The idea of ‘infection’ arises from a belief in a hostile environment, that a bacteria or virus will inevitably make us ill. But, as a homeopath, I believe that infection is only a small piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Diseases are passed around, as is obvious to any schoolteacher when winter approaches, but disease needs a fertile soil in which to grow. We ourselves provide the environment for disease to develop, and this concept is known as susceptibility. A weak susceptibility or ‘soil’ is naturally more vulnerable to external threats, and so it needs to be built up through adequate nutrition, detoxification and by using a natural therapy such as homeopathy for us to stay well and resist disease.

Part of my homeopathic understanding is that we all need to take responsibility for our own health. This does not imply passing judgement or blame. Conventional medicine tends to extend sympathy when someone is ill because of the idea that people are victims of disease. On the other hand, the true healer will have compassion, not sympathy, for a patient’s weaknesses. She does not encourage their bad habits, or reinforce helplessness, but gives them back their own sense of power and responsibility.

The concept of infection places the blame for disease firmly on an outside source, implying innocence on behalf of the infected. The psychological extension of this idea is to believe in a hostile environment, a place where germs are out to get us. This leads to a belief that we need to insulate ourselves from other human beings because they too are the enemy. My view is that instead, we can start to take responsibility for our health – if we start to look after ourselves, we can start believing in our own ability to resist infection, to heal, and to overcome. Hiding away removes us from contact with nature, fresh air and much needed social interaction. Wearing masks encourages bacterial overgrowth and diminished oxygen intake, therefore increasing our susceptibility to infection in the long run. Gloves disconnect us from the much-needed contact with viruses and bacteria that foster the development of a healthy microbiome and healthy immune system. On top of this, if we ignore our diet and lifestyle and use suppressive drug treatments, it will lower our vitality and weaken our immune system, ultimately leading to an increased susceptibility to infection and chronic illness.

The physical body has an intelligence of its own. The body always knows what to do, and with enough vitality (a strong immune system) it can and will heal itself. I believe that homeopathy enables the body to do this. In the simplest of terms, giving a homeopathic remedy is like turning the keys to the ignition of the body’s innate intelligence system; it invites the body and all of its vehicles to remember how to heal – the body then does the rest. Ultimately, homeopathy empowers and allows healing in the truest sense.