Creating Waves of Awareness
Role Of Dietetic Restrictions While On Homoeopathic Treatment
By Dr. K.P. Majumdar.
It is generally believed that homoeopathy offers remarkable peculiarities so far as the diet of a patient is concerned. Somehow or other queer notions have passed down the generations. On a careful study of the homeopathic literature, it will be seen that Hahnemann himself had not put any severe restrictions as his followers have.
Hahnemann wrote in a primary paper in 1792with respect to diet. He says therein, “ the instinct of the stomach is to be attended to for the regulation of food both in health and in disease.” He carefully distinguishes between the true natural instinct of the stomach and those perverted and depraved desires of the stomach that are incidental to the victim of over-indulgence and gluttony. He ridiculed the idea of standard or normal system of diet for all and insists on adapting a diet to the constitution and digestive power of each individual.” The patient`s own feelings are much surer guide than all the maxims of the schools..”
In the Medicine of experience he says, “Particularly in acute diseases the delicate and unerring tact of the awakened internal sense that presides over the maintenance of the life speaks so clearly, so precisely, so much in conformity with nature that the physician need not oppose, in any way, this voice of nature by refusing to its demands.” He says further,” as regards food and drink the demand is certainly chiefly for things that give palliative relief, as long as they are not of medicinal character.” In case of chronic diseases he says, “he says he cannot lay down any rules that will be adapted to every case; the practitioner must, in his directions to the patients, be guided by the peculiar circumstances of each case.
Hahnemann`s mind, with respect to diet and regimen can be easily understood from what we have read from his pen above. He gives adequate instructions regarding diet in the Organon of medicine in aphorisms 259, 260 and 261. These aphorisms provide the basis of the widely held views that in order to achieve success by homoeopathic medication, it is essential for the practitioner to insist that the diet of the patient should be as plain and non-medicinal as possible.
Hahnemann was very much astounded by his incredible discovery of potentisation, and he himself must have been surprised at the tremendous medicinal power of his dilutions (successions) increasing with subsequent dilutions. His contemporaries did not believe in his discovery and instead ridiculed him. He, therefore, made it sure that the action of the infinitesimal dose is not affected or interrupted by anything whatsoever. So, he advised prohibition of all articles of medicinal value. He thought bland diet would be ideal for the patient. But it is difficult to say if bland diet is essential for faster recovery from disease.
The homeopathic potentised drug substance develops an incredible curative energy to antidote all morbid processes of the past and present, and restores the vitiated vital force to its normal equilibrium and removes all evidence of sickness at times even in the face of apparent obstacle to recovery. Hahnemann might have thought that if this energy is wasted in fighting other morbid forces, the active disease fighting process in a patient would be retarded. But in practice we find that the resistance offered by unrestricted diet is so minimal that it does not even matter.
Hahnemann`s concept of non-medicinal substance cannot be understood fully. Even those vehicles such as milk sugar known to be non-medicinal have been `proved` and is used as a remedy. Therefore, the `non-medicinal` is probably comparative in value.
In addition to what he writes in the organon he also suggests that in chronic diseases, as long as the digestive functions are not involved there is no need to be strict with the diet except that use of onions and pepper be restricted. As regards coffee he says, young normal"">people should give up at once, but those who have been used to drinking it for many years can often only abandon it gradually. Roasted rye or wheat may be substituted for it. Tea must be forbidden absolutely whether weak or strong. Wine need not be discontinued by those accustomed to its use, but should be gradually diminished in it intake, and can be diluted with water. Brandy must be left off and wine can be substituted.
Practitioner should be careful to what kind of beer his patients should drink. Vinegar and lemon juice should be abstained from those who are affected with nervous and abdominal complaints. Sour fruits should be taken sparingly and sweet fruits, moderately. Those whose sexual powers are low should eschew chicken, eggs, vanilla. Women with scanty menses should not take saffron or cinnamon and those with weak digestive should use spices and bitters sparingly. Flatulent vegetables should in all cases be avoided in abdominal and constipative complaints.
Beef, good wheat or rye bread, milk and fresh butter with a little salt seems to be the most natural and universal diet in chronic diseases.
Boenninghausen held still more liberal views in respect of diet. He felt that an article of diet ingested continuously for a long time may cease to exert any marked (medicinal) influence on the body. It is well known fact that when the body is exposed for a long time to any mild influence it develops tolerance and immunity.
Therefore, the feeling is strengthened that there is no need to prohibit such articles. Again he said, the withdrawal effect so suddenly effected during the disease state might even interfere with the true disease picture and might cause considerable hindrance in the treatment. The patient in modern times is exposed continuously and considerably to all types of foreign influences and it is the experience of many homeopaths that the homeopathic treatment successfully restores the sick to health though these influences continue to operate.
Foods known to be inimical to certain remedies should be carefully avoided. This is a liberal view of many including that of Clarke. Clarke did not object to coffee drinking except when Belladonna, Chamomila, Colocynth, Ignatia. Lycopodium, Nux vomica was prescribed.
Hahnemann was not very strict about restrictions on diet but he had his own views though not well substantiated.
Boenninghausen and others were very liberal in respect of diet. They allowed many things of daily items and sensibly so.
Many of recent practitioners have not found any of these restrictions of coffee, onion, alcohol as a necessity during the course of treatment and results have not vitiated
So imposition of blanket dietic restrictions does not seems to be justified by logic and experience.
Ref – Editorial in Hahnemannian Gleanings Nov 1983.
Tags: boenninghausen, clarke, dietetic, hahnemann, homeopathic, restrictions, treatment
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Marilyn Freedman on -
Thanks for the information!
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Navneet Bidani on -
Way back I wrote something related with this topic.
Inimical Items To Be Forbidden December 2009 -
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Permalink Reply by DR RAVINDRA KUMAR SINGH on -
Great article. It clears many doubts regarding diet in homeopathy. Only diet with medicinal property should avoided and of course, diet is specially harmful in particular diseases should be avoided [like sugar in diabetes] AND rest is simple myth.
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Permalink Reply by Dr Dushyant Kamal Dhari on -
Some more additions to dietetic restrictions from the master :
“a universal diet like a universal medicine is an idle dream.” Hahnemann.
Next to Beef come mutton, game, old fowls and young pigeons. Chronic patients cannot be allowed to take the flesh or fat of geese, ducks or pork. Pickled and smoked flesh must rarely be eaten. Raw vegetables, pot herbs and decayed cheese should not be indulged into.
Green tea, being mixed up of medicinal mineral substances, is of course under no circumstances be allowed; nor can even black tea be permitted where nervous symptoms or palpitations contraindicate its use.
Fish is best when boiled in plain water. Dried and smoked fish should not be used, and salted fish very rarely.
Tobacco smoking may often be allowed to those accustomed to its use, and who do not spit when they smoke; but its use should be limited when the mental functions, the sleep, the digestion, or the motions of the bowels are disordered. In those who are in the habit of only obtaining a stool after smoking, its use should be very much restricted. Snuffing is much more objectionable than smoking.
The administration of stimulants in certain cases of low typhoid fever is, I am convinced, often indispensable to the recovery of the patient. The practitioner must, as it were, give his stimulants with his finger on the patient`s pulse, and carefully watch the effect of each dose. Many lives, I am sure have been saved, both by homeopaths and allopath, by the judicious administration of stimulants in cases of typhoid disease, where the powers of life seemed to be sinking beyond the possibility of recovery, at least by mere medicine. -
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Permalink Reply by Dr.Bhupinder Singh Sahni on -
still we are not sure what are the dietary restrictions? Dr.Hahnemann made his thesis in Germany and that was according the food pattern of that time prevailing in that region. Do you feel that the same is applicable keeping in view of Race, Religion, Geographical location,food habits etc everywhere? Think over that. We are now passing through 21 century and now scientist has developed diet as per your Blood groups, we still avoid to update our knowledge and keep going with old legacy.
More over every eatable has medicinal properties. So to say this is avoidable and this is allowed is just a vague thesis. My humble request to all is just sit, think over and try to advise your patients with the best scientific knowledge available today along with your homoeopathic prescription.
Dr. Sahni BS
Retd. Dy.CMO -
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Permalink Reply by DR RAVINDRA KUMAR SINGH on
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I fully agree with DR.Bhupinder singh sahni ,new look is need of hour in dietary restrictions .There is sea change in eating habits from the time of Hahnemann and eating habits and food in different countries is not similar.
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Permalink Reply by Debby Bruck on -
You might enjoy listening to the BlogTalkRadio Show from May 17, 2010 when we discussed Aphorism #259
Listen to internet radio with HWC Homeopathy Radio on Blog Talk Radio -
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Permalink Reply by Debby Bruck on
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As I was browsing HWC I came across this discussion and it is so good, that it is worth another read, especially for anyone who missed it previously. It appears there are dissenting voices as to what is acceptable and allowed in a person's diet. Did these homeopaths know something that we don't know today?
You will read on WebMd the many benefits of Green Tea, from heart disease to cancer. Why did past homeopaths say not to drink tea?
This quote, "Beef, good wheat or rye bread, milk and fresh butter with a little salt seems to be the most natural and universal diet in chronic diseases," could be considered controversial to those who say eating meat is not healthy, and those who are allergic to wheat products and milk, whereas butter may contribute to high cholesterol.
Did I misread? -
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Permalink Reply by Heidi Stevenson on -
My hunch is that tea was probably only black tea, and very likely of a low quality. It was also pervasive back then, so Hahnemann's commentary may not apply today.
I have the impression that Hahnemann was speaking outside his area of expertise and within a narrow range of options available to most people at the time. His suggestion of eating beef should be taken with the knowledge that the beef of his time was far healthier than what most take in today. Pressing wheat and rye on people can only be taken in the context of the times, when other - frankly, far healthier - foods were simply not available to most people.
High cholesterol is not the issue it's usually presented as being. In fact, lowering cholesterol has never been shown to benefit health - quite the opposite, in fact. It is merely a marker, an indicator of a deeper problem.
Butter (especially if made from raw milk) is a very healthy food. It has gotten a bad name because of the conflation of unnaturally saturated fats (margarines, in particular) with naturally saturated fats. Margarine is a horrible food - should be considered pure poison. Butter, though, is very healthy. -
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Permalink Reply by Dr Ravindra Saraswat on -
Dr Dushyant Kamal Dhari.
The following articles of diet should be avoided while under homeopathic treatment, not only on account of the injurious effect which they have upon the system, but because they antidote the effects of the medicine.
DRINKS–All alcoholic and fermented beverages, coffee, green tea, herb teas, and all natural and artificial mineral waters.
FRUITS–Pineapples, cranberries, and all kinds of nuts and fruits not mentioned in the allowed article.
VEGETABLES–Salads, pickles, spices, parsley, celery, radishes, horseradish, onions, and all kinds of peppers, catsup, mustard, nutmeg, ginger should all be avoided.
BREAD–Cakes prepared with much fat or with aromatics, pastry, pies, honey, and all kinds of confectionery. All baked goods that having icing or contain a good deal of sugar.
MEATS–Liver should be avoided. Completely avoid pork and all pork products. Also dairy products, especially cheese and butter. Ice cream should be avoided, and fruit ices substituted.
FISH–All shellfish should be avoided. -
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Permalink Reply by Nilanjana Basu on -
The article and the discussions are really informative. But what is experienced in the clinical practice is ----
A patient who refused to take medicine was given homoeopathic medicine mixed in coffee, it worked. Exceptions are always there but rule is a rule. Specific indication of not giving particular food /drink during a particular medicine is justificiable. But many physicians super impose do's and don't's on patients and create panic in them. Is it justifiable? I think there should be a broad knowlegde of dietary restrictions before telling them to patients. -
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Permalink Reply by Dr Dushyant Kamal Dhari on
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Yes, there have been many instances where inspite of taking coffee and other usually restricted items patients have recovered and cured.
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