Homeopathy is an alternative approach to medical care based on the philosophy that any substance capable of producing symptoms that are associated with a specific illness or medical complaint in a healthy person is also capable of treating a sufferer of that same condition. In other words, a substance that would irritate a normal, healthy digestive system might be used to good effect in treating a dysfunctional digestive system.

Like many alternative medical approaches, homeopathy is largely dismissed by the conventional medical community on account of the lack of scientific evidence supporting the benefits of this approach. This, however, does not deter large numbers of advocates of the philosophy from seeking relief from conditions such as depression and anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, migraine, eczema and common colds.

Typically, homeopathic medicines are administered in liquid form with the active ingredient having been diluted many times to remove its toxic property while still retaining its therapeutic property. The ingredient is diluted with alcohol, sugar solution or plain water. Remedies can be made up of substances derived from synthetic, plant, animal or mineral sources.

Homeopathy can be considered a holistic medical approach since practitioners take into account all aspects of the patient's physical and mental state. Only when a homeopathist has considered all aspects of the patient, including the patient's body type, personal likes and dislikes and innate predispositions, is a remedy be prescribed.

While the efficacy of homeopathic remedies has yet to be proven by modern scientific methods, it's generally accepted that most homeopathic prescriptions are safe for human consumption. The levels of ingredients, that would otherwise in their purest forms be considered toxic, are so minute as to be undetectable and hence pose no danger to the patient.