Your health is in your hands!

I came across a recent article from Paul Zane Pilzer about the Wellness industry, which says - "Today a new health related industry is emerging that has nothing to do with sickness but all about creating wellness. Wellness doesn’t treat people who are sick but people who are already well, want to stay well, slow down the aging process, feel healthier and keep away from becoming sick."


And I thought isn’t this just what homoeopathy is all about. This certainly shows a positive change in our outlook towards health and disease. Further the article mentions wellness is not the same as health care. What we call the health care or the medical system has got very little to do with health but concerned with treating the symptoms of sickness. This set my mind thinking.
I grew up in India and having trained as a homoeopathic doctor, I have seen both conventional and homoeopathic systems being used to complement each other and both forms of doctors working together in hospitals. So for me it is not a question of debating over which is better but more importantly about recognising the fundamental difference between the two systems and learning how we can use both to our advantage. This is an intelligent choice for the future I guess.


How is Homoeopathy special?
The concept of disease is changing today. The world today sees the importance of body-mind relation and views disease as affection of the whole human. Recent research accepts that immune system has a big role in preventing chronic diseases and considers that a person is sick first and infections come later.
Herein lies the advantage of homoeopathy because it treats the person as a whole individual and helps strengthen his weak immune system. Health is not just absence of symptoms and disease. Being healthy in the true sense is when you meet the demands of life fully and easily, enjoy life to the fullest without restrictions and reach your goals successfully resisting stress, illness and disease.
Good homoeopathy aims to help patients achieve that quality of life and reach a level of health where the need for long-term medication homoeopathic or otherwise should gradually reduce in certain chronic conditions.
Homoeopathy is an effective, scientific system of healing which assists the natural tendency of the body to heal itself.
It uses natural remedies made from Plants, Animals and Mineral substances. They are prepared in such a way that they are non-toxic and do not cause side effects. They are prescribed according to Law of Similar an age-old belief that recognises the body’s ability to heal itself.

What does health and disease mean in Homoeopathy?

The body is striving to keep itself healthy and in balance and harmony. It is an innate response of the immune system and its self healing mechanism.
When threatened the body responds by producing symptoms such as pain, fever, cough, diarrhoea etc. This is disharmony. Disharmony is dis- ease. (not at ease) – The battle between body’s defences and external agents.
Hence Homoeopathy regards symptoms as a healthy reaction of the body’s defence system supports them, instead of suppressing or opposing them.
These symptoms form the disease picture and homoeopathy treats patients according to individual picture he or she expresses. No attempt is made to separate the mental and physical conditions. The picture is taken as a whole without concentrating on just one part of the body.
We are surrounded by germ and disease causing agents all around us, inside the body, outside in the food, water we consume and the air we breath. But they can affect us only if the body’s defences are weak. Homoeopathy regards the cause of disease to be within the body itself, which are the weak defences of the body. And it aims to strengthen the body itself so it resists harmful organisms every time you fall ill.

Hence the major advantage of homoeopathy is that it assists the body in the battle between your body and external agents and your body emerges stronger after each illness. It is one of the best preventive systems of healing.
The second important advantage is the treatment of chronic recurrent disease such as all types of non-specific allergies including hay fever, asthma and skin rashes, Emotional depression, mood swings, anxiety, stress induced illnesses such as headaches, migraines, gastritis, ulcers, Skin disorders such as eczema, herpes. ENT and Respiratory disorders such as earaches, ear infections, sinusitis, colds and coughs, Gastrointestinal disorders like indigestion, constipation, diarrhoeas, colic, irritable bowel syndrome, Muscular and bone system disorders like muscular pains, arthritis. It is amazing how the frequency of these episodes gradually wane with correct constitutional remedies over a period of time.
The best advantage of homoeopathy is in bringing about a harmony within as it balances both the body and mind. The mind gradually relaxes you start experiencing a feeling of well-being. A relaxed mind makes positive decisions and contributes to the quality of life. Homoeopathy makes real changes in people’s lives. This is probably the greatest satisfaction any homoeopath can give and derive. This is the higher aim we look forward to with homoeopathy when a homoeopath treats you constitutionally.
Having said all that it is important to also realise that Conventional medicine is invaluable in emergencies where you lose vital fluids like massive blood loss, which requires supplements. Certain Surgical conditions require mechanical interference. So do certain severe acute life threatening disorders, which require external help. You can’t attempt to assist an exhausted drained soldier. You remove him away from the invader instead of expecting him to fight with his depleted resources!!! Remember homoeopathy can only focus what resources the body has in the right direction, but in someone with suspended or depleted resources, let someone else take care of the invader now without depending on the body!
This is an intelligent decision and a trained homoeopath can quickly recognise the state when you require interference and reference.
However interference and wanting quick relief each time for every ailment without strengthening the body to take control is not going to make you independent of fighting your battle. This dependence can make you weaker and your body lacks the confidence to take care of itself. A vicious cycle which can be habit forming. Your body will not want to take the effort to fight. Even an attitude of absolutely avoiding the pain and suffering, ‘just get me back to my job’ will not help in the long run. The laws of nature require efforts and patience but the efforts are worth it in the end.

Understand this difference; Give your body the homoeopathic resource to fight as a first choice. Work with it and help it grow stronger every time, nurture it well and watch how your health blossoms over the years to come. Care and love your wonderful body. Your health is in your hands!!!

My experiences of Homeopathy in Oz - An Indian perspective

Homoeopathy is a household name in India. We immediately associate it with those sweet white pills our homoeopathic doctors gave us. No wonder kids love them. It is definitely a welcome change from the prickly needles and the horrible tasting syrups. Dentonics are a norm for every teething kid. So are Arnica oils and Calendula lotions. It is more than a century and a half now that Homoeopathy has been practiced in India. Even though Homoeopathy originated in Germany, it has blended so well into the roots and traditions of India that it is one of the National Systems of Medicine and enjoys government support. Today it plays an important role in providing health care to a large number of people in metropolitan and rural India because it is cost effective, safe, gentle, holistic and promotes inner balance in an individual. No wonder Homoeopaths in India have been family physicians of not one but several generations of many families.

As we come to this wonderful country in search of new opportunities, lifestyle and identity we are also on the lookout for those familiar things which get us back in touch with our culture - the culture, food, saris, Bollywood movies, music and yes even household ayurvedic and homoeopathic remedies!

Having migrated from India as a Homoeopathic physician with seven years of experience, let me share with you my experiences of homoeopathy in Oz. To start with I had no idea whether this was a real career choice in Australia. I came in with an open mind and very soon after some substantial groundwork I was in for some pleasant surprises. Natural therapy was not only popular but in great demand here and homoeopathy was not far behind. Although homoeopathy is still in its infancy as compared to India it is rapidly growing in popularity. The homoeopathic community here is passionate, enthusiastic and very accommodating. With their support and encouragement, very soon I found myself practicing as a homoeopathic consultant as well as teaching enthusiastic student homoeopaths in colleges.

The best part was that I made plenty of friends who were willing to learn and share. I also started working with the warm hearted Australian Homoeopathic Association who are the largest and only national association for homoeopaths in Australia. This whole process has been a great learning and life changing experience.

Homoeopaths in Australia graduate as health professionals with either a diploma or a degree in Homoeopathy and have thorough understanding of health and disease. For most it is a career choice out of genuine love and passion after some successful experience with homoeopathy on themselves or their family. No wonder they strive to give their clients the best they can offer. Most homoeopaths are already from the health care system including nursing, midwifery etc and blend both professions very well. It is common to see clients wanting birthing kits of homoeopathic medicines to be taken during labor or even first aid kits for ready use at home for their families.

It is also heartening to see a growing Indian clientelle satisfied with the homoeopathic service here. They like the fact that homoeopaths in Australia spend enough time in understanding the complete history of the patient even during followups. Mukesh Malhotra is a user of the service and states,

'Homeopaths needs to be thorough and give client enough time in order to understand their full life history as mine here did. In India, I experienced that there was always a rush at my homeopath especially during followups and they had to make quick diagnosis and prescriptions which is fine for acute cases but not life long problems'

Working as a lecturer in most major natural therapy colleges in Sydney, I have realized that the homoeopathic curriculum in Australia provides a good understanding of other natural therapies as well, which can be applied in a variety of complaints for the client’s benefit. This also enables them to refer on in cases where the client requires extra support. I remember a good herbalist friend of mine referred a client with atopic eczema who was undergoing lots of emotional stress. She knew that homoeopathy would serve her better in this case, which proved correct. Similarly I have referred several cases of people suffering bowel diseases to nutritionists for dietary advice, taken with homoeopathic medication for added support. This integrated approach here with several natural therapy practitioners working in coordination in polyclinics helps give their patients the best of natural therapies.

Most homoeopaths in Australia will dispense their own medicines or will order one for you, as there are not many local outlets around which stock single pure homoeopathic medicines for ready use. Many health chains however do stock a combination of remedies for specific purposes but it is always preferable to visit a homoeopath for a deeper constitutional treatment for chronic complaints.

For your information and interest, the Australian Homoeopathic Asscociation has provided a complete profile of homoeopathy in Australia on their website www.homeopathyoz.org, including a list of AHA Professional Homoeopaths in Australia.

(This article has been previously published in "Indus Age" in 2007)