Homeopathy

[Innocent]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' post='1720593' date='Dec 6 2008, 09:54 AM']Chah. Well, if someone is going to use a Catholic's support of homeopathy as an excuse to dismiss the religion, then I think that person is really just looking for an excuse and would find one in the life of a Catholic he knows, whether or not that person supports homeopathy.[/quote]

Thank you for responding. I thought this topic was going to quietly die away ..

I daresay you are right about the motivations of the one who dismisses a person's religion on the basis of the fact that that person supports Homeopathy.

Now the question is: Even given that, does or does not a Catholic have an obligation not to give the skeptic that occasion to dismiss religion?

Edited December 6, 2008 by Innocent

[Innocent]

[quote name='Andreas E.' post='1720649' date='Dec 6 2008, 11:12 AM']Sounds like a lot of folks here are throwing naturopathy and homeopathy into the same pot. Naturopathy is the use of herbs, etc. (natural stuff) for medicinal purposes, as it always was until the advent of modern medicine. I'm not sure what to think of homeopathy. Sounds a little like alchemy to me.[/quote]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

This is just the clarification I wanted to make.

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' post='1720593' date='Dec 5 2008, 10:24 PM']Chah. Well, if someone is going to use a Catholic's support of homeopathy as an excuse to dismiss the religion, then I think that person is really just looking for an excuse and would find one in the life of a Catholic he knows, whether or not that person supports homeopathy.

I personally do not believe in homeopathy, natural or alternative medicine. When I was sick I was stuffed full of "medical food." The guy who gave me this talk about this "manna tech" (weird name, no?) stuff told me how he'd never known it not to work. It was very pricey ... he said you could either pay for this medical food or for a funeral, your choice. Well, no, Mr. man, even if I take your fancy stuff, I will die eventually.

I took it for a year, needless to say, it didn't work. Then again, the "real" pscrip stuff didn't work for a long time either ...[/quote]
Medical food... I'm not sure I heard of this...

[quote name='Tinkerlina' post='1720640' date='Dec 5 2008, 11:37 PM']I don't know of any connection between Homeopathic Theories and Freemasonry-I'm not aware of anything about this-could you explain? EDIT: NM, already addressed-I think there are people who correlate herbal meds w/ new age philosophy, which is objectionable to a Christian, not to mention ineffective medicinally. I haven't tried anything specifically homeopathic but I am definitely a big believer in "alternative" medicine (I find it funny that it's "alternative", since a lot of it has beginnings far older than modern Western medicine). I think much of it is safer, more effective and more in line with what God intended for us than a lot of standard medicine-I believe He put certain herbs and plants here for our medicinal use. I don't completely disbelieve in modern medicine, and I do take an antidepressant with good effect. However, I believe that a lot of drugs and their uses are questionable. In any case, I see nothing wrong with natural medicine, including homeopathy. -Katie[/quote]
I concur.

[quote name='Andreas E.' post='1720649' date='Dec 5 2008, 11:42 PM']Sounds like a lot of folks here are throwing naturopathy and homeopathy into the same pot. Naturopathy is the use of herbs, etc. (natural stuff) for medicinal purposes, as it always was until the advent of modern medicine. I'm not sure what to think of homeopathy. Sounds a little like alchemy to me.

Growing up in Germany, a lot of meds were (and are) still based on various herbs. Instead of taking Unisom to fall asleep, you take baldrian. I also took some sort of thistle "juice" for my allergies. And calcium tablets. When we had diarrhea as kids, we were given coal tablets and pretzel sticks. No pink pepto-bismol.

Too bad naturopathy is not generally covered here. My wife is on so many meds for various ailments, I sometimes wonder if her body will decompose when it his her time to go, with all the chemicals in it... (And no, I doubt that would be considered a miracle.)[/quote]
Amen... actually, after reading wikipedia on this... I'm starting to be quite sceptical about Homeopathy. There is no scientific backing on the dilution process, but I suppose that doesn't mean it doesn't work (because there could be something about physics we just don't know yet). But, as for conscience, I dunno if I really think it's wrong, unless you really think homeopathy is not working, and you're putting your life in danger because of it. And obviously there is the point about superstition.

[quote name='Innocent' post='1720784' date='Dec 6 2008, 10:35 AM']Just for clarification:

Please understand, dear posters in this thread, that the purpose of this discussion topic was to focus on Homeopathy alone, to the exclusion of all other herbal medicines and naturopathic medications.

There don't seem to be very strong grounds to hold that Homeopathy is something that draws upon the wisdom and experiences of ages past to use certain plants or minerals as medicine. It is a system created by a single man. It is an innovation, not an ancient traditional system of herbal medicine. Granted, it was started as a reaction against the primitive practices prevalent in the mainstream medicine of those days. (Bloodletting, etc.)

However, in most naturopathic medicines, there is a reasonable quantity of the medicines to chemically react within our body. With Homeopathic medicines, it is most likely that the medicines don't contain any molecules of the medicine at all, or if any, not sufficient for a major scale chemical reaction, within our body.

I did not start this thread to bash all forms of "alternative medicine." (These are just quotes with no implied meaning; they are not scare quotes.)

[i]EDIT: From my limited knowledge, the only form of alternative medicine that can be considered alongside Homeopathy in this discussion would be Bach Flower Therapies since they are based on similar concepts of the elan vital. [/i]

I am not, through this thread, supporting an attitude that only Allopathy is valid medicine. I don't say that plants should not be used as medicine. I'm not against nature remedies involving honey, tea-dust, herbal teas, garlic, onions, honey, and any other plant products.

Most articles on the net are either from Homeopathic websites claiming that Homeopathy works, or from skeptic websites attempting to disprove Homeopathy. Therefore I suggest that reading the [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy#General_philosophy"][b]"General Philosophy"[/b][/url] section of the Homeopathy article in Wikipedia would give us a chance to get a picture of Homeopathy which can be relatively free from claims of unfair bias, since Wikipedia is open to being edited by both believers and unbelievers in Homeopathy.

Thanks for the interest in this topic. I would really like to examine this topic well from a Catholic standpoint and I am not able to find many other articles on the web that address Homeopathy from a Catholic standpoint.[/quote]
Wiki article seems good. I realise your focus is homeopathy, but I think people want to clear up that homeopathy and naturalpathy are not the same thing.

[Innocent]

[quote name='Sacred Music Man' post='1721118' date='Dec 7 2008, 08:44 AM']I realise your focus is homeopathy, but I think people want to clear up that homeopathy and naturalpathy are not the same thing.[/quote]

I too would like to clear it up so that the discussion can become more streamlined. Perhaps I should have written in the original post clearly that my intention is not to malign alternative therapies or naturopathic medicines in general. But at that time, it never occurred to me that anyone would confuse Homeopathy with Naturopathy.

[Snowflake3981]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1635984' date='Aug 23 2008, 08:50 PM']Not so far. Her doctor didn't seem to think it was a food related issue. She also eats very little wheat and corn (quite a bit of dairy, and she's a big meat eater. If I want her to eat a carb I practically have to force feed her. I make spaghetti and meatballs and she'll only eat the meatball). Nuts are very seldom eaten as well,[i] maybe[/i] once a week she'll have a peanut butter and jelly--a jar of peanut butter lasts us months. I tend to think it's a hereditary thing, several of her cousins and aunts and uncles on my husband's side have eczema as well. We're in a new area now so her next doctor may think otherwise. If it were food related I would think it would have to be dairy, but even when her dairy intake has been limited there hasn't been a difference, so again, I am not inclined to think its a food related issue.[/quote]


My Mom was getting really bad exczema all over her body and they tested her for tons of allergies. Turns out she was alergic to a chemical that is an ingredient in many soaps, lotions, dishsoap, laundry soap, etc. I can't recall what it was though. One of those that you can't really pronounce. But as soon as she eliminated all products from her house that had that chemical in it, everything cleared up beautifully. If its something that happens to a lot of your family it could be that your biology just doesn't agree with some sort of chemical. Just a thought.

Poor kiddo though, I suffer from mild exczema and know how annoying it can be, but couldn't imagine a bad case of it.

[Innocent]

The inimitable H. Albertus Boli, LL.D. on [url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/?s=homeopathy&submit=Search"]Homeopathy.[/url]

[Innocent]

More from the same source:

[url="http://HOMEOPATHIC%20HEADACHE%20RELIEF%20by%20mail"]HOMEOPATHIC HEADACHE RELIEF by mail[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/ask-dr-boli-23/"]How are homoeopathic treatments for malaria prepared?[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/advertisement-149/"]
Homeopathic Cure For Thirst[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/advertisement-230/"]Northeastern College of Homeopathic Diesel Mechanics[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/advertisement-38/"]Fire Extinguisher[/url]

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Innocent' post='1734612' date='Dec 23 2008, 10:00 PM']More from the same source:

[url="http://HOMEOPATHIC%20HEADACHE%20RELIEF%20by%20mail"]HOMEOPATHIC HEADACHE RELIEF by mail[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/ask-dr-boli-23/"]How are homoeopathic treatments for malaria prepared?[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/advertisement-149/"]
Homeopathic Cure For Thirst[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/advertisement-230/"]Northeastern College of Homeopathic Diesel Mechanics[/url]

[url="http://drboli.wordpress.com/2007/07/27/advertisement-38/"]Fire Extinguisher[/url][/quote]
... these are jokes?

[jckinsman]

[quote name='Innocent' post='1635886' date='Aug 23 2008, 06:29 PM']The Debate Table needs some more esoteric topics. So, here's one:

There are many who claim that Homeopathy works based on anecdotal evidence.

So, what I'm asking is, can a person who considers himself bound by reason and logic support this field?

More importantly, does a Catholic have a moral obligation to dissuade his friends and family from using Homeopathic medicines, since a case could be made that there are connections between Homeopathic Theories and Freemasonry?[/quote]
My mother raised 10 kids on natural medicine,she is very Cathoilc. She would argue against all of the chemicals that go along with alopathy(?)(that is what you would call a "real" doctor) are very damaging to the body and therefore should not be taken,unless life threatening. HP medicine is slighlty different then naturopathics. I woiuld have to ask her what she does now. 80 and still tickin'!

[jckinsman]

I have yet to see results from HP medicine. Besides the "flu solution"



Things that work:

Ginger tea for stomach ache,almost instantly

Oregano oil on any cut,fungus or weird rash,canker sores or any mouth sores

Garlic oil for an ear ache,and a wee bit of heat.

[Fidei Defensor]

[quote name='jckinsman' post='1745147' date='Jan 7 2009, 03:55 AM']I have yet to see results from HP medicine. Besides the "flu solution"



Things that work:

Ginger tea for stomach ache,almost instantly

Oregano oil on any cut,fungus or weird rash,canker sores or any mouth sores

Garlic oil for an ear ache,and a wee bit of heat.[/quote]
Garlic is good for any bacterial or viral infection, particularly colds and the flu.

[HisChildForever]

Peppermint is also good for the stomach.

[jckinsman]

[quote name='fidei defensor' post='1745435' date='Jan 7 2009, 07:25 PM']Garlic is good for any bacterial or viral infection, particularly colds and the flu.[/quote]
I always make my kids take it when they are getting sick.It does help!

Edited January 10, 2009 by jckinsman

[chloeaustyn]

[quote name='Innocent' post='1636297' date='Aug 23 2008, 11:43 PM']He said that vital forces and miasms explain how diseases occur, that a disease can be cured by artificially inducing the same disease again.[/quote]

Ooo I might just have to get my mom to create an account simply for this thread. She's a naturopath and VERY Catholic. If there was something wrong with it, she'd know, and she'd stop. End of story. But instead she loves it. That's the problem with too little information... we start creating conspiracy theories because we know too much to be ignorant.

The thing about homeopathy is that no one knows why it works. There's nothing in it. There was at some time, but they take everything out. It can't hurt you. But it works. And if you take a strong dose for something you don't have, you'll get that symptom. That's how they test it.

It's like a vaccine! Americans love vaccines! Just think of it that way and you'll be fine. They're absolutely stupid in a firstworld country especially when given to babies, but hey, socially acceptable. Homeopathy has the added benefit of no horrible side effects. We have a little boy at our parish who was born perfectly healthy, got his shots, and is now permanently and severely brain damaged and physically handicapped as well. All to protect him against diseases there was no way he was going to statistically get.






Also.. never, ever, ever, ever, EVER just go to a "homeopath". They can get their degrees online in a weekend and with the best of intentions cause you major harm. Go to a doctor who uses homeopathy in their practice. A lot of times it's not the best treatment option and you really need a complete understanding of the body to understand how it works.

Your state might not have such physicians available.. they're not licensed everywhere. So check into that... unlicensed states tend to attract the wackos who would never make it in a place with regulations.

[chloeaustyn]

[quote name='jckinsman' post='1745145' date='Jan 7 2009, 04:45 AM']My mother raised 10 kids on natural medicine,she is very Cathoilc. She would argue against all of the chemicals that go along with alopathy(?)(that is what you would call a "real" doctor) are very damaging to the body and therefore should not be taken,unless life threatening. HP medicine is slighlty different then naturopathics. I woiuld have to ask her what she does now. 80 and still tickin'![/quote]


Woohoo! Alopathic medicine certainly has it's place, especially in emergency situations. My mom is specifically an HIV doc, so she really is into prescribing "real" drugs out of pure necessity. It doesn't mean she can't boost her patients up so well with natural remedies that most of them don't even look like they're HIV positive, though! And sooo many never progress into AIDS just because they were so well taken care of and really fought to stay healthy.

Her med school was still the typical 4 year, but they learned everything an MD would learn [i]plus [/i]the NMD stuff. It was effectively 8 years of training in 4 years. I wish people would give naturopaths more credit. Most of them really do wear deodorant, even.