Being a woman covers the span of a lifetime from puberty to menopause and beyond. Homeopathy is a wonderful way to care for ourselves and ease the challenges, when they arise, of being a woman. I first learned about homeopathy when I was pregnant with my first child. Standing on line at the local health food co-op I heard other women talking about how homeopathy helped them with their pregnancies and their babies. Being curious I picked up the only book I could find about homeopathy at the time, Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine, by Dana Ullman and read it cover to cover. My interest was piqued and I found a homeopath after my first son was born.
As time went on I found myself primarily using homeopathy for all of my own and my growing family’s healthcare. I realized that I wanted to be a homeopath to help other women benefit from homeopathy’s gentle, non-toxic and very effective healing.
Phases of Womanhood
Puberty
The first phase of a woman’s life starts around the age of puberty usually between 10 and 13 years old. With all of the changes around the teenage years: onset of menstruation, skin and body changes, and budding sexuality, homeopathy can be great help. Since homeopathy treats the whole you all aspects of a person’s situation, physical, emotional and mental, are explored to find a homeopathic remedy that fits that person’s unique condition. For young teenage girls homeopathy can make this first phase of womanhood easier and ease the awkwardness often felt with all of the changes that happen during puberty. Homeopathy helps young women grow gracefully into the next phase of their life.
Childbearing Years
The childbearing years which follow puberty is also an ideal time to use homeopathy. Most women have heard many stories about pregnancy and birth by the time they consider having their own babies. These stories promulgate the belief that the discomforts during this part of womanhood are normal and unavoidable. Many women choose to live with symptoms of morning sickness, heartburn, constipation, and water retention for fear of harming their unborn child because they are not aware that there are ways to alleviate these discomforts safely. Homeopathic remedies are a safe and gentle approach to the common pregnancy symptoms and cannot cause problematic side effects because only a tiny amount of the active ingredient is used in preparing them. Homeopathic remedies work to stimulate the woman’s own healing powers to address the pregnancy symptoms.
When a pregnant woman is treated homeopathically her vitality and improved health benefit the baby as well. Her optimal health prepares her for a healthy birth, successful breastfeeding, if she chooses to nurse, and a complete postpartum recovery. For some women the childbearing years bring other challenges such as fertility issues and/or difficulties with their pregnancies (i.e. miscarriages). Homeopathy can be very helpful in these situations.
Homeopathy can be very helpful during labor. There are many effective remedies that can help woman with prolonged or arrested labor, excessive bleeding, and elevated blood pressure, as well as the emotional issues of fear, panic and/or exhaustion. After birth many woman feel sore, bruised and tired along with facing the ongoing needs of a newborn. Because homeopathy stimulates the new mother’s own healing ability and increases her vitality, women find they recover quicker and have more success with adjusting to motherhood when treated with homeopathy.
Breast feeding, which is a natural process after birth, doesn’t always come naturally to new mothers who choose to nurse their babies. If there are difficulties with nursing, like sore or cracked nipples, mastitis, or slow milk supply, a homeopathic remedy can address these problems quickly and effectively. For the woman who finds the birth experience leaves her sad, and blue, with post-partum depression homeopathy can help her to deal with that emotional state and return to feeling like herself gently and safely.
Many women find that during the childbearing years homeopathy helped them with non- pregnancy or birth related health concerns like PMS, irregular or heavy menstrual cycles, fibrocystic breasts, emotional problems, and sexuality issues.
During any phase of a woman’s life there are times when emotional or physical symptoms arise. Some women will have uterine fibroids, cervical irregularities, vaginal infections, breast problems, trauma from abuse, weight difficulties, thyroid problems, and bladder and/or kidney infections. Homeopathy is an effective form of healthcare for any situation a woman faces during her life. Homeopathy gently stimulates the woman’s innate healing response to return her to a state of wellbeing.
Menopause and Beyond
As we move on in our life experience as a woman we will start to experience the progression of changes leading up to menopause. This peri-menopausal time can create many discomforts for women such as hot flashes, depression, mental confusion, heavier menstrual cycles, and skin and/or body changes. Homeopaths view these changes as part of the normal life cycle and can offer women a natural and safe method to ease these symptoms.
After menopause women find they are entering a new phase of life, rich with the freedom from birth control, menses, and childrearing. Along with this freedom many women experience a sense of loss and/or desire to start a new path. Since homeopathy treats the whole woman these types of issues are helped by the individualized care and selection of a particular homeopathic remedy that matches each woman individually.
Throughout the rich and colorful tapestry of a woman’s life she will experience many changes in her health. The homeopathic approach is about the individual and finding a remedy that stimulates the healing mechanism within each person. Homeopathy helps women heal without the use of hormones, or other medicines that mask or suppress the symptoms. Homeopathy can also be used as a compliment to other types of healthcare.
Homeopathy provides the impetus for each woman to reach her highest state of well being whether it is early on in the adolescent years, during the childbearing years or into the graceful years of later life. Homeopathy can help every woman physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually if she desires.
Homeopathic consultations, the process of sharing your health story with a well trained homeopath, are an empowering and learning experience for each woman of any age and are an effective path to optimal health.
Homeopathic Information
Many people find treating acute conditions like minor injuries, colds, and skin irritations possible with the guidance of a general information book like Dana Ullman’s Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine. More chronic or serious symptoms are best treated by a well trained homeopath. Nationally certified homeopaths can be found through the Council for Homeopathic Certification (homeopathicdirectory.com).
Homeopathic remedies are available in most health food stores. Other sources are Hahnemann Pharmacies at hahnemannlabs.com.
Some books that are helpful for women interested in using homeopathy are:
- Homeopathic Medicines for Pregnancy and Childbirth by Richard Moskowitz, MD
- The Homeopathic Childbirth Manual by Betty Idaius,L.M., C.Hom.
- Women Ripening thru the Menopause by Melissa Anana Assilem, NCHM, RsHom, FBIH
- Whole Women Homeopathy by Judith Reichenberg Ullman ND, MSW
Books that discuss homeopathy in general:
- Homeopathy beyond Flat Earth Medicine by Timothy Dooley, N, D, .M.D.
- The Impossible Cure, the Promise of Homeopathy by Amy Lansky, PhD
Other books are available at Minimum Price Books (minimum.com)