Healing with Homoeopathie

Conventional medicine has been treating cancers with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation since decades, yet, more and more patients are looking towards other systems for help in the fight against cancer, in addition to conventional treatments. Why is that? It is obvious that current methods of treating cancer are not being truly successful and after a brief respite, the cancer often tends to flare up again with rapid deterioration of the patient. The treatment methods also leave the patient debilitated and weak, with their systems no longer being able to cope with even minor demands. If life is prolonged, the quality of life is indeed questionable. This has led to the field of Integrative Oncology where complementary and alternative methods are used, in conjunction with standard conventional measures of cancer treatment.

Integrative Oncology methods take a more holistic approach. With this approach, one realises that the cancer cells themselves are not the villains. They are just the manifestation of something going wrong within the defence mechanisms of the body. It is now known that tumour development is preceded by a pre-tumour phase that may persist for years if not decades. There is a gradual failure of the immune system with the system becoming unable to distinguish between self and non-self. A healthy organism with a fully functional immune system identifies malfunctioning cells as alien and destroys them. Plenty of such cells arise from time to time in every individual. Failure of the monitoring system may result in de-differentiation of cells in certain organs which are then no longer under central control. These cells begin to program their own ‘circuit diagram’ and it is then possible that they may proliferate without any control. The code of those deviant cells no longer connects with the ‘human being’ program. This is the view now taken by modern molecular biologists and it confirms the statements made many years ago by Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy.

In the early part of the 20th century it was Rudolf Steiner, PhD., an Austrian natural scientist and philosopher, who established Anthroposophic Medicine as one of the many developments he gave the impetus for. The word anthroposophy is derived from the Greek words anthropos=man and sophia=wisdom. Anthroposophy represents a way of dealing with science and life issues, in general, in a holistic way. It incorporates all fields of modern science into a spiritual and comprehensible approach. Rudolf Steiner was not a physician. Therefore, he founded Anthroposophical Medicine and the Medical Section at the Goetheanum (in Dornach, Switzerland) in association with the Dutch physician Dr. Ita Wegman (1876 to 1943). As early as 1917, Rudolf Steiner suggested the injection of mistletoe extracts for the treatment of cancer. It was Dr. Ita Wegman who in the early 1920s introduced the mistletoe preparation Iscador into actual cancer treatment.

Mistletoe is one of the most widely studied complementary and alternative medicine therapies in people with cancer. In Europe, preparations made from European mistletoe are among the most prescribed drugs for patients with cancer.

Mistletoe extracts are marketed under several trade names, such as Iscador, Helixor, both of which are available in Europe. Helixor mistletoe products were developed in the 1970s by the non-profit Association for Leukemia and Cancer Therapy in an attempt to improve the therapeutic success with Viscum Album through a new manufacturing process. Since 1975, manufacturing and marketing are in the hands of Helixor Heilmittel GmbH.

There are about 1400 mistletoe species around the world. One thing that they all have in common is that they do not root in the mineral soil but live on other, generally woody, plants. Only white-berried mistletoe (Viscum Album) is used to treat cancer.

Since I have already elaborated on Iscador in another article, here I will give an introduction to Helixor. Helixor is a composition of purely aqueous fresh plant extracts from the white-berry mistletoe. It is produced using special rhythmic flow methods developed by the Helixor company in Germany and without using fermentation (Iscador is fermented).

There are three main types of Helixor – A, M and P.

• Helixor A (Abietis) made from fir mistletoe.
• Helixor M (Mali) made from apple tree mistletoe.
• Helixor P (Pini) made from pine mistletoe.

Mistletoe extracts have different classes of substances with different effects on tumour cells and immune cells. Mistletoe extracts have glycoproteins (mistletoe lectins), polypeptides (viscotoxins), oligo- and polysaccharides, flavonoids, phenylpropane glycosides and triterpenes. These different constituents have different degrees of cytotoxicity and some of them produce induction of apoptosis and display antiangiogenesis. On immune cells, there is macrophage activation, release of Tumour Necrosis Factors and Interleukins, increase in phagocytosis, stimulation of T-helper cells, adjuvant increase in immune response, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, immunoprotection. In general, the mistletoe constitutents show DNA stabilisation effects, which play an important role in prevention of recurrence.
The cytolytic and cytostatic effects are only seen on cancer cells, leaving healthy cells intact.
The whole extract is the active ingredient of the mistletoe and only the whole extract in its complexity is able to achieve the complex effects.

Each type of Helixor is available in about 9 different dose levels or strengths. Different packs have been created, for convenience of use depending on the different therapeutic needs of patients. The choice of the Helixor product allows the physician to ‘fine-tune’ the mistletoe therapy according to the individual situation of the patient.

Pharmacological effects of Helixor –

• Immunomodulation creates reduced susceptibility to infections and indirect immune-mediated tumour inhibition.
• DNA stabilization (immunoprotection) produces better tolerability of chemotherapy and less immunosuppression by chemotherapy.
• Neuroendocrine effects lead to improved quality of life esp. reduction in fatigue.
• Tumour inhibition effects (increased apoptosis and reduced angiogenesis) lead to prolongation of survival time and tumour regression in specific cases. These direct inhibition effects are only possible with the intratumoral application and are more moderate with a peritumoral application.

Therapeutic Indications –

• Malignant tumours.
• Relapse prevention following tumour surgery.
• Defined precancerous conditions like chronic hepatitis B and C, ulcerative colitis, intestinal polyps, cervical intra-epithelial neoplasias.
• Benign tumours like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, brain tumours.
• Therapy is not contraindicated in patients undergoing surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy – however, close monitoring of the patient reaction and a reduction of dose may be needed.

Contraindications –

• Allergies to mistletoe preparations
• Florid autoimmune diseases, patients under immunosuppressive therapy
• Hyperthyroidism with tachycardia
• Acute inflammatory high febrile diseases (if temperature is over 38 C, it should not be administered that day)

Method of administration –

• The injection has to be subcutaneous, ideally injected with a short needle at an angle of approx 45 degrees, after forming a 2-3 cm thick fold of skin. Insulin syringes are ideal for the purpose.
• Preferred injection sites are the upper arms (not for breast cancer patients), abdomen and upper thighs.
• The injection should be taken during morning hours, before noon.
• The usual protocol is to inject Helixor 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. From the 3rd year, depending on your response to the treatment, the physician may choose to give the injections twice a week. The physician will also choose a regular pattern for breaks of a fortnight after every 14 injections during the Maintenance Phase. The physician may choose to give daily injections in some cases.
• Do not inject near inflamed skin areas, areas intended for surgery or near fresh surgical scars, avoid areas treated with radiotherapy.
• Always inject at varying sites esp. during the Induction Phase.
• The local reaction from the last injection must subside before the next injection is administered.

Duration of Helixor Therapy –

The treating physician decides on the duration of treatment, however certain guidelines exist.

• So long as an increased risk of relapse exists, therapy for the prevention of relapse should be carried out.
• Generally, a 2-year intensive therapy followed by subsequent phasing out with increasingly longer pauses/breaks can be recommended. In general, mistletoe therapy can be discontinued after 5 years.
• In cases with tumours which tend towards late relapses (breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma), the prevention of relapse treatment should not be discontinued after the 5th year and should be continued as long-term treatment, using 2 series packs twice a year.
• In cases of inoperable or metastasizing tumours and incurable systemic diseases, the palliative therapy should be continued indefinitely as long as the patient benefits.

Monitoring Helixor Therapy –

1) Local skin reaction – This is a local reaction on the skin at the site of the subcutaneous injection. This is an inflammatory response and is desirable – it is not a sign of intolerability or allergy – it shows that the skin’s immune cells have been activated by the administered dose. The ideal reaction is about 3 cm. If it approaches 5 cm or crosses that, you have to inform the physician guiding your Helixor therapy, so that the dose can be modified. This local reaction will likely be warm, slightly swollen and slightly itchy as well. It normally subdues within 2-3 days. It is best checked immediately prior to the next planned injection. Do not administer the next injection if the previous reaction still persists.
2) Temperature reaction – A temperature rise is a good sign of an increased release of transmitting agents of the immune system (cytokines).
A rise in temperature, between 0.5 – 1 C (0.9 – 1.8 F), is seen, usually 4-12 hours after the injection. This often leads to a feeling of warmth and not of cold/shivering. There should be a mild rise in mean temperature levels which is often very low in tumour patients. Also, there may be an increase in temperature amplitude by at least 0.5 C or 0.9 F, also on injection free days. This creates a good daily rhythm instead of the typically flat or chaotic temperature curve seen in tumour patients.
Ideally the patient should check oral/rectal temperature every 2 hours with an electronic thermometer, (with patient being at rest for about 30 minutes before measuring), for 2 days prior to starting the injections, so the physician can have a baseline graph. The thermometer tip should be placed deep below the tongue. During the Induction Phase, temperature mapping should ideally be done daily, about twice a day; once in the morning before getting up and again at the time of expected maximum temperature (which is determined by the temperature mapping done before the start of injections). During Maintenance Phase, temperature mapping can be done only for check-up purposes, for approx. 1 week every 3 months.
Your physician can provide you with a Temperature Control Chart in which entries can be made.
Based on these reactions, the ideal dose level for the patient is determined.
3) Blood tests (CBC) are also recommended from time to time – monthly in the induction phase, later every 3-6 months – we initially want an increase in WBCs with an increase in some immature forms. From week 3, we may see an increase in eosinophils. After 1-3 months an increase in absolute lymphocytes.
Advanced progressive tumours are accompanied by localized and systemic chronic inflammatory changes, which manifest as an increased ESR and increased C Reactive proteins. Successful mistletoe therapy leads to significant reduction of these inflammatory changes and this manifests as normalizing of ESR and CRP. These parameters are hence to be monitored for advanced metastasizing tumours.
[The temperature reaction and the immune tests (blood parameters) are not to be considered while the patient is taking chemotherapy. ]

Typical effects of Helixor –

• Increasing performance and zest for life
• Reduction of cancer-related fatigue
• Normalization of body rhythms (temperature, sleep, digestion)
• Increased appetite
• Improvement of nausea/vomiting
• Emotional well-being
• Improvement of depression and anxiety
• Decrease in tumour-related pain

Depending on the patient’s situation, the goal of therapy will differ and different treatment schedules are used. However, with any treatment schedule, dietary and lifestyle changes are also imperative. The Anthroposophic approach covers all aspects of life and treatments ideally should include conversation-free psychotherapy like art therapy and music therapy. When the human being focuses on his individual purpose in life and makes changes for the better, dramatic therapeutic results can often be seen.

Bibliography –

1. Compendium of Mistletoe Therapy with Helixor in integrative Oncology – Helixor Heilmittel GmbH, Germany.
2. Introduction to Anthroposophical Medicine – Robert Gorter, MD.
3. Cancer as a Disease of Our Times – W. Bühler and R. Leroi. Translation by Dr. R. Goldberg, M.D., 1979.

This is not yet a true case study but for people following my posts on my website, I wanted to write about the great healing potential this remedy, Carcinosinum (58T) seems to have.

The basic Carcinosinum that we use is a remedy prepared from a single tumour – a breast tumour. This is the remedy of which Foubister made a detailed proving. Tinus Smits from Netherlands has used Carcinosinum (15T) with good results, better than those got from our regular single tumour Carcinosinum.

On a forum post at hpathy.com, there was a detailed discussion on the use of Carcinosinum (58T) http://forum.hpathy.com/forum/students-corner/carcinosinum/#p8599

Having my interest triggered, I ordered Carcinosinum (58T) in two potencies, 200c and 1M from Remedia Homoeopathic Pharmacy, in Austria.

I got the chance to use it after a few months of procuring it in a case of thrombocytosis and bone marrow fibrosis (that was secondary to the chemotherapeutic treatment for the thrombocytosis).

His allopathic treatment still continues but he has started concurrent homeopathy to prevent rapid degradation of his condition.

I have judged Carcinosin to be his remedy. I can say that there has been some amount of improvement in energy levels and the wild fluctuations in his counts are now a rare occurrence. However, his Haemoglobin that was remaining at around 8 or 8.5 gm% improved only marginally to settle at around 9.5 or 10 gm% despite his taking weekly erythropoetin injections as well. His ESR too has remained in the range of 80-100 since a long time now.

Since improvement seemed stuck at this level, I decided to give the Carcinosin (58T) a try. (I have already used Carcinosin 15T for him).

It is early days yet and only 3 weeks have passed since the dose of Carcinosin (58T) 200c was given. However, his recent reports show the Haemoglobin to have jumped from 10.3 gm% to 11 gm% and the ESR has come down to 49. Energy has been very good as well.  This makes me feel very positively towards this Carcinosin 58T and I hope, that there is a lot of improvement in the cards for this patient, even for his platelets and bone marrow fibrosis.

I hope to be able to continue to post about his improvement and about any more Carcinosinum (58T) cases that I may have.

Today I address briefly many of the problems particular to women, since as practitioners, we find that though we’re into the 21st century, women are often silent sufferers. Even though the practice of medicine has advanced tremendously since former times, very few people are aware that our body symptoms have meaning beyond the immediate health problem they are warning us about. We can benefit emotionally, physically and spiritually if we pay attention to our body’s messages.

Emotional factors are usually involved in common gynaecological problems along with diet, heredity and other causes. Women’s problems are often related to the context of their lives. By understanding that these illnesses are often wake-up calls, the first step to healing can begin. Our illnesses often exist to get our attention and get us back on track. With a new outlook about ourselves, women can begin to heal mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

The health of the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes depends on a woman’s feeling able, competent and powerful to create financial and emotional abundance and stability, and to express her creativity fully. Feeling good about herself and about her relationships with other people in her life, lead to good internal pelvic health. Stressful and limiting relationships can adversely affect the health of these organs. The health of the uterus is at risk if a woman doesn’t believe in herself or is overly self-critical. In comparison, ovarian health is affected by the quality of a woman’s relationships with people and things outside herself. Ovaries are at risk when women feel controlled or criticized by others or when they themselves control or criticize others.

Chronic pelvic pain sufferers often have complex psychological and emotional histories. The physical pain is often related to unfinished emotional pain in either past or current relationships with partners or with jobs, or emotional or sexual abuse. Emotional stress in a woman’s personal or professional life that she perceives to be unresolvable is a big cause of pelvic pain.

Endometriosis is an increasingly common condition today. The tissue that forms the lining of the uterus which normally grows inside the uterus, grows in other areas of the pelvis and sometimes even outside the pelvis. Endometriosis develops when a woman’s innermost emotional needs are in direct conflict with what the world demands of her.

Fibroids often develop when there are conflicts about creativity, reproduction and relationships. If the underlying energy patterns, life questions, conflicts, and emotional issues are addressed, and changed, the fibroids usually do not grow or cause problems. Whilst we talk about mind-body issues, it is also essential to draw attention to the fact that since the uterus is sensitive to the hormone oestrogen, anything that changes circulating oestrogen levels can affect it. A diet high in partially hydrogenated and saturated fats, high in refined carbohydrates and low in fiber can increase circulating oestrogens. This puts a woman at risk for fibroids as well as endometriosis and breast cancer. Hence it is better to change to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. Reduce refined sugar, flour products and dairy foods.

As mentioned earlier, ovarian problems result from a woman’s perception that people and circumstances outside herself are preventing her from being creative. Mental patterns of vengeance and resentment also affect the ovaries. Benign ovarian growths differ from cancer only in the degree of the emotional energy involved. Extreme need for male approval while giving her own emotional needs least priority can result in ovarian cancers over a prolonged period of time. Such a woman may feel helpless to change an abusive situation. Ovarian cancer can develop rapidly due to a precipitating psychosocial trauma.

Problems in the vulva, vagina, cervix and lower urinary tract are usually associated with a woman’s feelings of violation in her relationship with another individual or in her job. Chronic vulvar problems like pain and itching may be associated with stress from anxiety and irritation at being controlled either by a partner or a situation.

This article does not provide a complete understanding of the deeper issues involved in such conditions, but the idea of writing such an article is to make women aware of the extent they damage their bodies unknowingly when they give in to the pressures of society and do not value themselves.

Homoeopathy is a system of medicine which takes a holistic view of every problem and learning about the life situation, relationships, working lives and diet as a totality, provides us with clues to the source of the body’s distress. Homoeopathic medicines are not chemical medicine, but energy medicine, and hence work deep in the organism. With the benefits of energy medicine, we can hope to set right wrong energy patterns in the human system. Only with time and a commitment from the patient to seriously look into one’s life patterns as co-operation in the curative process, can real healing take place.

In connection with this topic, there is an interesting book by Dr. Christiane Northrup, M.D. – Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom.

There has been an alarming increase in the incidence of cancer since the last century. This rise in incidence has been explained not only due to sophisticated detection techniques, but also due to an increase in the environmental carcinogens affecting the cell adversely, stimulating it to unlimited growth and multiplication – cancer.

Iscador therapy is a type of treatment for cancer used by doctors trained in Anthroposophic medicine. This therapy was developed in Switzerland by Rudolf Steiner at the beginning of the 20th century. Rudolf Steiner was Austrian-born and he developed the science of Anthroposophy. The word Anthroposophy means ‘wisdom of the human being’. It takes into account spiritual dimensions of the human being and the world. Steiner introduced the concepts of anthroposophy into all aspects of life — education, medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, economics, art and religion. This was how Anthroposophic medicine was born.

Anthroposophic medicine is based on the spiritual scientific view of a healthy human being who is in close harmony and interaction with the different levels of creation and has lost this when in a state of ill health. This involves a holistic approach and hence is compatible with other holistic systems of medicine. Training in Anthroposophic medicine is available only to doctors already trained in conventional or alternative systems of medicine. The substances from which anthroposophical medicines are prepared are essentially natural and taken from the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms. Medicines are prepared according to Homoeopathic principles and hence anthroposophic medicine and homoeopathy easily go hand in hand.

Iscador is the trade name of a group of anti-cancer treatments, all prepared from different types of mistletoe extracts. Treatment with Iscador aims at intensifying the body’s own forces against the cancer cell’s tendency towards autonomy. Iscador is a complementary rather than an alternative medicine. It is frequently prescribed in Europe by medical doctors including oncologists in addition to the conventional cancer therapies, radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. Nowadays in Europe, mistletoe is a key component in conventional cancer therapy. Here in India, following training in anthroposophic medicine, homoeopaths have begun to use Iscador for cancer cases. Iscador is available in the US under the brand name Iscar.

There are about 1400 mistletoe species around the world. One thing that they all have in common is that they do not root in the mineral soil but live on other, generally woody, plants. Only white-berried mistletoe is used to treat cancer.

Mistletoe contains among other things, two groups of toxins: viscotoxins and mistletoe lectins. Viscotoxins and mistletoe lectins are proteins capable of being broken down in the digestive tract. The molecular structure and pharmacological actions of viscotoxins are closely related to those of snake venoms. They have cytolytic action, i.e., they dissolve cancer cells. The mistletoe lectins are related to castor-oil plant lectins. They have cytostatic properties, i.e., they inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

• Early malignancies. Here it has the greatest scope, especially in Stage 0, i.e. Carcinoma-in-situ.
• Advanced malignancies. Here it is of considerable help in inoperable tumours, recurrences, widespread metastases and in terminal cases, it brings about palliation.
• It is used as a prophylactic for malignant lesions in pre-cancerous states, where regression of the lesion takes place.
• Benign neoplasms.
• Surgery. Inoperable tumours become operable through delineation of the tumour by Iscador therapy. During the operation, it helps prevent dissemination of the tumour. Post-operatively, it hastens a smooth convalescence. Early follow-up treatment by Iscador results in a significant reduction in the incidence of recurrences and late metastases by about 30-40 %.
• Concurrent with chemotherapy and/or radiation, Iscador prevents or reduces toxic side effects, promotes tolerance as well as dispersion of the tumour.
• Cancer patients treated with Iscador and followed up for a long time with regular laboratory investigations show no toxic symptoms, apart from the desirable rise in body temperature, transient rise in leucocytes and rise in lymphocytes. No harmful side effects have been reported. Even if Iscador is given intensively for many years, there is no depression of the bone marrow unlike chemotherapy and radiation.
• Iscador therapy stimulates the form-giving processes and forces in the human organism against the tendency to unregulated proliferation of the cell, which is seen in cancer.

Iscador preparations are classified according to the host-tree of the mistletoe used in their preparation. Depending on the localization of the primary tumour and on the sex of the patient, the type of Iscador preparation is selected. Metastases are treated with the same preparations as the primary tumour. Special metal combinations are used to increase and potentiate the action of Iscador on specific organs. Each preparation is available in a number of strengths. The different strengths permit variation in the intensity of the treatment, depending upon the clinical state of the patient. The route of administration is usually subcutaneous; only in the case of intracranial tumours is the oral route usually used. The time of administration is usually in the morning, which is the time of the physiological rise of temperature. The frequency of administration varies according to the type and location of the tumour and the judgement of the physician. The duration of the treatment is quite long, extending over a number of years. The changes in the type of Iscador preparations, dose, frequency, etc., are managed through the assessment of the clinical response and the laboratory data.

REACTIONS UNDER ISCADOR THERAPY

• Inflammatory reaction with increased flow of blood and swelling in the region of the tumour is seen occasionally with usual subcutaneous injections. This passes off in a few hours.
• Slight increase in body temperature occurs which is desirable as a curative process.
• Transient increase in the neutrophil component of white blood cell count, which persists for some hours.
• Immune stimulation as a whole and consequent inhibition of tumour development which leads to :
  1) improvement in the general condition.
  2) increased appetite.
  3) gain in weight.
  4) improved sleep.
  5) decrease in fatigue and depression.
  6) stimulation of urinary and bowel functions.
  7) reduction or disappearance of pain.
• Increased tolerance to irradiation and/or chemotherapy.
• Relief of pain and subjective improvement in the patient are most striking even in advanced stages of cancer and inspite of the progressive course of the tumour.

COURSE OF TUMOUR UNDER ISCADOR THERAPY

• Stationary for some time.
• Occasional regression of the tumour.
• Slowing down or cessation of tumour growth.
• Reduced incidence of metastases or secondaries, or prevention of extension.
• Reduced incidence or recurrences after operation and/or radiation.

Iscador medications are imported into India and are fairly expensive, though much cheaper than the costs of conventional cancer treatments. It should be remembered that Iscador has to be continued for several years, with few gaps in between as suggested by the treating physician.

Iscador potentiates the action of Homoeopathic therapeutics as both act on the immune mechanism. When understood and practised, these therapies become limitless in their possibilities for development and their power to treat the millions of sick people in the world.

(For more details, see my write-up on Iscador Therapy at http://wiki4cam.org/wiki/Iscador_Therapy_for_Cancer)

One of the biggest misconceptions about Homoeopathy in the minds of people is that it is a slow form of medicine for acute diseases and is only good for chronic diseases. THIS STATEMENT IS ONLY PARTLY CORRECT. Homoeopathy is certainly one of the best forms of medicine for all chronic diseases, however, even in acute diseases, Homoeopathy can act SWIFTLY and GENTLY leading to a rapid cure.

Let us first understand what acute and chronic diseases are. Acute diseases are a deviation from the original state of health with a rapid onset, rapid progress, and a definite duration. If not treated, they can end in either death or recovery. Eg., most infections like malaria, typhoid, the common cold, pneumonia, gastroenteritis etc., are acute diseases. Chronic diseases, on the other hand, are deviations from the original state of health with a usually slow, imperceptible onset, slow but sure progress, and indefinite, long duration which end only with death, if not treated. All the degenerative diseases of the modern day like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc., are chronic diseases.

It is generally proclaimed by the medical profession that most chronic diseases cannot be cured but can only be controlled by medication, or if cure is to be attempted, it is to be done with surgery by the removal of unwanted tissue or the replacement of malfunctioning parts. Will this be a real cure? Why has the unwanted tissue arisen in the first place? Why has the normal functioning of the body parts gone astray? The unwanted tissue like the growths of cancer and the malfunctioning organs or parts are not ‘the disease’ but they are the outcome of the disease process, an unseen process which has gone on for a long time in the body, much before the visible signs/outcome of the disease could manifest.

Hence, it becomes clear, that to really cure such a chronic disease, we need to deal with and treat the underlying disease process and not just the outcome of the disease process. If the underlying disease process is not treated, after a brief respite, the disease will rear its nasty head up again, resulting in new growths and new manifestations. Targeting the diseased cells and thereby trying to achieve cure is NOT the solution to a chronic disease.

No one can deny that there is a Life Force within each living cell and it is this Life Force that makes us a unity, and keeps our body functioning harmoniously with its millions of cells. This Life Force is dynamic and invisible and can be affected not only by physical factors of the environment, but also by other dynamic, invisible forces like stress, grief and anxiety. These inimical forces of our day-to-day living, after a period of time, bring about a derangement in the normal functioning of our Life Force. Once this happens, it is but a matter of time until visible malfunctioning in the state of health develops. In other words, the derangement of the normal Life Force leads to the underlying disease process which in turn, leads to the visible manifestations of disease, be they just functional signs and symptoms or more serious and dangerous structural changes in the health of the individual.

No two individuals are the same; it hence follows that no two individuals will have the same derangements in health from the same identical causative factors. Each individual has his or her own immune status, own tolerance levels to environmental and other dynamic influences, own in-born weaknesses and strengths. A highly complex interaction of all these factors takes place before an individual gets sick and hence the manifestations of the sickness are also highly individual in character.

Homoeopathy respects the uniqueness of the individual and the Homoeopathic treatment of a person’s chronic disease is begun after a detailed case history which takes into account not only the person’s past and present medical history but also the life history, emotional and intellectual characteristics of the individual to be treated. The focus of treatment is not on the diseased organs and tissues, but on the underlying disease process which has resulted in the creation of the diseased organs and tissues. Homoeopathic medicines never suppress the immunity but attempt to get the immune system functioning at the optimal level so that the Life Force which has been deranged in its functioning, can get back its normal functioning again. Once the Life Force is functioning normally, the diseased organs and tissues can gradually get back their own normal functioning.

It can thus be understood from the above paragraphs that setting an individual on the path of health in a chronic disease is not an easy short-term matter. Setting right underlying disease processes can take time, depending on how long the process has gone on before the patient has sought treatment. There is no standardized treatment for any of the chronic diseases, but in each case, the treatment has to be individualized to suit that particular patient who is an individual in his own right. Only if treatment is undertaken at depth, only if the underlying causes are dealt with, can real cure be achieved. Everything else is only temporary palliation.

June 2005.

Homoeopathy is a system of medicine that encompasses the human being as a whole, mind and body together. The medicines used in Homoeopathy are not harsh chemical drugs, but energy medication prepared from the plant, animal and mineral kingdom. Homoeopathic medicines work to stimulate the creative energies in the human being, bringing about healing and cure with the help of the body’s own curative and regenerative forces, thus resulting in an improvement in the body’s immunity over a period of time.

Children form one of the major groups of patients in a Homoeopathic practice and it is heartening for the Homoeopath to see how well he/she can change and improve the constitution of the child with correct Homoeopathic constitutional treatment.

We are all born with inherited tendencies that have come down the family line from both our parents’ sides. These inherited tendencies, apart from structural tendencies, comprise also functional tendencies which would include how our bodies function, tendency to certain diseases, weaknesses of certain organ systems and also emotional and mental tendencies like behaviour and intellect.

A Homoeopathic physician, in a detailed case taking, takes note of all the familial tendencies, and then during the course of treatment, takes measures to eradicate and lessen the effects of those harmful tendencies in the human being under treatment. Needless to say, the benefit of such constitutional treatment is best seen in children who ultimately develop and grow to their best potential. Such constitutional treatment may be spread over a number of years, and though it is a long term treatment, the long term benefits easily outweigh the costs.

Since Homoeopathy works on the immune system of the body, this system of medicine works well in chronic diseases like asthma, allergies, arthritis, digestive dysfunction, migraines, skin problems, etc. Even in acute illnesses that are by nature, short lasting, Homoeopathy can cure and cut short the duration of the illness. However, Homoeopathy has no specific medicines for specific conditions, unlike some other systems of medicine, and hence it is important that the patient give the utmost detail of the illness to the doctor for selection of the best possible Homoeopathic medicine which can cure in the least possible time.

To list some of the advantages which Homoeopathic treatment offers children, they are:

1. Easy method of administration of medicines.
2. Least resistance to taking medicines, as the medicines are mainly in a sweet sucrose or lactose base.
3. Builds up the body’s resistance and improves the immunity with proper constitutional treatment.
4. Helps in removal of inherited tendencies which have come down through the family line – e.g., tendency to catch repeated colds and chest infections, allergies, asthma, skin problems, arthritis, cancer, etc.
5. Improvement of memory and brain function.
6. Deals with behavioural and emotional problems like stammering, nail biting, thumb sucking, etc.
7. No side effects when given in proper dosage.
8. Does not develop dependency to medication.
9. Creates ideal bodily and mental health for optimum height and weight.
10. Treats chronic conditions in depth without side effects.
11. Regulates body functions without use of strong chemical medicines.

Homoeopathy hence offers a safe, gentle and easy way to creating and maintaining good health.