| 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.
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