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1. Are homeopathic remedies dangerous? Could they harm me?

   It's extremely unlikely. Homeopathic medicines are highly diluted—there's virtually no discernable trace of the active ingredient.

2. Isn't homeopathy the same as herbal medicine?

   No. Homeopathic medicines are made from very small quantities of a substance—herbal, mineral or animal based. The final product is highly diluted. Herbal medicine doesn't involve diluting the medicinal herb.

3. The homeopathic remedy seems to be working. Can I go off my blood-pressure medication?

   Not without asking your health care professional (the one who prescribed the blood-pressure medication). You could put yourself in danger if you stop taking the medication, especially for such serious conditions as high blood pressure.

4. Why do I have to answer so many personal questions?

   The object is to find out all about you—not just your symptoms. Homeopaths, like many alternative health care practitioners, believe that health and disease are related to issues far beyond just germs and infection. Mental, physical, spiritual and environmental factors all play a role. They take these factors into consideration before coming up with a remedy specifically selected for you.

5. What is the difference between naturopathy and homeopathy?

   Homeopathy is one tool among many that naturopathic physicians use. Some homeopaths are naturopathic physicians and vice versa. The practices are complementary.

6. So how do these remedies really work?

   No one seems to know for sure. Studies are under way to see how well they work but not to determine the mechanisms behind them. The theory is that homeopathic remedies help boost your own natural defenses, allowing your body to heal itself. Other than that, it remains a mystery.