Byline:Â Tom Weede
THE HIVES were so severe that Laura Godsey went to the emergency room twice. But despite her taking large doses of antihistamines, the swelling and welts didn’t improve. With no relief in sight, the San Diego resident turned to an alternative therapy with a storied past: homeopathy.
It was an opportune decision: “The hives were almost entirely gone in a week, which was amazing,” she says. Then Godsey underwent homeopathic treatments for the chronic asthma that had dogged her since childhood. A year later, she was able to discontinue her conventional asthma medications, and even ran in a 5k race. “It was a breeze,” she says.
Proponents of homeopathy believe its remedies can cure or improve many forms of acute and chronic disease, including earaches, colds, flu, allergies, migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, and chronic fatigue. And because no two people are exactly the same, homeopathy takes into consideration just about every aspect of a patient. “We really are treating the whole person,” says Amy Rothenberg, N.D., a naturopathic physician and specialist in classical homeopathy in Enfield, Conn. “In my eyes, it’s a very elegant way of practicing.”
the homeo path
THE CONCEPT behind homeopathy was first recorded by Hippocrates in the fifth century B.C., but the practice as we know it is traced to Samuel Hahnemann, an 18th-century German physician who disdained the medical procedures of his day–which included bloodletting, blistering, and toxic overdoses. Intrigued by another doctor’s successful treatment of malaria with quinine, Hahnemann found that quinine itself produces signs of malaria. After further research, he theorized that dilutions of natural substances causing symptoms of illness in a healthy person could cure those same symptoms in an ill person.
Particular remedies, Hahnemann came to believe, could be matched to different symptom patterns to stimulate the body’s natural healing response. He called this principle similia similibus curentur (”like is healed by like”), and modern homeopaths still adhere to it. Another tenet of homeopathy is that any symptoms must be analyzed in the context of the entire person and the totality of his or her systems.
“A symptom of disease does not represent something wrong with the body,” says Dana Ullman, M.P.H., co-author of Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine. “It represents the defenses of the body in its effort to fight infection or adapt to stress.”
By 1900, one out of five U.S. doctors used homeopathy, and the country had 22 homeopathic medical colleges and more than l00 homeopathic hospitals. The therapy fell out of favor by the 1930s, but began to revive in the 1960s. The number of U.S. practitioners jumped from less than 200 in the 1970s to about 3,000 in 1996. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 7 million Americans have used homeopathy; its popularity in countries like France and Germany, where homeopathic remedies are sold in virtually every pharmacy, is even higher.
healing power
HOMEOPATHIC RESEARCH has been contradictory. Some results have appeared no more effective than a placebo, while others have been more positive. While the American Medical Association does not accept homeopathy, their official policy doesn’t reject it either.
“From a conventional viewpoint, people can’t conceive that it could work,” says Laura Godsey’s physician, Timothy Dooley, N.D., M.D., author of Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine. “It might involve subtle properties that as yet we cannot measure.”
Hahnemann suggested that energies in the body–what he called, collectively, its “vital force”–respond to the minute provocations of the remedies. Today, even conservative medical philosophies recognize that the body has its own healing power, which can be temporarily impaired by imbalance (i.e., illness), but is usually capable of bouncing back. When a person’s vital force is kept strong, the recovery is all the quicker and more complete; that’s why homeopathic practitioners consider so many personal factors that might affect mind and body function before prescribing treatment.
Whatever the explanation for how homeopathy works, patients who have found success sing its praises. “I just wanted to approach things in a more natural way,” says Denise Rousseau, who in addition to her conventional physician has seen Rothenberg for a dozen years. “I call her whenever I’m not feeling well.”
Other homeopathy experiences are more specific and even startling. Amy L. Lansky credits homeopathy with curing her son’s autism. Starting when he was 3, the treatment took seven years. “We were very lucky because we found the right remedy very quickly,” says Lansky, a former NASA researcher who wrote a book on homeopathy and autism called Impossible Cure. “Even so, it was a slow, gradual process.”
seeking treatment
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES are available in health-food stores and pharmacies as single remedies or in varying combinations that are believed effective for specific conditions. (Medicines purporting to treat serious diseases, such as cancer, are available only by prescription.) This allows you to self-treat for many ailments–but should you? “When symptoms are mild and self-limited, meaning you’re better within a week or two, such as with a cold, it’s fine to treat at home,” says Rothenberg. “When symptoms are more severe or long-lasting, as with asthma, depression, or other chronic illnesses, it’s best to work with somebody who is trained to treat those more serious kinds of concerns.”
The Food and Drug Administration considers homeopathic remedies to be drugs, yet they are not subject to review for safety and effectiveness like conventional medicines. This policy is based on the belief there is little likelihood of harm because of the extremely weak dilutions that are usually used (see “A Homeopathic Medicine Cabinet,” page 80), as well as a lack of budgetary resources, according to the agency.
But homeopathic medicines do fall under an official compendium called the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States. To be included in the HPUS–and to use its initials on a label–there must be sufficient evidence in the form of controlled studies or clinical experience to show a remedy’s effectiveness, as well as legal standards for “strength, quality, purity, and packaging.” (Remedies on the market before 1962 have been accepted based on historical use.)
turning to a pro
IF YOU SEEK professional care, a homeopath will often spend an hour or more with you on the first visit, asking questions that, among other things, may identify your constitutional type. (See “Preamble to the Constitutions,” page 76.) Based on your responses, the practitioner selects a remedy to match your total picture.
Many homeopaths are M.D.’s, naturopaths, nurses, dentists, and chiropractors. To find a practitioner, consult a directory available through the National Center for Homeopathy (homeopathic.org) or Ullman’s Berkeley, Calif.-based Homeopathic Educational Services (homeopathic.com).
A homeopath will suggest that patients seek conventional care concurrently, especially for ongoing conditions like Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and premenstrual syndrome. “Many of my patients work with their family doctor or primary-care physician in addition to seeking my services,” Rothenberg says. “For certain kinds of complaints that are chronic in nature, I would insist on that kind of teamwork. It is acceptable to start treating patients with homeopathy in virtually all conditions; however, you must also determine the diagnosis in case there is a problem requiring conventional medical intervention.”
In general, any problem that would normally be referred to a physician should still be treated–or co-treated–by one. Dooley advises using common sense. “If somebody’s passing blood from the rectum, we need to know where this is coming from, because they could have colon cancer,” he says. “It would be irresponsible to just start giving somebody remedies and not really know what’s going on.”
a different way
HOMEOPATHY does not work in all patients, says Ullman, particularly those who are secretive about their symptoms. While infants and children can be very responsive to treatment, he notes, the elderly tend to be less so, which may be due to weakened immune systems or high levels of medication masking symptoms.
Severe physical and cognitive changes due to disease may be out of homeopathy’s reach or require standard medical treatment. “In instances where homeopathy is just not working, it’s generally due to the fact there’s nothing left to really respond,” says Dooley.
Still, homeopathy offers a unique perspective, especially for those looking for a natural add-on to their care regimen. “I feel like I’m healthier, and better able to fight off infection,” says Leslie Nelson, who went to Rothenberg to help boost her immune system and regain her energy after a difficult bout with Lyme disease. “It’s just a different way of looking at your health.”
Sepia
TRAITS: Mostly female, apt to take on a martyr’s role; irritable at home, outgoing with company; loves dancing; strongly opinionated but hates being contradicted.
APPEARANCE: Tall and lean; dark hair and brown eyes; sallow complexion. FOOD LIKES: Sour foods and drinks, sweet foods, alcohol.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Menstrual problems, menopause, candidiasis.
Arsen. alb.
TRAITS: Tense, ambitious, pessimistic; pays meticulous attention to detail; perfectionist tendencies cause “all or nothing” attitude.
APPEARANCE: Thin, stylish; fine features with pale skin and worry lines.
FOOD LIKES: Warm food and drinks; fatty, sour and sweet foods; alcohol and coffee.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Anxiety, fatigue, gastroenteritis, mouth ulcers.
Argentum nit.
TRAITS: Fast thinker who can juggle projects; good memory; difficulty controlling emotions; extroverted and cheerful, but anxiety and worry lead to irrational fears.
APPEARANCE: Early lines and wrinkles, prone to nervous sweats.
FOOD LIKES: Sweet foods (but easily upset by them); salty foods; loves or loathes cheese.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Fear, anxiety, laryngitis, digestive complaints due to nerves.
A homeopathic medicine cabinet
THESE REMEDIES are useful to have on hand for mild, short-term problems. While each medicine is listed under a particular ailment, practitioners believe the real effect is broader. Also, homeopathic remedies aren’t vitamins, and should not be taken routinely, cautions Dana Ullman, M.P.H., co-author of the e-guide Homeopathic Family Medicine and author of Homeopathy A-Z. If there’s significant improvement after one or two doses, he says, then stop.
If you’re new to homeopathy, use doses in the 6th, 12th, or 30th potency (higher numbers indicate greater potency). An “X” or “C” after the number refers to the dilution ratio (1:10 or 1:100, respectively).
Aconitum (monkshood): FEVER
Useful during a fever’s first 24 hours. With a high fever, you should see results within two hours; if not, seek professional help. Beneficial when the fever starts after experiencing cold temperatures or cold, dry winds.
Allium cepa (onion): ALLERGIES AND COMMON COLDS
Best for a burning nasal discharge that worsens in a warm room (and improves with fresh air), profuse tearing with a frequent desire to rub the eyes, or violent sneezing.
Arnica (mountain daisy): BRUISING
Taken internally, or applied topically if the skin is not broken. It’s also commonly used for exercise soreness, although a study on long distance runners found no effect.
Belladonna (deadly nightshade): PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME
Suggested when cramps with throbbing pains come and go suddenly. The pains may be worse on the right side, and intensified by movement.
Ignatia (St. Ignatius bean): ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Especially useful after the breakup of a relationship or the death of someone close. People who respond typically try to keep their emotions in check, but end up sobbing uncontrollably or alternately laughing and crying; they also frequently sigh or feel a lump in the throat.
Coffea (coffee): INSOMNIA
Best when a person is overactive mentally and physically, and is extremely sensitive to noise or pain.
Cuprum metallicum (copper): LEG CRAMPS
The primary remedy for cramps in the calves or the soles of the feet.
Gelsemium (yellow jasmine): FLU
Suggested when the patient is fatigued with a pervasive, heavy weakness. Also appropriate for those with little or no thirst, chills up and down the spine, and headache toward the back of the head.
Natrum muriaticum (salt): HEADACHES
Typically used for headaches made worse by sun, heat, reading, or eye strain, and that show a time pattern (e.g., every week or every month).
Nux vomica (poison nut): NAUSEA & VOMITING
Best when nausea or vomiting is caused by too much food, alcohol, drugs, or mental stress. The typical patient must strain to vomit, having to first frequently retch.
Pulsatilla (windflower): INDIGESTION
Suggested for indigestion or heartburn after eating fatty foods, such as ice cream or fried food. Usually given to patients who are very emotional and seek sympathy and attention.
Rhus toxicodendron (poison ivy): ARTHRITIS
Best for the patient whose pain lessens with continued movement, but stiffens again after resting. Those who respond tend to be sensitive to cold and wet weather.
Preamble to the constitutions
ILLNESS GENERATES multiple symptoms, yet conventional medicine often ignores many of them. Two people who are wheezing and short of breath, for example, will likely receive similar diagnoses of asthma, resulting in similar treatments. In contrast, a homeopath takes the assessment further, and may find that one patient’s asthma worsens in open air, while the other’s improves. One desires cold drinks, the other doesn’t. One is moody, the other chipper. The homeopath considers all these aspects–the totality of the patient–to find just the right remedy.
“Patients who have the same condition from the conventional point of view often will receive different homeopathic remedies because of the differences in their symptoms,” says Timothy Dooley, N.D., M.D., author of Homeopathy: Beyond Flat Earth Medicine.
As a guideline, some homeopaths assign to their patients a “constitutional type,” based on common symptoms as well as characteristics like body shape and personality traits. There are 15 typical constitutional types–described here by Andrew Lockie and Nicola Geddes, authors of the Complete Guide to Homeopathy–all of them named after specific remedies. “In homeopathic terms, a person’s constitution is his or her inherited and acquired physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup,” say Lockie and Geddes.”A closely fitting constitutional remedy selected according to these criteria acts preventatively and curatively. For example, someone with a Pulsatilla constitution will respond well to the Pulsatilla remedy almost regardless of his or her illness.”
There are endless variations in types–and some practitioners find the labels misleading. “Keep in mind,” says Dooley, “that it’s the patient’s unique symptoms that determine the choice of a beneficial remedy.” Also, the types are more useful in treating chronic conditions rather than self-limited complaints like colds or indigestion.
What’s your constitutional type? To be certain, you must consult a homeopath, but you can narrow the options by consulting the descriptions illustrated on these pages. They’ll give you an idea of the way homeopaths consider inherited as well as acquired characteristics to treat you as a whole person.
What’s Your Type?
A homeopathic treatment is based on symptoms, yet it’s often refined according to a person’s constitution. To help define a patient’s constitutional type (such as those illustrated at left), practitioners look at family and personal history, physical appearance, personality, temperament, food likes and dislikes, fears, emotional states, and responses to stress and environmental factors. So what’s your type? Are you a Phosphorus, Sepia, or Pulsatilla? See page 76.
Calc. carb.
TRAITS: Shy, contemplative nature; healthy and diligent, but can be mildly depressed when ill; afraid of failure; prone to worry.
APPEARANCE: Good appetite can cause weight gain and lethargy; pale complexion with large pores; thick or curly hair.
FOOD LIKES: Sweet, sour, and starchy foods; cold drinks and ice cream, eggs, oysters; prone to odd cravings.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Anxiety, menstrual problems, digestive disorders, joint and bone pain.
Ignatia
TRAITS: Typically female, sensitive, artistic, cultured; high-strung with high ideals; faults herself when things go wrong; difficulty expressing emotions, especially if grieving; dislikes crowds.
APPEARANCE: Usually thin, dark-haired, possibly with circles under the eyes and a strained expression; blinks or sighs a lot.
FOOD LIKES: Sour foods, dairy products, coffee (but upset by it), bread.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Depression and mood swings, headaches, insomnia.
Sulfur
TRAITS: Intellectual; belligerent and critical of minor points, but can give time and money generously; often a male executive with lots of ideas, but surrounded by clutter.
APPEARANCE: Either plump and red-faced, or lean and lanky with a slouch; dry, coarse hair and dry, rough skin; looks untidy.
FOOD LIKES: Sweet, fatty, spicy, sour, and raw foods; alcohol; dislikes eggs, milk and hot drinks.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Skin conditions like eczema, digestive complaints, stress.
Lachesis
TRAITS: Insightful, creative, ambitious; tends to be egocentric and jealous in relationships, and may resist commitment; likes neck and throat uncovered.
APPEARANCE: Usually freckled redheads; may be overweight with a bloated appearance, or could be dark-haired, lean, and energetic.
FOOD LIKES: Sour and starchy foods, alcohol; upset by wheat and hot drinks.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Menopause, circulatory problems, left-sided ailments.
Lycopodium
TRAITS: Intellectual with a conservative viewpoint and prestigious job; may exaggerate to boost low self-esteem; enjoys company, but avoids commitment.
APPEARANCE: Tall, sallow-skinned, with distinguished bearing; visible frown lines; hair recedes prematurely.
FOOD LIKES: Sweet foods; hot foods and drinks; cabbage, onions, legumes, oysters, olive oil; feels full readily.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Bloating and flatulence, anxiety, anger, dry coughs.
Nat. mur.
TRAITS: Typically female, sensitive, refined, introverted; serious and conscientious; can be moody and inflexible; easily hurt by criticism; music can bring tears.
APPEARANCE: Pear-shaped or square build, with sandy or dark hair, puffy and shiny facial skin, and watery or red-rimmed eyes.
FOOD LIKES: Sour foods, beer, milk (but upset by it); loves or loathes salt.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Anxiety, eye strain, conditions with watery discharges, mouth problems, irregular menstruation.
Pulsatilla
TRAITS: Almost always female, shy, kind; often depends on others for support; forms friendships easily; difficulty expressing anger; resilient; can be swayed by emotion.
APPEARANCE: Typically plump; fair hair and blue eyes; fair skin that blushes easily.
FOOD LIKES: Rich, sweet foods; cold foods and drinks (though seldom thirsty); peanut butter.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Ache, colds, coughs, depression, indigestion, migraines, nausea, menstrual problems, rheumatism.
Silica
TRAITS: Tenacious and stubborn, but looks fragile and passive; conscientious, insecure and afraid of responsibility; lacks stamina; may overwork to exhaustion.
APPEARANCE: Thin and small-boned; fine hair; neat and tidy appearance; nails may be rough, brittle and yellow; slow to heal.
FOOD LIKES: Cold foods, salads.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Migraines, recurrent infections, skin and bone complaints.
Phosphorus
TRAITS: Open, expressive, affectionate, often with an artistic flair; empathetic and optimistic; relishes being the center of attention; can be surprisingly indifferent to family and friends.
APPEARANCE: Usually tall and slim, with dark or fair hair; fine, pale skin that readily flushes; flamboyant dresser.
FOOD LIKES: Salty, sweet, and spicy foods; cold foods; ice cream, wine, cheese.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Anxiety, nausea, bleeding, laryngitis, dry cough.
For additional types, see pages 78 and 79.
Merc. sol.
TRAITS: Mentally restless and anxious; needs stability and order; introverted, insecure and cautious; extremely sensitive to criticism.
APPEARANCE: Fair-haired, with translucent, smooth skin and a pinched nose; may look detached.
FOOD LIKES: Cold drinks, bread and butter, lemons; constantly hungry.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Gingivitis, bad breath, tonsilitis, nasal problems, blisters.
Graphites
TRAITS: Anxious, timid, indecisive; enjoys manual and outdoor work; readily becomes despondent, especially hearing music.
APPEARANCE: Typically dark hair; may have pale, dry, rough skin, given to cracking; tends toward overweight.
FOOD LIKES: Sour and acidic cold drinks; prone to headaches if a meal is missed.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Eczema and other skin complaints, phlegm, ulcers.
Nux vomica
TRAITS: Competitive achiever; works hard and plays hard; quick to criticize but doesn’t take it well; loves challenges; often a manager.
APPEARANCE: Lean and tense, but dapper; tends to have a lined face, sallow complexion, and clark circles under the eyes.
FOOD LIKES: Rich, fatty foods; easily upset by alcohol, coffee, and spicy foods.
THE REMEDY’S KEY USES: Colds, headaches, constipation, indigestion, insomnia, anger.
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