Is homeopathy real medicine?
My coworker swears by homeopathic remedies and says they cured her allergies. But when I looked it up, it says homeopathic medicines are so diluted there's basically nothing in them. How can water remember a substance? Is there any scientific evidence that homeopathy works? Why do pharmacies sell it if it's not real medicine?
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4 Answers
My advice: don't self-diagnose using the internet. You'll convince yourself you have some rare terrible disease when it's probably nothing. I did this once and worked myself into a panic over what turned out to be a pulled muscle.
The boring stuff actually works: get enough sleep, drink water, move your body every day, eat more vegetables, don't smoke. There's no magic pill. The companies selling magic pills are the ones making money off people wanting an easy answer.
Talk to a pharmacist — they're an underrated resource and they're free to talk to. They know a ton about medications and interactions and can tell you whether something is worth a doctor visit or whether an over-the-counter remedy will do.
The evidence on this is actually mixed. Some studies show one thing, others show the opposite. When the science is unclear, I default to common sense: eat a varied diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and don't stress too much about individual health fads.
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