I am fairly new at this and am very interested in homeopathy. Trying to explore all avenues
of optimum health care for my 2 children, 2 years, and 3 months, I visited a ND last week.
She strongly recommended that I avoid all dairy while breastfeeding, as to not pass on the effects
onto my daughter. she also said that my son, 2 years, should also avoid all dairy, and that I might
try him on rice milk, or formula instead of the soy formula he has been drinking a s a supplement.
Her reasoning was because of food sensitivities from long term useage. (son had a rash on his torso)

I am getting to the point, yes. Last fall I visited a homeopath for my son's ear infection. In the question/
answer period, I told her that he had been on the soy formula, and had not had milk.(I have heard allot
about dairy causing ear infections sometimes) She asked why, doesn't he like milk? I just told her that
he had never had it and that was that. I didn't really think much of it, and she didn't ask any more.
She proceed to prescribe a program of remedies, which I stuck to, and the infection cleared up. In fact, his
condition improved that evening. (he was feverish, and the fever went down)

I've read about introducing certain foods in infacy can cause sensitivities and allergies later in life.

I will be asking my homeopath about this next time we talk.

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone else recommends staying away from dairy altogether.
Is there a remedy that counteracts these food sensitivities, or helps to digest dairy properly,
or is it just as 'they' say that cows milk is for cows?

Shauna
Near Winnipeg, MB
Canada

[ 22 February 2002, 05:49: Message edited by: shauna ]

Hi Shauna,

There ARE many remedies which address the sensitivity to milk that you describe--in fact, any one of the remedies used in homeopathy, properly applied, could address this issue in a patient. Every case has to be individualized.

That being said, nutritional "trends" change every 4 minutes: in one flash, all milk and its products are bad for everyone. In another, milk is okay and healthy. Low fat is the way to go; low fat will kill you...that inconsistency and disagreement in this field makes it very crazy. Many people who deal with nutritional therapy adopt a subjective model and apply it to everybody indescriminately, unfortunately.

That is why I would suggest being skeptical whenever someone arbitrarily declares a "milk sensitivity" (without obtaining clarification and proof of this) and orders complete abstinence of milk products "just because" its "supposed" to be just for baby cows--and not for baby humans.

The fact is, human beings have been eating milk and milk products for millenia. We see variations of the use of milk in every single culture in existence. In some cultures, fresh milk is not consumed in quantity because it seems to be too difficult for people to digest--but in these cultures we often see great consumption of milk products such as creams, yoghurt/kefirs, and cheeses. Where cow milk has been traditionally less available, other animal milks have been used--and in some cases, vegetable equivalents which can produce the same or similar nutrients as milk are used instead (eg. soy milk, which mimics human milk to a certain extent, is fermented into miso, or made into tofu, a kind of equivalent to cheese). Milk, as a food source, has been quite important to human beings for as long as humans have been around. Arbitrary decisions about milk eating--one way or the other--really have no scientific basis, in this context.

That being said, it is quite easy to tell when a patient has a sensitivity to milk in any one of its forms, or an "allergy" to one of its proteins. The reactions are very clear, in either case. Sensitivities can range from producing too much gas in digesting the milk and developing too much mucus from milk ingestion, to actually being unable to digest the milk (diarrhea and vomitting occur, often in babies and often with mother's milk, too). Allergies to milk are much more dramatic--and much more rare. Allergic reactions to milk are just the same as allergic reactions to anything else...in other words the body reacts the same way it would as in an allergy to shellfish or bee-stings--redness, swelling of tissue, pain, difficult respiration, etc.

For some really great nutrition information, based on independent research not funded by food producers or drug manufacturers, check out the Price Pottenger Foundation's website at

http://www.price-pottenger.org

Incidentally, ear infections are not necessarily a product of milk ingestion--though I can see how a build up of mucus and waste products resulting from milk ingestion could force the body to start "clearing out" some debris, and start an inflammatory process to do this...anyway, it seems your homeopath took care of the problem. Have any of the infections recurred (as they do in many, many children?)

Divina

__________________
...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine

Divina,

Thank you for the response and the website, I will check it out. I'm not sure if the infection has recurred, it hasn't so far, but the last two days, my son has been awfully clumsy and seems to be a bit off balance. I will be heading in soon to get him checked over by a homeopath, but I'm not sure if I will go to the same one. Is it best sometimes to stick with the same one, because they know of the history already? My reasoning is because when I did visit her, it was my first time ever seeing a homeopath, and I found out half way through the consultation that I was being seen by a student. The doctor came in and gave the final analysis, and then the student prescribed the remedies like a professional. She gave me tips over the phone a few times, but I'm not sure, I would like to actually visit a homeopath that isn't still a student.

How long must one study for?

Shauna

Dear Shauna,

Go by the results you get and not by the fact that you were seen by a student. We've heard many stories of "real" homeopaths giving some very bad advice and actually I was impressed that, correct me if I'm wrong, you took your child to a homeopath with an acute illness and that night he was better? I was so impressed I thought you even might want to share the practitioner's name with the rest of us.

Oh--I see your from Canada. Any chance you're near Divina? If you are, forget what I just said and go see her!

Snoopy

Snoopy,

Thanks for the tip, I'm not near Divina, although she has given me some great advice, and others that I've seen. I'm close to Winnipeg, manitoba, and the homeopathic clinic I went to was the Nielson Clinic, and was seen by Daphne Squire. She has been helpful over the phone, and yes, my boy was better so fast, my sitter at the time noticed a real improvement even throughout the next day.
His much improved condition in such a short time was what made me want to learn more, and share with everyone I care about this wonderful form of naturally triggering the body to heal itself.
I guess when it comes to the health of my children, I second guess myself too often, and the opinions of 'experts'. Maybe that's a good thing sometimes, with my second guessing the 'health professionals' when they say the best thing we can do for our children's health is to adhere to the vaccination program.
I've seen you give some great advice and get into some very interesting discussions.
Thank you for your advice.

Shauna

Hi Shauna,

I suppose, if you chose, you could make the 18 hour drive to Toronto, huh? It's a straight drive all the way from the Prairies and around the lake! One highway practically!

I am glad to see that Dr. Nielsen's clinic is up and running. This is how I trained, too...lots of classroom time and behind-the-scenes clinic time then face-to-face with patients...all under supervision. Even though a student takes your case, everything she does is overseen by a highly qualified homeopath, with lots of experience (and often, the case is viewed by the entire class as well--though this may not have been the case with you and your practitioner). In homeopathy as in any medical science, the basic training takes about 5 years to complete--then the real learning starts with establishing practice.

Acute illness is especially responsive to homeopathic treatment--its easy to find good remedies, results are lightning-fast, and everyone's that much happier sooner. But, you have to understand that acute illnesses are just quick "expressions", so to speak, of the chronic state. Children may not have had much time to develop much chronic illness, but they do come into this world "inheriting" at least the potential to suffer from our own ailments, our own chronic stuff (Hahnemann writes about Chronic Diseases and Miasms in great detail, so I won't get into this here). So, establishing a long-term relationship with a good homeopath that you like and trust is a great way to encourage and maintain your own health and the health of your children. She can help you immensely when those "childhood" diseases--which do serve a purpose in child development--come along.

Here's what I suggest: if you like the homeopath you consulted, and she was effective, then it really is a good idea to stick with her. As she is a "new" practitioner, you would be helping her to build up her practice. It is really important for you and your children to get a good "feel" from this homeopath--is she confident? Is she empathetic? Is she resourceful? Is she effective? Does she have some good support, in the way of colleagues to whom she can turn for advice or commentary on her cases (this is crucial!) If you can answer yes to these questions, stick with her. If you have some issues you can't resolve with her, keep looking--good practitioners are out there, and they have to be encouraged. When people tell me there aren't any where they live, I have to wonder, as yesterday I met a woman who lives in remote Whitehorse and is seeing a homeopath there!

Next, find some really good books on homeopathy that you can use to better understand what it is and how it works. One great one I like to use is Miranda Castro's Complete Homeopathy Handbook. It sells for about $25 CDN and it is chock full of useful information about the history of homeopathy, how the remedies are made, how the law of similars works, etc. etc. It also has wonderful materia medica information and a very easy to use repertory. The book was designed to be used by people like you who don't necessarily want to study whole-hog, but still want to know how to help yourself and your family treat acute and first aid ailments. If you can do this AND work with your homeopath on an ongoing basis to treat chronic illness, you'll be way ahead of the game...you can look after the easy stuff and take care of the deep stuff with the help of your practitioner.

Then, you should find a GP who is open to what you wish to do with healthcare, someone you can trust who is competent and helpful. You'll need the GP whenever diagnostic tests are necessary. Your test result information will be handy for your homeopath as a result.

Divina

__________________
...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine

Divina, Thank you for the info. I'll pass though, on the 18 hour drive!! will be going to Nielson's clinic very soon.
Correction on Dr. Squire's first name is Valerie, not Daphne. Daphne is the first name of our family doctor.
The program sheets she gave me she wrote her name on with the initials DMS after, the same as Dr. Nielson's. I never noticed that before, and now, I'm beginning to feel a bit more trusting.
I had purchased a couple of books a while back,
Healing Your Child - by Frances Darragh and Louise Darragh Law
This book is a guide to using homeopathic, cell salts, and herbs.
Homeopathic Remedies - by Asa Hershoff, ND
They call this a quick and easy guide to common disorders and their homeopathic treatments.
The consumer's guide to Homeopathy - By Dana Ullman, M.P.H.
They call this one the Definitive resource for understanding homeopathic medicine, and making it work for you.

I went nuts in Chapters one day, and bought them all. There are so many books, it's overwhelming. Learning about homeopathy is overwhelming!

Okay, I haven't read them all, have referred to them few times, and they are basically still brand new books.
I have been told on this BB to try not to self treat, when there is a problem, to have a professional guide me.
That isn't always convenient, as when an injury occurs, or an illness strarts during the night, isn't it best to treat as soon as possible?

Have you heard of any of these books? What do you think about the one written by the ND?

Horray Canada!

Regards,
Shauna

[ 25 February 2002, 05:54: Message edited by: shauna ]

Dear Shauna,

When people say don't self-treat, they're saying don't try to take you're own constitutional case, because you probably aren't objective to know what's peculiar in your case, and there are things you couldn't possibly notice in yourself--how your handshake feels, your complexion, and other things that can only be perceived by another. But for acute conditions, you simply must learn to prescribe for yourself; this is the great value of homeopathy, that you can encounter a difficulty, some set-back, during the course of your day, whether it's a nose-bleed or an injury, or an unexpected sore throat, and you just take out your remedy kit, pop in a phosphorus or arnica or ferrum phos, and you're on your way, barely missing a beat, while anyone else in your position would have to cancel their plans, return home, see their doctor....Treating yourself...yes, absolutely.

Yay Canada!

Snoopy

P.S.

The ND? Asa Hershoff? Very highly regarded!

Snoopy

Hi Shauna,

Yes--very good books to have on hand for reference. And Snoop is right about self-treating--there's a big difference between getting yourself out of the misery of an accidental poison ivy affliction and picking a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis or chronic depression or insomnia. You really do have to have the ability (learned) to know the difference between what has been affecting the body chronically, and what can be cured quickly and easily as an acute.

Asa Hershoff is very well respected, as is Dana Ullman, who has contributed a great deal to Homeopathy's resurgence in the US. I mentioned the Miranda Castro book because it really explains how classical homeopaths go about understanding a case and finding a good remedy--and then it empowers you to do the same, for acute and first aid ailments. It uses clear explanations, and very logical, paired-down resources to help you feel very confident and prescribe effectively. I use it as a text book whenever I teach Introductory Homeopathy and First Aid/Acute prescribing. Though I do feel that starting with any one of the books you've purchased, you are well on your way (By the way, Chapters no longer sells the Miranda Castro book, for reasons having more to do with distribution and their own crazy business finances than with availability. So I always order it from a homeopathic bookseller I know in Toronto. There is an excellent homeopathic bookseller based in
Vancouver--Minimum Price Homeopathic Books--who can send you a catalogue and your order in a matter of days. You can check them out at www.minimumprice.com).

Perhaps Neilson's school offers a first-aid homeopathy course you may want to check out--it would certainly come in handy for looking after all those childhood acute illnesses every mother treats, one way or the other! Learning about homeopathy IS overwhelming, when you've got to do it all at once. It is meant to be a major undertaking because it does cause a significant change in the way you see and understand everything, in the long run. So, best thing to do is keep it simple and start with the basics--you can hire someone who's well grounded to help you figure out the tough, deep stuff.

You're on your way already!

Divina

__________________
...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine