What is integrative medicine and how does it work with homeopathy.?
Integrative medicine sounds like the best idea imaginable. However, in order to be effective, it must be practiced with great restraint. Sadly, integrative medicine these days often only results in larger medical bills for the patient.
In theory, Integrative medicine is a great idea, and one that has really caught the imagination of many people. The idea is simple, by combing the best of various types of modalities; allopathic, herbal, acupuncture, homeopathy etc., the patient can take the best from all systems. From a homeopathic perspective however, this idea is a form of medical consumerism, and is fraught with difficulties.
The fundamental problem is that the integrative medicine practitioner rarely understands how each of the modalities being used actually works. Most often such practitioners know only one or maybe two modalities well. Such practitioners do not understand the synergistic effects of multiplying modalities upon the body's vital force. When too many medicines are added the vital force and the associated immune system may become confused. This can either result in suppression of disease or in a haywire immune system. Often it just results in nothing.
Homeopathy seeks to very gently stimulate the the profound power of the human immune response. It attempts to do this with accuracy and precision. Homeopaths understand that the human organism is one whole being, and as such should be treated as one whole being. In other words there is one central disturbance of the system that may produce multiple symptoms. By giving one small, simple and precise message to the vital force, the best response is possible. By contrast, throwing multiple messages at the immune system at once usually results in a confused and less beneficial immune response.
Homeopathy stands on the fundamental hippocratic principal that less is best. . One small atom is all it takes to set off a nuclear reaction. It is the same with homeopathy, one small dose is all it takes to cure the most difficult disease. When herbs, allopathic medicine, acupuncture, vitamins, and supplements are all given along with a homeopathic remedy, its anyone’s guess what will happen. It usually becomes extremely difficult for the practitioner to asses the effects of each of the medicines given.
This is not to say that sometimes a herbal remedy or acupuncture can not be combined with homeopathy. Indeed sometimes this is a good approach. The onion of this writer is only that when this is done, the practitioner must know what they are doing, and that any multiple approaches should be employed only if necessary, and only at the proper times during treatment. This is very different than going to a practitioner who gives you a homeopathic remedy as well as piles of herbs, vitamins and body work all at the same time, along with a huge bill!
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