Organon & Philosophy

Homeopathy – A Complementary Medicine

Written by Jahangir Satti

In his paper Jahangir Satti has explored the differences between the reductionist and holistic approach. He begins with the definition of complementary theory and then explains its scientific necessity. In a very lucid manner and by giving examples at every step, he compares the pros and cons of both the approaches. Moving further, the reductionist approach used in Allopathy and the holistic approach used in Homeopathy have been described. In the end he explores the possibility of using both the approaches in tandem as both these approaches have a lot to gain from each other.

Understanding Complementary Theory

It is not possible to understand this world without understanding complementary theory. In fact complementary theory is the core of modern science. Just imagine our mechanistic view of this universe. We are born. We grow, work and die. This is the start and end of the whole story. How depressing this dry idea is? “Am I a cog in this giant universal machine? Do I just play the role of a screw or a nut in this system? With death, everything becomes meaningless to me?”

We focus on only one aspect of our life and this is a real tragedy. But nature has dual aspects – two sides. We need to understand both sides.

Let’s go to the minutest particles to learn something from them and build back our understanding of our position in this cosmos. There are billions of galaxies in this known universe. There are billions of stars in each galaxy. There are about 500 billion stars in our galaxy – Milky Way. Each star may have scores of planets around it. But how much is a billion? If you sit down and start counting, it will take you over 95 years to count one billion.

The place of our planet, the earth, in this universe is like one sand particle on all the beaches of all the world’s oceans. Yet it has about 6 billion people in addition to fauna and flora. The universe is basically composed of 92 different elements in different compositions all the way from a simple atom of Hydrogen to Uranium.

Let’s explore an individual atom. Each atom has a nucleus and area surrounding the nucleus. Protons and neutrons reside in the nucleus and electrons revolve around the nucleus. They balance each other. Nature has created them in a well-balanced form. If you dislodge or insert any of these electrons, protons or neutrons you are creating an imbalance that is known as radicals or radioactive materials. These substances become reactive. They are ready to search and rebalance their structures. (It is the same in our bodies with the introduction of radicals).

Let’s imagine how many atoms there are in our universe? This is a very big figure. Let’s try to figure out how many atoms are in a gram of iron. If you take one gram of iron, which you can blow away with your breath, it contains (10)22 atoms or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 atoms in total. That is equal to 10 billion atoms in one gram of iron. Each iron atom has 56 protons and 56 electrons. A proton is a mix of a neutron and an electron. Since an electron appears to be a particle that cannot be divided into further particles (in the classical sense it is a wave and it can generate electromagnetic waves) let’s stick with it for a while.

If you accelerate (as you accelerate your car) an electron, it radiates electromagnetic waves. As we said, nature tries to balance things in its scheme. These electromagnetic waves have two parts. One is an electric field and the other is a magnetic field. They cannot exist without each other. One generates the other and vice versa. Is not nature unique?

Because our day-to-day activities are mechanically oriented, we ignore the spiritual side of our life. To our general understanding “bigger is better”. We ignore that our big bodies started from a single cell. And that single cell consisted of a billion trillion small particles. Look at this tiny electron. It has negligible weight — in the sense of Physics — not to mention to our bathroom scale. But it has such miraculous properties that it can generate energy that travels across the galaxies.

We cannot see things without light. Light is due to photons – again small particles that travel across the galaxies. If you go out at night and look toward the sky you will see stars. The visible information coming to you is through these photons. What are those photons? They are again electromagnetic waves. These are tiny particles. Is this not confusing? We have just said that photons are electromagnetic waves. Waves dance up and down as waves on a water surface. And in the second breath we have said that photons are particles. Particles are like a bullet. Is there something wrong here?

This does not appeal to common sense. How can one say it is day as well as night? You can have only one thing at a time. (This is a crude example as time is a relative identity. When it is night in Malaysia it is day in the USA.)

Back to this wave-particle problem. This is where we are lost. This is where complementary theory comes in to rescue us from our lack of understanding of this cosmos. This is where ignorance makes some people heroes and other losers. We need to understand it fully before realizing the complementary aspect of medicine. Without understanding it, either we grow very narrow minded about ourselves and the world around us or we touch the borders of superstition.

Famous Physicist J.J. Thompson was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1906 for showing that the electron was a particle. The matter seemed settled. However, his son G.P. Thompson proved that the electron was in fact a wave and received the Noble Prize in 1937. Who’s right, father or son? Was the prize given to J. J. Thompson for a discovery that was not true? Would this not be embarrassing to the scientific community that a father says it is broad daylight while his son says it is deep dark night and both are correct?

In fact both are true. This is the heart of the complementary theory. An electron is both a particle and a wave. Why is this so obvious at small particle levels such as electron and photon and not at massive levels such as human being and tree?

This is known as duality in nature. In fact nature is not unfair in its dealing with this universe. Everything has a particle and wave nature. The only difference is that wave nature becomes much more pronounced as the mass of the body reduces. A bee, a sparrow or an eagle can easily fly. An ostrich has a hard time flying, or simply can not fly. Deer or tiger has great mobility compared to an elephant or a rhino. Similarly an electron or photon can easily display the properties of waves compared to a ball or a truck. For the sake of discussion, let’s compare different masses and waves.

Earth moves at a speed of 27000km/hr. The wave associated with earth is 10-64 meters. (1 divided by 10,000…64 zeros). There is no way we can measure with our too existing tools. In fact there is no way that it will ever be measurable with any mechanical tool. A 1000-kilogram or (2200 pound) truck moving at a speed of 100 kilometer per hour has a wave of 10-33 meters (1/100 … 33 zeros) associated with it, a 500-gram football moving at a speed of 100km/hr has a wave 10-29 (1/100 … 29 zeros) associated with it. A cell which is 10-9 (1/1,000,000,000) gram moving at a speed of 1 meter/second has a wave 10-17 associated with it. An atom may have 100-meter wave associated with it. Radio waves may leave from a few 100 meters to several kilometers wavelength.

The take home lesson: as we reduce the mass the wave factor increases. So as things get smaller, they do not disappear to nowhere. They do not wear out as a cog in a great machine. They change into waves. That is how the truth of this universe is. Whether we like it or not. They go to quantum levels. There is no birth or death at quantum level. No time or temperature. It is pure energy.

When a wave repeats itself faster and faster it behaves like a particle. The same electromagnetic waves that travel far flung distances to carry information to our radio and T.V. can become energetic particles such as x-rays if they repeat very fast – high frequency. As the frequency of a wave increases so does its energy. Are we the assemblage of very high frequency waves that behave like big particles? It may be much higher than we can conceive of.

This is the complementary theory that nature has duality. We see wave and particle aspects both present in the same entity. They do not oppose each other. These properties are not the enemy of each other. They feed each other. The electrical part of Electromagnetic (EM) wave is a complementary side of its magnetic part. Day is the complementary part of night. They do not oppose or contradict. They are mutually exclusive. We can have day or night but not both. Awake state and sleep state are complementary aspects. We have complementarity everywhere. We simply ignore it as everyday life is obsessed with one side.  We fail to create a balance between our spiritual and physical life.

Look at a gene. It has a molecule of DNA. Each DNA has two strands that are intertwined also known as a double helix. It has a sequence of A, C, G and T. A appearing in one strand always faces a T in the opposite strand. A C in one strand is faced to G in another strand. This is the complementary aspect. Any disruption in this structure will create changed DNA and trouble in the whole system.

Other examples of complementary are:

Real numbers

Imaginary numbers

Zero

Infinity

Analytical

Synthetic

Algebra

Geometry

Mechanism

Vitalize

Biochemical mechanism

Morphogenesis

Physical laws

Biological laws

Inorganic processes

Organic processes

Allopathy

Homeopathy

Classical world

Quantum world

The laws we apply at one level do not make sense at another level. That is where this complementary theory makes us confused. Once neurons are trained to accept one form. It becomes hard to adapt to other forms. We reject the possibility of another form as we perceive that there is only one absolute truth. We refuse to accept that there can be more than one truth. We need to understand it fully.

We all know from our high school physics that positive charge repels another positive charge or same pole of a magnet repels the other same pole (N pole repels N pole). However, it is not true at a nuclear level. In the nucleus of an atom we have protons which are all positively charged. They live there happily. They attract each other. If the same laws are applied at a nuclear level then the whole system would explode thus creating a nuclear blast.

The same is true with an accelerating electron. When an electron moves it loses energy otherwise there would be a collapse of the whole universe. Certainly laws, which are applicable in one modality, may drastically differ, even oppose, in another modality. We know that nothing travels faster than the speed of light yet there are proofs that some microwaves can travel faster than light. Similarly, phenomena of single photon interference have been observed.

Taking the example of allopathy/homeopathy as conventional and complementary aspects of medicine we can say:

Conventional

Complementary

Allopathic Medicine

Homeopathic Medicine

Law of Opposite

Law of Similar

Macro Scale (organ, tissue, cell)

Quantum level (conscious)

Outer to inner approach

Inner to outer approach

These are two basically different approaches to address the same problem. Both of these approaches are true in principle. Allopathic approach is to find the cause and to undo it. The cause is usually external. It can be bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, poor diet, severe stress and environmental changes (such as allergies). However, these are not the only causes. They overlap inner causes such as defective metabolism, lack of certain enzymes, malfunction of certain organs such as thyroid, spleen, pancreas, gonads, etc. and genetic inheritance. For the most part, allopathy tries to address the problems starting from the external side.

Homeopathy on the other hand considers the problems that arise inside the organisms. The evils can be classical miasma such as psora, syphilis or sycosis, constitution, emotions, temperaments (suppressed anger, grief) malfunctioning of inner synchronicity, etc. Since the only causes cannot be the inner ones as diet, life style, attitudes, behaviors, social environments etc. also play a role in such inner disturbances. The systems overlap the external causes too but the emphasis stays toward more inner or mental side of the body. These are both the complementary aspects of medicine. These should not contradict each other rather they complement each other.

Holistic Vs. Reductionist Approach

After examining complementary theory it is clear that duality plays a vital role in this cosmos. This is applicable to every aspect of things that we know in nature. We need to admit that complementary approach in medicine is here to stay and will grow in time, until it builds an equilibrium in our health system.

Our conventional medical system is based on reductionist approach. After knowing the mechanics of our bodies and their functioning we try to control them for our needs. For example once we know that friction causes resistance which tries to stop a moving object we design brakes to achieve this objective. Similarly, we figure out how to speed things up by accelerating the process whether it is a catalyst in a chemical reaction or the gas pedal in our automobile.

Then we try to create a model so we can get the advantage of these true mechanisms in our engineering and medical projects. In reductionist law, we study the physical and chemical aspects in a human body. In fact our conventional medicine unfortunately ignores the vital or life process of the system.

Our body is reduced into subsystems of cardiovascular, CNS, respiratory, GI, lymphatic, etc. etc. Each system is considered to operate individually and independently. It works wonders when only one system is involved. We need this approach when only one system is threatened such as stroke or kidney failure or accidents. But it has severe limitations.

Consider the example of an individual who is suffering from rheumatism and hepatitis C. When this poor fellow visits his/her rheumatologist, drugs are given to suppress the immune system as rheumatism is an overactive immune system. After leaving this specialist’s office when he/she goes to endocrinologist, he/she gets an immune booster drug for the hepatitis problem.

What is the answer? Our body is a highly complex structure. All different organs are connected. Inside a tissue all cells are connected to each other. Further, molecules inside a cell are interconnected. Atoms inside molecule are connected with each other. And as discussed in complementary theory, electrons and protons are connected inside an atom. Not only this, we are connected to each other, to our environment and this cosmos.

Scientists observe very interesting and spiritual phenomena at particle level. We learn more from little guys anyway- all unknown pushed back hiding in the corner but playing vital roles. When an electron of 1.02 Mega electron Volt (MeV) energy splits, it gives birth to two photons. These twin photons start moving away from each other at 180 degree angle at their birth with the speed of light. We are told that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. If that is true then there is no way that these photons which are already at ultimate speed moving away from each other will ever be able to receive signals from each other. However, scientists found that when one photon is disturbed which is traveling toward the left, the photon at the opposite direction shows signs of disturbance too. The simple answer: they are connected. No matter how hard you try to separate them from each other they retain this cosmic connection. We know that things can move faster than light.

According to the theory of evolution this whole cosmos started with a big bang. Then life evolved as cells divided. When a cell divides into two daughter cells they remain connected. They send and receive signals. Not only this, we are connected with these galaxies, nebulas and the whole cosmos – think at the quantum level not at the macro level. We are connected with our past and future.

The holistic approach in medicine is based on such quantum principles. Things when connected behave differently and laws applied to them change. Holistic/wholistic approach considers the whole universe as a unit. We affect each other and the cosmos.

In the reductionist approach the universe is the sum of individual parts. The same mechanism is applied to the body. Let’s consider an example:

A Deuteron atom is made up of 1 proton, 1 neutron, and 1 electron, so the sum of electron, proton, and neutron masses is

Mass of an electron

= 0.000548

Mass of an proton

= 1.007597

Mass of a neutron

= 1.008986

Total mass

= 2.017131

If things are the simple sum of their individual parts then the total mass of a deuteron atom should be 2.017131 (atomic mass unit) as shown above. However, the actual mass of deuteron atom is 2.014740. There is 2.017131 – 2.014740 = 0.002391 difference. This is the conversion of mass into energy to hold these particles together. We utilize energy to connect these masses together.

When there is an involvement of energy among different organs they affect each other differently. There is involvement of energy to connect with the cosmos. An individual connected with his/her family and friends has higher immune system compared to a lone person. Your deep connection with your surroundings makes you a strong willed personality. Your ultimate connection with this cosmos makes you eternal. It is your consciousness that makes you eternal.

A person suffering from high blood pressure may have deteriorating kidneys. A malfunctioning liver may be the cause of high cholesterol. Diet such as goitrogen (raw cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel spouts, etc.) may be murdering thyroid function. Holistic approach considers the whole system and not just an organ. It considers both physical and vital symptoms rather than reduced organ level problems.

Allopathic Approach

Today’s allopathy is not an allopathic system of medicine in the classical sense. The art of medicine has undergone a tremendous change in the twentieth century. The traditional approach that has been the backbone of allopathic medicine is in fact the current reductionist approach mainly derived from physical and biological sciences.  Even, in biological sciences the approach is to study the mechanisms of processes and then model these processes to design therapies. It is hoped that the future medicine will be a blend of reductionist and holistic approaches especially after the completion of genome project. We will limit our discussion to the current system of medicine.

Allopathic or conventional medicine still follows the traditional reductionist approach. A great deal of advancement has been achieved through understanding in biochemistry, molecular biology, physics and other social tendencies. Despite these the approach is the same.

On the other hand homeopathic approach greatly lacks in corporation of modern scientific knowledge. We will discuss more under hormesis. The difference between allopathy and homeopathy is as:

Allopathic Approach

Homeopathic Approach

Complex Process Simple Process
Simple Prescription Complex Prescription
Individual Whole
Organ Vital Force
Tissue Symptoms
Cell Quantum Changes
Molecule (DNA etc.) Constitution
Disease Diagnosis Case Taking
Selection of Drug Analyzing drug – disease symptoms
Drug for the diseases Medicine for the patient

Allopathic approach is from external to internal direction. A physical check up follows a referral to a specialist. This is followed by biomedical tests and biomedical tests from organ to organ. It is a complex problem not only with an organ but also when more than one organ is involved then the case becomes a real challenge. Once a correct diagnosis is made then the process of prescription is relatively simple. An Allopath knows that whether the patient needs electron therapy for his/her melanoma or steroid for sarcodosis.

In allopathy:  The name of a disease matters most.

In homeopathy: the totality of the symptoms is prime.

Before describing the homeopathic approach and its limitation it is fair to describe the problems associated with allopathic approach.

Problems of Allopathy

It is the medicine modeled around animal trials, diagnoses, dosages etc.

(1) Reductionist Model: The fundamental problem in allopathic approach is its reductionist model devoid of vital parameters, e.g. evolution. There is constant evolution in this cosmos since the moment of the big bang. We are not what our forefathers were! Evolution at living level is more obvious and noticeable. However, evolution at inorganic level is not that noticeable but the fact is that it goes on there too in its own forms.

We are concerned here with living objects more as they directly relate to our health. The allopathic approach, which tries to counter or oppose the disease processes in the body, gives birth to new evolved forms of disease sources. Resistant bacteria, viruses and parasites are the obvious examples. Nobody can deny the fact that ever-increasing numbers of resistant bacteria pose the major threat to our new health programs in the next century.

If we honestly think and are not forced to generate money then we should be able to conclude that we need to change our approach toward diseases. This is not just a bacterium. Cancer cells are becoming more and more cunning to defeat our immune system. We need to focus on how we can stimulate natural healing that competes and strengthens against germs and viruses.

(2) Machine Dependency: The second fundamental problem in our conventional medicine is the limitation of our diagnostic tools. Apart from the fact that a certain percentage of diseases are missed by our x-ray, EKG etc. techniques, the approach is not helpful at the early onset of degenerative disease. Today we know that a typical disease starts much earlier than it is detectable. It does not mean that our conventional system is a complete failure. One should never take this impression at all.

The conventional system is the best-known approach or the utilization of technology in life threatening situations such as severe acute infection, heart attack etc. Here the focus is the wrong application of acute diseases’ philosophy to chronic diseases.

Consider the case of a cancer. Cancer never appears in one day, one month or even one year. It takes a much longer time to appear. The body resists cancer. It has a number of defense mechanisms. However, when a person falls victim due to the whole system being weak, he/she starts feeling sick. If the person is not healed then there is likelihood that the body will ultimately fall victim to a big problem. A recent article in New England Journal of Medicine discussed cases of stomach cancer. If you heal simple heartburn, you can avoid cancer. But if you suppress it with antacid like drugs you can be one of those who unfortunately welcome cancer.

These early symptoms of a disease are not detectable by modern machines. Suppose you get a hair in your eye. No amount of x-ray can detect that, but you can see and feel it. It is true with other parts of the body. Suppose you have a 1mm tumor in your liver. There is no way that an ultra sound or CT scan will pick it up. The detectable mass can be 2-3mm in diameter. There can be millions of cancer cells in this 1mm mass.

As mentioned above, cancer does not develop in a short time. It starts with unregulated mutations. If the person does not correct his/her life style or cure the problem it develops in 3-4 years into hyperplasia. If the excesses with the body keep on it develops into dysplasia in further 3-4 years. If still no corrective measures are taken it develops into in-situ cancer in 3-4 years. This in-situ cancer is detectable when it reaches the size of 3mm or more.

All this time the patient has been complaining of different problems. Headaches, menstrual problems, constipation, insomnia, fatigue, cough etc. etc. Since machines were unable to detect this life-threatening problem, the patient ended up with cancer.

Allopaths heavily rely on machines and mechanical findings. An x-ray test is the one which can tell a lot inside the body. Other tests are much coarser so their utility cannot be better than x-ray in looking through the pathological changes in the body. This is the biggest drawback in our conventional methods to detect and correct the problem at the very early stage.

(3) Severe side effects: This issue does not need any elaboration. The fourth largest killer in the US is prescription drugs. Think about the number of people who survive these drugs and develop other diseases.

(4) Cost: Again this issue is well known. Here is the data.   Spending in Billion $.

Year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Budget 852 905 941 976 over trillion

Health Care is a mega industry. Defense vs. Healthcare in the USA

Federal Budget Defense & Vet Affairs Medicare & Social Security
1955 70% 6%
1999 19% 34%

That is one of the reasons government has started supporting Alternative & Complementary therapies.

Homeopathic approach

Homeopathic approach explores more than the simple cause of a disease or the observable pathological changes in an individual. It takes the holistic/wholistic approach. This approach helps cure a disease irrespective of its origin. Further, homeopaths do not wait for a disease to progress to an observable level by machines. They observe the objective and subjective symptoms. We all know that we can feel quantum changes in our bodies which simply are not possible to be picked up by machines. Our brain contains 95-100 billion neurons. It can detect signals which are not detectable by any other media. Further the holistic approach helps find a remedy that addresses the problem at the whole level (i.e., sides of the body, modalities, sensations, locations etc.).

Problems of Homeopathy

(1) As mentioned above evolution is the only permanent thing in our living systems. Homeopathy did not evolve with time. Partly it was due to the lack of understanding, commercialism of allopathic drug companies and persecution of homeopaths. Some homeopaths are also to blame who refused to accept a modern approach and got stuck with their classical ideas. However, this is a temporary problem.

(2) Refusal to address the external causes of diseases.

(3) Refusal to adopt technologies into practices in narrow-minded centers.

(4) Lack of understanding the role of conventional therapies.

Homeopathy and Chronic Diseases

Homeopathic philosophy is based on the theory that the chronic diseaes are based on three basic manifestations of the body. The simple body reaction is called Psora such as an itch. The accumulation of excrescences is called psychosis such as warts. And decaying process is called syphilitic miasm such as ulcers. To analyze a case, a homeopath takes all aspects of a patient in his/her whole form.

Details of a case: Homeopathy is a complete science of complementary medicine that is based on the quantum properties of living beings. Since we live in a quantum cosmic soup we display all the properties of a quantum world. It takes a unique approach in describing healthier, disease and cure (states) of an individual.

Example 1. You encounter a patient who has arthritis. The patient has two choices.

Allopathic approach: Look for a drug that has been manufactured to treat arthritis. Grab any pain killer (i.e. aspirin) and give it to the patient. This approach is to treat the disease.

Homeopathic approach: Explore the case in more detail.

a. Joints are red, hot swollen with throbbing pain is a possible Belladonna case.

b. Pain is worse from slightest movement. Better resting. Dry mouth – a possible Bryonia case.

c. Pain is worse at first motion, better afterward, stiff joints in moving – a possible Rhus Tox case.

A well-trained homeopath will go further into mind and other physical symptoms (if they are present). He/she will also give serious thought to diet etc.

In homeopathy you have to go into more specific nature of a problem – many layers deep into any complaint.

Future of Holistic and Reductionist Approaches

Both these approaches need to learn a lot from each other and overlap into an integrated system of medicine. As we know that evolutionary changes in bacteria, viruses and our own bodies pose serious challenges, we need to move toward integration of medical systems. Here is the comparison.

Reductionist Approach

Holistic Approach

Allopathy Homeopathy
Deterministic Probabilistic
Analytical Empirical
Retrogressive Progressive
Quick fix Gradual recovery
Best for emergencies Best for chronic diseases
Best for pathological changes Best for symptomatic diseases
Side effects Safe
Aggressive Gentle
Treatment Cure
Suppressive Adaptive
Dead end Futuristic

Conventional, Alternative and Complementary Approaches

One needs to clearly differentiate between these three approaches. The main therapies are either conventional or complementary. They have unique models such as reductionist and holistic approaches.  There are different methods you can use either in reductionist or holistic approaches which are known as alternative therapies. For example alternative to synthetic antibiotic drugs can be scores of antibacterial herbs including garlic and pepper. Pharmaceutical companies study the structure of an active ingredient in an herbal drug, produce a synthetic one, patent it and then market it. It may have very severe side effects. Nature has kept score of chemicals in these herbal drugs, which usually balance out the side effects of the active ingredients. A patient may be allergic to one synthetic laxative drug and prefer an alternative synthetic or prefer herbal Aloe Vera. Colchicum is an anti gout herbal drug that can be used as an alternative to any synthetic formula. It is true with holistic approaches. We may prefer healing touch, massage, or reiki as an alternative to homeopathy. Basically these are only two forms of therapies – conventional and complementary. All others are their varied forms known as alternative to a particular modality.

About the author

Jahangir Satti

Jahangir Satti

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