Currently available pharmaceutical therapies are too general for many chronic illnesses, and leave much to be desired. What is needed is personalized medicine, integrative, and as effective yet safe as possible. Next to Acupuncture, Homeopathy stands as the closest to the idea of a definitive cure. This treatment involves remedies that use minute amounts of natural substances to gently treat the patient. Simply put the word Homeopathy means “like cure like” At first, this seems strange; giving some of the same thing in tiny doses can’t cure that same problem. Yet in traditional western medicine this principle is used all the time, for example with allergy shots, or with vaccines. Well, homeopathy is that same principle using herbs, plants, substances, and beliefs, to reverse or remedy the course of an illness or constellation of symptoms. It uses the unique properties of water to help with that effect.

Homeopathy also considers that the same illness or injury will affect us all in different patterns or with different symptoms. This is readily seen in flu cases where some people suffer more respiratory, others more GI, and still others, more musculoskeletal symptoms. Homeopathy, then is personalized medicine, observing both the terrain and the terrorists as Pasteur would note. How we react to an illness is just as important as the illness itself in how to treat it. Years ago it was noted that if we gave chicken cartilage orally to rheumatoid patients, that somehow they had less joint pain. Hippocrates discussed homeopathic principles for treating certain illnesses. The principles of God and nature are easily seen by the prepared mind, and so using these principles for good only requires then good intention.

Drainage therapies are used in homeopathy to help certain organs improve their functions and so bring a faster resolution to the illness or dysfunction of the body. Sometimes patient may see a worsening of symptoms and this may cause an alarm reaction to those individuals who are used to anti/suppressive therapies, which causes the problem to remain and fester. Worsening of symptoms should be written in a diary, or make a special note of to include in follow-up visit, to help Dr. Fortier-Bensen to determine the next cause of action. Patients may notice a worsening of symptoms, or a change that is good. Any change is helpful as it indicates Dr. Fortier-Bensen is not quite in the ballpark yet. We heal in layers from inside out, from the top to the bottom.

There are many experiences of homeopathy I can share of my patients, people I work with; but there are three that I can describe which were so dramatic that I had to admit something energetic happened. When my youngest son was very young he had a very high fever, we were traveling at a conference, he was very red in the face, medications were to no avail, I then gave him belladonna, within one hours he was up as if there was never any fever or infection. My other son had a shrimp poboy which was dressed; he apparently got food poisoning, and had vomiting, fever, and malaise. I gave him Arsenicum and a homeopathic endotoxin. He was out playing within two hours. The last incident was to me personally, I was throwing a ball to our Lab to retrieve when it hit the bushes. As she past me, I saw some small particles following in the landscape. “Incoming” I thought and before I could run, a large number of yellow jackets were striking me everywhere. I ran inside, as they persistently stung me, slapping and killing them. My wife was bravely killing those that were stinging me in the back. I felt heat of the stings, she gave me Apis, which I took every 20 seconds; in five minutes, the pain, burning was erased. Ten minutes later I was playing ball with the dog again. Homeopathy works!