Homeopathic remedies??

[clycleader]

Does anyone use them? I have a friend who's a classical homeopath. I was wondering about how you like these remedies and how they've worked, or not for you all.
Input appreciated.
My son has allergy symptoms and I am considering having her give a treatement rather than a doctor who will give him something to suppress the symptoms, but it also can lead to other issues I've heard. Pushing medication on a young child can have them contract another allergy or something.

 

[jgonz]

Homeopathic remedies ROCK! They really do work, and are cheaper than using herbs. I've used a few~ and they all worked great for us. If your friend is a Classical Homeopath (which is what you'd need for specific problems like allergies), go for it.

 

[bliz]

Homeopathy is different than "natural" or herbal treatments.

Homeopathy has several laws. The Law of Similars states that nature will never permit two illnesses with the same effects to coexist in the human body. So,if the body is, say nauseated, introducing something else that would cause nausea, will chase away the first cause of nausea. "Allow likes to cure likes."

.... we also have the Law of Infinitesimals. Homeopaths believe that the effectiveness of a drug was inversely proportional to its dosage. The smaller the amount, the greater its impact on the body.

So, is substance X will make you better, grind up or dilute that substance over and over again, shaking it between each dilution, and it will be an even more powerful treatment.

What substances should be used is based upon "provings" - a lot of people would all ingest the same substance and record how it made them feel. These provings are all complied and homeopathic practitioners and manufacturers refer to them when manufacturing their products and advising you what remedies to take.

A popular rememdy for the flu is duck liver in water, diluted over and over again. Other remedies include sodium chloride (yes, table salt) opium, rainwater, water flower petals have floated in in sunlight, fecal or urinary discharge, pus and blood.

When first advocated, such treatments were often less harmful than those of medicine and so more people survived these threatments. But there is no scientific evidence than these remedies work. None.

I know that when I make homemade chicken broth, as I did last week, the more water I add to it, the less chicken there is in it. A highly diluted drop does not contain more nutrition and chicken flavor than an undiluted drop, and I doubt that shaking the broth beteween dilutions will make a particle of difference.

It seems to me that homeopathy if a wonderful idea for the manufactuers who are making millions of dollars off of bottles of water or alcohol.

 

[jgonz]

I don't know how they work, but they work. Teething tablets work amazingly well, and everyone I know who has used homeopathic remedies are also pleased. So, my suggestion would be to just try it. If it works, then Great! If it doesn't, you can always try something else.

 

[HeatherJay]

We see a holistic doctor (though he's licensed in traditional medicine as well) and he's amazing. I would recommend him to anyone.

Not totally homeopathy, but something you might look into for allergies (as an alternative to allergy shots) are allergy drops. They're specifically formulated and mixed to treat your child's specific allergies...not a generic prescription they give to everyone. We've considered them for my youngest daughter, but we're experimenting with her diet first to see if we can combat her allergies that way.

A couple of dietary things that HAVE helped with her allergies...switching to organic milk...a significant reduction in processed food...and grinding fresh wheat flour to make our bread (the health benefits of this alone have been truly amazing).

 

[clycleader]

Hi there,
Thanks everyone for the input. I have tried homeopathic remedies a bit. My son smashed his toe a few weeks ago and she gve me some little tablets (I forget what they were) but its intent was to stop blood blister from forming and aid in the healing a bit. It has healed particularly well. The original toe nail did fall off from being crunched, but the blood blister underneath has gone away and he healed pretty well.
I think I will try some of her stuff for allergies since I haven't found it to help with diet. I did try a few changes in that as well, but it seems the time of year here (lots of mustard weed and pollen floating around) that he has been more affected. He's got runny eyes and nose ans cough that is not consistent w/ a cold or anything.
I love the idea of not pumping my child (or myself) full of medications from teh traditional doctors. My son had ear infections a year ago and they tried probably 6 different antibiotics that did nothing and still ended up having ear tubes put in. NOt that it may not have happened anyway, but I don't like putting meds in him if I don't have to. Just seems like teh body builds up an immunity to them.
Anywho,.... guess I'll give it a try and see how it helps. I do apreciate comments on it though. I like hearing who's tried what and how it worked.

 

[Bill_monkey]

The simple answer to your question is that homeopathic remedies don't do anything. At best, they rely on the plecebo effect. Many of the remedies are basically just water with perhaps some other things in it that are known not to have any effect on people.

Allergies are caused by your immune system being activated by everyday harmless things. Basically, one of life's biggest enemies is the virus. Bacteria, yeast, flies, bears, humans are all attacked and killed by viruses. Keep in mind that it was a virus that killed as many people as WWI during that time frame - they are very dangerous to us. We have evolved a complicated defence system called the immune response (we also have a few other defence systems too).

The viruses themselves are DNA (the stuff that makes up our genome) or RNA (very similar to DNA) or both. However, DNA and RNA don't survive very well outside host cells (and most of life produce RNases which destroy RNA to kill viruses and make scientist lives more difficult). So they package themselves in "coats" that protect them in the outside world. Since these "coats" are made on what amount to miniture assembly lines, they are basically identical. So part of the genius of the immune system is to produce proteins called antibodies that specifically recognize the shape of the coat for a given virus and cause the virus to be degraded.

Unfortunately, the viruses can evolve so that there coats shapes are different. To counter this, our immune system uses a system of antibody production that allows it to recognize a near infinite number of shapes. When it recognizes a shape associated with a virus, it causes more of that particular antibody to be produced so that the person is immune to that virus. Unfortunately, sometimes the shape is not associated with a virus, but rather some normal thing like peanut butter. And when the immune defence is triggered, it can create a severe reaction (its kind of like the US allowing torture in order to prevent a terrorist attack).

So what is water or calcium phosphate going to do to prevent antibodies from recognizing an antigen (which would be the virus for an antibody doing its job or peanut butter for somebody with an allergy)? Obviously nothing. And if it was doing something, think how dangerous that could be. Viruses don't kill many people these days, but they do in people that have weakened immune systems.

But I wouldn't be worried. Homeopathic remedies don't do anything.

 

[jgonz]

If they don't do anything than how can Teething tablets help my baby? It's not just my imagination that he calms down and drools less after I give him one.

And why bring up viruses when the OP was asking opinions on homeopathic remedies to help her son's allergy symptoms?

 

[HeatherJay]

The simple answer to your question is that homeopathic remedies don't do anything. At best, they rely on the plecebo effect. Many of the remedies are basically just water with perhaps some other things in it that are known not to have any effect on people.

Allergies are caused by your immune system being activated by everyday harmless things. Basically, one of life's biggest enemies is the virus. Bacteria, yeast, flies, bears, humans are all attacked and killed by viruses. Keep in mind that it was a virus that killed as many people as WWI during that time frame - they are very dangerous to us. We have evolved a complicated defence system called the immune response (we also have a few other defence systems too).

The viruses themselves are DNA (the stuff that makes up our genome) or RNA (very similar to DNA) or both. However, DNA and RNA don't survive very well outside host cells (and most of life produce RNases which destroy RNA to kill viruses and make scientist lives more difficult). So they package themselves in "coats" that protect them in the outside world. Since these "coats" are made on what amount to miniture assembly lines, they are basically identical. So part of the genius of the immune system is to produce proteins called antibodies that specifically recognize the shape of the coat for a given virus and cause the virus to be degraded.

Unfortunately, the viruses can evolve so that there coats shapes are different. To counter this, our immune system uses a system of antibody production that allows it to recognize a near infinite number of shapes. When it recognizes a shape associated with a virus, it causes more of that particular antibody to be produced so that the person is immune to that virus. Unfortunately, sometimes the shape is not associated with a virus, but rather some normal thing like peanut butter. And when the immune defence is triggered, it can create a severe reaction (its kind of like the US allowing torture in order to prevent a terrorist attack).

So what is water or calcium phosphate going to do to prevent antibodies from recognizing an antigen (which would be the virus for an antibody doing its job or peanut butter for somebody with an allergy)? Obviously nothing. And if it was doing something, think how dangerous that could be. Viruses don't kill many people these days, but they do in people that have weakened immune systems.

But I wouldn't be worried. Homeopathic remedies don't do anything.

There are bogus homeopathic remedies, true. There are also many that are completely legitimate...along with herbal remedies and holistic cures. Some much MORE legitimate than big business pharmaceuticals and other FDA approved "remedies."

 

[Bill_monkey]

There are bogus homeopathic remedies, true. There are also many that are completely legitimate...along with herbal remedies and holistic cures. Some much MORE legitimate than big business pharmaceuticals and other FDA approved "remedies."

Like what? I don't work in the pharmaceutical industry and I don't plan to. But , clearly the whole idea behind homeopathic remedies is a scam.

 

[HeatherJay]

Like what? I don't work in the pharmaceutical industry and I don't plan to. But , clearly the whole idea behind homeopathic remedies is a scam.

I see a holistic doctor. He's been our doctor for the last 3 years. He has yet to prescribe a drug for any of ailments. He's recommended vitamins, suppliments, dietary changes, an herbal remedy here and there (medicinal teas, etc). He's an integrated medical doctor, and he served his residency at the Mayo Clinic, so he's not a quack who never went to medical school. He's not a classic homeopath, but he also feels strongly that drugs and western medicine is more of a last resort than the first. He believes in treating the source, not the symptom...something that most mainstream doctors do not.

It's not a scam. And he's the first to admit that some "holistic" rememdies are a scam. But he's my proof that there are MANY holistic treatments that are completely legit.

I've seen him for female issues related to imbalanced hormones...my husband has seen him for high blood pressure and symptoms related to pre-diabetes....my daughter has seen him for allergies. Serious issues. Among other random medical issues here and there. And again, he's never prescribed us any pharmeceuticals, and we've all seen drastic improvements. In the case of my husband's high blood pressure and pre-diabetic symptoms, it's totally gone.

Pharmaceuticals are BIG business that make a lot of people a lot of money. And it doesn't take much looking to see that the FDA is NOT looking first to the best interest of this country's citizens. This is, of course, only my opinion...but open your mind a little, and you might be surprised.

Check facts, use your brain...don't let yourself be taken advantage of by scams...but western medicine does NOT have all the answers. That much I'm sure of.