system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Despite being Hoax, why Homeopathy is very popular in several European countries?

e.g. Germany.
gpt
The thing is, homeopathy has two different definitions.

What Homeopathy originally meant, and really should mean, is the practise of diluting certain chemicals which paradoxically makes them stronger somehow (yeah, it is all bullshit) and will cure you. This, obviously, is a crock of shit.

However, to many people Homeopathy doesn't mean that anymore. They use Homeopathy to mean natural / complementary medicine. That also includes stuff like taking ginger for an upset stomach, or yogurt to restore stomach balance. Now, this is not a crock of shit. Some of the effects are overstated and because it is not well regulated, not all of those will do what they promise, but there is some actual science underpinning it too. Many of those herbs *do* have those effects and can be used very well to achieve desired effects, especially as a first line solution.

So the question becomes, when they say that homeopathy is popular in Germany, which are they referring to? Because while one is completely a hoax, the other does produce workable results (even if those results aren't always as strong as with traditional medicine). And of course the placebo effect would still be present for both.