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The Ultimate Immune Booster
Drea Knufken for Natural Health Magazine, April 2008
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_4_38/ai_n24945329/pg_1

THE BRIGHT-YELLOW mountain flower Arnica montana found in alpine fields in France and Germany is poisonous enough to cause heart failure if ingested. But arnica gel, made with the essence of mountain daisies and used to treat cuts and bruises, is one of the world's most widely used homeopathic remedies--and has been found to be as effective as ibuprofen in treating muscle aches and arthritis.

How Does Poison Heal?

Homeopathy at Work

Developed in the early 1800s by a German physician named Samuel Hahnemann, homeopathy helps the immune system regulate itself. Some scientists theorize that homeopathic remedies might create an electromagnetic pulse that affects the way immune cells respond to certain triggers.

Fast-acting remedy For example, researchers know that basophil, a type of white blood cell, releases histamine when it's activated by something like a bee sting. Since basophil becomes electromagnetically unstable once it's activated, a sting can provoke a histamine "attack" and all of the accompanying allergy-like symptoms. But homeopathic dilutions of Apis mellifica (whole honeybee) are thought to stop the basophils from releasing histamine: The idea is that the electrical pulses stabilize the cell, muting its electromagnetic fluctuations so it doesn't let go of its histamine in the first place. That's why a bee sting and other bites or reactions might heal quickly with A. mellifica. "Homeopathy is rapid, gentle, and permanent," says Kiersten Stevenson, a professor of homeopathy at the Homeopathy School of Colorado in Boulder. "If you can get a cure that way, that's the best one possible."

What the Studies Say

In 1999, more than 6 million Americans used homeopathic remedies, according to the National Institutes of Health. In 2007, the U.S. homeopathic market was worth $400 million, says Dana Ullman, M.P.H., the Berkeley, Calif.-based author of The Homeopathic Revolution (North Atlantic Books, 2007; also see homeopathic.com) and Natural Health advisory board member. Although popular, homeopathic remedies are dogged by inconclusive studies. Take arnica, for example. In 2002, one double-blind study found that Traumeel, a topical arnica solution, might reduce the severity and length of pain and inflammation inside the mouths of children undergoing chemotherapy. In 1998, a different study had found that arnica was not effective for muscle soreness or pain and inflammation of tissues lining the inside of the mouth following long-distance running. But most homeopaths prefer to trust anecdotal evidence. "I think it's more compelling to see the evidence walking through my office door than to read a study about it," says Stevenson.

How to Use Homeopathy

Homeopathy can be used to treat common, nonchronic illnesses such as allergies, a sore throat, sprained ankle, or the flu (see "Seven Common Cures," page 56). It can also be applied in a broader sense to treat long-term afflictions. "For a chronic problem such as arthritis or depression, a professional homeopath will look at your overall constitution, of which your disease is only one part," says Ullman.

Healing Home Remedies

Alyce Barry, 56, a therapist in Longmont, Colo., has used homeopathy for self-treatment for 12 years. She was introduced to the practice as a child, using arnica pills whenever she scraped her knee. "We had a homeopathic doctor in our family, so we kids would get arnica for injuries, Nux vomica (homeopathic strychnine) for nausea, or coffea (homeopathic coffee) when we had trouble sleeping," she says. "We took them to humor Mom. I don't remember ever realizing, 'Hey, this stuff really works."' That is, not until 30 years later, when Barry found a mixed homeopathic remedy that she claims cleared up a chest cold in 15 minutes. She now uses homeopathic formulas by Boiron (an over-the-counter product maker) for acute ailments. Barry's standard picks: Gasalia for indigestion, Roxalia for laryngitis, and Oscillococcinum at the first signs of the flu.

Buying Guide to Homeopathy

Health food stores, natural pharmacies, and some grocery chains carry homeopathic remedies, which are usually indicated for non-life-threatening, short-term ailments such as bruises, coughs, the flu, and temporary stress. The recommended dosages are often written on the bottle. Look for established brands such as Boiron, Hyland's, Nelsons, and Washington Homeopathic Products. Many people find over-the-counter remedies effective, though seeing a professional is still considered the best way to find a suitable remedy, even for minor complaints.

When to See a Professional

If you have chronic or serious conditions like panic attacks or diabetes, see a professional homeopath--and don't attempt to treat the problem yourself. (To find a practitioner, go to nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org.) In fact, self-treatment for emotional issues or disease can be dangerous. "If you take the wrong medicine and you're sensitive, you'll get symptoms connected to that medicine," says Shevins. "It has to be used carefully, because you don't want to aggravate any existing condition such as a heart problem or severe asthma."

What Homeopaths Do

Homeopaths require a one-to two-hour introductory meeting to get a comprehensive list of your symptoms. "In homeopathy," says Stevenson, "we're trying to find the strange, rare, and peculiar symptoms. If you have a pain in your right knee, we want to know what sets it off; whether it's worse in the morning or when you eat or run." Homeopaths match the symptoms to remedies listed in the classic homeopathic texts Organon of Medicine and Materia Medicas, narrow down the options (practitioners have identified more than 2,000 remedies), and choose a potency based on their impressions of the patient. Getting the right dose may require experimentation.

Calm Dental Fears

What's in a remedy

Homeopathic remedies are created by diluting a concentrated substance with alcohol and water. One part of this "mother tincture" is then "succussed" (shaken by hand or machine) to extract more of its vital essence. Dilutions and succussions continue until the desired potency is reached. One part tincture, for example, to 100 parts water makes what is called a 1C remedy. The solution is then poured into tiny white sugar pills or pellets. According to the principles of homeopathy, the process of dilution and succussion makes the remedy more potent. Even though the substance's vital essence remains only a footprint in the solution, it's enough to act as a remedy in the patient. That premise inspires skepticism among many conventional doctors, who generally believe homeopathy offers nothing more than a placebo effect.

Treat Fussy Felines

Does your cat habitually lick off her fur? A holistic vet (who integrates homeopathy) might administer chamomilla (chamomile), which is often used for irritability in children, or pulsatilla, derived from the pasque flower, also a remedy for weepy babies.

Care for Plants

Homeopathy can even be used to treat plants. Biodynamic winemakers use medicinal herbs like valerian and chamomile in the compost they use on their vines. Each herb is used in homeopathic quantities to boost the health of the vineyard. This is purported to "improve the 'life energy" in grapes and wines," says vintner Mike Benziger of the Benziger Family Winery in California.