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Natural approach

By YVONNE SWANSON, Special to the Times
Published February 6, 2007

There's no bottle of aspirin or flu remedies in Jean Hoagland's medicine cabinet. In fact, the Mount Dora retiree doesn't even have a medicine cabinet like most of us.

For the past 60 years, Hoagland has used homeopathic remedies for most of life's ailments. She has taken antibiotics just once, after surgery.

Even her four children, who grew up with the typical allergies, ear infections and even pneumonia, were raised on these nontoxic, over-the-counter preparations derived from plants, minerals, animals and other natural sources.

Says Hoagland, consumer president of the National Center for Homeopathy: "When I go to the doctor and they ask if I'm allergic to any (medicine), I honestly have to say I don't know."

The practice of homeopathy was developed nearly 200 years ago by German physician Samuel Hahnemann, who theorized that giving patients an extremely diluted mixture of a substance that caused symptoms could cure a disease with similar symptoms, which are viewed as the body's way to restore health.

For example, giving a dilution of allium cepa from a red onion, which causes tearing and a runny nose, will cure those same symptoms in a patient with a cold. This theory is known as the "law of similars" or "like cures like."

The practice was popular in the United States in the 1800s, and at one time there were more than 14,000 trained homeopaths and nearly two dozen U.S. schools teaching the discipline. But advances in medicine and the establishment of organized medical groups, including the powerful American Medical Association, led to the demise of the once-popular practice.

Critics claim homeopathic successes are nothing more than a placebo "feel good" effect. However, homeopathy remains popular in Canada, Europe, South America and Asia.

There are no official estimates of trained homeopaths practicing in the United States today, but the number is certainly far less than in its heyday, says Peter Gold, a biologist and homeopath affiliated with the National Center for Homeopathy, based in Alexandria, Va.

The most qualified practitioners are typically medical doctors and osteopathic doctors, naturopathic physicians certified in homeopathy, and licensed health professionals who have obtained a Certificate in Classical Homeopathy.

Only licensed medical professionals can practice homeopathy in Florida.

Insurance coverage varies, but homeopathic consultations typically are not covered by most insurers.

Using nontoxic homeopathic remedies, which are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, doesn't require supervision by a professional. Most of the inexpensive mixtures - the average retail price per unit is $5 to $9 - can be bought over the counter, at health food stores and even at some groceries and drugstores. Mail-order and Internet suppliers are readily available as well.

At Classical Medicine of St. Petersburg, Martin Keane, a licensed acupuncturist and certified homeopath, approaches adult and pediatric patient care from the standpoint of treating the patient, not the illness. First-time visits are lengthy as Keane gathers detailed information about the patient's physical and mental status.

Their problems range from respiratory illnesses to depression, from hyperactivity to autoimmune disorders.

Kelly Evans, a St. Petersburg stay-at-home mom with two toddler sons, uses homeopathic remedies formulated for each family member. "I figure it's a complement to (prescription pharmaceuticals) to help build immunity," she says. "This has allowed the boys to use their own bodies to fight off infection."

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health is funding studies on homeopathy's effectiveness in treating disorders including fibromyalgia, stroke and dementia.

Finding the right remedies

There are thousands of homeopathic remedies for treating health conditions, but finding the right one, or combination of several, requires taking a patient history by a professional homeopath.

Consumers can self-medicate, however, because the majority of remedies are sold over the counter. But that doesn't mean you'll find the best remedy on your own.

"You need to match the remedy to your characteristics, to make sure you really nail it," says Peter Gold, a spokesman for the National Center for Homeopathy.

Health food stores and other retailers typically stock compound remedies, which are labeled by symptom. Single tinctures can be purchased by direct mail and numerous Internet sources, including ABC Homeopathics (www.abchomeopathy.com) and www.hmedicine.com.

Remedies used to treat symptoms can cause the same symptoms in a healthy person. For example:

- Apis mellifica (whole honeybee) causes irritation in a healthy person but relieves symptoms from insect bites.

- The plant Arnica montana causes discomfort in a healthy person but can relieve muscle soreness for the patient in pain.

- The plant Euphrasia officinalis, or Eyebright, inflames the eyes of a healthy person but is prescribed to clear irritated eyes of someone with allergies.

[Last modified February 6, 2007, 06:21:29]