 Autoimmune diseases are a class of diseases where a person's own immune system starts working against him. In most cases, the disorder is based on a miss-classification by the immune system of healthy cells as something foreign, resulting in the body's defense mechanisms attacking those healthy cells. Some examples of auto-immune conditions are Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Celiac Disease, Sarcoidosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Sarcoidosis, Type 1 Diabetes, Psoriasis and Alopecia Areata. Western medication typically tackles the symptoms of these diseases by prescribing a class of drugs which are called immunosuppressants (named so for their suppressive action on the immune response which is attacking the healthy cells). This often results in lowered vitality, poor energy, a compromised lifestyle, and a host of side effects that come from taking substances that are designed to fight against one's own immune system.
Homeopathy on the other hand works in harmony with the body's own defense mechanisms, and hence is a very effective system of healing for such conditions. It works by correcting the subtle energetic imbalance which has resulted in the immune system having a deranged view towards healthy tissues/cells. Once the deep seated energetic imbalance has been corrected by the indicated homeopathic remedy, the immune response reaches a state of homeostasis, and a healthy state follows. This topic happens to be very close to my heart because of my own journey out of auto-immune disease in 2006 through the use of homeopathy. That miraculous recovery is what inspired me to pursue this beautiful system of healing as a passion. When I was diagnosed after months of fevers, coughs, weight-loss, and serious eye inflammations, I was given a lifelong dependence on corticosteroids as the only viable option by western medicine. Thankfully, I had access to an excellent homeopath at that time, who was able to achieve a complete resolution of my disease in a few months without any dependence on western medication. Today, 11 years on, I have not had a single relapse of that auto-immune condition. Subsequently, I have helped numerous patients with auto-immune conditions through homeopathy, and the results from the precise use of the indicated homeopathic remedy have always been quite profound in my own experience. Getting into the technicalities a bit, the remedies indicated for auto-immune conditions usually belong to the deep acting family with strong anti-miasmatic properties. In particular, sycotic, syphilitic and tubercular remedies shine in such conditions. In the cases I have successfully handled, an auto-immune condition has always co-incided with the presence of something more than just a psoric miasm in my experience. The exact remedy choice will as always depend on the active miasm (the root cause of the chronic derangement of the immune system), as well as the totality of symptoms being portrayed by the patient. It needs a high degree of skill on the part of the homeooath to treat such cases, as often, there can be a series of remedies needed to reach complete cure. To conclude, I cannot recommend homeopathy highly enough for auto-immune conditions, as it can provide not only symptomatic relief in a gentle, natural and non-toxic manner, but also a permanent resolution of the condition without a life-long dependence on strong medications.
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 In today's stressful times, infertility (an inability to conceive successfully) is becoming more and more prevalent. On top of it, because of the stigma associated with it, despite of the paramount importance in parents trying to conceive, it usually is a taboo topic where people find it difficult to seek help. The cause is often extremely difficult to determine and western medication tends to throw the kitchen sink at this problem through hormonal treatments, fertility drugs and a lot of assisted reproduction techniques designed to fertilize the egg in some way. The results are often mixed bag from these methods and the side effects of these treatments are sometimes very severe for the parents and the potential fetus.
How does homeopathy view this topic? To be fertile and having a healthy ability to reproduce is an important function of every living organism. The problem can be on father's side or the mother's side but an inability to reproduce according to homeopathy is indicative of a subtle energetic disturbance in the person's vital energy which results in the reproductive functions getting disturbed thereby resulting in improper results in the efforts to conceive. Often, I see patients in my practice where the patient comes and sees me for some other chronic complaint, and it gets revealed that the patient along with his/her partner has also been unsuccessfully trying to conceive for an year or two. I have seen very often that under the right homeopathic remedy, not only does the chief complaint resolve, but a successful conception/pregnancy is also achieved. Again, due to the taboo nature of infertility in our society, most of these cases are where I accidentally come up against the infertility problem while I am seeing patients for other complaints. Many of these cases also have some other deep seated problem on the mental or physical planes, thereby confirming the homeopathic view of infertility being a systemic problem requiring a holistic view rather than through a tunnel vision of reproductive health alone. Let us hope that more and more people are able to seek help for this tough problem, and as a society we rise above our social prejudices, removing the stigma associated with this problem, and are able to view it just like any other chronic systemic complaint. Homeopathic remedies can be a very powerful tool for parents who are not able to conceive successfully as these remedies correct the subtle energetic disturbances which are at the root cause of the problem, and at the same time also correcting any mental stress/anxiety around this problem, leading to healthier relationships between couples, paving the way for healthy functioning of hormonal and reproductive systems. There are a lot of remedies which can be indicated for this condition, and the choice depends on a lot of factors. It need a careful analysis by a competent homeopath. The best illustration of this in an 1881 case by HC Allen (the case below taken from reference [1]) A case of infertility cured by homeopathy in 1881 in the words of HC Allen. My annotations are in green below. ============================================================================================================ G. R., aged forty-five, light brunette, married ten years, general appearance healthy. For six years has had no discharge of semen during coitus (Coitus means sexual intercourse). Occasionally nocturnal emissions. Erections usually weak, give out during coitus. Burning in perineum, worse after going to bed, and when thinking of it. Drawing pains in testicles, with sensation of weakness of genitals. Occasionally itching, dry eruptions in crotch and inner upper surface of thighs and anus. With the sensation of weakness of genitals his eyes feel weak. Very sensitive to cold and changes of atmosphere. Takes cold easily, usually affecting nose and throat first with dryness, then with watery catarrh and sneezing, or he has aching pains in different parts of the body and limbs, changing location frequently. Twenty years ago had African fever. Never had gonorrhea, syphilis, or other eruptions than those mentioned above. All other functions normal. While on a visit to Philadelphia he applied to Dr. Lippe, (Read more about Adolph Lippe) at my advice Dr. Lippe wrote me the following letter : "I find that your patient had diphtheria about ten years ago, and was treated with inappropriate mercurials and gargles by Dr. -. The character of the attack was that it went from one side to the other and finally back again to the original side. Great weakness, almost paralytic, followed the attack, and he thinks he has never regained his full vigor and usual strength since this illness. His acute cold has always the character of shifting pains and change of location. I have given him a dose of Lac can. Cm.., (This means a remedy named Lac Caninum in 100M potency; Lac Caninum is potentized milk of dog) which may be required to be followed by a dose of Pulsatilla." Suffice it to say that my patient never needed the suggested dose of Pulsatilla. (The patient got better on the single dose of Lac Caninum, and never needed the second medicine) In three months after his visit to Philadelphia his wife was pregnant. She has since borne two remarkably healthy children. As far as we know Lac can. has no sexual weakness. That fact disturbed Dr. Lippe very little in his selection. He looked deeper and found the cause and the remedy. This is true homeopathic pathology. All the knowledge in the world of the special pathology of this case could not have revealed the remedy to any one. To the homeopathic artist, however, it was revealed, and a man regained his manhood and became the father of two children, after ten years of impotence. [1] http://www.homeoint.org/seror/nosodes/laccaninum.htm  Wikipedia[1] says that Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly studied and diagnosed mental disorder in children and adolescents. According to western medication, the cause of this disorder is unknown despite of the high amount of research studies on it. Typically, the symptoms appear in young children (<12 years of age) and are characterized by an inability to pay attention in certain situations hampering proper functioning/performance, excessive activity or restlessness, and also a difficulty in controlling one's behavior according to expected social norms. Stimulant medications (e.g., Ritalin) which are the choice of western medication for this condition come with a long list of proven and sometimes unknown side effects.
According to homeopathy though, the cause of ADHD is well understood, and it lies in the genetic taint or the 'miasm' in the organism which has been acquired over generations giving rise to the predisposition to develop this condition. Since homeopathy always attempts to remove that root cause which is at the heart of such disorders, it offers a great way to have a profoundly positive impact on the state of children and adults with ADHD in a gentle and natural way. Some of the commonly used remedies for ADHD include Tuberculinum, Tarentula, Phosphorus, Veratrum Album, Medorrhinum, Lachesis, Lycopodium, Sulphur, Carcinosin, Agaricus, Stramonium and Hyoscyamus. In some cases, other remedies may also be required. The exact choice among these depends on the totality of symptoms being portrayed by the patient. Of key importance as always are strange, rare and peculiar symptoms (symptoms which are not typical of every ADHD case, but are strange enough to characterize that particular case of ADHD to give us a clue about the remedy choice). Self-prescribing for this condition is however not recommended, as it requires careful case management, dosing plans and often a series of remedies prescribed by a competent homeopath to find a path to full recovery. In my homeopathy practice, I often see children with ADHD make giant leaps towards healthy functioning and achieving freedom from all the limitations that it can often bring. I cannot recommend homeopathy strongly enough for children with such a condition as the treatment can often have such long-term benefits, that it can alter the life trajectory of such children in a very positive direction, doing so in a completely non-toxic way. To conclude, I would like to say that homeopathy can be a great boon to parents who have children with ADHD, and can offer long term resolution of this deep-seated complaint in a gentle, permanent and often rapid manner. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder The age old question surrounding homeopathy is always "Why should I be using it? Are there any benefits over conventional medicine?" I have tried to dissect that through an infographic.  I gets calls from several people when they develop fevers. Since homeopathy is individualized, the question always on the mind of the patient is "Which remedy to take in the fever?". While the list is not exhaustive by any means, I have tried here to list the 6 most commonly used homeopathic remedies for fevers, and their key indications. You can use this infographic to self-treat minor fevers at home. As always, if it is something more complicated talk to your homeopath.  I have been asked by many people as to what are the key ingredients that make up a good homeopath. There are a lot of skills and other qualities that are needed, but if I were to focus on the 3 main skills that are essential for good homeopathic prescribing, this infographic explains it very nicely. You can chose this as a good guide when looking for a homeopath.   Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an inner state of turmoil and is usually an 'anticipatory' apprehension about a future threat. The threat can often be exaggerated in the eyes of the person experiencing it, leading to excessive nervousness, worry, and uneasiness. When a person experiences these emotions on a regular basis, then it can be classified as a disease or a disorder. Anxiety disorders can be severely limiting to the sense of freedom with which one can lead life. Western medication's solution to this difficult problem is usually to manage symptoms through drugs. Although these drugs offer little hope of a true recovery or cure, they often restore a semblance of normalcy to the affected person's life. However, these drugs often come with a long list of known side effects. Even though for many people western medication is the only option, it is also true that in a large proportion of the anxiety cases, homeopathy can be an extremely compelling alternative to pursue. It helps many cases of anxiety in a gentle way and can often lead to permanent reduction or resolution of anxiety symptoms. In my practice, I routinely see patients achieve freedom from this difficult condition in a very holistic way without lifelong dependence on medication. The process requires careful prescribing of deep acting homeopathic remedies (sometimes a series of remedies is needed) to remove the predispositions towards this condition. As always, the beauty of homeopathy is an ability to root out the very cause of the anxiety, and not just mask the symptoms. Some of the anxiety states that show great benefit under homeopathic treatment are:
 Few people know that homeopathy is one of the best ways to tackle allergies, and can in many cases achieve permanent resolution of the allergy. Allergies are caused by a hypersensitivity of the immune system to an "allergen" which would cause little symptoms in a normal person. The western medication way to tackle it is to suppress that exaggerated immune response and mask the symptoms resulting from it.
Homeopathy on the other hand goes to the very root of the problem and removes the hypersensitivity which results from an imbalance of the vital energy pervading the human organism. Once that imbalance has been corrected, the sensitivity to the allergen breaks apart. I see many types of allergies improve in my practice. Some of the most common ones being:
As always, the symptoms of the allergy and their modifiers (what makes them better or worse for you) are important in picking the right remedy. Whether it's an allergic rash, anaphylaxis or it's an incessant bout of sneezing, or many other ways in which the allergic response manifests for you, homeopathic remedies can tackle them all. So, next time you have a bout of allergies, or have a friend or a family member who suffers from them frequently, talk to a homeopath as he or she might be able to find a permanent resolution to your problems.  We always marvel at how in similar life situations, weather conditions and environments, certain people seem to be way more robust than others and do not tend to fall sick easily. Most often, we think that these people are blessed or born with better "immunity" and there is little we are able to do to improve ours. Of-course, there can be cases when this is due to what we corporeal factors like improper diet, sleep or exercise regimens and in those cases, those factors need to be addressed first. However, it still does not explain how some people tend to be under the weather very often despite of maintaining a healthy life-style. The answer to this conundrum lies in a kind of taint or imbalance in the subtle energy that governs the immune system along with every function and sensation of the organism. These imbalances can be passed on from one generation to the next and are the root cause of lower immunity according to homeopathy. Negative life circumstances, stress, and aggressive intervention with antibiotics or other strong medications (especially steroidal) for acute diseases tends to worsen the imbalance and brings the life energy more and more out-of-tune resulting in a increased predisposition towards acute and chronic disease.
So how can homeopathy help here? Fortunately, there is a class of remedies in homeopathy which have the depth to correct those imbalances in a permanent way. This process takes careful prescribing and often a series of what we call anti-miasmatic remedies to achieve full balance. A homeopath who is adept at resolving these deep imbalances and predispositions will be able to achieve better "immunity" to acute diseases along with resolution of the chief complaint. This is also the reason why good homeopathic treatment is almost always followed by years, at-times decades of robustness to infections. Always remember, the power to fight negative influences and achieve heightened immunity lies within every human being, it just needs the right homeopathic remedy to bring it to its full potential. Once the life-force is reigning supreme without any derangement or imbalances, it is the best protector of health ever built.  In modern times, our fast paced lifestyles, high stress levels, the ensuing lower tolerance levels, and constant stimulation/temptation through media & technology have made our inter-personal relationships undergo an unprecedented amount of friction. In my practice, I often see patients who are "never-well since" a negative relationship outcome (a divorce, break-up, infidelity etc). Homeopathy is a great system of healing to address the challenges of life and to get rid of the "psychological baggage" that often causes permanent damage to the health and vitality of the person undergoing such an event. Homeopathy tackles this problem in a dual way:
Western medication on the other hand is fairly limited in its impact in such cases (apart from temporary symptomatic relief by masking the physical symptoms), as it cannot address the root cause or etiology of the disease in such cases which is often a strong emotion that overpowered the life force during the negative life event. So, next time you see a person who has undergone a profound change in mental, emotional or physical health, and is experiencing what we would call as 'systemic' issues, after a negative relationship event, turn your eye to homeopathy. It has the depth and profoundness to heal the scars of an emotional trauma, ridding the life force of the emotional baggage, often guiding the person into a state of long-term health and vitality in a rapid, gentle and permanent way. |
AuthorSameer Vermani is a classical homeopath practicing in San Diego, California. He runs a weekend practice out of his home office. Archives
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