevada, Reno medical school, started the cancer wards at Sparks Family Hospital, St. Mary's, and Washoe Med (now called Renown) and was also head of the Veterans Administration oncology department. He built an impressive practice over those years—and then the Food and Drug Administration came calling, which resulted in one of Reno's biggest criminal trials of 2007, generating massive media attention, dragging Forsythe's reputation through the mud and hurting his practice. He was found not guilty in U.S. District Court on Nov. 1.
This is an abridged interview, which was conducted in the doctor's office, 521 Hammill Lane, on Nov. 14, in which he talks about his trial and why the FDA attacks alternative medicine practitioners.
Read The Interview >>>

Reno News & Review, NV,USA - Nov 22, 2007

Labels: USA

The clinical research literature in homeopathy is more positive than Ben Goldacre prefers to admit in his article “Benefits and risks of homoeopathy”, published in The Lancet on 16 November [1]. Goldacre claims “Five large meta-analyses of homoeopathy trials have been done. All have had the same result: after excluding methodologically inadequate trials and accounting for publication bias, homoeopathy produced no statistically significant benefit over placebo.” However, a more complete and unbiased assessment of the research evidence gives a very different perspective:
Three of the 5 meta-analyses that Goldacre cites did not reach the negative conclusion he implies, while the other 2 reports have limited interpretation. The first paper assessed 105 trials, 81 of them positive [2]. The authors concluded: "the evidence of clinical trials is positive but not sufficient to draw definite conclusions". The reviews for the European Commission concluded that homeopathy was more effective than placebo (P < 0.001) [3,4] though “the strength of this evidence is low because of the low methodological quality of the trials” (P = 0.082 for the highest quality sub-group of just 5 trials) [4]. The fourth analysis focused on trials of individualised homeopathy only, and thus did not represent the entire research evidence [5]. The most recent review narrowed its analysis to just 8 homeopathy trials compared with 6 in conventional medicine [6]; the negative findings were strongly affected by one particular Arnica trial [7].
Most importantly, Goldacre failed to cite one of the largest meta-analyses, which showed homeopathy can produce significant benefit over placebo. Published in The Lancet 10 years ago, Linde and colleagues analysed 89 trials and found a mean odds ratio of 2.45 (95% confidence interval, 2.05–2.93), in favour of homeopathy [8]. When considering just those trials of “high quality” and after correcting for publication bias, the findings actually remained statistically significant. The main conclusion was that the results “were not compatible with the hypothesis that the effects of homoeopathy are completely due to placebo”. In further analysis, the authors clarified that higher quality trials were less likely to be positive than those of lower quality, though the difference from placebo remained statistically significant until analysis was restricted to just five trials [9]. There was insufficient volume of evidence to enable conclusions to be drawn about the efficacy of homeopathy for any specific medical conditon.
eMaxHealth.com, USA - Nov 22, 2007

Labels: USA

Curing pains with a plant that goes by the name “deadly nightshade” might sound like a bad idea for those who want to outlive their ailment. However, according to Linda McDonald, some ailments are cured by what seems like the least likely substances – some that are toxic at higher doses. Such is the branch of therapeutics known as homeopathy.
“I know it sounds crazy,” McDonald said, “but it works.”
Deadly nightshade is used to treat headaches and fevers, said McDonald, an Elkton, Md.-based homeopathic practitioner who has plans to expand into the Cape Region. She spoke at Rehoboth Beach Public Library, Nov. 1, to promote the use of natural cures in small, distilled doses.
The theory, created in the late 1700s by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, is that small doses of harmful substances will actually work in an adverse or positive way. For example, skin rashes can be treated by rhus toxicodendrum, a product made from poison ivy. Hahnemann University hospital in Philadelphia originally practiced homeopathy.
For those who want to dismiss the practice as quackery, McDonald pointed out that homeopathy is regulated and approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Remedies are taken orally but not swallowed. Small pellets are placed under the tongue until they dissolve and seep into mucus membranes. The medicine will not work properly, McDonald said, if swallowed. She also said pellets should not be taken near a microwave or cell phone. Coffee, mints and menthol have also been known to disrupt the effectiveness of remedies if ingested within a half hour of the medication.
McDonald explained to the group gathered in the library’s second-floor meeting room that she began using homeopathic treatments when her son was born, preferring to use natural remedies to synthetic medicines. “I very quickly realized how well homeopathy works,” McDonald said.
Eddie Phillipps/Cape Gazette, DE - Nov 21, 2007

Labels: USA

Recurrent cough attacks and even bronchitis are very common in those who are sensitive to chill. Small children seem to be more affected by frequent attacks of cough and breathing problems.
Homoeopathy offers an effective solution to this cold sensitivity problem. It can be used in three stages to combat this problem effectively and permanently. At the first stage, homoeopathy should be used immediately after the exposure. As soon as the first symptoms appear, those who are very sensitive to cold are advised to take a dose of Aconitum Napelus 30 c. This drug, also known as Aconite, has wonderful results in aborting attacks of cold if taken immediately when the symptoms start appearing. At the second stage (here you would require to consult your physician), when the symptoms have developed and the attack is in its full intensity, homoeopathic treatment will depend upon the symptoms that are presented in the case. This type of symptomatic treatment is also very helpful in developing resistance against the diseases.
The third stage (which is the most important and can be handled only by a physician) is curing the body’s sensitivity to cold. This requires a detailed analysis of the patient’s physical and mental constitution with an important consideration of their sensitivity to cold. The prescription based on this will eventually help the patient to get rid of the cold sensitivity problem. One should not expect miracles to happen within a week or so, as treating such sensitivity often takes a longer time like a season or two before one sees a major change.
Dr Vikas Sharma/The Tribune, India - Nov 20, 2007

Homeopathy may be a new term for you, if so, please continue reading through this definition of homeopathy. This is an organic system of medicine that is based on three great principles.
*Like Cures Like
*Minimal Dose
*One Time Remedy
Homeopathy bases its system on these three principles and uses them to help guide the type of medicine and cures that are given out to people who are interested in using this great alternative treatment to conventional medicine. Most of the remedies that are used with homeopathy are for the most part solely water.
These remedies are as natural as possible and have the least amount of drugs in them. The goal with homeopathy is to use the least amount of drugs possible as well as one single remedy for no matter how many symptoms you may have. The less treatments you require the healthier you will be.
Homeopathy is second next to conventional medicine in the world today. The growth of homeopathy is growing in an extraordinary way with every passing year. There are many reasons why homeopathy is such a widely used form of medication. It is extremely natural and safe, the results are permanent and completely effective, you can take homeopathy remedies along side of your conventional medications and can expect no side effects. Homeopathy is a holistic treatment and if taken correctly will cure whatever your ailment is almost instantly. You can be assured that these treatments are not addictive, once you feel relief you can stop taking them immediately with no problems.
Homeopathy is a very precise and exact method of medicine. This is the one factor that some people may find as a drawback. Homeopathy is so precise that it does take a little longer to prescribe and find the perfect remedy for what it is that is ailing you. Homeopathy does not have a standard remedy for headaches or backaches. They create a unique remedy for each person and each person’s illness. Homeopathy looks at pains in more than one way. Looking for how it came to be, how long you have had it, where it started, the exact pain you are feeling and more. Homeopathy is more interested with the details than anything else. As you know this is a huge difference from conventional medicine which does have a standard medication for each disease and ailment. This makes homeopathy that much better. Once the exact remedy is found for your ailment you can count on immediate and permanent results. This is what makes homeopathy one of the best forms of alternative methods.
Homeopathy is growing in popularity so much that there are literally thousands of different homeopathy courses, medicine kits and practitioners around the world. This makes them that much more accessible to anyone who wishes to try this 100% safe and effective alternative treatment method. Just like anything else, there are of course many frauds out there related to homeopathy. Before you take part in any type of homeopathy course or medication system make sure that you do your research.
Bakhru Krishan Bakhru/American Chronicle, CA, USA - Nov 20, 2007

Labels: USA

Healing through alternative medicine is a broad subject, traditionally referred to as practices and applications not usually taught by conventional or western medical schools as treatment for illnesses. Alternative medicine is typically not covered by health insurance, although acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic have recently gotten the go ahead.
For those of you interested in becoming alternative medicine providers, the practice is divided into seven major categories: Bioelectricmagnetic applications-which include magnet therapy, diet, nutrition, and lifestyle changes (homeopathic practices), herbal medicine, manual healing, ( Chinese medicine, massage, acupuncture) and biological treatments.
Professional alternative medicine practitioners are trained by accredited schools and practice in established locations-no back alley medicine here-you must meet all the entry requirements of the holistic medicine schools and maintain excellent skills to become accredited. Each health care system has its own accreditation, and includes Traditional Oriental Medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, anthroposophy, and ayurvedic (Indian) medicine. Each system has its own theory of illness (although if you study them separately you will see that they are very much the same indeed, which is another feather in alternative medicine's cap-to have the same principles work on either end of the world), an educational plan to teach theory and practice, a support system and a legal and ethical committee to answer to. All have the need to restore balance as a common denominator.
Homeopath medicine is used world wide, and involves natural animal, plant, and mineral substances. Practitioners of homeopath medicine usually are also accredited acupuncturists and are regulated by the food and drug administration. They treat acute and chronic diseases and into preventative therapies and promoting good health in order to prevent sickness. Homeopathy very much is able to combine modern medicine with natural and herbal care.
Chances are you've decided to enter the world of alternative medicine because you've had a good experience with it. Your current health provider can help you research the area of your choice and give you advice as to how to proceed.
Bakhru Krishan Bakhru/American Chronicle, CA, USA - Nov 20, 2007

Labels: USA

According to WHO, homeopathy is the second largest system of medicine in the world and is experiencing an annual growth of around 20-25 per cent. It is estimated that by 2017, the world homeopathy market would be equivalent to the current alternative healthcare market, which is Rs 52,000 crore.
The research was conducted to gauge the potential of the industry through market study and a patient behaviour analysis. It also highlighted the contribution of Dr Batra's Positive Health Clinics towards homeopathy. For the research, AC Nielsen conducted 650 interviews across seven cities among a mix of people with certain specific characteristics. About 222 interviewees were regular allopathy users, 215 non-Dr Batra's homeopathy users and 213 Dr Batra's homeopathy users between November 2006 and April 2007.
According to the research, 51 per cent of the people suffering from chronic ailments try home remedies and 30 per cent prefer to leave it unattended. Around 26 per cent of the people resort to medical intervention, of which 47 per cent people visit their family doctor or a GP (general practitioner), 18 per cent resort to conventional treatments and 34 per cent visit a homeopath if their ailment is chronic.
The research threw light on the friction between conventional medicine and homeopathy. It highlighted that while people opt for conventional medicine because it enjoys top-of-mind recall (59 per cent) and has immediate results (56 per cent), they choose homeopathy because it is safe (53 per cent) or is recommended by friends and relatives (50 per cent). Also, 20 per cent of the population who had never tried allopathy would opt for it because it provides quick relief, and solutions for all problems. An important aspect to be considered is that while 62 per cent of the current homeopathy users have never tried allopathy, 82 per cent of homoeopathy users would not switch to conventional treatments.
Express Healthcare Management, India - Nov 18, 2007

Labels: India

In a significant development, homeopathy – a favorite form of medical treatment among Indians that has been popular for nearly 250 years now, has now come under attack from the British doctors.
While the esteemed medical journal 'Lancet' has blasted the popular medical practice, widespread protests sparked off in Britain following the announcement of a seminar to be organized by the European Society of Homeopaths to discuss the role of homeopathy in treating HIV/AIDS on December 1.
Meanwhile, homeopath doctors who have been using this form of medicine to cure as well as enhance the quality of life of HIV/AIDS victims in India are gearing up to strike back at Baum’s report. They say that studies conducted in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai have found that homeopathy greatly helps HIV patients by improving their nutrition, lowering their anxiety and improving their health. On the contrary, these medicos alleged that homeopathy is cheaper and easier to practice compared to other procedures and surgeries, many doctors in the West are becoming apprehensive about the future of their own income.
Chandan Das/News Locale, India - Nov 18, 2007

Labels: India, UK

You may have heard of homeopathy, but that might be as far as it goes.
In simple terms, classic homeopathy is a system of medicine that uses a wide variety of substances in dilute doses to stimulate the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
This system has been in use for more than 200 years and first came to New Zealand in 1849.
The man behind all this was Dr Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843).
Dr Hahnemann discovered that any substance of plant, animal or mineral origin given to a healthy person in repeated dilute doses will cause that person to develop symptoms (provings).
He also found that when the same substance in diluted doses was given to unwell people with similar symptoms, it would cure them.
This is known as the homeopathic concept of ‘Like Cures Like’ (Law of Similar).
Su Hutchinson, DipHom/RCHom, who her business as a classical homeopath along with colleague Lynley Daly, through the Independent Midwives rooms in the Allenton Arcade says a good example of likes curing likes would be coffee.
“Everyone knows the effects of drinking too much coffee – the mind races and prevents sleep, trembling and palpitations may occur. When a person has these symptoms, whether it be a case of insomnia, the result of an emotional shock, or whatever, then the homeopathic remedy made from coffee (Coffea) may remove those symptoms.”
As Dr Hahnemann continued his experiments he found the results were even better and with less discomfort to the person, if he not only diluted the medicines but also shook them after each stage of dilution.
This dilution, in steps, with shaking between steps is called potentisation.
“It increases the power or potency of the remedy (medicine),” Su said.
Homeopathy does not treat just the named disease, homeopaths do not concentrate their therapy on, say, asthma or hayfever alone.
“The homeopath treats the whole person, taking into account not only the presenting complaint, for example hayfever, but also the general make-up of the client, the mental and emotional state, reactions to the environment, as well as the general functioning of all systems of the body. Nor does it make any difference if the person has several problems at once. For example, migraines, hayfever and premenstrual tension. The person is always seen as a total being, and ideally only one remedy is given to cover everything (single remedy) – this is classical homeopathic prescribing.”
Su has people come to her with all sorts of health problems; childhood complaints, sleep issues, female complaints, depression, sport injuries, pregnancy and morning sickness, skin conditions such as eczema, coughs, colds, headaches, migraines and hayfever.
So what could you expect to happen if you went to see Su?
If you have chronic problems an initial consultation may take up to an hour-and-a-half.
“This is so the homeopath can conduct a thorough case-taking,” Su explained. “In order to understand you, the individual, they will want to gain a complete picture of your past and family health as well as your current complaints and personality (totality of symptoms). This process may be quite different to what you have encountered with other health professionals, but an understanding of the whole person is necessary before a prescription can be made. Remember, small symptoms, which you may think are odd or unusual, may help your homeopath to select a more accurate remedy for you as they are looking at you rather than just an illness.”
Homeopaths prescribe remedies individually as no two people are alike. “Like your finger prints,” Su said.
The remedies come in pill or liquid form and treatment regimes vary, depending on the assessment once the homeopath has considered all aspects of the case.
Su said the effects of the remedies can vary, some people notice an immediate improvement while others may take a few weeks before they can see or feel any improvement.
“This depends on how chronic or acute the case is. For example, migraines for the first time or a long-time chronic symptom, varying for each individual.
“Sometimes there is a return of old symptoms a person had some time ago. These often pass within days.”
If anything unusual happens after taking a remedy, Su said the person should contact their homeopath so they can give them guidance on what to do, especially if the patient is home prescribing.
When it comes to self-treatment, Su said people could learn some homeopathic remedies but advised to use these only in first-aid situations.
The Ashburton Guardian, New Zealand - Nov 18, 2007

Labels: New Zealand