Homeopathy has been part of my approach to family wellness for many years, but I became particularly interested in it after having my first child, Taj.
Like many parents, having a baby made me think much more carefully about the different ways I could support my family’s wellbeing. That curiosity led me to learn more about homeopathy for family wellness and eventually to visit local homeopath Alice Kleinsman from Be Well Naturally.
What appealed to me was the very individual approach. Rather than looking only at the concern that brought us through the door, Alice wanted to understand Taj as a whole person, including his temperament and what was happening around him at the time.
Over the years, homeopathy became one of the complementary approaches I chose to explore alongside conventional healthcare.
Sarah with her children Taj and Sia
My Personal Experience With Homeopathy
A couple of experiences in particular have stayed with me.
While travelling overseas as a family, my dad became very unwell with a stomach bug in the days before we were due to fly home. On the day we were driving to the airport, I started experiencing similar symptoms.
The prospect of a long-haul flight home from Italy while feeling unwell was not particularly appealing!
I had brought a homeopathic kit with me and decided to take a remedy. By the time we reached the airport, I was feeling much better. I was incredibly relieved.
Of course, I can’t know whether the remedy was responsible for the improvement, but the experience encouraged me to continue learning about homeopathy.
Another memorable experience involved Taj when he was young. He had a heavy cold and cough, was extremely lethargic and had lost his appetite. I was concerned, so I took him to our doctor.
I was also able to see Alice afterwards. She listened to what had been happening and selected a homeopathic remedy for him. Not long afterwards, Taj perked up and wanted an ice block, which was a very welcome sight!
Again, this is our personal experience rather than evidence that the homeopathic remedy caused his recovery, but it remains part of the reason I became interested in this approach to family wellbeing.
What Is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a complementary health practice developed more than 200 years ago. It uses highly diluted substances selected according to a person's individual symptoms and circumstances.
Homeopathic practitioners often take a holistic approach, considering a broad picture of the person rather than focusing solely on an individual symptom.
Homeopathy remains popular with some families as part of their personal approach to wellbeing. However, it is important to understand that there is not good-quality scientific evidence that homeopathy is effective for treating health conditions beyond a placebo effect.
For this reason, homeopathy should not replace medical assessment, prescribed medication, vaccination or other evidence-based healthcare.
Can Homeopathy Be Part of Family Wellness?
For families interested in complementary approaches to wellbeing, homeopathy may be something they choose to explore alongside appropriate healthcare.
If you are considering homeopathy for family wellness, particularly for babies, children, during pregnancy, or for someone with an existing health condition, it is a good idea to discuss this with an appropriately qualified healthcare practitioner.
Seek medical advice when you are concerned about symptoms, particularly when symptoms are severe, persistent, worsening or involve a baby or young child.
A Personal Approach to Wellbeing
One thing I have learned over the years is that family wellness doesn't necessarily look the same for everyone.
For me, learning about herbs, natural skincare, nutrition and complementary wellbeing practices has always been driven by curiosity about nature and how we can care for ourselves and our families.
Homeopathy has formed part of that personal journey for our family. If it is something you're curious about too, I encourage you to learn about both the practice and the evidence behind it, ask questions, and make an informed decision about what feels appropriate for you and your family.
Written by Sarah Cowan, Managing Director, The Herb Farm
Originally published June 2016.
Health information: This article shares Sarah's personal experience and is provided for general information only. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat a health condition. Always seek advice from a doctor, pharmacist, healthcare practitioner or naturopath where appropriate.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with homeopathy, below is some general information from Alice Kleinsman.
Homepathy
Homeopathy is a natural drug free way that millions around the world use to help with many conditions. It is simple and easy to use, and can easily be used by all the family from women who are pregnant and giving birth, through to the elderly. Homeopathy doesn’t interfere with any other forms of medication, and has no known side effects.
Homeopathy is individually tailored for each person and the use of small (minimum) doses is aimed to ensure minimal side effects, and to stimulate the body’s immune system.
Once the remedy has been chosen, based on the whole picture as much as possible, the potency of the remedy is chosen according to the degree of seriousness as well as what you have on hand. Mostly people only have one strength, and I suggest when building up your kit, that you get the 30C potencies, which will work for acute and more serious situations.
For further information visit Alice’s website – www.bewellnaturally.co.nz