Answer to Question 1
Homeopathy is based on three fundamental principles: like cures like; treatment must always be individualized; and less is more, based on the premise that increasing dilution (and lowering the dosage) can increase efficacy. By administering doses of animal, vegetable, or mineral substances to a large number of healthy people to see if they all develop the same symptoms, homeopaths determine which substances may be given, in small quantities, to alleviate the symptoms. Some of these substances are the same as those used in conventional medicine: nitroglycerin for certain heart conditions, for example, although the dose is minuscule.
Answer to Question 2
Acupuncture is based on the premise that a cycle of energy circulating through the body controls health. Pain and disease are seen as the result of a disturbance in the energy flow, which can be corrected by inserting long, thin needles at specific points along longitudinal lines, or meridians, throughout the body. Each point controls a different corresponding part of the body. The meridian system consists of a network of interconnected points throughout the body that allow the passage of energy. If they are blocked or congested, they may not be able to supply adequate energy to particular organs. Acupuncture is a healing practice that attempts to unblock congested meridians to allow the free flow of energy.