From one perspective the heart and blood can be seen as corresponding to love. As blood gives life, so love gives life meaning and direction. The heart symbolizes all aspects of love, from the romantic to the divine. When the heart energy is not in harmony we may experience:

• sadness/ lack of laughter and joy
• forgetfulness
• insomnia
• depression
• hysteria
• irrational behaviour
• excessive dreaming
• insanity

As a homeopath I see many clients who have HBP, either as the primary symptom or secondary to other things that they have come to see me for.

From a homeopathic perspective the risk factors like obesity and smoking and alcohol abuse must be addressed. Moderate aerobic exercise is helpful. People with primary hypertension do not have to restrict their physical activity as long as their blood pressure is controlled. Regular exercise helps reduce blood pressure and weight and improves the functioning of the heart and overall health.

Looking at mental emotional causations is important especially when treating primary hypertension. Ailments from grief or shock seem to be the main aetiologies. On going stress and low grade anxiety can increase blood pressure.

So does Homeopathy provide an alternative?

One year later, after following homeopathic and Naturopathic treatment regime David is off all his medication, and all the symptoms he came with are gone. He has instituted life style changes - exercise, diet, supported by homeopathic remedies and is in control of his health.

The College of Practical Homeopathy’s ”Homeopathic Directory” to find a Cph Qualified Homeopaths, Practitioners, and Clinics in your area.

Benefit from affordable homeopathic treatment for both you and your family at the College of Practical Homeopathy’s Teaching Clinic.

Tags: alcohol abuse, depression, diet, excessive dreaming, exercise, forgetfulness, GP, HBP, health, high blood pressure, homeopathic remedies, homeopathy, hypertension, hysteria, insanity, insomnia, irrational behaviour, obesity, smokingalcohol abuse depression diet excessive dreaming exercise forgetfulness GP HBP health high blood pressure homeopathic remedies homeopathy hypertension hysteria insanity insomnia irrational behaviour obesity smoking

The proper functioning of the cardiovascular system is dependent on healthy heart energy. Using a time line helps the homeopath establish the root cause and they tend to place the emphasis on:

• physical trauma (especially car accidents)
• emotional factors.
• environmental and climatic factors
• susceptibility from a miasmatic perspective
• toxicity

From a Chinese energetic perspective the heart regulates the flow of blood and stores the Shen/Spirit. If the Heart Blood is insufficient, the face will be pale and lack lustre. If it is stagnant, the face will be purplish. The heart is seen as having a direct relationship with:

• the tongue
• lymphatic system
• arteries
• thymus gland
• circulation, blood
• face colour
• weak ankles
• mind
• haemorrhoids
• nervous system
• sense of taste sweet
• growth & development pains

The heart rules the blood and blood vessels and it regulates the flow of blood. When it is functioning properly the blood flows smoothly and so Shen/Spirit is nourished and the individual responds appropriately to the environment.

The College of Practical Homeopathy’s ”Homeopathic Directory” to find a Cph Qualified Homeopaths, Practitioners, and Clinics in your area.

Benefit from affordable homeopathic treatment for both you and your family at the College of Practical Homeopathy’s Teaching Clinic.

Tags: arteries, cardiovascular system, chinese medicine, GP, haemorrhoids, HBP, high blood pressure, homeopathy, hypertension, lympatic system, miasmatic perspective, physical trauma, shen, thymus gland, toxicityarteries cardiovascular system chinese medicine GP haemorrhoids HBP high blood pressure homeopathy hypertension lympatic system miasmatic perspective physical trauma shen thymus gland toxicity

Are there underlying causes of HBP?

High blood pressure with no known cause is called primary or essential hypertension. Between 85% and 90% of people with high blood pressure have primary hypertension. If this many people have primary hypertension why not find out what is going on in their lives? From an allopathic perspective primary hypertension is incurable, but they try to control with drugs that suppress the symptoms to prevent ‘complications’.

High blood pressure with a known cause is called secondary hypertension. Between 10% and 15% of people with high blood pressure have secondary hypertension.

Stress stimulates the adrenal glands to release the hormones adrenalin and noradrenalin. These hormones stimulate the heart to beat faster and more forcefully, most arterioles to constrict, and some arterioles to dilate. The arterioles that dilate are those in areas where an increased blood supply is needed (such as in skeletal muscle—the muscles controlled by conscious effort).

Stress also stimulates the kidneys to decrease their excretion of salt and water, thereby increasing blood volume.

The kidneys also respond directly to changes in blood pressure. If blood pressure increases, the kidneys increase their excretion of salt and water, so that blood volume decreases and blood pressure returns to normal.

Conversely, if blood pressure decreases, the kidneys decrease their excretion of salt and water, so that blood volume increases and blood pressure returns to normal.

Many kidney disorders can cause high blood pressure, because the kidneys are important in controlling blood pressure. For example, damage to the kidneys may impair their ability to remove enough salt and water from the body, increasing blood volume and blood pressure. In 5 to 10% of people with high blood pressure, the cause is a kidney disorder. Such disorders include renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery supplying one of the kidneys), kidney inflammation, and injury.

The problem with the medical drug based approach is that the drugs create further stress on the body and in particular the kidneys and adrenal thus starting the negative downward spiral into reliance on more drugs.

For an alternative homeopathic perspective on treating high blood pressure visit:

The College of Practical Homeopathy’s ”Homeopathic Directory” to find a Cph Qualified Homeopaths, Practitioners, and Clinics in your area.

Benefit from affordable homeopathic treatment for both you and your family at the College of Practical Homeopathy’s Teaching Clinic.

Tags: allopathic, HBP, high blood pressure, homeopathy, hypertension, kidneys, renal artery tenosisallopathic HBP high blood pressure homeopathy hypertension kidneys renal artery tenosis

By now if you have followed the previous blogs you should be clear what your primary motivation for taking the big step in changing your life and have thought through some of the secondary factors that help you make decisions – be warned recent scientific evidence shows that most of us make major life decisions on emotions (think secondary factors) rather than logical (primary) – a bit like buying a new pair of shoes because you like the colour (feelgood factor) but they are not in your size!

So if you have clarified your needs the next step is to check out the course providers – the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths (www.a-r-h.org ) ‘Which Course Guide’ will give you a base to start from, as will the Society of Homeopaths ‘Register of Course Providers’. (www.homeopathy-soh.org) . Then, if you can do the leg work by internet – visit the websites of individual course providers – ask for a prospectus etc and shortlist those you consider might meet your needs.

Now visit your short listed college/s when it’s in action, to observe how things work and talk to the students – particularly those in their Graduation Year. If you find yourself motivated, enthusiastic and challenged then it’s probably the course for you!

NB: If after joining a course you feel you have got it wrong do not be afraid to change. It is better than wasting three or four years on the wrong course and never ending up practicing!

Visit the CPH website for further information on Homeopathy, including clinics, advice, education and training http://www.college-of-practical-homeopathy.com

Tags: academic course, alliance of registered homeopaths, course providers, health, homeopathic college, homeopaths, homeopathy, homeopathy college, practical homeopathy, society of homeopathsacademic course alliance of registered homeopaths course providers health homeopathic college homeopaths homeopathy homeopathy college practical homeopathy society of homeopaths

Having clarified your primary reasons for training or studying homeopathy you should bring in the secondary factors to help you make the final choice.

These are:

a) location – students often opt to go to a local college because traveling is easier but if the course is not right for you then it can be an expensive mistake in the longer term.

b) venue – similarly many students make the mistake of choosing a course because they like the venue. It is the course itself that should be the key factor!

c) reputation and recommendation – these can often be historical and therefore out of date – courses change over time so it is worth spending time with current final year (and if possible) graduates to see what they think of the course.

f) registration/accreditation – At present there is only one externally assessed registration system and only about a third of colleges are registered. See FAQ’s on Accreditation and registration www.collegeofpracticalhomeopathy.com for further details.

g) cost – this varies from college to college – be clear that you are comparing like with like – e.g. full time may be two or three year. In addition check what extras you have to pay for as some colleges provide clinical practice as part of a course, others require you to take (and pay) for Anatomy and Physiology Modules as an extra. You should look at the overall cost, including all extras and not just the annual cost, and then divide by number of years to get a true comparison.

e) other supporting factors – you may like to consider:

• whether the college has offices, clinics and teaching rooms in one building or is spread around as this can affect the feel of belonging to a college. Does it provide a base for a ‘community’ of student homeopaths?

• openness to new communications technology – both with providing and accessing resource materials and to taking cases by phone and by email

• Graduate and alumni programmes after graduation

Tags: academic course, alternative, clinic training, college cost, complementary medicine, health, homeopathic college, homeopaths, homeopathy, integrated teaching, location, practical homeopathy, practitioner developmentacademic course alternative clinic training college cost complementary medicine health homeopathic college homeopaths homeopathy integrated teaching location practical homeopathy practitioner development

If your primary motivation for studying homeopathy is that you just want to get a degree and homeopathy looks interesting then maybe a degree based academic course would be suitable for you. If you:

• are under 21, a University degree is probably a better bet as you can get a student loan, it will give you time to mature and explore a range of alternative and complementary medicines (but do not expect that there will be a job waiting for you on graduation – something to bear in mind when you have a loan to repay)

or

• have any severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities you should definitely consider a degree course as they have much better support systems in place than the small private providers who will not be able to match the extra support systems the Universities have access to. (Not being a confident learner is not a severe learning disability and a good course will help learn in a way that suits you best).

At this stage it is probably better to choose a course that covers a range of complementary approaches rather than specializes too early on just one area.

Also be warned some colleges are telling prospective students that a degree will be compulsory in a few years time but this is manifestly not true. (If a college tells you this – be aware – their other promises are as likely to be of the same value!).There is no intention to make a degree a requirement for entry onto a Professional Register. Indeed the sector is more concerned with whether degree based courses are capable of producing successful working homeopaths. A Degree will not lead to employment as a homeopath as there are almost no job opportunities as such for graduates in homeopathy. This is because the profession is 98% self employment – there are a few jobs in the NHS and these are normally reserved for medically qualified Doctor and Nurses with homeopathic training. Academic courses tend to focus on what is necessary to pass exams and this detracts from really understanding the underlying principles of homeopathy and how to apply them. Often leads to a very fearful student who is too frightened to practice.

At CPH our experience of current degree level courses is that they do not give the skills necessary to set up and maintain a practice. (Increasingly we are finding students who want to practice give up those courses and apply to join our courses but are at least a year behind our students).

Visit the CPH website for further information on Homeopathy, including clinics, advice, education and training http://www.college-of-practical-homeopathy.com

Tags: academic courses, alternative, complementary medicine, doctor, education, graduates, health, homeopathy, nurses, practical homeopathy, practice, professional register, training, university degreeacademic courses alternative complementary medicine doctor education graduates health homeopathy nurses practical homeopathy practice professional register training university degree

Choosing the right Homeopathic Course - Having decided you feel you have an interest in studying homeopathy, the next question is which course should you choose? The following information will serve as a good starting point and lead you to making the right choice the first time.

With so many different courses available – part time, full time, correspondence courses, academic or vocational, university courses, and courses run by private colleges - it’s hard to know which one will be right for you. Please be clear that each course is unique in its leadership, approach, philosophy, teaching standards and resources. No one course is the same as another!

What’s right for you?

Just as in homeopathy we give an individual prescription to match each patient’s needs, so in pursuing your homeopathic education you should find a course that meets your needs. If you’re considering studying homeopathy, it’s important to bear in mind that the provision of homeopathic training in the UK covers a broad spectrum. The main qualification courses offer is either a licentiate diploma or a degree in homeopathy.

Students from overseas who are intending to study in the UK should first check what qualifications for practice are required in their own countries, if they are considering returning home to practice after their training. (Check out the www.Boiron.com website to help with this).

Why so many people get it wrong.

Our experience is that students make choices that are based on secondary factors rather than primary factors that lead them to get it wrong. The problem is people think all colleges are basically the same and therefore base their decisions on secondary factors such as location, venue, reputation, cost, individual tutors, friends etc.

Remember that choosing the wrong college and having to change can be expensive – training to be a homeopath can cost in excess of £10,000 and wasting a year on the wrong course will not only demotivate you but be expensive as well.

For more information:

Click below to obtain or download our free guide on choosing the right course.

Tags: academic, correspondence, courses, degree, diploma, homeopathic course, homeopathy, homeopathy college, licentiate, practical homeopathy, teaching, university, vocationalacademic correspondence courses degree diploma homeopathic course homeopathy homeopathy college licentiate practical homeopathy teaching university vocational

Be aware that there are about 25 courses in homeopathy but that they are all completely different and have very different standards. You should be careful to compare like with like e.g. degree course with other degree courses. If you find you are torn between a Vocational course and an academic course then you are probably using the wrong criteria for choosing a course.

It is important to get it right as starting a course that does not suit you is both disheartening and very expensive.

One key difference is the size of courses with some course providers running fairly compact course for a small number of participants. These tend to have very small classes and are run by one or two key tutors. Medium size colleges tend to have better resources and class sizes of between 15 -25. A few have large class sizes (up to seventy) and are mainly lecture based. It is important to choose one that meets your requirements and aspirations. Also be aware that some colleges tend to have a very big dropout rate – from 70 entering the first year to 20 graduating is a warning sign to look for.

Be aware that almost all homeopaths are self-employed. There are very few who work within the NHS. You do not (and will not) need a degree to practice – it is more important to be competent and confident.

Getting on - It is possible to set up a practice almost anywhere. Success will depend on you, your confidence, competence and ability to attract patients so if you want to be a practitioner it is important to choose a course that will support you in developing these. Advancement is mainly through building up a practice. With experience, homeopaths may move into running seminars and tutorials, teaching at colleges or supervising students and other practitioners and writing articles, books and health journalism.

They may get involved in homeopathic research, or advise manufacturers on the production of homeopathic remedies.

Many homeopaths combine homeopathy with other alternative and complementary approaches to health.

For more information:

Click below to obtain or download our free guide on choosing the right course.

Tags: alternative, classes, colleges, complementary, courses, degree, graduating, health journalism, homeopathy, medicine, NHS, practitioners, research, retraining, self employed, teaching, tutorials, tutorsalternative classes colleges complementary courses degree graduating health journalism homeopathy medicine NHS practitioners research retraining self employed teaching tutorials tutors

The NHS is in serious trouble - Sir Gerry Robinson’s televised attempt to sort out Rotherham General Hospital highlighted the endemic problems with the National Sickness Service - where the incentive is too keep pouring the taxpayers money into a system that creates more sickness that it solves - ideal for the drug companies whose enormous profits rely on being able to hold governments to ransom and for highly paid overpowered consultants who have always been the bane of the NHS from Day 1 - add the third factor of well meaning, poorly paid and overworked basic nursing and support staff is it any wonder that health is the last thing to come out of the NHS!

Is there an alternative ? - yes there is and that is why increasingly thinking people are turning to alternative and complementary approaches such as homeopathy and naturopathy to heal themselves and to promote healthier life styles. If you are a disillusioned soon to be redundant health professional but have managed to keep a passion for helping people see the following to see if there is a more satisfying alternative lifestyle for you.

If you:

• have an interest in health issues (your own and others)
• are concerned about current medical approaches to health
• already qualified as a nurse, Doctor, pharmacist, or alternative practitioner and interested in seeking further training in the complementary health sector
• thinking of changing career
• redundant - looking for retraining
• are fed up with your job
• are returning to work after bringing up children/illness etc
• think you have what it takes be self employed

Then training to become a homeopath or Naturopath could be a good option for you.

Find out what some our recent graduates have to say about what training to become a homeopath has done for them.

Tags: alternative medicine, career, college, courses, doctor, education, health, homeopathic college, homeopaths, homeopathy, medicine, naturopathy, NHS, nurse, pharmacist, redundant, trainingalternative medicine career college courses doctor education health homeopathic college homeopaths homeopathy medicine naturopathy NHS nurse pharmacist redundant training

What do homeopaths do?

Homeopathy is both a complementary and alternative medicine. Around 3,500 homeopaths practise in the UK. The profile of homeopathy is rising and so opportunities are growing. As more and more people are becoming disillusioned with modern medicine approaches there is a constantly growing demand for safer alternatives to the drug and surgery based approaches. NHS clinics can now offer homeopathy alongside traditional treatments. There are also NHS Homeopathic Hospitals in London and Edinburgh.

However most homeopaths run their own practices

Homeopaths treat people with a wide range of medical conditions. They take a ‘holistic’ approach – looking at the individual’s life as a whole, rather than just their physical symptoms. Clients come for help with a wide variety of complaints – from relatively minor conditions, e.g. headache, toothache or insomnia, to potentially more serious illnesses, e.g. asthma or arthritis. The job entails:

• meeting patients and asking questions about their condition and their wider lives
• choosing the most appropriate method of applying homeopathy.
• choosing a remedy most likely to work for each patient – either a one-off remedy or a course of treatment
• explaining how to take and store the remedy supplied
• advising on diet and other lifestyle factors
• monitoring the patient’s progress, through phone calls, email or further consultation
• keeping patient records
• advertising and publicising the practice, perhaps through talks or seminars
• managing the business accounts
• keeping up to date with developments in homeopathy and other health issues.

Homeopathy is a demanding occupation. The holistic nature of treatment means clients may confide personal and emotional problems. Building up a practice, usually through word of mouth, can be an interesting and challenging process. Some practitioners complement their work by offering other therapies, such as massage, aromatherapy, acupuncture, kinesiology or nutrition.

Hours and working environment

Almost all homeopaths are self employed and run their own practice. This may be from their homes, or within a clinic as part of a wider alternative therapy practice. They may also visit patients at home. Increasingly there are opportunities available in GP surgeries or hospitals as the Government has increased the funding for complementary therapies.

Although Homeopaths may need to offer appointments in the evenings and weekends for their clients’ convenience it is increasingly accepted to deal with clients over the phone and by email and this really enhances the flexibility for homeopaths to create their own lifestyle. Each homeopath will decide what the most appropriate hours to run their business are and this varies according to personal circumstances.

It is a very flexible career option. It can be started later in life and one you can continue until you choose to stop. You can work part time only or build up a busy practice and develop in to a full time occupation with earnings increasing with the growth of the practice.

Click here to obtain and download our free guide

<< Guide 1 - Choosing a career as a Homeopath? >>.

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