Liz Tyson 
August 24, 2015 Homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine developed by Samuel Hahnemann in the early 1800s. It is based on the principle of “like cures like” and uses naturally occurring substances diluted in water in place of conventional medicines. Practitioners of homeopathy take a holistic approach to healthcare and look for the best treatment for an individual person, rather than using one treatment for the same diagnosis in every patient.
Homeopathy is one of the most widely-practiced alternatives to conventional medicine in the world and is integrated into the national health systems of many countries, including the UK and Germany. The FDA regulates some homeopathic treatments in the U.S. While some people remain skeptical of the effectiveness of homeopathy as a medical cure, it is widely recognized as a system of treatment with extremely limited side effects and therefore can be administered safely to children, pregnant women and animals. We know this because millions of people each year use homeopathic remedies safely, and have done so for over two hundred years.
The benefit of the system having been “tested” on so many people over so many years is that, unlike in the development of conventional drugs which may have dangerous side-effects there is no argument to support the testing of homeopathic remedies on animals. All new homeopathic medicines are tested on human volunteers first to find out what symptoms they may be capable of treating (“like cures like”).  For many homeopathic practitioners and patients, the fact that the medicines used are not tested in ways that cause suffering toanimals in labs is a fundamental reason for their support for this type of treatment.
As testing on animals is not only unnecessary but considered unethical by a large part of the profession and its patients, the fact that there has been a surge in recent years of research into homeopathy which involves  subjecting animals to painful experiments has given some homeopaths great cause for concern.
The Needless Use of Animals in Painful TestsIn order for researchers to test the effect of homeopathic medicines on particular illnesses or conditions, first, animals used in research must be given an ailment to treat. This might mean animals being injected with substances to cause pain, having nerves severed, having bones broken or being given repeated electric shocks to induce stress. All of these procedures, and more, have been carried out in order to “test” homeopathic medicines on animals in labs around the world in recent years.  At the end of the experiments, most animals are killed. Not only is this going against the ethical foundations of homeopathy, but it contributes nothing to clinical practice  as it uses methods employed in mainstream drug development (using the same drug to treat specific symptoms in the same manner in every patient) and not the  homeopathic approach of treating the individual based on their unique symptom picture and characteristics.
The reason that these cruel and wholly unnecessary research projects are being carried out is unclear. Writing of her concern over the use of animals in this way, practicing homeopathDelny Britton speculates that it may be to “boost publication records and academic careers” or simply “out of curiosity”; neither are acceptable reasons for subjecting innocent animals to immense suffering in search of answers which are either irrelevant to the practice of homeopathy or which can so easily be gleaned from human subjects in real-life situations.
Dr. Britton further suggests that the use of animals in this type of research may even be illegal, at least under European law. European law places a strong emphasis on observance of the “3 Rs” (Refinement, Reduction and Replacement of animal studies) and Directive 2010/63/EU demands that, “wherever possible, a scientifically satisfactory method or tested strategy, not entailing the use of live animals, shall be used instead of a procedure [involving animals].”
As it has already been shown that the medicines in question are safe for use in people and animals, then it seems reasonable to assume that those choosing to use animals in this way may find themselves open to challenge in the courts.
There is No Excuse for Animal TestingUltimately, the use of animals in experiments for the development of any drug, conventional or otherwise, is being increasingly challenged on grounds of animal welfare, ethics, and reliability. While the  animal research  community argues that animal tests are “necessary” – often citing the need to guarantee human safety as justification – research into perfectly safe, tried and tested, homeopathic remedies using animals show up these claims to be demonstrably false.
What You Can DoFor the sake of animals and people, as a society we need to move away from the cruel use of animals in experimentation in all areas of research. The good new is, you can make a huge difference for the sake of animals by using your purchasing power for good.

• Always ensure that none of the household products or cosmetics that you buy are tested on animals. You can do this by looking for the Leaping Bunny symbol and learning what cruelty-free labels really mean, here. Look for these labels on all homeopathic remedies as well.
• Support organizations seeking alternatives to animal experimentation.

Together we can ensure a kinder future for animals and humans alike!

PK Chhetri

Arthritis is a highly insidious and stubborn condition. Normally, it does not respond easily to treatment and requires life-long attendance and careful management, combined with medication. Sometimes orthopaedics fail miserably in treating such a disorder. In most case studies, I discovered stiffness of joints with severe pain even when slight movement of the joints was attempted. This is due to a gradual erosion of the bony support of joints for years and obviously no allopathic medicines worked on these patients. I apprehended constant use of painkillers for symptomatic alleviation had triggered more acidity in the system, which obviously resulted in constant erosion of bones. Though arthritis strikes both male and female population equally, yet women, after the onset of menopause, are more likely to be afflicted with this condition due to disturbance in normal production of hormones. So treatment requires a multidimensional approach.
An allopath may assign many reasons for the disease, such as bacteria, viruses, mycobacteria and fungi, because these can produce arthritis through infection. Certain viruses such as hepatitis B can produce polyarthritis via immune complex deposition. Arthritis symptoms are noticed in Lyme disease (this is caused by bacterial infection transmitted by ticks) and also after acute symptoms of diarrhoea due to salmonella, shingella and yersinia infections. The majority of individuals with post-dysentery arthritis syndrome are found to contain the human leucocyte antigen. 
True, rheumatoid arthritis predisposes a patient towards septic arthritis, but it is aggravated in a person who is diabetic and whose immune system is highly compromised. In the allopathic system of medicines, I doubt there are any immune boosters. Indeed, allopathic medicines highly compromise immunity. Thus in advanced cancer, when allopathic medicines are administered, the disease immediately flares up and death is hastened. Unfortunately, there are few homeopathic or ayurvedic hospitals in the country, or even the world, to cater to such patients.
Arthritic symptoms usually appear with old age. Crystal deposition (uric acid – gout; calcium pyrophosphate – pseudo-gout) is mainly associated with gouty symptoms, though rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and degenerative joint disease can also produce acute symptoms of arthritis. Ways to tackle the disease are grossly different in homeopathy and allopathic systems. A homeopath treats a patient as an individual, but an allopath is simply lost in the procedure of identifying the cause and taxes the patient with medical tests. The patient feels extremely harassed because his pocket is gradually emptied without any sign of relief. One of my beloved teachers was constantly administered painkillers by orthopaedics to relieve arthiritic pain, which led to his death from renal (kidney) failure.
According to Hahnemann, syphilis, either congenital or acquired, may be a causative factor. Allopaths treat syphilis by administering antibiotics. Though the acute symptoms are tackled, the disease remains internally within the system and continues to harm the body, in spite of VDRL test appearing negative. I have treated many who were prone to arthritic symptoms because they had syphilitic infection by simply administering a few doses of Syphilinum in high potency as supportive therapy. I have treated a spastic child, born in Japan, to relieve his arthritic symptoms. He had been taken to Germany to be treated by some eminent doctor but the treatment there failed. A case of bone erosion due to cervical spondylosis was treated by me. The patient came to consult me after spending around $15,000 in the USA simply on tests.
Arthritic symptoms are also aggravated by our sedentary mode of life combined with over-indulgence at the table, an acute attack of rheumatic fever in childhood or later in life, a family predisposition towards arthritis. Similarly, serum or vaccine prophylaxis or therapy is suspected to be the associated factors. In such cases. a few doses of Thuja Occidentalis in high potency proved to be of great relief. Infected teeth and tonsils coupled with cases of pyorrhoea are also factors that trigger the disease; but, I have observed, surgical intervention in such cases simply proved detrimental. Therefore, it is better to tackle the symptoms early by meticulously observing the rules of oral hygiene.
Starchy foods, a preference for sugary items, etc, also favour the development of arthritic troubles. Frequent use of saline cathartics or purgatives or antacid preparations are the contributory factors in the etiology of arthritis. Bone trauma may cause local infiltration of bone or bony joints and intensify the disease. But trauma alone cannot be blamed; the main factor is the rise in the uric acid level of the body. A progressive rise in the specific gravity of urine is invariably a sign of the onset of arthritis.Administration of Hymosa Q, Urtica Urens Q and Breberis Q instantly helps arrest the symptoms of pain and swelling and the sooner this is done the infection can be contained. In allopathy, for septic arthritis, immediate drainage and antibiotics are suggested. This is absolutely a wrong way of tackling the disease, because with this treatment the disease is further exacerbated, because the root cause persists. First, urinary symptoms have to be intercepted before any treatment is contemplated. The medicines that I have mentioned above will arrest symptoms of swelling and pain within hours if applied frequently with adequate amounts of water, though for permanent relief systematic treatment is required.
Medicines like Acid Benj are capable of curing the high uric acid tendency in a patient, but in every such case I have suggested a moderation in diet by completely avoiding acidic and non-vegetarian food. In fact, non-vegetarian foods are the root cause of every arthritic ailment. Bio-chemic twelve tissue salts, minus Kali Muir, are highly effective remedies. These can be taken in 6X potency safely. Natrum Sulph, Natrum Phos and Mag Phos in 6X potency are very good remedies to tackle pain and acidity. Calcarea Flour 6X is capable of repairing any bone erosion, whether it is due to spondylosis or arthritis or high uric acid. But liver function should invariably be corrected because dysfunction is the root cause of not only arthritis but other organ-related diseases. Though an early check is beneficial, advanced symptoms, if treated systematically, might negate the need for surgical intervention. A hopeless case of arthritis – the patient was more than 90 years old — has progressed miraculously under my treatment and now she is in a position to attend to personal work without any help.
But before any arthritic case is subjected to homeopathic treatment, certain precautions need to be taken: discontinue allopathic remedies, including laxatives; no vigorous massage is to be done to the affected part because this may increase arthritic infiltration — however, light massage is permissible; exercise limbs every day, brisk walk can be done according to one’s strength and the condition of the heart; exposure to cold should be avoided because this aggravates the disease; arthritic patients should be kept warm always and sunlight helps; the skin should not be kept dry, either olive oil or cold cream must be applied to keep it soft. In many cases, light hot and cold compress help relieve the pain.  
White flour is to be avoided invariably; canned and processed foods should be avoided; any kind of sour food is contra-indicated. Discontinue beverages, including tea, coffee, alcohol, cocoa, etc. No tobacco and raw green vegetables to be taken liberally, such as cucumber, carrot, etc, but before being cooked or eaten these must be washed thoroughly in running water to remove all traces of insecticides. Intake of fruits is advised, but these should be peeled. Dried fruits should be taken sparingly and, most importantly, no food should be taken hot, only lukewarm.
With these precautions and proper homeopathic medicines, any arthritic symptoms can be easily tackled and cured. 
(The writer is former joint secretary, Government Of West Bengal.)
 
Read more at http://www.thestatesman.com/news/evolve/through-homeopathic-lens/89202.html#rhC9RRFsdWUE117D.99

By Julie Revelant
Published September 20, 2015
FoxNews.com
Facebook1363 Twitter225 livefyre34 Email PrintMore moms than ever before are paying closer attention to organic, non-GMO foods, chemical-free baby products and green cleaning tips. And the remedies they give their babies when they’re sick are no exception.
In recent years, some are turning to complementary and alternative medicine such as homeopathy. In fact, in 2012 approximately 1.8 percent of children in the U.S. used homeopathy in the previous year, according to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here, experts weigh in on the benefits and risks of homeopathy and what you should know before trying it.
Homeopathy— a complementary medicine
Developed in Germany more than 200 years ago, many doctors in Europe and India are trained in homeopathy and use it to treat babies today.  
Homeopathy, or homeopathic medicine, is based on the principle that “like cures like.” Instead of treating an individual’s illness, homeopathy treats  individual symptoms with substances from plants and minerals that are highly diluted and “succussed,” or shaken to release energy, said Sara Chana Silverstein, a homeopath, master herbalist and an international board-certified lactation consultant who works in New York and Los Angeles.
Although homeopathy isn’t meant to replace Western medicine, it can be a complementary or alternative approach for ailments like colds, the stomach flu and teething.
For example, if your pediatrician has diagnosed your baby with an upper respiratory infection, there’s not much you can do other than offer lots of fluids, rest and possibly acetaminophen or ibuprofen.  In this case, a homeopathic remedy might help.
Plus, since antibiotic overuse and antimicrobial resistance remain a major concern in the U.S., and antibiotics often have side effects, homeopathy could help heal without the need for a prescription.In fact, a study in the journal Homeopathy found that homeopathy for ear infections was just as effective as conventional treatment but patients in the homeopathic group had a faster improvement in symptoms.
Although some studies show promising results, more research is needed to determine who homeopathic remedies work best for and in what situations, said Dr. Hilary McClafferty, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Section on Complementary and Integrative Medicine.
Is homeopathy safe?
Although homeopathic remedies are regulated by the FDA as drugs, they are not evaluated for safety and effectiveness and can be marketed without approval. Instead, they use the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States as their guideline.
“In the United, States, the homeopathic products that carry the label, HPUS--
Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States— are prepared with a very standardized, procedural monograph. So there is a map and regulations that ensure what’s on the label is what’s in the bottle,” McClafferty said.
Despite these regulations, concerns about the safety of homeopathic remedies remain. In 2010, Hyland’s Teething Tablets were recalled after the FDA found inconsistent amounts of belladonna, which could be toxic at higher doses.
Earlier this year, the FDA held a hearing to determine how homeopathic remedies should be regulated. They recently extended the deadline for comments from the public and other interested parties until November 9.
The only adverse effect of homeopathy, according to Silverstein, is that if a baby consumed a remedy too frequently, such as every hour for 10 hours, they would “prove” the remedy, or create the symptoms the remedy was trying to heal.
“But if you gave it to a child 3 times a day at a low dose, personally I do not believe it could injure a child in anyway whatsoever,” she said.
What you need to know
Before trying a homeopathic remedy, experts agree it’s imperative that your baby be seen by his pediatrician first to make a diagnosis and evaluate treatment options.  Babies, especially newborns, should be seen by their pediatrician immediately.
“It can be very difficult to figure out if a baby has just a mild illness or there’s something more serious going on,” McClafferty said.
If your child is a healthy, normally developing toddler with an upper respiratory infection for example, you could try a homeopathic remedy knowing that it may or may not work, but it’s unlikely to have a negative effect, McClafferty said.
But if your child has health issues or his symptoms are complicated, you could put your baby at riskby using a homeopathic remedy instead of seeing your pediatrician first..
Plus, if you choose to use an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy, it can challenging to know whether it will work for your child since some contain a combination of remedies to address many symptoms. What’s more, some over-the-counter remedies contain meat and dairy— a concern if your baby is allergic— as well as stabilizers.
Your best bet is to see a trained homeopath who will target individual symptoms and give you pellets in the size that’s appropriate for your child’s age, Silverstein said.
The bottom line when it comes to deciding between homeopathy, a medication or another remedy?
“You want to be well educated, conservative and in touch with your pediatrician,” McClafferty said.


Julie Revelant is a health journalist and a consultant who provides content marketing and copywriting services for the healthcare industry. She’s also a mom of two. Learn more about Julie at revelantwriting.com.