Homoeo Info

Laconia: Laconia Adult Education will be offering a six-week course on Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy.
The class will start on Tuesday and meet from 7-8:30 p.m. at Laconia High School.
Many people are turning again to "new, alternative" remedies that grandmothers once grew in their gardens and knew as h4
This class will be taught by Dr. Kathryn Cranford.
In the homeopathic section of the class, students will learn what homeopathic remedies are, how they are made, how they work in the body and which remedies are safe to use at home for simple health issues.
Cranford is a licensed naturopathic doctor and midwife. Her practice focuses on family medicine with an emphasis on women's health and pediatrics. Years in an on-call midwifery and pediatrics practice have taught her what remedies are helpful for clients to have on hand at home for those 3AM phone calls.
Laconia Citizen, NH, USA - Feb 4, 2008

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Biostatistician R. Barker Bausell tried acupuncture once, for a chronic backache. The needle pricks and the warmth from the heat lamp aimed at his sore back felt good at the time, he recalls. They didn't do a thing for his underlying pain.
But when the acupuncturist asked if the treatment had helped, Bausell said yes. "What could I say? I worked with the guy all the time," says the scientist, who was then director of research at a center for complementary medicine at the University of Maryland.
Today, Bausell is saying plenty about his five years in the world of complementary and alternative medicine (also known as CAM). He has written a book called Snake Oil Science: The Truth About Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Oxford University Press).
In it, he uses a broad brush to paint doubt over therapies that include acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic treatment, hypnosis and energy healing, among others. An obvious criticism is that he lumps together very different approaches.
But he argues that the differences aren't as important as what they share: an ability to make people feel better — if patients believe they will. In short, Bausell writes: "CAM recipients feel better because of the placebo effect."
Can that be universally true? If it is, then the National Institutes of Health is spending $121 million a year to study the placebo effect at its National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. And many leading medical centers are offering alternative treatments too, thanks, in part, to that federal research money — and huge patient demand.
That demand is stoked by groaning shelves of books promoting CAM. Bausell offers a different perspective, one not shared by all scientists. But whether his broad condemnation is fair, his description of factors that might underlie and augment the placebo effect (the ability of sham treatments to relieve symptoms) is thought-provoking.
Kim Painter, USA Today Feb 04, 2008

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Berkeley Springs: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will declare that cough and cold medicine is too risky for babies and toddlers on Thursday according to recent reports on CNN.com. FDA is issuing a public health advisory to warn parents of the serious and
potentially life threatening side effects of cold and cough medicine when
used to treat children under 6.
"We still have a concern," said Dr. Charles Ganley, FDA's nonprescription drugs chief, "It falls out of people's consciousness. We're still in the middle of cold season."
In 2007, the centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 1500 babies and toddlers were taken to emergency rooms for treatment of cold medicine side effects over a two-year period.
There is good news -- homeopathic medicine offers concerned parents a safe alternative free of side effects, allergic reactions, drug interactions, and unintentional overdose for less than the average co-pay for a doctor's visit.
Homeopathy is the second most widely used medicinal system in the world and it has been used safely and effectively for over 200 years. Unlike allopathic medicines, which suppress symptoms rather than curing, homeopathy supports the natural curative mechanisms within the body.
PR Newswire (press release), NY, US - Jan 17, 2008

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Berkeley Springs: Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group launched a groundbreaking concept to the National Health Service (NHS), England's publicly funded healthcare system, with a call to family doctors to join them in establishing a network of clinics according to Financial Times Limited 2008
Mark Adams, Virgin Healthcare chief executive, said that while general practitioners would retain their existing contracts, "It would change the delivery model from something designed in 1946 to something that better serves today's world."
Virgin Healthcare clinics would offer a "one-stop-shop" approach to healthcare including services from homeopathy to therapy alongside typical general practitioner services. Virgin would offer a range of additional NHS and private services to visiting patients, including dentistry, screening, a pharmacy, "And a range of conventional and complementary therapies," said Adams.
Homeopathy is the second most widely used medicinal system in the world and it has been used safely and effectively for over 200 years. Unlike allopathic medicines, which suppress symptoms rather than curing, homeopathy supports the natural curative mechanisms within the body. In the United States over 90% of homeopathic medicines are available over the counter with costs less than the average co-pay for a pharmaceutical drug, less than $10!
"The low cost of the medications and the rarity of adverse reactions make it (homeopathy) preferable, in most cases, to modern drugs. Furthermore, because the medicines are inexpensive, safe, and easy to use, individuals can learn to handle many common illnesses for which people regularly seek medical help," says William Shevin MD.
PR Newswire (press release), NY, USA- Jan 15, 2007

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When patients visit Ann Arough at the Little Rock Wellness Center, she listens carefully and mulls over their conversation before suggesting a remedy. Some of the things Arough, a naturopath, might suggest are herbal supplements, diet or lifestyle change, a visit to a medical doctor or with her husband, Mark, who specializes in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Or she might suggest that they try a homeopathic remedy. “Homeopathy is one tool in a naturopath’s toolbox,” says Arough. “And it’s the most complicated tool in the toolbox.” The theory behind homeopathy is contained in its law of similars, that “like treats like.” Homeopathic remedies are diluted doses of substances that are known to cause symptoms similar to the ones being treated. It is akin to the idea behind vaccinations, in that minute amounts of something harmful will incite the immune system to fight back.
Today, one need look no further than the shelves of most drug and grocery stores to see Zicam, Cold-Eeze and other homeopathic products on shelves alongside other medications.
Homeopathy began in the 1770 s, a movement led by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann as an alternative to the medical practices of the day — purging, bloodletting and blistering. Today homeopathy is a multimillion dollar industry.
Neither homeopaths nor naturopaths, people who practice natural therapies, are licensed in Arkansas, but they are not prohibited from practicing. However, doing anything that constitutes practicing medicine could put them crossways with the law, according to Bill Trice, attorney for the Arkansas State Medical Board. The medical board does not regulate homeopaths; that oversight falls to the state Board of Acupuncture and Related Techniques.
KIMBERLY DISHONGH /Arkansas Democrat Gazette- Jan 15, 2008

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Sore Throat: The main symptom of a sore throat is harsh raw pain on swallowing; this may be accompanied by fever. Sore throat and pharyngitis are essentially the same thing. Most cases (70 percent) are caused by viral infections, the rest by the streptococcus. Viral infections are I accompanied by other symptoms such as a runny nose and a cough, while streptoccocal infection tends to be more severe in form.
Treatment: A homeopath may prescribe Heprol 30c for a very painful sore throat.
Laryngitis
Laryngitis manifests as hoarseness, throat pain, cough, and excessive mucus, caused by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx (voice box).
A homeopath may prescribe Belladonna for a sore throat, hoarseness, and pain, or Causticum for a raw feeling in the chest and throat, with Spongia fori dry cough (all 30c).
Pharyngitis
This is a sore throat caused by inflammation of the pharynx, which connects the back of the nose to the back of the throat. The inflammation is normally caused by acute or chronic infection, or is the result of smoking, alcohol, or overuse of the voice.
A homeopath may prescribe Lachesis to relieve a feeling of tightness around the throat, and Apis for an innamed throat and stinging pain.
Tonsillitis
Sore throat, pain on swallowing, fever, and sometimes a blocked nose are caused by an inflammation of the tonsils. The disorder is most common in childhood. Tonsillitis is normally the result of an acute infection, although susceptible individuals can have attacks when they become rundown or stressed. Recurrent bouts of tonsillitis may be related to food allergy.
Homeopathy Treatment would be constitutional if the problem is chronic, but specific remedies are suitable for attacks; they include Belladonna 30c, Hepar sulf. 6c, Mercurius 6c, Lycopodium 5c, Lachesis 6c, and Phytolacca 6c. The remedy chosen depends on the nature of the pain experienced in the throat and the nature of attendant symptoms.
Mike Hussey /American Chronicle, CA, USA - Jan 7, 2008

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On Thursday, Washington Homeopathic Products (WHP) announced that recent studies show that standard antibiotics and steroid nose sprays provide little or sometimes zero relief from the symptoms associated with sinus infections. The studies also show that people suffering from sinus infections generally got better within approximately two weeks whether they took antibiotics, steroids, or placebos.
The recent studies conclude that someone wanting relief from a sinus infection may pay for a doctor's visit and a prescription without getting any symptom relief. What's more, the person may suffer side effects from the prescribed antibiotics, which are the most commonly prescribed treatment for sinus infections, particularly amoxicillin. Amoxicillin may cause side effects including fever, flu symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, seizure, allergic reactions, and drug interactions.
According to the WHP, which was established in 1873 to serve as the homeopathic pharmacy for the Washington DC community, including the National Homeopathic Hospital, says that homeopathic remedies are far more effective than prescription drugs and have no risk of adverse side effects when a person needs treatment for a sinus infection.
In contrast to allopathic medicine, which suppresses symptoms instead of curing their cause, homeopathy fortifies the natural curative mechanisms within the human body.
"Because [homeopathic] medicines are inexpensive, safe, and easy to use, individuals can learn to handle many common illnesses for which people regularly seek medical help," says William Shevin, MD.
Associated Content, US - 14 Dec 2007

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In a new book, The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy (North Atlantic Books, 2007), Dana Ullman presents strong evidence derived primarily from Charles Darwin’s own letters about the treatment he received from a homeopathic physician. Ullman suggests that Charles Darwin would not have lived long enough to have completed his seminal work, The Origin of Species, in 1859 if he didn’t get homeopathic treatment ten years previously.
It is well known that Darwin became very ill during his trip to South America in the late 1830s. His health continued to decline, and he was so ill that he couldn’t attend his own father’s funeral in 1848. He suffered from severe and constant nausea, heart palpitations, widespread boils, and trembling for 12 years, and by 1849, he had suffered from fainting spells and spots before his eyes for two years. According to Darwin’s letters, he was not able to work one day in every three.
Finally, in 1849, he sought the treatment from Dr. James Manby Gully, a homeopathic physician who owned a hydrotherapy spa. Although Darwin was skeptical of homeopathy, he obediently took the prescription of homeopathic medicines his doctor gave him, and within a month, his health was considerably better. Darwin didn’t have nausea for a month, gained some weight, took a seven mile walk (which he was previously unable to do), and then wrote to a friend, “I am turning into a mere walking and eating machine.” After just a month of treatment, he had to admit that Dr. Gully’s treatment was not quackery after all.
Ullman also has uncovered some of Darwin’s own experiments using extremely small “homeopathic” doses of various ammonia salts and watched their significant effects on insect-eating plants (Drosera rotundifolia). He was so shocked by his experiments that he had his son replicate them, and ultimately, he felt embarrassed to have to report on their surprising findings. Although Darwin provided details about the exceedingly small doses he tested, he never used the word “homeopathic” when referring to these experiments. He wrote, “I am quite unhappy at the thought of having to publish such a statement” about these results. An endorsement of homeopathy by Darwin at that time might have led to great antagonism against his new theories about life and evolution.
Many famous people benefited from Dr. Gully’s care, including Charles Dickens (novelist and writer), Alfred, Lord Tennyson (poet), Florence Nightingale (famed nurse), George Eliot (British novelist), Thomas Carlyle (Scottish essayist, satirist, and historian), Edward Bulwer-Lytton (British novelist, playwright, and politician), Thomas Babington Macaulay (first Baron Macaulay, poet and politician), and Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. Further, three prime ministers sought Dr. Gully’s care, including William Gladstone, Benjamin Disraeli, and George Hamilton-Gordon, as well as Queen Victoria herself. Hamilton-Gordon described Dr. Gully as “the most gifted physician of the age.”
Dean Draznin/EurekAlert (press release), DC - 12 Dec 2007

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With the recent withdrawal of many popular over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children, many parents are wondering what to do during this cold and flu season. Natural therapies provide great alternatives for treating colds, as well as ways to speed up recovery once a cold has been caught.
In October, an FDA committee recommended the use of common over-the-counter cough and cold remedies to be avoided in children younger than 6 years of age. U.S. health regulators are in the process of reviewing the safety of such products following reports of misuse leading to children’s deaths. The complete list of medication withdrawn is located at www.otcsafety.org/withdrawn.html.
The body has natural defense mechanisms that protect us from the different viruses and bacteria that contribute to the cause of the common cold. We are exposed to these pathogens daily; however most people only “catch a cold” a couple times a year. This implies that a decrease in our resistance is the major factor in “catching a cold.
Homeopathy is a great alternative used in the treatment of cold and flu symptoms. Homeopathy treats the whole person by using minute doses of natural substances to stimulate the body to heal itself. Homeopathic remedies are nontoxic, inexpensive, and highly effective when prescribed correctly. These medicines are so highly diluted that they are safe for babies, pregnant woman, and the elderly.
It is important for parents to realize that toddlers and infants are more susceptible to pathogens since their immune systems are not fully developed, and therefore it is especially important to supply them with proper nutrition and plenty of fluids which will prevent them from “catching a cold.”
Dr. Amanda Fey/Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY - Dec 4, 2007

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An excerpt from The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy, by Dana Ullman.

Conventional medicine adherents have consistently asserted that its methods are scientifically verified, and they have ridiculed other methods that are suggested to have therapeutic or curative effects. In fact, conventional physicians have consistently worked to disallow competitors, even viciously attacking those in their own profession who have questioned conventional treatments or provided alternative modalities.
And yet, strangely enough, whatever has been in vogue in conventional medicine in one decade has been declared ineffective, dangerous, and sometimes barbaric in the ensuing decades. Surprisingly, despite this pattern in history, proponents and defenders of "scientific medicine" tend to have little or no humility, continually asserting that today's cure is truly effective.
The good news about conventional medicine and one of its remarkable features for which it should be honored is its history of consistently and repeatedly disproving its own treatments. The fact that only a handful of conventional drugs have survived thirty or more years is strong testament to the fact that conventional medicine is honorable enough to acknowledge its mistakes.
Medical history uncovers an obvious pattern in the discovery and application of drug treatments. Initially, there is great excitement about a new drug's discovery. Research has seemingly proven its safety and efficacy and leads to widespread appreciation for the drug's ability to provide relief. Over time, there are minor concerns about the drug's side effects, until more research and clinical practice uncover more serious concerns about its side effects. Then, more research and clinical experience lead to more serious questions about the drug's real safety and efficacy, until there is general acknowledgment that the drug doesn't work as well as previously assumed, and there is recognition of an increasingly long list of serious side effects over time. However, these problems are not really problems because a new drug emerges, with short-term research that suggests it is a better drug after all. That is, until new research con- firms that it is neither as effective nor as safe as previously thought. And the cycle has continued like this for a century or more.
Like the fashion industry with its regular changes in style, the drug industry makes its profits on the newest drugs rather than on the older ones -- and not just any profits, but sickeningly high profits.
In 2002, the combined profits ($35.9 billion) of the ten largest drug companies in the Fortune 500 were more than the combined profits ($33.7 billion) of the remaining 490 companies together (Angell, 2004, 11).1 The only reason these drug companies did not maintain this shocking financial advantage is that the oil companies' profits have increased considerably with the Iraq War, thus raising the 490 non-drug companies' profits slightly higher. But then again, one would assume that the profits of 490 of the largest companies in the world would be substantially more than just ten companies in one commercial field. This economic information is important, even essential, because learning how to separate the "science" of medicine from the business of medicine has never been more difficult. The combined efforts of the drug companies and the medical profession, which together may be called the "medicalindustrial complex," have been wonderfully effective in convincing consumers worldwide that modern medicine is the most scientific discipline that has ever existed. Before discussing homeopathy, it is important, if not necessary, to raise basic questions about what "scientific"medicine is -- and is not.
Dana Ullman, North Atlantic Books/AlterNet, CA - Dec 3, 2007

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Newtown Square: In its continued educational and research efforts for the advancement of homeopathy, Boiron Laboratories disputes an editorial comment published in The Lancet's Nov. 17, 2007 issue on the basis that its author has misinterpreted results of clinical trials on homeopathic medicines. (1-5)
The British medical journal features an editorial by Ben Goldacre on the "Benefits and Risks of Homeopathy." In his commentary, Goldacre suggests that the results from five large meta-analyses indicate that homeopathy produces no statistically significant benefit over placebo.
However, a thorough review of the studies' research evidence indicates positive principle conclusions in favor of homeopathy over placebo as quoted as follows:
1. The Kleijnen, et al study states that "the evidence of clinical
trials is positive but not sufficient to draw any definite
conclusions."
2. The Boissel, et al study reports that "[f]or 17 retained
comparisons, for each method used, the result is a p-value well below
.0001. This means that in at least one test, the null hypothesis (lack
of effect of homeopathy) must be rejected. ... The number of
significant results is not likely due to chance alone."
3. The Linde, et al study concludes that "[t]he results of the
available randomized trials suggest that individualized homeopathy has
an effect over placebo."
4. The Cucherat, et al study concludes that "[t]here is evidence that
homeopathic treatments are more effective than placebo."
5. The Shang, et al study indicates that "21 (19 percent) homeopathic
trials and nine (8 percent) conventional medicine tests were of higher
quality. Most odds ratios indicated a beneficial effect of the
intervention. Heterogeneity of trial results was less pronounced for
homeopathy ... than conventional medicine .... This difference is
unlikely to be due to chance (p=0.011 by F test)."
Additionally, there is a sixth relevant meta-analysis also published in The Lancet that supports positive results for homeopathy, but was not mentioned in Goldacre's commentary. The study authors concluded that "the results of our meta-analysis are not compatible with the hypothesis that the clinical effects of homeopathy are completely due to a placebo effect."
PRNewswire/PR Newswire (press release), NY - Nov 27, 2007

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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In response to the recent recall of over-the-counter infant cough syrups, I would like to suggest a safe, natural, low-cost alternative. Homeopathy has a proven track record of assisting the body's own self-healing. Properly applied, homoeopathy can move quickly and effectively to deter many situations. Homeopathic alternatives are generally recognized as safe and are inexpensive.
On the Oprah Winfrey Show, Cindy Crawford declared that she takes her homeopathic first aid kit with her, especially when she is traveling with her children for bumps, bruises, and mosquito bites. Homeopathic remedies are easy to use and label directions should be followed.
Homeopathic remedies are proven effective in accordance with the United States (HPUS), regulated by the FDA and are free of are free of phenylpropanolamine, which caused the recall. Find out more about homeopathy, contact your local homeopath.
Vallejo Times-Herald, US - Nov 16, 2007

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Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).The larynx, or -gitis is often due to persistent acute laryngitis and commonly affects smokers. Because cancer of the larynx may cause hoarseness, a person whose symptoms persist more than a few weeks should be evaluated for cancer (see Nose and Throat Cancers: Laryngeal Cancer ).
Signs and symptoms
Laryngitis often makes you feel the need to constantly clear your throat. Other signs and symptoms may include:
* Hoarseness * Weak voice * Tickling sensation and rawness of your throat * Sore throat * Dry throat * Dry cough
There have been few studies examining the effectiveness of specific homeopathic remedies. A professional homeopath, however, may recommend one or more of the following treatments for laryngitis based on his or her knowledge and clinical experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account a person's constitutional type.
Ricky Hussey/American Chronicle, US - Nov 12, 2007

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Selecting the best nutraceuticals or nutritional supplements for a particular health care solution often involves some trial and error, even for health care practitioners.
Babette "Babs" L. Clough, APH, RN, LAC a local homeopath, has begun using the latest biotechnology tool to eliminate trial and error and get patients on the road to better health far more quickly. The improvement also lowers health care costs for most clients.
The biotechnology involved comes from ZYTO Corp. (Pink Sheets: ZYTC) of Orem, Utah. By combining quantum science, biology, and information theory ZYTO technology provides an interface between living things and computers allowing them to talk to each other, according to company founder and C.E.O. Dr. Vaughn R. Cook, OMD.
"Our mission is to help patients to have the highest possible quality-of-life by determining the root causes of their problems, and eliminating or reducing them, as much as possible, using three integrated forms of medical evaluation and treatment-Western Medicine, called allopathic; European Medicine, called homeopathic; and Asian Medicine, called Oriental Medicine," said Clough.
Clough said use of ZYTO technology has improved compliance, and a higher percentage of clients keep their follow-up care appointments.
"Most health care practitioners are not yet aware that technology exists to help them avoid trial and error when deciding health care solutions for their clients, so Babs Clough is to be commended for being at the forefront of this innovative advancement in alternative health care," said Cook.
Clough's clinic is the Optimal Health Associates and Pain Management Center at 1750 Locust Street, Suite A in Reno.
Biotech News/PR Leap (press release), US - Nov 12, 2007

Labels: USA

Kolkata: A team from Columbia University visited city-based Prasanta Banerji Homeopathy Research Foundation (PBHRF) for a possible research collaboration and exchange of medical expertise in the field of paediatric oncology.
A five-member team from the university's Integrative Therapies Programme for Children with Cancer visited the PBHRF Saturday, and studied the entire therapeutic method, Banerji Protocol, a new method of treatment under which specific medicines are prescribed for specific diseases after being diagnosed by modern methods of homeopathic treatment, unlike classical homeopathy.
'They have come to see our work and how we treat patients. They have spent their entire day at the PBHRF and met over 30 patients of paediatric oncology. We are planning for research collaboration with the paediatric division of Columbia University's Integrative Therapies Programme for Children with Cancer in the days to come,' co-founder and deputy managing trustee of PBHRF Pratip Banerji told IANS.
The US team was led by Elena Ladas and Kara Kelly, the university's medical director of the Integrative Therapies Programme for Children with Cancer.
IANS/ Earthtimes, UK, Nov 3, 2007

Labels: India, USA

Major U.S. medical schools don’t usually offer a stage for the long-running debate over homeopathy and its place in modern medicine.
But at the UConn Health Center on Oct. 25, six internationally renowned experts took part in a forum on homeopathic medicine. Dozens listened in person in the Low Learning Center, and several hundred people around the world listened via webcast.
Homeopathy is an alternative form of health care based on the concept “like cures like.”
Treatments involve stimulating the body’s defense mechanisms by giving small doses of substances that theoretically would produce the same or similar symptoms of illness in healthy people if given in larger doses.
The homeopathic practitioner customizes treatments, not necessarily giving the same remedy to treat the same illness in different patients.
History has called into question the science behind homeopathy, said Dr. Nadav Davidovitch of Columbia University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in southern Israel.
Joining the forum from Tel Aviv, Davidovitch suggested that a person’s belief in homeopathy is derived from his or her willingness or refusal to be bound by the generally accepted rules of science based on molecular research.
Dr. Donald Marcus of Baylor University said, “There is no rigorous evidence to support the efficacy of homeopathy, and there are some potential adverse effects. I think there have been enough clinical trials that I don’t think federal funds should be used to support further clinical trials of homeopathy.”
Dr. Iris Bell of the University of Arizona agreed that it will take more research to satisfy classic scientific standards, but said other research can’t be ignored.
Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Advance, CT, US 2 Nov 2007

Labels: USA

New York: On yesterday's Oprah, themed "What the Stylemakers Can't Live Without," super-model and super-mom Cindy Crawford revealed that homeopathic medicine is a must-have in her life.
"So I am the doctor of our family and I'm a big fan of homeopathy," she said. "If I have the kids, for sure I always take this with me," she explained, holding up a plastic kit containing small vials of homeopathic medicines. Cindy carries these medicines in case of bee stings, mosquito bites, and bruises. "You need like 5 of those little pellets. They taste sweet so the kids will take them."
According to Nathalie Stern, MD, a Manhattan-based pediatrician and mother of two, homeopathy really works. "Arnica and Arnicare Gel by Boiron are the homeopathic products I recommend across the board. They are perfect for parents to include in their first aid kit, especially when kids are on the go in the playground or the sports field. They work especially well for bruises and strains, which are inevitable when kids are active," she says.
Millions of parents across the country are now using homeopathic medicines from Boiron, the leading homeopathic company in the world. "Homeopathy is the #1 alternative medicine in Europe, and has been popular there for over 200 years," says Dana Ullman, MPH, author of The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy (North Atlantic Books, October 16).
PRNewswire/Earthtimes, UK - 1 Nov 2007

Labels: USA

Madison: Sonic Foundry(R) Inc. , a leader in automated rich media communications technology, is working with the University of Connecticut Health Center to host the webcast, "A Debate: Homeopathy - Quackery or a Key to the Future of Medicine?" Sonic Foundry will host the live event using its high-capacity streaming infrastructure co-located with AT&T in Redwood City, CA.
The international forum is expected to attract up to 5,000 online attendees, including leaders from the World Health Organization, the National Institutes of Health and members of congress. A panel of six internationally renowned experts (Iris Bell, M.D., Ph.D.; Rustum Roy Ph.D.; Andre Saine N.D.; Donald Marcus M.D.; Steven Novella M.D. and Naduv Davidovitch M.D., Ph.D.) will examine both the basic science as well as clinical and epidemiological evidence of the efficacy of homeopathy, a 200-year-old system of medicine.
The webcast will be delivered through Sonic Foundry's expanded high-capacity streaming infrastructure at AT&T's Tier 4 data center in Redwood City, CA. The facility has the available bandwidth to webcast presentations to audiences of up to 25,000 concurrent viewers. The Tier 4 distinction means there are redundant systems for power and cooling, with multiple distribution paths that are active and fault tolerant. Additionally, the facility provides instant access to AT&T's global content distribution network allowing for Mediasite presentations to be viewed reliably around the world.
The debate will take place on Thursday, October 25 from 2:00 P.M. -- 4:00 P.M. It will be webcast live over the internet and available on-demand here.
CNNMoney.com, US - Oct 25, 2007

Labels: USA

From the flu to chronic pain, homeopathy has been used to treat a wide range of illnesses in its adherents for hundreds of years.
"I don't really understand how it works, and I really don't care. I just know it does," Rebecca Burbank* of New Orleans says, who has been using homeopathic remedies to ameliorate her mood for the past 18 months. The practitioner who treats Burbank, Robin C. Myers of Baton Rouge, La., explains that a correctly chosen homeopathic remedy often provides patients with healing on more than a physical level.
Although the word is now commonplace, many are not familiar with the broad effects of the practice. As Myers explains, it "fully embraces the patient, at all levels, and allows for graceful wellness to become the norm, instead of a faint possibility."
Homeopathic medicine was created more than 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician who did not agree with harsh conventional 18th century medical practices such as bloodletting.
His quest to truly understand the nature of disease and find a scientifically sound methodology of treatment resulted in the system he dubbed "homeopathy," from the Greek word homoios, meaning similar, and pathos, or suffering. It is a form of alternative medicine that is widely used today in the U.S., Europe, Japan and India. The practice, though, is not without its skeptics who question its effectiveness and say its benefits have not been verified by scientific and clinical studies.
The deep healing so many proponents speak of comes from the core philosophy of homeopathy: Hahnemann believed that the root cause of acute and chronic diseases lay in a disturbance in a person's vital life force (also known as chi or qi in traditional Chinese medicine), and that in order to cure a patient , homeopath needed to take into account all aspects of a patient -- not just their symptoms and complaints -- to find the appropriate rebalancing remedy.
Penelope Dane, TheStreet.com - Sep 21, 2007

Labels: USA

The principle of homeopathic remedies is known as the "Law of Similars" (or "Like cures like"). What this means is that substances that cause healthy people to get symptoms can cure diseases that have these symptoms.
In conventional medicine, the symptoms are considered to be a manifestation of the disease. The drugs are given to kill the bacteria causing the symptoms. Homeopathic medicine, on the other hand, see the symptoms as the body's attempt to heal itself. It's a positive sign that the body's defense mechanism is trying to fight the disease. It's part of the healing process and hence the symptoms should not be contained or suppressed.
That's why when you use homeopathic remedies, you may feel worse before you feel better. Unlike conventional medicines, homeopathy remedies act first on the emotional symptoms, before they cure the physical ones. In essence, it is the opposite of traditional medicines.
Here is an example to explain the principle of the Law of Similars: Let's assume you have developed a severe rash. Let's also assume you have taken a prescribed medication to dissipate the rash. Suddenly you experience side effects from this medication and research its ingredients. Now, let's assume once again that your spouse has a terrible cold. You find that the ingredients in the medication you took for the rash can get rid of a cold, provided it is prepared by a homeopathic professional and given in a small dose.
Furthermore, anyone who is using homeopathy to cure an illness should be aware that there are certain foods and drinks to avoid because they counteract the remedy's potency. For example, homeopathic practitioners advise not to drink caffeine or eat anything with mint as this can suppress the remedy and render it ineffective.
Ricky Hussey/American Chronicle, CA, US - Oct 7, 2007

Labels: USA

The withdrawing of funding from homoeopathy in the NHS is welcomed in a letter to this week's BMJ.
In the UK National Health Service, primary care trusts are, quite rightly, withdrawing funding from homoeopathy, writes David Colquhoun, Professor of Pharmacology at University College London.
"Something has been done, at last," he says, following news that Tunbridge Wells Homoeopathic Hospital will close and the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital is in great danger.
He also supports the view that the US Congress should stop funding the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).
He points to an article about National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which states: "After ten years of existence and over $200 million in expenditures, it has not proved effectiveness for any 'alternative' method. It has added evidence of ineffectiveness of some methods that we knew did not work before NCCAM was formed."
eMaxHealth.com, NC, US - Oct 12, 2007

Labels: USA

I understand there is a an attempt to get rid of the Arizona Board of Homeopathic Medical Examiners Homeopathic Physicians, and I think this is an enormous mistake.
I appreciate that we have a choice here in Arizona about our health care. My son recently was diagnosed with autism, and every Arizona Medical Board-certified doctor I have consulted thus far has not seen the need for homeopathic treatments.
However, I have started using some homeopathic treatments, and my son is a new child. The doctor who diagnosed him said that he would never communicate in certain ways or do certain things. And now, even after only a few short months, not only is he communicating with others, he plays with his brothers in ways he never has before.
Because of my ability to choose alternative health care, my son is on a clear path to recovery.
All medical needs must be met, and to do that, two separate medical boards still need to be in place. . -
Leslie O'Shea,Scottsdale/Arizona Republic, AZ - Oct 12, 2007

Labels: USA