New Dimension Health 

About Homeopathy

• What is homeopathy?
  Homeopathy is a safe, effective, natural healing art which stimulates a self-healing process.  It recognizes that all symptoms of ill health are expressions of disharmony within the whole person, and that it is the person who needs treatment, not the disease. Homeopathy resolves the roots of acute & chronic illness and how they intertwine physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually through the use of highly diluted and energized substances specifically chosen to match the state of each person.

• How does it differ from naturopathy, acupuncture and herbal medicine?
  While homeopathy and these healing arts are similar in that they do not employ drugs or other conventional medical procedures, each one is also quite distinctive. Naturopathy is a broad term encompassing a host of natural physical health modalities ranging from nutrition to water cures, which may include some type of homeopathy, usually acute/physical only.  Sometimes they also create their own brand of homeopathy without the full philosophy intact.  Acupuncture is one branch of Oriental Medicine that stimulates and balances the body's energy.  Herbal medicine, also known as Botanical medicine, uses material doses of plant substances for treatment.  Herbs have chemical constituents that may interact with one another or conventional medication, or have side-effects.  Homeopathy addresses body/mind/spirit together by using any substance prepared homeopathically, without material substances.

• What is the difference between various types of homeopathy?
  The foundational form of homeopathy, and with the longest history & success is Classical Homeopathy.  This method seeks to use one remedy at a time to address all complaints together, including every level - to treat acutely (cold, flu, injury, trauma) or constitutionally (chronic disease).  Many others have appeared, using combinations of remedies or selecting a remedy based on 1 symptom or little information.  These can be called combination, complex, modern, naturopathic, homeotoxicology, sequential or put under the general homeopathy label.  Although some ‘appear’ the have an effect, the complete healing process is in doubt, and actually known to cause a superficial suppression of symptoms, complicating the case.  It’s important to find out exactly what kind you are getting.

•  What is Constitutional Homeopathy?
  Constitutional treatment is a system of determining remedies based on a deep understanding of the individual's basic energetic state on all levels. When this basic energy imbalance is corrected, any troublesome symptoms will fall away. Constitutional prescribing is a challenging discipline for which professional homeopaths train and study many years.

• What kind of conditions or diseases can be treated homeopathically?
  Homeopathy is applicable to a broad range of maladies including acute inflammations, systemic imbalances, chronic degenerative diseases and mental/emotional disturbances. By its very nature, homeopathic treatment is not specific to a particular illness, but is directed at the underlying state of the person suffering from that illness. By addressing this state, the appropriately chosen remedy effectively addresses the illness.

• What is in those remedies, how are they made and how do they work?
  Homeopathic remedies are traditionally derived from an extraordinarily wide variety of plant, animal and mineral substances. They are made through a process of serial dilutions, where the original substance is diluted in water and is 'succussed', meaning it is energized by shaking the dilution. The resultant remedy solution is then diluted & succussed again. This process is done repeatedly, sometimes hundreds or thousands of times, resulting in an extremely dilute and highly energetically potent remedy.  By selecting a remedy that closely matches the individual characteristics of a person, a homeopath is able to stimulate a deep curative reaction.

• What is the basis of homeopathic philosophy?

  Like cures like (Law of similar) For example, if the symptoms of your cold are similar to poisoning by mercury, then mercury would be the right remedy.   Minimal Dose The remedy is taken in an extremely dilute form; normally one part of the remedy to around 1,000,000,000,000 parts of water and as infrequently as possible.   The Single Remedy No matter how many symptoms are experienced, only one remedy is sought, and that remedy will be aimed at all those symptoms.   Individualization The totality of symptoms unique to each person and in each circumstance is used to determine the correct remedy.

• How does a homeopath choose a particular remedy for a person?
  Homeopaths take great care to understand people's symptoms, how they experience illness as well as their general state of being. By exploring what truly makes people unique, the homeopath gains insight into their situation and is thus able to select an appropriate remedy to stimulate a curative reaction.

• Are there harmful side effects from taking a homeopathic remedy?
  Since the remedies are highly diluted, they do not contain significant amounts, or any of the original substance from which they are made. Therefore, they do not have the toxic effects associated with many conventional medications or other substances. They are, however, powerful energetic stimuli and must be used with discretion. Sometimes, as part of the curative process a person will experience a brief, temporary intensification of symptoms.

• Can homeopathic remedies be taken along with conventional medications?
  Yes. Many people who seek out homeopathic care are already taking conventional medication with the goal of reducing or eliminating that need.  With the proper remedy and treatment plan, this is often possible.

• Is it ok for children, pregnant women, elderly people or animals?
  Absolutely. Homeopathy is a wonderful, gentle healing modality appropriate for people of all ages and conditions. It also is extensively used to treat animals.

• Are there any situations to not use homeopathy?
  Yes. Although homeopathy can possibly be of benefit for the treatment of any condition, a positive outcome is based on working with a competent homeopath and a willingness to commit to a mutually acceptable treatment plan. If you are unable to do this or are not ready to heal, it is not the time to do homeopathy.

• How long does it take for homeopathy to work?
  Homeopathy can work in seconds or it can take years. It all depends on the circumstances and how one defines "work". Generally speaking, a really good constitutional remedy will begin to alleviate symptoms fairly quickly, sometimes within days, and then continue to have a progression of positive, permanent effects over months and years. The severity and history of the problems will usually determine the length of time needed for true resolution to happen. For example, a chronic pathology such as lifelong asthma will take more time to heal than an acute case of poison ivy.

• What happens during a homeopathic consultation?
  Through deep listening and observation on several levels, understanding is gained on the many different aspects of you and your state of health. Facts of disease, descriptions of pains, emotional reactions, dreams and physical sensations are all relevant. You may be asked to be more descriptive in order to understand what you say on different levels. It is important to express yourself honestly. The better your nature is understood, the easier it will be to find the best remedy for you.

• How frequently is it appropriate to have consultations?
  For the first 6 months to year it is best to see the homeopath every 4-6 weeks in most cases. However, this may differ in any particular instance.

• Why not just treat myself with homeopathic remedies from the health food store?
  It is next to impossible to understand one's own deepest energetic imbalance.  Even as professional homeopaths we should see another practitioner for our own treatment. In addition, there are over 6,000 possible remedies available & each in varying potencies to have knowledge of. Health food stores usually carry 20-30 basic remedies in lower strength. Treating oneself with constitutional homeopathic remedies usually is a recipe for frustrations & can lead to greater difficulties.

• Should I change my diet?
  We seek to address the root of all areas negatively impacting your health.   Invariably the right remedy will facilitate more appropriate food choices naturally.  When healing from within, change in diet that is best for you flows easy…which may have been a struggle in the past.  Also, when you become more fundamentally healthy, the body is better able to extract & absorb the nutrients it needs to function optimally.  I discuss this area often, as general guide to assist the change and recommend  which extras best compliment  homeopathy and you overall.  In many cases, especially those clearly toxic this is an immediate additional focus.

• What training do homeopaths receive and how are they licensed?
  There are no licensed professional homeopaths in the United States today. Some homeopaths may have licenses in other modalities such as acupuncture, naturopathy or conventional medicine. Professional homeopaths are mostly trained at various schools and training programs. Because there is an enormous body of existing knowledge to be mastered as well as new methods and remedies to research, learning in homeopathy is a lifelong process.  We are always looking for new techniques and remedies to resolve those difficult cases.

• What are the origins of homeopathy and where is it practiced today?
  Homeopathy has ancient origins in many different culture and traditions. The Vedas mentioned the law of similar of homeopathy 5,000 years ago in India. The ancient Greeks, most notably Hippocrates, over 2400 years ago used it extensively and treated the whole person.  Then Paracelcus in the 15^th century.   Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician "re-discovered" homeopathy during the late 18th century.  He then developed the experimental methods to determine in detail what a substance causes, therefore what a particular medicine might cure, and was quite famous for curing cholera epidemics amongst the returning Napoleonic armies. He developed the homeopathy we use now.  Today homeopathy is practiced around the globe.  Today Homeopathy is used widely in Europe, South America and India. It is said that in the city of Bombay alone there are 10,000 homeopaths.  The World Health Organization reports homeopathy 2nd most widely used modality for primary healthcare in the world--500 million people annually.  In England, 50% of physicians either use or recommend it and homeopathic training is the most popular post-graduate program. India teaches it in almost all medical & pharmacy schools & has over 100 homeopathic medical schools & hospitals.

• Famous people who have successfully used homeopathy
  The British Royal Family, David Bekham, Mahatma Gandhi, Jennifer Aniston, Henry David Thoreau, Mother Theresa, Mark Twain, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tina Turner, Charles Darwin, Claude Monet, William Osler (“father of modern medicine’), John D. Rockefeller Sr., Pierre Renoir and Paul McCartney to name a few. 

Bio:

Elizabeth Brandegee is a Classical Homeopath with 11 years experience and 13 in wellness counseling.  She has also been educated in aeronautics, nutrition, yoga & meditation.  Elizabeth graduated from the Five Elements School of Classical Homeopathy and has studied with other world-renown teachers.  Nutritional education paralleled homeopathy as an essential facet in helping clients.  Both have also directly benefited her and her family enormously.

She was founding board member of the NJ Homeopathic Association and NJ Natural Health Coalition (for a health freedom Bill as Minnesota had passed).  After moving to WA state in 2003 she was board VP of Cedar Springs Renewal Center and is now US Rep. and international Vice Chair of World Homeopathy Awareness Organization. (www.usahomeopathy.org, www.worldhomeopathy.org)

Elizabeth has been studying and practicing meditation & yoga for 9 years and graduated the Purna Yoga 200-hour yoga teacher training in May 2009. 

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