According to Ivy College, the definition of “holistic” is, “Rather than focusing on illness or specific parts of the body, this ancient approach to health considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with his or her environment.” The word holistic has no application in food or medication but instead applies to lifestyle.
According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) “Homeopathy is an alternative medical practice that was developed in the late 1700s. Homeopathy is generally based on two main principles:
- that a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person can be used in diluted form to treat symptoms and illnesses, a principle known as ‘like-cures-like’; and
- the more diluted the substance, the more potent it is, which is known as the ‘law of infinitesimals.’
Historically, homeopathic products have been identified through “provings,” in which substances are administered to healthy volunteers in concentrations that cause symptoms. Symptoms experienced by volunteers are recorded to indicate possible therapeutic uses for the substances. In other words, if a substance causes a particular symptom, individuals experiencing that symptom would be treated with a diluted solution made from that substance.”
When researching either of these terms keep in mind that there is no scientific backing for either term. In fact the FDA does not recognize homeopathy, and anything sold in the U.S. with “Homeopathy” or “Homeopathic” on the label is being sold without testing or approval from the FDA. The same can be said for products marketed as “holistic”.
You are welcome to read the FDA website on Homeopathy here: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm589282.htm
Author: Cheryl Miller, RVT, CVBL, FFCP (Veterinary), VCC
If you’d like to schedule an appointment or discuss holistic or homeopathic options for your pet, please call or text us at (843) 966-3362. You can also schedule an appointment online. You can also schedule a virtual appointment directly with Cheryl here.