TOP SWISS HOMEOPATHS IN SUCCESSFUL SA SEMINAR TOUR

        

Two top Swiss homeopaths have concluded a highly successful seminar and media tour to SA during which they reached thousands of trade partners and millions of ordinary South Africans, outlining the benefits of homeopathy.

Carlo Odermatt, homeopath, author and lecturer at the School of Natural Medicine in Baar and Carla Wullschleger, a homeopath and pharmacist with particular focus on acute conditions, presented seminars around the country on homeopathy, the development of homeopathic remedies and how homeopathy can be used sustainably to treat various conditions.

First developed in Germany in the late 18th century, homeopathy is a system of healing based on the “principle of similar”, i.e. disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people. Homeopathy works in harmony with the immune system and stimulates the body’s own defence system and healing powers.

It is now an essential part of commonly practised forms of treatment and will continue to grow in importance, Odermatt said.

“Six out of seven published quantitative meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCT) on specific indications, found a significant difference between patients treated with placebo versus homeopathy. All the published, non-randomized cohort studies of the last 10 years show that homeopathic treatment is equivalent or superior to conventional treatment and has fewer side-effects,” said Odermatt, who is also a developer and researcher at Similasan, one of Switzerland’s leading homeopathic companies.

Odermatt has more than 25 years experience in classical homeopathy and is also a specialist in over-the counter-homeopathy. He explained that both complement each other. “For health professionals with limited experience in homeopathy as well as for self-medication, finished products combining several homeopathic remedies are the best choice for treating acute health problems, whereas classical homeopathy is ideal for treating chronic, recurrent conditions”.

“Homeopathy can actually cure chronic diseases. Mainstream medicine only provides treatment for the symptoms of many chronic diseases and is thus unable to provide a sustainable cure for the problem. The underlying disease worsens, and the situation is further exacerbated by the side effects of the medications,” Odermatt added.

Odermatt said complementary medicine, including homeopathy, was popular in countries such as India where it is an essential part of commonly practised forms of treatment. “Since 1973, homeopathy has stood on equal terms with other systems of healing in India by law and is state-subsidized. Homeopathy is also part of the public health system in Brazil,” he added.

Odermatt explained to his seminar audiences that homeopathy and conventional medicine can work together. “I am convinced that both systems are needed and that they could mutually help each other. Depending on the type of disease, homeopathy and allopathy are complementary.”

“This is demonstrated, for instance, by the randomized study (RCT) on severe sepsis1 where homeopathy was used in addition to mainstream medicine. In the group of patients in which mainstream medicine and homeopathy were applied, about 75% of the patients survived whereas in the group using mainstream medicine and placebo globules only 50% survived (Frass M et al. Homeopathy 2005; 94:75-80).”