heard but never understood homeopathic remedies ? While may come across as intimidatingly complex, this fact based simple principle: ‘ like.’ In other words, if a substance causes a in a person, a very small amount of the substance given the person may the illness. A “ suggests that an infinitesimal amount of ails actually enhances the body’s normal healing self-regulatory processes.

As radical as it sounds, homeopathy is a very . Over 200 million people use this form of worldwide to address both acute and chronic conditions. According to the 2012 Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey on what health approaches favored by Americans, an estimated 5 million adults and 1 million used homeopathy in the previous year. Here are the answers to a few of the common questions regarding homeopathy.

What are homeopathic ?

Homeopathic remedies are sourced from substances that come from plants, flowers, minerals, or animals. Some of the most common remedies utilize plants such as arnica and chamomile, minerals such as and , or insects such as bees and ants. These substances are repeatedly diluted and prepared in a special, methodical process. Homeopathic remedies are often formulated as pellets to be placed under the tongue but other , such as ointments, gels, drops, creams, and tablets are widespread too.

What conditions it ?

Homeopathy treat a wide variety of conditions such as pain related to teething, bumps and bruises due to injury, and minor skin irritations. Self-limiting conditions like sprains, coughs, colds and flu are a great fit homeopathy as well. Critics of homeopathy assert that the body’s natural healing mechanisms are what are responsible for cures, but homeopathy proponents argue that the medicine speeds up and strengthens the body inherent immune response. There are other of homeopathy for various chronic illnesses and —but if the condition is not self-limiting, one should seek advice from a . There is no one-size fits answer as vary from person to person. The of homeopathy means each person is treated as a unique individual. In general, who are pregnant or nursing, or people who are thinking of using homeopathy to treat a child, should consult their (or their child’s) health providers.

Is it safe?

Homeopathic remedies have been regulated in the United States since 1938 and are generally considered to be innocuous. The National for Complementary and Medicine (NCCAM) stated, “A systematic has found that homeopathic remedies in high dilution, taken under the supervision of trained professionals, are generally considered safe and unlikely to cause severe adverse reactions.” Another huge plus for homeopathy: Unlike many other alternative , there are no known interactions between conventional and homeopathic .

Because homeopathic remedies have such a safe reputation, you can explore them—and check out for their —yourself. Here are three basic homeopathic remedies worth trying.

Arnicare

The active ingredient in this homeopathic remedy is Arnica Montana, a plant native to mountainous areas of Europe and North America, which has been used for centuries to treat a variety of pain. The tablets are designed for those suffering from arthritis pain, specifically from stiff and swollen joints and flare-ups caused by changes in weather. Quick-dissolving, the tablets not cause drowsiness or interact other medications. A 2007 published in Rheumatology looked 204 people with osteoarthritis in their hands and found that an arnica gel worked just as well as daily ibuprofen, and with minimal .

Oscillo 6 Dose

Oscillo helps body reduce the duration and severity of flu- like symptoms with this non-invasive . This popular preparation can temporarily relieve symptoms such as body aches, headache, fever, chills and fatigue without causing drowsiness.

Calendula Cream

Calendula, renown for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, can promote the healing of cuts, scrapes, chafing, rashes, insect bites, minor burns and sunburn. This multitasking homeopathic remedy makes for a great addition to your alternative first aid kit.

Elizabeth Marglin is a journalist/content creator whose favorite subjects are healthy living, sustainability, natural beauty, integrative , mindfulness and parenting. She has been a regular contributor to the magazines Natural , Natural Health, FitPregnancy, Backpacker, and Colorado Homes & Lifestyles as well as the gaiam.com, deliciousliving.com, smartwatt.com, and the Huffington Post. She is also the coauthor of The Mother’s Wisdom Deck, a gorgeous inspiration deck designed for mothers. When she’s not perusing labels or creating smoothie recipes in her Vitamix, Elizabeth can be found scheming up strategies to her kids to eat their vegetables.