Herbal remedies are dietary supplements prepared from plants for their therapeutic or medicinal value. The approach of an herbal remedy is to address the underlying, core cause of the illness.
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- Herbal remedies are dietary supplements prepared from plants for
their therapeutic or medicinal value. The approach of an herbal
remedy is to address the underlying, core cause of the illness.
- Home remedies and natural cures or medicines made at home from
natural ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, herbs are catching a
lot of attention due to its very nature of cure: simple, no side
effects, no chemicals, inexpensive, plus the pleasure of being able
to cure yourself!. Read on for how all this is useful and how people
are using these home made methods in their day to day lives to stay
fit and healthy.
- Homeopathic remedies are based on a holistic approach to health
that addresses illness by stimulating the body's own healing powers.
Homeopathy is based on the principle of “like treats like” or
the "Law of Similars", which states that if an herb or
some other natural substance is consumed in a large quantity and a
specific set of symptoms occur, then that same ingredient in small
amounts will stimulate the body to fight against those same
symptoms.
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Introduction
Homeopathy, also known as homeopathic medicineA whole medical
system that originated in Europe. Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's
ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted
substances that in larger doses would produce illness or symptoms (an
approach called "like cures like")., is a whole medical
systemA complete system of theory and practice that has evolved over
time in different cultures and apart from conventional medicine. Examples of
whole medical systems include traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic
medicine, homeopathy, and naturopathy. that was developed in Germany
more than 200 years ago and has been practiced in the United States since
the early 19th century. Homeopathy is used for wellness and prevention and
to treat many diseases and conditions. This fact sheet provides a general
overview of homeopathy and suggests sources for additional information.
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Key Points
- The principle of similars (or "like cures like") is a
central homeopathic principle. The principle states that a disease can
be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy
people.
- Most analyses have concluded that there is little evidence to support
homeopathy as an effective treatment for any specific condition;
although, some studies have reported positive findings.
- There are challenges in studying homeopathy and controversies
regarding the field. This is largely because a number of its key
concepts are not consistent with the current understanding of science,
particularly chemistry and physics.
- There is limited research on the safety of homeopathic treatments.
- Tell your health care providers about any complementary and
alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of all you do to
manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
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Overview
The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning
similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease. Homeopathy seeks
to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of
highly diluted substances. This therapeutic method was developed by German
physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann at the end of the 18th century.
Hahnemann articulated two main principles:
- The principle of similars (or "like cures like") states that
a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in
healthy people. This idea, which can be traced back to Hippocrates, was
further developed by Hahnemann after he repeatedly ingested cinchona
bark, a popular treatment for malaria, and found that he developed the
symptoms of the disease. Hahnemann theorized that if a substance could
cause disease symptoms in a healthy person, small amounts could cure a
sick person who had similar symptoms.
- The principle of dilutions (or "law of minimum dose") states
that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater
its effectiveness. In homeopathy, substances are diluted in a stepwise
fashion and shaken vigorously between each dilution. This process,
referred to as "potentization," is believed to transmit some
form of information or energy from the original substance to the final
diluted remedy. Most homeopathic remedies are so dilute that no
molecules of the healing substance remain; however, in homeopathy, it is
believed that the substance has left its imprint or "essence,"
which stimulates the body to heal itself (this theory is called the
"memory of water").
Homeopaths treat people based on genetic and personal health history,
body type, and current physical, emotional, and mental symptoms. Patient
visits tend to be lengthy. Treatments are "individualized" or
tailored to each person—it is not uncommon for different people with the
same condition to receive different treatments.
Homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substances that come from
plants, minerals, or animals. Common remedies include red onion, arnica
(mountain herb), and stinging nettle plant.
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Regulation of Homeopathic Treatments
Homeopathic remedies are prepared according to the guidelines of the Homeopathic
Pharmacopeia of the United States (HPUS), which was written into law
in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act in 1938. Homeopathic remedies
are regulated in the same manner as nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC)
drugs. However, because homeopathic products contain little or no active
ingredients, they do not have to undergo the same safety and efficacy
testing as prescription and new OTC drugs.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does require that homeopathic
remedies meet certain legal standards for strength, purity, and packaging.
The labels on the remedies must include at least one major indication (i.e.,
medical problem to be treated), a list of ingredients, the dilution, and
safety instructions. In addition, if a homeopathic remedy claims to treat a
serious disease such as cancer, it needs to be sold by prescription. Only
products for self-limiting conditions (minor health problems like a cold or
headache that go away on their own) can be sold without a prescription.
Source:Wikipedia
Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and phytotherapy. The scope of herbal medicine is sometimes extended to include fungal and bee products, as well as minerals, shells and certain animal parts. Pharmacognosy is the study of medicines derived from natural sources.
Traditional use of medicines is recognized as a way to learn about potential future medicines. In 2001, researchers identified 122 compounds used in mainstream medicine which were derived from "ethnomedical" plant sources; 80% of these compounds were used in the same or related manner as the traditional ethnomedical use.
Plants have evolved the ability to synthesize chemical compounds that help them defend against attack from a wide variety of predators such as insects, fungi and herbivorous mammals. By chance some of these compounds whilst being toxic to plant predators turn out to have beneficial effects when used to treat human diseases. Such secondary metabolites are highly varied in structure, many are aromatic substances, most of which are phenols or their oxygen-substituted derivatives. At least 12,000 have been isolated so far; a number estimated to be less than 10% of the total. Chemical compounds in plants mediate their effects on the human body by binding to receptor molecules present in the body; such processes are identical to those already well understood for conventional drugs and as such herbal medicines do not differ greatly from conventional drugs in terms of how they work. This enables herbal medicines to be in principle just as effective as conventional medicines but also gives them the same potential to cause harmful side effects. Many of the herbs and spices used by humans to season food yield useful medicinal compounds.
Similarly to prescription drugs, a number of herbs are thought to be likely to cause adverse effects.[5] Furthermore, "adulteration, inappropriate formulation, or lack of understanding of plant and drug interactions have led to adverse reactions that are sometimes life threatening or lethal.
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