An Oakford homeopathic and naturopath provider said natural treatments could provide health benefits as long as people kept in mind the importance of established healthcare methods.
Andrea Richardson has operated her business Holistic Remedies & Solutions for a decade and said in that time she had seen many people benefit from the alternative treatment therapy.
She said her treatments, which predominantly use natural herbal remedies and Chinese medicines and philosophy, could provide an important support to traditional medical treatments.
“It’s a support mechanism,” she said.
“I don’t see it as an alternative to doctors and conventional therapy because it’s a support that will help you build your immune system.
“Most of the people who come to look at alternatives have tried everything doctors offer and they’re at a loss.”
Homeopathy is a form of health support which focuses on prescribing small quantities of natural remedies instead of larger doses in tablets, which Ms Richardson said were often excreted as waste when large quantities were unnecessary.
Western Australia’s universities do not offer homeopathic courses but Ms Richardson said she had learnt what she knew from a collection of books and from several Western Australian teachers of the Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxation and health known as Reiki.
She visits homes in Armadale and the surrounding suburbs to treat people and their animals and said a lot of health support can come from looking at what you are eating.
She recalled in one incident she visited a Golden Retriever dog, which had been receiving regular shots for excessive itching and hair loss related to skin irritation.
“I said let’s take her off her biscuits which have a lot of wheat in them and put some kelp, wholemeal, apple cider, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium into the food,” she said.
She said along with a lotion for the dog’s skin it recovered from the issue, but warned relying wholly on homeopathy for health improvement was the wrong approach to take.
“I don’t believe in alternatives verses traditional medicines,” she said.
“Alternative medicines and treatments should always be used in consultation with a vet or doctor.
“Most of the people we see are at the end of their rope asking what they can do.
“At the end of the day it’s a support mechanism and I don’t see it as an alternative to doctors and conventional therapy.”
A 2008 report said Australians spent $11 million that year on homeopathic remedies but scientists have routinely condemned the practice because of a lack of evidence that it works.
A 2015 report by the National Health and Medical Research Council said no studies into homeopathy had been conducted with high enough quality or enough participants to suggest the practice was more effective than a placebo.
“It was not possible to make any conclusion about whether homeopathy was effective or not, because there was not enough evidence,” it said.
