This is from a series I wrote when I was blogging as a homeopathic health coach. It is basic information that I wanted to leave available for free but may not pertain to my most recent blogging venture :).
Last time in this series, we talked about what homeopathy is. So now that the foundation has been laid, let's dive into some of the nitty gritty of defining homeopathy.
This post will focus on the basics of pharmacology (or nanopharmacology). That's just fancy lingo that means I'm going to talk about how remedies are made.
Some may be familiar with alternative methods of remedy-making, such as the use of frequencies through radionics or audio remedies, but at this point I will focus only on physical pharmacology and the dispensing of remedies.
What Remedies are Made From
Homeopathic remedies can literally be made from anything. The most popular ones are made from plants, animals, and minerals. Examples of these, respectively, include Pulsatilla (the windflower), Apis (the honeybee), and Kalium (potassium).
The cool thing about homeopathy, though, is that you can make a remedy from anything that gives off waves. This means we can make remedies from different kinds of light (like the sun), colors (I love Pink 6X), and sounds (every note of the musical scale has been potentized).
Remedies can also be made from diseased tissue (isopathy), from pharmaceutical drugs (tautopathy), and even from the discharges from your own body (autopathy). If it exists in this world, you can potentize it and turn it into a remedy.
Now the Boring, but Necessary, Part
Homeopathic pharmacists start making a remedy by making an alcohol dilution from the original substance, and this is what we call the mother tincture. Mother tinctures are typically stored in amber dropper bottles (if you are familiar with herbal extracts, this is the same kind of bottle in which herbal extracts are stored).
The mother tincture is used to make what we call dilutions. The dilutions are identified using letters and numbers. Let’s explore further what some of those mean. We’ll start with the C potency.
To make C potencies, one drop of the original tincture is added to 99 drops of alcohol and this equals a 1C potency. Notice how the total number of drops is 100; that’s where the Roman Numeral ‘C’ comes from. Then 1 drop of the 1C mixture is added to 99 more drops of alcohol and that equals 2C. This is done until you reach the potency you would like to save.
The remedy is saved by taking 1 drop of the final liquid potency (such as a 6C, but it can be whatever you want) and dropping it or painting it onto sugar pellets. Isn't it such a relief to know that you aren't just taking sugar pills?
The above process is used for liquids. Solid materials need to be triturated, or ground, during the beginning of the dilution process. This process is also FDA-regulated and shouldn't be attempted at home unless you have some education on how to do so.
The other most common potency is the X potency. This is prepared the same way as the C potency but at a ratio of 1 drop tincture to 9 drops alcohol (hence the 'X' Roman Numeral).
Reading Remedy Labels
Remedy labels can be a little confusing at first, but they are actually easy to understand when you know what you’re looking for.
First, each remedy has an abbreviation, and that is typically what is listed on the label. As an example, if you wanted to find the remedy called "Sepia", you would look for its abbreviation on the label, which is S-e-p.
Abbreviations are typically used just for the sake of saving room because there’s a lot of information that needs to be on those little labels. The remedy name will be followed by the potency. The most common potencies are 6X, 12X, 30X, 6C, 30C, 200C, and 1M (which is 1,000C).
Companies will also typically list a keynote symptom on the label. If you find a Sepia vial, you’ll notice it may list these symptoms: PMS, Cramping, and Irritability. Keep in mind that whatever symptom(s) that is chosen to be listed on a vial is not the ONLY symptom that the remedy is used for. So don’t let the symptoms listed deter you from getting that remedy for other reasons.
Is it Placebo?
I'd love to show you the scientific research proving that homeopathy is not placebo, but I can't. For me, it's enough to know that there are pharmacists and pharmacies (approved by the FDA) who devote their time to properly making and distributing homeopathic remedies.
Additionally, as my teacher Dr. Murphy has said, if people are finding relief from placebo, what's the harm in that?
Hopefully you have enough information to start accepting homeopathy as an acceptable way of caring for your family.
Next post in series: How to Pick a Homeopathic Remedy
Back to Homeopathy 101.