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Homeopathy

By , About.com Guide

Updated: March 12, 2008

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Definition: Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine. It is based on the theory that if large doses of a substance cause symptoms of illness in a healthy person, very small doses of that same substance can treat the symptoms by stimulating the body's self-healing abilities.

The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words "homoios" (similar) and "pathos" (suffering).

Homeopathic remedies, which are typically small vials of tiny white pellets, are usually made from plant, animal or mineral extracts. The original extract is diluted many times using a method called potentization until there are few molecules of the original substance in the remedy. In homeopathy, the more a substance has been diluted, the more potent it's thought to be. </p>

Pronunciation: ho-mee-AH-puh-thee
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