Homoeopathy is a form of holistic medicine which uses specially formulated, highly diluted substances to heal the body. The substances are prepared using a process of repeated dilution and succussion (vigorous shaking). They are typically made from plants (such as red onion, arnica [mountain herb], poison ivy, belladonna [deadly nightshade], and stinging nettle), minerals (such as white arsenic), or animals (such as crushed whole bees). The substances are made available in forms such as sugar pellets, ointments, gels, drops, creams, and tablets. It is based on two unconventional principles. The first is that “Like Cures Like” – meaning that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people. The second principle is based around the concept of dilution – “Law of Minimum Dose”. This principle maintains that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. Many homeopathic products are so diluted that no molecules of the original substance remain. It is believed that the product continues to hold a 'trace memory' of the original substance which can activate healing in the body. The products claim to provide spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health benefits. Conventional medicine has dismissed homoeopathy, as there is no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for any health condition. This dismissal is due to two reasons: 1) that it’s not possible to scientifically explain how a product containing little or no active ingredient can have any effect, and 2) homeopathic treatments are highly individualized, and there is no uniform prescribing standard for homeopathic practitioners.