The primary principle underlying homeopathy is "Similia Similibus Curentur" - Let like be cured by like. A symptom or pattern of symptoms can be healed by a substance in nature that can cause those symptoms.

How these incredibly minute doses can have such resonance in our bodies is a little too technical for science quite yet, though science is finding more and more applications for energetically diluted substances in and out of medicine from engine additives to experiments in chemotherapy.

Homeostasis is a great concept for how homeopathy works inside us. 'Homeo' being 'same' and 'stasis' being 'standing', the term means 'tendency toward a state of equilibrium'. Our bodies are in a constant state of flux - a series of actions and counteractions to every stress life presents. The right homeopathic remedy at the right potency can provide the force we need to swing the pendulum just the right way.

No. As with all healing, homeopathy depends on the body's vitality. If overall vitality is very low, the best plan might be to take it slowly with lower potencies and work up step by step. Even if you feel very healthy, you can work on what is called a "constitutional" plan - usually with a homeopath - to find the remedy which suits you best mentally and physically. In between, you are never too young, too old or too in between to benefit from homeopathy's many healing solutions.

By the Book When you ask "How are they made?" we usually say "in accordance with the HPUS." That's pretty dull, so, here's the scoop. The HPUS is the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States. Contrary to popular belief and gossip, homeopathic remedies are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States and of course they need some rules to regulate by.

The potency of a remedy such as 6X or 30C says how many times and by what ratio the base substance has been diluted. The purpose of potency is to dilute the remedy until it can do no harm and to invigorate (potentize) the base substance with energy such that the qualities are preserved while the substance itself is diluted out.

Just remember, higher is not always better. Homeopathy's founder, Samuel Hahnemann, only used potencies under 30X and his record is impressive. But everyone has their own opinion on this one. As a plan, we like to always leave somewhere to go, so it is best to start at the lowest potency that fits the problem - especially if the symptoms are mostly physical.

The Short term benefits to using homeopathy are: Minimizing effect, Avoiding suppression, Preserving strength, Minimizing healing / recovery time. Often the first benefits you receive from a remedy is the localization of symptoms, the second level of benefits is more curative. Example: You know how even a badly stubbed toe or pinched finger can upset your whole applecart keeping you from thinking of anything else?

No. All the remedies are only sold in very safe dilutions whether your remedy comes in pellet, compressed tablet or soft tablet form. All these forms dissolve easily under the tongue. If you think of the remedy as energy it is easier to understand the rest.

Apart from 'healing aggravations', homeopathy does not cause side effects. However, since homeopathy treats the whole person, not just the symptom you are after, some of these healing aggravations might feel like side effects. For instance, if taking Silica for a splinter when you have a sinus infection, you might get a surprise sensation that your teeth want to come out as your body tackles the mucus.