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Have you ever wondered what is the difference between holistic medicine and homeopathy? Look no further, because we have answers for you! The following article is brought to you courtesy of the National Center for Homeopathy.

Holistic Medicine and Homeopathy are vague, confusing medical terms that are often used interchangeably. But in reality, they are related, but distinctly different modalities.

Holistic medicine is an umbrella term used to describe a variety of therapies that attempt to treat the patient as a whole person. That is, instead of treating an illness, as you would in traditional Western medicine, holistic medicine looks at an individual’s overall physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being before recommending treatment.

A practitioner with a holistic approach treats the symptoms of illness as well as looking for the underlying cause of the illness. Holistic medicine also attempts to prevent illness by placing a greater emphasis on optimizing health – the body’s natural state is one of health. An illness or disease is viewed as an imbalance in the body’s systems. Holistic therapies tend to emphasize proper nutrition and avoidance of substances—such as chemicals—that pollute the body.

There are no limits to the range of diseases and disorders that can be treated in a holistic way, as the principle of holistic healing is to balance the body, mind, spirit, and emotions so that the person’s whole being functions smoothly. When an individual seeks holistic treatment for a particular illness or condition, other health problems improve without direct treatment, due to improvement in the performance of the immune system, which is one of the goals of holistic medicine.

Homeopathy is a type of holistic medicine, but has a distinctly unique approach compared to other types of holistic medicine, like naturopathic medicine or traditional Chinese medicine (eg. Acupuncture).

Specifically, homeopathy is a safe, gentle, and natural system of healing that works with your body to relieve symptoms, restore itself, and improve your overall health. It is extremely safe to use, even with very small children and pets, has none of the side effects of many traditional medications, is very affordable, is made from natural substances, and is FDA regulated.

Homeopathic medicines – known as “remedies” – are made from natural sources (e.g., plants, minerals), and are environmentally friendly and cruelty free. Most are available over the counter in grocery stores, drug stores, health food stores, homeopathic pharmacies, and online. They are also extremely affordable. Homeopathic remedies, when used as directed, are completely safe for everyone – including pregnant and nursing women, infants, children, and adults. They are given in such small doses that they don’t cause side effects.

Homeopathy is used to treat acute illnesses, like colds, ear infections, migraines, and sore throats, as well as chronic conditions, like asthma, depression, autism, and arthritis.

Anyone can learn to treat simple conditions safely at home using homeopathy, but a professional should treat serious or life-threatening conditions.

Learn more about homeopathy through the National Center for Homeopathy.