Author: Dana Ullman
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 978-1556436710. Softcover, 408 pages
Price: $19.95 USD
Reviewed By: Kathleen Slonager, RN, DiHOM, ADS, AE-C
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Dana Ullman, the author of many reference and consumer books on homeopathy, is known for his consumer friendly books, and now with The Homeopathic Revolution: Why Famous People and Cultural Heroes Choose Homeopathy, his reputation for being a staunch advocate of homeopathy is solidified.
The Homeopathic Revolution provides the layperson as well as the health care professional with exacting information and rich stories on what homeopathy is and why renowned people throughout history have chosen to use it.
For many who don’t know what homeopathy is, the book goes far to explain the foundations of this science. But, simply put, homeopathy is a holistic medicine that seeks to heal a condition by stimulating the immune system (or vital force) of an ill person through the use of highly diluted substances, which caused similar symptoms when tested & studied in healthy people. It was developed by a German physician (Samuel Hahnemann) over 200 years ago and is still use in countries around the world.
Due to multiple reasons, which this book explains in detail, homeopathy is not as prevalent as it once was, but as the book points out, “…despite the 200 years of savage attacks against homeopathy and homeopaths by conventional medical organizations and institutions, homeopathy has survived – and today, is thriving throughout Europe, India, and South America. Homeopathy has survived because millions of people have benefited from it. Whether for common ailments, chronic complaints, or life-threatening conditions, homeopathic medicines have been used by many famous people and cultural heroes from every walk of life.”
Its popularity in America is less notable than in other parts of the world, but with the backlash felt by consumers to the harmful and sometimes lethal effects from western medicine, more and more people are discovering homeopathy.
The Homeopathic Revolution will aid the reader in this discovery and like all of Dana’s books; this one is easy to comprehend and well organized. But, what really makes this a fun read are the stories and antidotes about the cultural hero’s and famous people who have used homeopathy through history. The book begins with a discussion on conventional medicine and its shortcomings. Then jumps into a great primer on homeopathic philosophy, principles and practices; and then onto why it fell out of favor in the United States (at one point, there were 22 homeopathic medical-schools in the U.S.!) and why hostility for homeopathy exists today. Most impressively, Mr. Ullman has provided hundreds and hundreds of reference sources throughout the The Homeopathic Revolution, providing reliable evidence to support his work and the field of homeopathy.
But, the heart of this book are the stories. Stories vividly told about Sports Superstars, Entertainers, Physicians and Scientists, Politicians and other Leaders throughout history.
For instance, Sports Superstars have always appreciated any kind of treatment that fosters quick relief and healing of their bruises and injuries. So, it’s no surprise that the likes of David Beckham, Martina Navratilova, and Nancy Lopez have all received homeopathic treatment. And in a nod to my hometown – the Detroit Pistons strength and conditioning coach, Arnie Kander routinely uses homeopathic medicine with the players.
As a homeopath and nurse, some of my favorite stories come from the section on physicians. It is extremely poignant that Sir William Osler (1849 – 1919), known as the father of modern medicine, expressed great support for homeopathy and its founder by stating “No individual has done more good to the medical profession than Samuel Hahnemann” (page 116).
On a lighter note, if you missed the recent Oprah show where Cindy Crawford extolled the virtues of her homeopathic medicine kit, you can read about her in this book, along with the hundreds of other examples of cultural icons and famous people.
All in all, this book is a crucial addition to any medical professional’s library, but, more importantly, a great read for those wishing to learn about the treasured medicine know as homeopathy.
