Homeopathy an often ignored and forgotten medicine
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Homeopathy is a system of medicine, where remedies are chosen according to the 'whole profile' of the patient. It is a truly holistic system of medicine, where, as well as the patients physical symptoms are taken into account, the mental, emotional, the time of day when the patient, feels better in themselves, when they feel worse, whether the weather affects them, even whether, hot or cold food has an effect on them.
When a Homeopath takes a case (the consultation) it can take up to 2 hours to get a full picture of the patient, he/she will want to know absolutely everything this is essential as each remedy has its unique picture. What remedy suits one patient for indigestion say, it does not necessarily, mean it will be the correct remedy for someone who is also suffering the same identical physical symptoms, in conventional medicine, disease is often 'pigeon-holed', and only physical symptoms are taken into account. In Homeopathy the whole Holistic picture is important, for in Holistic medicine, it is believed disease begins in the spirit and in the emotions/mental state long before the physical body is affected. this is why a 'Positive' attitude speeds and aids recovery in illness.
Why is this?
Well to explain firstly on a purely physical level.
Within our brains we find an area known as the Hypothalamus, it is a very primitive part of our brain and the home of our moods and emotions. Emotions such as fear, anxiety, pleasure are all registered there. In turn the Hypothalamus because it is responsible for maintaining the body's homeostasis, acts in two ways: in emotions such as fear, the Hypothalamus activates the Sympathetic part of the Autonomic Nervous System, this in turn triggers of the release of Adrenaline and Noradrenaline from the Adrenal Medulla (centre area of adrenal glands), this is the stress hormone responsible for the increase in heart rate and the intial rise in blood pressure. At the same time the Hypothalamus secretes a homone that directly influences the anterior lobe of the Pituitary gland, causing it to secrete Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone, this hormone then targets the Adrenal cortex, (outer body of adreanal glands) to release two hormones, these are Mineralcorticoids and Glucocorticoids, these further maintain the rise in blood pressure, and intigate further biological changes in our body like releasing glycogen stores in our liver to release Glucose into the blood stream to give our muscles and our heart and lungs energy to work more effeciently. Unfortunately Glucocorticoids being the body's natural anti-inflammatory hormone affects our ability to repair itself and an increase leads to poor healing. this hormone further has a detrimental effect on the fibrocytes, cells that are responsible for producing collagen and elastin in our skin. Collagen and elastin are what gives our skin its support and when this deminishes as a natural process in againg our skin wrinkles. Adrenaline because it causes the tiny blood vessels in our tissues to constrict, raises the blood pressure, as a result of which blood is diverted away from the skin and thus the hair, affecting its health and lustre. This will give you an idea how continual stress ages us.
However, these hormones and the sympathetic nervous system dont just affect the skin they affect the digestive system amongst others by diverting blood away from the organs of digestion, therfore affecting its functioning to concentrate the blood where its needed to the heart, lungs and muscles: this is known commonly as the "Fight or Flight Response" and is a survival mechanism to deal with stressors, but we dont have the same stressors today as we did as we were evolving as the human race. Of course if the stress continues indefinately it will be detrimental to our body in putting stress on our heart and the delicate structures, the nephrons, in the kidneys that filter the blood , these are just two examples.
So what can we do to help healing and to prevent damage caused to our bodies by stress? We can adopt a Holistic system of medicine, whereby we treat the whole person: for example I have created a profile of someone who:
- Has poor skin, pale and early signs of wrinkling
- Their hair is thining and falling out
- they are suffering from indigestion
- Possibly iritable bowel disease
- kidney disease
- Heart problems
- High blood pressure
MPB (c)
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- Has poor skin, pale and early signs of wrinkling
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