If you’ve ever wondered about homeopathy, there’s never been a better time to learn more. Maybe you’ve seen the myriad of vials filled with little beads lining the walls of your favorite natural grocery store or food cooperative. You may have walked by them, inspected a bottle, and been confused and left wondering, “how does homeopathy work?” It’s time to pick that vial back up and reexamine how you can use homeopathic medicine to increase immunity in the wake of a global pandemic and beyond.
More people than ever right now are collectively yearning for information and support to help learn how to improve immunity so we can fight off this novel virus that is racing across the globe. To address these concerns, we’ve developed the Hache Protocol™ Immune Boosting Plan, our strategy for how to build up your immune system naturally.
This week, we continue our blog series, Immunity the Hache Way, by examining homeopathic medicine for immune system support. We’ll take a look at the history of homeopathy, and what we have learned from past epidemics and pandemics regarding the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment options. And, we’ll share with you some of the best homeopathic remedies to try at home to help keep your immune system strong!
What is Homeopathy?
Unlike conventional medical treatment (which tends to focus on merely treating or controlling symptoms of disease), homeopathic medicine has the goal of augmenting your body’s natural defenses against illness. The beauty of homeopathic medicine lies in its ability to strengthen one’s immune system over time, limiting the chance of reoccurring health problems. Patience should be practiced when using homeopathic medicine as it tends to work slower, but more thoroughly than conventional medicine. Don’t forget, slow and steady wins the race!
How Does Homeopathic Medicine Work?
Studies have shown that homeopathic medicines demonstrate a significant effect on gene expression, showing similar physiological results that can be found in conventional drugs, with fewer side effects. How does it work? It all starts with the principle of similars.
The Principle of Similars
The principle of similars is the foundation of all homeopathic medicine. This concept asserts that a micro dose of a substance will heal whatever expression of symptoms the substance causes in larger doses.
Vaccinations and allergy treatments utilize this same line of thinking, but it is essential to know that the dose is much safer and smaller in homeopathic medicines. Treatments are very individualized and are crafted by a naturopathic physician(ND) or Homeopathic Doctor(HD) like our own Dr. John Hache.
The History of Homeopathy
German physician Samuel Hahnemann(1755-1843) made the groundbreaking discoveries that lead to our current interpretation of homeopathic medicine. Coining the term “homeopathy” concerning the law of similars, Hahnemann pulled from the previous work of intellectuals like Hippocrates and Paracelsus, as well as ancient cultures like the Mayans, Chinese, Greeks, Native American Indians, and Asian Indians.
A Personalized Approach
“No knowledge is perfect unless it includes an understanding of the origin — that is, the beginning; and as all man’s diseases originate in his constitution, it is necessary that his constitution should be known if we wish to know his diseases.”- Paracelsus
We know we are all different, and our bodies have their own individualized needs and deficiencies. This concept is what we are referring to when we talk about the constitution. Homeopathic medicine is personalized and customized to you, catering to and taking into account your constitution.
Constitution is what is transferred from your parents. A weakness in the lungs and colon is something that can be traced through generations. But it’s not just a matter of nature vs. nurture: while your constitution is comprised of inherited qualities, it’s then altered by your environment.
While the media, the CDC, and the WHO are painting a bleak picture for anybody suffering from immune system deficiencies or 60 years of age, perhaps we should be looking at what else the medical community could be doing for this group of at-risk individuals. Homeopathy is not meant to replace but complement conventional medicine. We think it’s worthwhile to explore all treatment options as we wait for this virus-borne disease to stop gaining traction.
History Repeats Itself – The Great Flu Pandemic of 1918-1919
Homeopathic medicine has a history of being helpful during past epidemics and pandemics involving scarlet fever, typhus fever, yellow fever, pneumonia, cholera, influenza, hepatitis, dengue, leptospirosis, and conjunctivitis. It’s vital to remember, as we discussed in our blog, How to Treat Coronavirus at Home: Immune System Protection in The Wake of COVID-19, the flu and COVID-19 are different beasts. Though more people are affected and die from the flu each year, the newness of COVID-19 creates an air of uncertainty for the public and medical field alike. Each day we are learning more about this virus and how to combat it as scientists and doctors rush to identify effective treatments.
With little in the way of treatment, many people are looking to alternative, natural, and holistic options to boost their immune system in the hopes of forgoing COVID-19 altogether, while others are seeking a course of action if they do contract the virus. In both cases, homeopathy can be helpful!
Lately, we’ve found ourselves fielding numerous questions about how to utilize homeopathic medicine to increase immunity, and this got us thinking about how homeopathy was helpful in the great flu pandemic of 1918-1919.
As they say, history repeats itself. What’s old is new again, and today we find ourselves in a similar spot to our predecessors, struggling to grapple with a fast-moving and highly contagious virus with no vaccine and few treatment options. Let’s take a moment to look back at what we can learn from our shared past.
Lessons Learned in 1919
Many lessons can be gleaned from The Great Flu Pandemic of 1918-19 regarding homeopathic medicine. Let’s look at some of the parallels we can make when dealing with COVID-19, roughly 100 years later.
An estimated 50 million people died during the 1919 pandemic. The vast majority of those deaths were due to complications related to pneumonia, something we are seeing in COVID-19 patients today.
Homeopathic Medicine Saved Many Lives
It may be fascinating for you to know that patients in the care of homeopaths during the 1919 epidemic fared significantly better than those treated by traditional physicians.
Mortality Rate of patients treated by a homeopath:
- Flu only-0.70%.
- Flu with pneumonia-3.4%
Mortality Rate of patients treated by a traditional medical doctor:
- Flu only-6%
- Flu with pneumonia-25%-30%
Dr. James Ward’s Homeopathic Success
Let’s take a step back in time to look at a successful homeopathic practitioner of the period. The year is 1919, and Dr. James W. Ward is inundated with patients suffering from the Spanish flu. Thankfully, his valuable knowledge of homeopathic medicine allows him to report a 100% recovery rate for his 182 patients.
Let’s look at the three most frequently used remedies Dr.Ward utilized to help his patients recover:
Gelsemium 3x:Gelsemiumis used to treat acute influenza, sore throats, weakness, limp limbs, headaches, chills, fever, and fever with double vision. 80% of people who presented with Spanish flu symptoms were first treated with Gelsemium, and they rarely developed pneumonia. Pneumonia is what is killing our elderly and immune challenged people during this pandemic.
Eupatorium 3x:Eupatorium is used to treat bone pain found in connection with malarial fevers and influenza.
Bryonia 1x:Bryonia is helpful in patients that suffer from a cough with pain in the chest or head.
A Message from Dr.Hache
It’s always important to consult the experts when embarking on a new treatment plan or health regimen. We consulted with our very own naturopathic physician and founding member of Pain Free For Life, Dr.John Hache, on this topic, and he had this to say:
“One of my favorite homeopathic remedies to have on hand is Antimonium Tartaricum. This is my “pneumonia” remedy that I would add to the above treatments. Remember that the above remedies deal with the Spanish flu, which strangely enough resembles the COVID-19 pandemic, a century later.”
“My recommendation is to take a 30CH dilution once a week as a preventive or twice daily if breathing difficulty sets in. Look at the above suggestions, such as the Gelsemium for beginning symptoms. Aconitum Napolis is the remedy for symptoms that arrive quickly, with headache, violent and brutal symptoms affecting sinus and breathing with dry cough and painful breathing.”
To learn more about the role Antimonium Tartaricum can play in your pursuit to use homeopathic medicine to increase immunity, check out the Hache Protocol™ Immune Boosting Plan. This free download is full of helpful information that will keep your immune system reliable, robust, and ready to fight off viral and bacterial invaders.
Progressive Treatments Yield Positive Results
Now is the time to look at our shared past for answers about our future. Seeking progressive ways to build up your immune system in a time where there are few viable solutions could be a turning point for your health right now, or even down the line.
We hope this information has you thinking about new techniques for how to approach using homeopathic medicine for immune system support in a safe, natural, and historically successful way. If you’re left with any questions,click here to join our free Pain Free for Life Support Group on Facebook or reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our talented and supportive staff today.