Homeopathy For Women Blog

Sulphur Remedy Type: Personality: A General at Work

2008-04-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

Note: Sulphur is predominantly a male remedy, although this does not exclude the existence of female Sulphurs. But mostly the reader will recognize a male figure in this portrait. To know more about the homeopathic personality types, pleases see my book What About Men or Catherine Coulter's Portrait of Homeopathic Medicines, once of the sources for these portraits (another being my observation of thousand of patients in my practice.)

As a child, the Sulphur person already stands out. You can see right away that he will be a leader rather than a follower. Even as young as two years old, the child shows his independence by wanting to run away from his mother. There are the toddlers whose mothers have to put them on a little leash when they go out. The Sulphur child is curious and explorative. As he grows up, other children tend to look up at him, as he commands attention through his strong personality. Other children like him because he has charisma and is fair in organization games, where even the underdog is allowed participate.

The Sulphur's disdain for external appearances shows up at a young age. His hair flies all over the place, his shirt hangs out of his pants and he falls over his untied shows. You never have guess what he has eaten the previous night - the spaghetti spots testify to his ability to eat too much, too fast. He especially craves stimulating food like Chinese food, fried and fatty foods, and his all-time favorite, pizza. He is usually very intelligent, but that does not always work in his favor. He can be bored stiff when the teacher has to repeat himself for the slower children in his class. Often he "checks out" and starts daydreaming.

The Sulphur child is interested in factual things: he reads biographies, books about wars or the Guinness Book of Records, and is not at all interested in novels. This tendency persists throughout a Sulphur's life. Not uncommonly, a Sulphur boy will correct his teacher, to the amazement of the adult who cannot understand how this "lazy" boy knows these facts.

Puberty comes as a shock to many teenagers but especially to the Sulphur adolescent. He is very prone to skin conditions like disfiguring acne. Whereas before he did not care much about how he looked, now he sees his problem skin as an obstacle to his growing popularity among the girls. He will only agree to see a homeopath to get rid of these "zits"; he is not interested in improving anything else about himself.

As a teenager he still makes a mess of his room, and cleaning it up consists of sweeping his "stuff" into a cupboard. Waking up in the morning and getting ready to go to that boring school is as much of an ordeal as having all his teeth pulled out. He is grumpy, "not hungry" and prefers not to talk to anyone before ten a.m. But he always needs some money for snacking on the "nutritious" food from the school canteen. His popularity at school soars as he gets older, and he is often elected class president by his admiring fans.

Even at a young age the Sulphur recognizes the value of things. Pity the child who dares to enter into an exchange of collectibles with him. The Sulphur always comes out on top, although the other party never suspects this, the way he talks up the deal.

Of course, as a dynamo of energy he is a hot-blooded person. The Sulphur boy defines a sweater as something his mother pushes on him because she is cold. At night he usually throws off the blankets or at the very least, he sticks his feet out from under the covers. He considers taking showers a waste of water, and standing or sitting still is pure torture. Everything has to be fast, stimulating and exciting: music, computer games, movies, books, sports, etc.

The adult Sulphur will not change much. He Just covers it up more to reap the full benefit of his behavior. He is still the man of action, the achiever and fierce competitor who can move mountains. He has just one great weakness: he can be pretty insensitive to his spouse because he is still very factual. This does not leave much room for sentiments. For example, he might keep an album with pictures of women he dated before. he married his present wife, not realizing that this could appear insensitive.

If feelings come in the way of his plans, the Sulphur's motto is: "On we go!". He does not look back, holds no grudges, and easily moves on professionally and in his relationships. But he won't tolerate laziness either and will only respect people who work at least as hard as he does. When you first meet him, you might think that he is a jerk, intolerant of others when they do not reach their potential by his standards. He says that he has no sympathy for his "freeloading employees". Of course there is no place for tears or showing emotions. "That's for sissies" he says; a man should never cry, at least not in front of other people.

Mr. Sulphur usually has a physical appearance resembling a nervous race horse. He is lean and mean, although he can easily change to the opposite picture when he is burned out. At that point his cynicism takes over and he becomes the well known philosopher: politics stink, newspapers he, people are stupid, etc. It looks as though the only intelligent person is a Sulphur person, at least according to him; everyone else is a degree lower.

Sulphurs love being the center of the conversation, and they usually are, with their knowledge of facts. A Sulphur doesn't hesitate to jump, unsolicited, into his neighbor's conversation to give his view on the affair. He will not easily back off either. He can become quite quarrelsome and erupt like a volcano. Just remember one thing: these Sulphur outbursts are like real volcanic eruptions, rare and short-lived.

Mr. Sulphur loves a deal and would not hesitate to drive an extra five miles because the gasoline is two cents cheaper. And shopping at Marshall's or other discount stores is a must! He can be manic-depressive in the winter because the boredom of the winter plagues him. He thrives out-of-doors in the spring and summer. He never misses a day of work, which reflects his great energy and resilience. He appreciates a quick mind, wit and humor, something he is not devoid of himself.

And for a Sulphur, taking care of the family financially is his greatest achievement and concern. He is the one who should have been born a cave man so he could have "whacked the saber-toothed tiger on the head and brought him home for his wife to cook." He has a phenomenal memory, usually photographic, which contrasts so much with the fact that he can't remember names, even of good friends. A Sulphur would reason that he never wants to become that personal, because it is a form of weakness.

A Sulphur's mind is always "preoccupied with higher things," so he is indifferent to what or when he eats. Don't ever expect him to pick up after himself. His desk is invariably covered with innumerable rings from cups and glasses. Dirty dishes pile up, as well as stacks of old newspapers, empty bottles, grocery bags, etc. representing his collector's mentality and his strange view of his possessions: if it's his, it's beautiful. So don't throw away an old pair of shoes or a ragged T-shirt, as these are his most prized possessions. He has almost no fears, except a fear of heights, where he feels that he is being drawn to the ground below if he risks looking downward.

A Sulphur is rarely depressed or discouraged. His outspokenness can cause many to dislike him. His utter conviction that he is right and everyone else wrong can easily make him enemies. The fact that he is frequently right does not ease matters. His ambition is fame, whatever it means and whatever it is worth. He is very tolerant about a person's sexual preference and will never pass judgment. As for himself, all the evidence shows that he is aggressively heterosexual.

All in all, a well-balanced Sulphur is witty, intelligent, hard-working, non-judgmental, a defender of the underdog and the general of the troops, not afraid to make decisions and change plans on the spur of the moment. If you have a Sulphur at home, you are in for the ride of your life, full of excitement and unexpected events. Enjoy!

A Sulphur person is likely to need these acute remedies:

Sulphurs are apt to get skin conditions like eczema, diaper rash and other rashes, for which Sulphur is an excellent acute remedy, as is Graphites.
Sulphurs are also prone to the ambitious, competitive, hardworking lifestyle-often associated with overindulgence in alcohol and other addictive and stimulating substances - which characterize a Nux vomica state.
Nux vomica is an excellent remedy for the indigestion and hangovers which are likely to occur.
Sulphurs are also likely to have a sensitive digestive system and to suffer from gastrointestinal disturbances.
Lycopodium is apt to be a good remedy for their gas, bloating and GI distress.
Finally, here is a tip which is useful for anyone who has had an Aconite cold (see Aconite in the Guide to the Remedies) which does not resolve completely. Take a dose of Sulphur 200C (3 pellets dry, in the mouth) and the fatigue, cough or other remnant will disappear. (Aconite is an acute remedy associated with Sulphur, which means that Sulphur people are more likely than others to get an Aconite cold.)

by Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
from his book, "The People's Repertory". Reprinted by permission.
Dr. Luc is the author of excellent books on Classical Homeopathy.

Sepia Remedy Type: Exhausted, Dragged Down, Desperately Seeking a Vacation!

2008-03-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

Often the source from which the remedy is taken tells us a lot about its uses. This is certainly the case for Sepia, made from the ink of the cuttlefish (also called the giant squid). The cuttlefish has the shape and form of a uterus, while Sepia is used for many disorders of the female reproductive system. The constant twitching and jerking of its head and body remind us of the Sepia patient's constant desire to move. The shades of brown and yellow which are part of the squid's astonishing camouflage system remind us of the Sepia woman's wardrobe as well as her typical pigmentation: sallow skin, a brownish mottling of the face, or the “mask of pregnancy”. The cuttlefish is a master of escape (excreting a cloud of black ink to confuse the pursuer), and escape is exactly what the Sepia woman wants when she feels totally overwhelmed. Finally, the female cuttlefish is said to have total disregard and indifference for her eggs once laid, like the exhausted Sepia woman's indifference to her family. It is also said that the male fish loses his special copulatory tentacle during intercourse-which is reflected in the depression following intercourse in the (less frequently encountered) male Sepia patient.

How does one get into a Sepia state? Many women could answer that. Typically it reflects 4 overwork and over-responsibility. The exhaustion can easily stem from childbirth, especially if the pregnancy was hard (with Sepia being a great remedy for morning sickness), or if the delivery was difficult and/or rushed (with suction or pitocin). It is unfortunate that gynecologists don't know the power of Sepia for "postpartum blues"! Women who have had several pregnancies, miscarriages or abortions can also get into this debilitated Sepia state, drained not only of their physical energy but of their emotional energy as well. However, I have also seen women get into a Sepia state after only one pregnancy. If the baby is a screamer (a typical colicky baby) and does not want to sleep for the first three months, the mother almost inevitably will slide into this state of fatigue.

A woman in a Sepia state will say, "I am depressed" or “I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown." Indeed, she wakes up in the morning and feels there is nothing to look forward to: nothing but chores which can't wait, so overwhelming that she can't imagine being able to finish them, yet she will have to start the housework all over the next day. She never seems to get a few minutes just for herself where she can simply rest, exercise a little, read, anything put her body and mind at peace. No wonder such a woman does not want to get out of bed. She will spend the whole day driving the kids to school and their activities, cooking, shopping, washing… the list seems endless, and by the late afternoon, she is ready to collapse. All she wants is a little nap - but this is just the moment the children come back from school, and then the "big boy," her husband, demands his dinner. He even adds insult to injury by talking about how much work he did that day (and implying that housework isn't "real work").

A Sepia woman feels pushed relentlessly with no end in sight. It is only her sense of duty that keeps her going. But there will come a time when she runs out of energy and her patience comes to an end. Trapped in her situation, feeling utterly exhausted, she tells everyone to go away and leave her alone. She will even slap her whining children without feeling a bit sorry. She is just too tired to care.

And beware of the husband asking, for sex! That is just another task for her to avoid. Nor should he complain about a bad day at work. One of my patients said to her husband, "A bad day? I'll give you a bad day! I'll take out my pistols and bang! You're dead!" Another of my patients just got to the breaking point with her husband who came home from work, plopped in front of the TV and demanded that she make him a big bowl of popcorn. She took the popcorn and dumped it on his head, then got in the car and drove away for a few hours, just to be by herself-leaving her husband and kids in a panic, because they had never seen her act like this!

A Sepia woman will snap if anything extra gets added to her overloaded routine. She has to shut off he has to shut off or she feels she will die. She will even want to run away from this situation where she feels trapped. She may tell her husband, "You are in charge of the kids," and flee in desperation to the mall, or pack her suitcase and announce: "I am off on a little vacation and I don't want anyone coming along!"

A woman in a Sepia state may seem unsociable, but that's only because she is too tired to follow a conversation. She just wants to lie in bed with a book. Under severe stress, she may appear frozen, no longer showing emotion.

Sad to say, this Sepia state can be forced on a young girl if she has to fill her mom's shoes in the family, perhaps due to her mother's illness, absence or death. Being given so much responsibility at such a young age can mark her for the rest of her life. She may want to stay unmarried in order to avoid taking care of anyone else, or she may absolutely refuse to have children, preferring to be a successful career woman with no strings attached.

In the doctor's office she can be very critical, trying to hide the real reason of her visit: her emotional exhaustion. Often she only talks about her physical complaints, which are numerous (especially menstrual, menopausal or other hormonal symptoms).

But more often a woman in a Sepia state will burst into tears while telling her story, as crying is her only way of communicating. A Sepia will cry even more than a Pulsatilla, but her grief stems from exhaustion rather than the Pulsatilla's neediness for attention. She can have a sharp tongue; how can she feel any sympathy when she feels she can "lose it any minute"? As you can see, many women are in this unfortunate situation. I hope they will turn for help to Sepia, ready to give them a new lease on life!

A Sepia woman is likely to need these acute remedies:

The main thing a woman in a Sepia state needs is help from a homeopath, who can prescribe remedies in the right professional potencies. She can also benefit by using Sepia acutely in situations such as these:
- Many women, and especially women in a Sepia state, are likely to need Sepia for dysmenorrhea (with the typical Sepia symptom of a bearing down feeling in the uterus, as though it might slide out through the vagina!)
- Sepia is also good for morning sickness, vomiting during pregnancy, and hot flashes during menopause.
- It can also be used acutely for PMS symptoms such as irritability, weepiness and depression.
- I often tell my women patients to protect themselves against exhaustion during the Thanksgiving - Christmas season by taking Sepia 200C (3 pellets, dry in the mouth, as needed).

Copyright by Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
from his book, "The People's Repertory". Reprinted by permission.
Dr. Luc is the author of excellent books on Classical Homeopathy.

Phosphorous Remedy Type

2008-03-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

Attracting as much attention as the Sulphur, the luminescent Phosphorus personality is often his favorite companion. Rather than the charisma of the Sulphur, it is the external beauty and the liveliness of the Phosphorus person that makes heads turn. Even as a child, Phosphoruses attract attention with their big eyes, their long slender bodies and their eternal smile. Couple that with their uncanny ability for great communication and you have a winner. They love talking and have a great appreciation for friends, acquaintances and family, whom they support throughout any ordeal.

Empathy is second nature to a Phosphorus. It can be detrimental to her, though, as a Phosphorus is too sensitive and lacks boundaries. It is as though everything in her environment gets absorbed; she is like a psychogenic sponge "feeling yours and anyone else's pain." That leaves such a sensitive person on the verge of collapse, especially since a Phosphorus does not have the greatest physical and mental stamina in the first place.

Phosphoruses are not competitive in sports (although we can find some good runners among them), and too much studying leads to headaches and indifference. It is not that they lack intelligence. Like Sulphurs, Phosphoruses have a great memory, but they lack stamina. Therefore they are called great beginners and bad finishers. There is nothing better to revive a Phosphorus than a 30 minute nap; she feels reborn.

It is not only their lack of energy that contributes to their inability to finish, but also their sense of dissatisfaction and desire for change and excitement. They grow bored with the same things and that can extend to their life partner, from whom they demand continuous attention. Because of their beauty, they have no difficulty in finding other interested people. Sad to say, many Phosphorus people marry more than once because they grow tired of their present relationship.

We can easily see that a Phosphorus person belongs to the Heart-Fire-Joy element in the Five Elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine. They live for the present, spending money easily for beautiful clothes and expensive gadgets for their home, which they feel they should redecorate every six months (corresponding to their eternal restlessness). One item is never missing from the home of a Phosphorus: a mirror, or should we say many mirrors. They can't pass one without checking their hairdo, although they will claim that mirrors and self-portraits are just a way of enhancing the beauty of their house.

Beauty is very important to them. So don't insult a Phosphorus by asking her age; you won't get an answer. Although they always look at least ten years younger than they are, they have a fear of growing old and never dress the part. As one Phosphorus actress of 55 years old told me, "I can't play the role of a woman in her late twenties, but a thirty-year-old one, I can definitely play."

Invariably a Phosphorus will be inclined to dance, paint, sing, anything that creates beauty. From a young age they make their history lessons at school into an imaginary drama, with themselves at center stage, and they have a hard time with a too-structured teaching environment which does not allow for the spontaneity of a Phosphorus.

The sensitivity and active imagination of a Phosphorus leads to many anxieties and fears: fear of being alone, in the dark, ghosts, lightning, thunder, spiders, the future, death and incurable disease. They are fascinated by the subtle and vibrational spheres: meditation, crystals, channeling,. or energy healing. They are the most spiritual and intuitive of the types. So a Phosphorus will be the first one to consult a medium or a fortune-teller. Nothing is more interesting than Nostradamus' predictions, and they won't hesitate to rearrange their lives around these fortunetellers. But they can easily be distracted from such gloomy predictions by plans for a party or a trip around the world.

Their physical sensitivity is a source of suffering for a Phosphorus. Perfumes, gasoline fumes, smoke, and even a great sensitivity to changes in the barometer, will aggravate existing symptoms or bring on headaches, fatigue and forgetfulness. If things get worse, they are the unfortunate souls who become allergic to the world and start reacting to everything: they can become prisoners in their own home, where everything has to be stripped bare and free of synthetics. You can imagine what that means for the sociable, adventure-traveling Phosphorus: it feels like a death sentence.

Otherwise a Phosphorus comes into this world with great assets: their beauty, intelligence, sparkle, sympathy, sensitivity, intuition, spirituality, romanticism and a great aesthetic sense.

A Phosphorus person is likely to need these acute remedies:

Phosphorus, not coincidentally, is the #1 remedy for many of the health concerns of a Phosphorus: a cough, for example Phosphoruses are notoriously weak in the lung area) and easy bleeding
Phosphoruses are the most likely to get nose bleeds, to bruise easily, and to have heavy menstrual periods with bright red blood, in all of which conditions the bleeding can be stanched by Phosphorus.
Phosphorus is also the best remedy for two other conditions which the sensitive Phosphorus person is most susceptible to: the bad effects of anesthesia and/ or difficulty coming out of anesthesia; and a hypersensitivity to environmental chemicals, fumes, perfumes, etc.
Emotionally sensitive as they are, Phosphoruses are also the most likely to get into a Nat. mur. state (see the following portrait of Nat. mur.), which could possibly be avoided by taking Ignatia acutely.

Copyright by Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
from his book, "The People's Repertory". Reprinted by permission.
Dr. Luc is the author of excellent books on Classical Homeopathy.

Nat-Carb (Natrum Carbonicum) Remedy Type

2008-03-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Nat-carb: The Flight into a Dream World
With the Nat-c child we have to look at the Periodic Table to understand what this child is all about. We can easily understand the difficult life of this child when we see the elements Natrum and Carbonica. Natrum belonging to the first group, is all about wanting to connect to others very impulsive, spontaneous, even naïve, but it is the second part, that carbon, which mistunes her in her mission to connect. Carbon is stubborn, a primitive and archaic ego, very little differentiated and the child is stuck with no differentiation yet in her dominant function The attention is still mainly aimed at the self (but not 100% like the pure carbon), and together with the stubbornness, leaves little place for others to impose their will or opinion (we see this easily in intolerant to contradiction). The child usually expresses this sentiment as, "I want to do this! Don’t help me!" It looks like this is a very independent child. The reality is very different. Independence in the case of Natrum is easily confused with and translated as loneliness. It is easy to see too why these children would be catalogued under the ASD as they have difficulties connecting to others, even if they are intimate friends or family: aversion to family members and to society and estranged from family and friends. And it has, company, aversion to, of intimate friends (2). There seem to be a contradiction to the Natrum element that is so desirous to connect to others, and the aversion to even family: this leads to the core delusion,

Del, there is a division between himself and others, which is also expressed by del, is forsaken and deserted (1) and fear of being alone, yet averse to company (3!). I remember such child that would go so far to invite her friends at her home, but when they arrived went off playing by herself. How can that be in such young child that has hardly lived? It must go back intra utero and these same feelings must be found in the pregnant mother! But for what reason can this behavior be present? It can only because the mother must have felt isolated and estranged from friends and family. What trauma can create such situation when happiness should be at a peak? Let’s have a close look at the ailments from. Ailments from anger with fright (1), and from anger with silent grief (1).

Such NWS recalls the cases of the young excited woman who might be pregnant for the first time, but her joy is tempered because of neglect, indifference, even anger from a husband who is not ready to have a family or fears that this baby will get all the attention. Maybe she felt, rightfully or not, forsaken by her family because "they did not get enthusiastic enough about her being pregnant." Or maybe the pregnant mother was hoping that this child might be the peacemaker between her and her parents from which she is estranged and then it did not happen! Maybe the husband has to travel for his work a lot and family lives far away. It certainly would explain her anger and grief and her isolation from family. Sometimes, as is evidenced in the example below, the secret story is even more unbelievable, but then again, society is often quick to judge others without knowing the facts. Maybe both parents were not married yet and in a conservative family this can lead to all kinds of rejection: maybe an abortion is advocated strongly against her wishes, leading to estrangement from "well-meaning" friends and family who exclaim: "You are both too young. You are immature. You cannot afford this." Or there can be a secret story of rape or incest. Is there any more horrible reason for being subdued about being pregnant? How can the pregnant mother express her joy to the world? And it does not have to be rape. There are enough Lycopodiums and Medorrhinums out there who abandon the pregnant mother right away yet the mother is committed to the unborn child. Besides leading to ailments from anger with fright ("What am I going to do now with no help, who is going to help raising me this child?") to anger with silent grief (they are too embarrassed to tell anyone they have been dumped), it all leads to ailments from anticipation anxiety (2) and emotional excitement (1-stress), two other NWS for Nat-c.

This combination of loneliness, stubbornness and immature ego coupled to shyness does not seem to be a good combination to overcome her sense of isolation. And indeed life is a struggle for this child. What positive tools, if any indeed, does she have to overcome all this?

As we have seen in the core delusion for Nat-c, the difficulty is entering the world, even the limited world of the child and connecting to others. What can we do to survive if we are not able to connect to anyone in this world? Creating our own fantasy world! This will be the primary compensation and all other ones are just in function of this first one as we will see. Indeed many fixed ideas are expressing this illusion created world: del, of fancy illusions (1). These are children that create stories by themselves in which they are the heroine, the controlling force over what happens in their own little world. These are children that seemingly are totally engrossed in their actions, playing with little cars or trains, while having earphones on listening to music. Other delusions allude to this fantasy world: Del, he is on a journey (as they are totally seemed to be disconnected from their environment). Del, of a wedding again shows the desire of connecting to a pleasant world and a sense of belonging somewhere, which in real life they seem incapable of achieving. Because these children are still young, they create a world of smallness in order to fit in that world, in order to be part of it: del, things appear small. Creating such small world (like carrying small toys everywhere around with them) is comforting to them: they are small but large in comparison with the little toys/stuffed animals they play with. See in the next example how this girl wants to "disappear in small crevices, in a lamp, etc.

This lack of intimacy results also into a desire to be magnetized and mesmerizing ameliorates. In other words, there is a desire to be supported, to be "carried" by someone. This mesmerized is more by their created fantasy visions, not by realities in life as there is a tendency to anthropophobia, misanthropy and especially fear for men. There is a continuous effort to try to make contact, but at the same time, they flee before any serious contact is made. When I mentioned music, we can’t expect that she will listen to fast rock and roll music like Tarentula: this does not fit at all her mood and even piano music creates anxiety. The best music for such child is classical music from Walt Disney films (i.e., the "Beauty and the Beast,)" another dream world in which she can escape. The Natrum element certainly refers to the seriousness of the child (serious, earnest), also reflected in the kind of music she listens to. So this music is a positive tool, as it reinforces and resonates in her special world. But we should remember that the reaction to a serious child is seriousness; to a happy outgoing child, it will be laughter and play. From in the beginning, this child unconsciously blocks avenue of reaching out to the rest of the world.

Another positive tool to connect to "a world," (not the world) is her strong conscientiousness about trifles (3). However this easily leads to monomania and OCD, again mentioned in the spectrum of ASD: children play for hours lining up their little cars and get mad when someone interferes or they get attached to one or more objects, like always carrying around with them a certain little toy. Or the conversation is at nauseam about the same topic: one of the favorite things is observing and talking about small animals like insects such as lady bugs or little gold fish for which they show great concern (sympathy, compassion, 2). Therefore this remedy should be in the rubric, talking, one subject; of nothing but, where we find remedies like Arg-n, Lyc, Med and Stram. Of course, the talking of one subject is very different in these remedies. Med and Lyc don’t talk about lady bugs but about the ladies (their sexual conquests); Arg-n talks about all the calamities that "can" happen when she leaves the home; there is always one more "what if this or that happens;" and Stramonium only talks about the dangers she possible faces in this world. Nat-carb’s interest for detail is indeed a positive tool for the child as she uses it to a detail filled fantasy world but definitely can be a positive indicator for an ASD child.

We can see that all the positive tools of Nat-c, are really means to reinforce a permanent world in which she is able to live. If we see loquacity in Nat-c (a 2, the most loquacious of the Natrums and Nat-p is not even in this rubric as it means, "lack of communication), it is not to connect to others but more to connect to the figures in her created fantasy world to which she talks all the time (occupation ameliorates, 2). This lining up of toys and talking to the figurines and little soldiers must make you think of Calc-c, but the difference is that Calc-c is not at the stage yet where they are ready to go into the world (sometimes they never are even as an adult) and must connect to others than the immediate parent or family. Calc-c only just discovered himself and feels content in safe environment of the home where he has no difficulties engaging with others. In fact he easily, through stubbornness and temper tantrums, can get all the attention he wants so much. Nat-c somewhere got lost and family does not represent that safe haven anymore as it is for Calc-c. Natrum wants to connect outside of the family with friends and others, but "something (NWS)" stops her from achieving this!

Once the Nat-c child knows how to read and write her loquacity takes on another form and her fantasy world expands with another positive tool: writing! She talks of verses and writes stories. You see the refinement of the Natrum again, as this is a way of communication with the outside world for Nat-c, a world that seems too difficult to reach. However this is only a "positive" compensation for the child as it will cut her more and more off from the real world who finds such person too serious and eccentric.

This limited arsenal of positive tools, which has only one purpose, creating a safe haven (a fantasy world) for the child, shows how difficult life in general will be for this child, even growing up. The isolation, if not sufficiently compensated by fantasy, will become more and more outspoken when the child grows up and comes in a structured environment like school where other mandatory and less desirable tasks are imposed. Mental work is not a positive tool: occupation ameliorates and attention to detail are not connected to school work as we have seen, rather to the creation of that fantasy world. Where Nat-m and even Nat-p in their initial phase have desire for mental work, Nat-c has mental work is impossible or fatigues (3!). This child needs time outs after spending barely 30’ on homework or lecture, something impossible in structured settings but better dealt with and certainly quicker found out in home schooling. There is quick confusion of the mind from mental exertion (3) and concentration difficult while studying and reading (2). No wonder these children, absorbed and buried in thought (in their fantasy world), have received every name in the manual of psychiatry: from OCD to ASD to ADHD!

We can see easily the furthering of isolation in this child confronted with these increasing difficulties in life. They even have the del, that the body has become heavy and thick, showing how difficult it is again to respond to exterior stimuli. How does one react negatively to isolation? It will be depending in what miasmatic phase of the remedy they are.

In their psoric phase it will be mainly with despair, fears and anxieties. There is much anticipation anxiety about anything that threatens their fragile little world: this is the child that watches the weather forecast and gets excited (not in the sense of wanting to watch it like Carcinosin and Sepia but fearing it) about the appearance of a storm, before, during and after! Thunderstorm aggravates: only Nat-c 3! Approach of thunderstorm a 2! Aggravates after thunderstorm: a1. They are easily frightened (3) and suffer from prostration of the mind and brain fag (3).

It goes to sycotic behavior like foolish behavior (Hyos, Tarent) and suspicious behavior: del, sees thieves and criminals.

If the child does not get out of his isolation, he is doomed to live a life of loneliness, with continuing fears and slipping into syphilitic traits: indifference and apathy (3), with ennui; indolence to work; estrangement from friends and family, showing the dept of isolation; loathing of life waking up in the morning; malicious and spiteful; quarrelsome; gloom and sadness (3); striking from anger (2) and stupefaction on awaking. Couple this to timidity and bashful (3) and you see how we are returning to the core delusion of feeling an abyss between the self and others. The real danger if such child grows up and is still creating a fantasy world, that an emotional event can push the adult from this neurosis and delusions into a real psychosis (like schizophrenia).

A Nat-c Case

C., a 5 Year old girl: CC: Very moody, changeable. It was a forceps delivery, after 2 days labor, the physician was in a hurry at this point. From in the beginning she had acid reflux (Ph 1) and constipation. She was a very irritable baby, not breastfed. The regurgitation was helped with Propulsid (suppression) but the constipation remained. Only last couple of years more normal where before suppo’s were necessary. She is very tidy and fastidious: she lines up her toys to perfection and is fascinated with listening to classical music on her walk man while she is watching her train zooming around. But she often says, "People are talking about me, they are laughing at me." She loves wind, will go and stand in it. She is afraid of storms. She will watch the weather channel, and then becomes excited when one is coming! She cannot stand her nails to be cut neither her hair being brushed: she says, "It hurts!" She is independent, wants to do everything herself! Lately, especially the last 4 months, she has been saying to her older sister who is adopted: "But I came out of mommy’s tummy!" She loves "small things." She has a little elephant that she carries around with her everywhere, also loves insects. She also says when she sees a lamp, a jar or a crevice, a little space, "I want to go in there." She only likes classical music, not fast or country music, "That is boy’s music!" She tends to be a loner, she is insecure. She asks mom to invite friends and then when they show up, she does not do anything with them, tends to take off on her own (mom calls it "stand-offish"). She appears often sad. She likes wearing the same cloths and hates everything around her neck. She is into kissing, we call her "kissy" as she is always kissing her younger brother (7 months). She is very responsible and serious. She wants a puppy and when she feeds the fish, she is concerned about the small fish whether they get enough food. She is home-schooled and she does have only an attention span of 30’. After that she needs to do something else. She likes computers and video games. She does like routine, does not like new situations.

What is the pregnancy story: The parents were in the process of adopting after mom had gone through a lot of fertility drugs. They had already signed the papers when she found out she was pregnant! (For first time) Now she had intense fear that she would lose the other child (the adopted child) and fear of her present child, going something wrong with all that stress. In fact the natural mother found out and sued them for "fraud." This lasted the whole pregnancy. As a result, when she found out that she was pregnant, she could not tell anyone out of fear that she would be labeled a "fraud" and that the other child would be taken away. Only her parents knew. She said, "I wanted to protect my nest and my reputation."

Allopathy diagnosed this child as ASD and OCD.

Analysis

We can see that this child was irritable and "difficult" from in the beginning. This certainly was also expressed in all the GI symptoms: so our remedy should be one that has an affinity for the GI system! The constipation remained a big problem, so somehow that should be included in the remedy. Being very tidy is expressed as being organized in her toys (Carbon-Calc c) and listening to classical music is also a peculiar sx for children. She is adamant about that kind of music, does not like other kinds. Then there is a degree of paranoia, and being laughed at (suspicious). It reflects her insecurity and isolation. She is afraid of the approach of storm and during storm (she is "excited" in the sense of anticipation anxiety, not excited in the sense, "I want to watch it! In fact she is very afraid of it! This shows a carbon element again. Nails/hair issue: she is sensitive externally (generalities), sensitive to pain! Head, sensitiveness, from brushing the hair. When she says, but I came out of mummy’s tummy" it reflects some maliciousness in her (comes from mom’s side with a grandfather with Parkinson) and it might well be to boost her standing in her eyes: I belong somewhere! Where in fact this is her trouble: she does not know where she belongs, she has a difficult time connecting and therefore prefers to create a world of illusions! But she is independent: this excludes Bar-c! She loves small things: it reflects how she creates a world full of illusions (headphones on, watching little train, not paying attention to anything) and how she considers herself: small and vulnerable wanting to hide in a small cozy world (like mummy’s tummy). This really reflects how mom has felt in pregnancy: she wanted to hide, could not tell anyone she was pregnant. Had to hides it, wanted to escape and be left alone out of fear one would find out she was pregnant. We see here the connection in utero! But she is affectionate, amorous, especially towards her younger brother. With other children, we see a desire to connect, but then she cannot (when the friends are there). This represents the core delusion: "Del, division between herself and others." This again reflects what happened intra utero: mom wants to connect with others (to tell them she is pregnant) but she could not! C. is serious and responsible (NATRUM) seen in how she feeds the fish. But hard time with attention: she needs to refuel after a half an hour (Confusion from mental work)-Concentration difficult!

This is a beautiful case of Nat-c. We start with 6C 8 oz. bottle, 2 succ prn. (The 5th edition Organon Split Method - see my book, "Achieving and Maintaining the Simillimum"). Two months later: after adjusting the dose to 1 succussion of the RSB, 3 drops from the RSB in a 4 oz. cup, and 3 drops from the first cup every third day, the child does not exhibit any of the above symptoms. The child’s case is still in progress.

Copyright by Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
Excerpts from Dr. Luc's upcoming book "Beyond Jung: Delusions, Dreams, Neuroses and Homeopathy" Copyright 2007 All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.
Dr. Luc is the author of excellent books on Classical Homeopathy.

Calcarea Carbonicum Type: Down to Earth, and Not a Bad Bone in His (Her) Body

2008-03-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Many children in the U.S. are born this type: indeed about 50% of them start out this way. And it is reflective of the steadiness and stubbornness of a Cal carb. that many of them remain the same throughout their life At birth they are grandmothers' favorites: big babies, with chubby cheeks inviting pinches and (in the grandmother's eye) radiating health and happiness.

Unfortunately, "fat and flabby" can remain a constant symptom, as they struggle with their weight for the rest of their life. But they are cute babies indeed, easily smiling and always having a great appetite (a breast is a pacifier for this baby and they make snacking an art form).

As part of their obstinacy, they have constipation from the beginning of their young life. They can go for days without a bowel movement and that without any sign of discomfort. But watch out when they go! The bowel movements are voluminous and big, no one can believe that all this comes from such a little guy; not infrequently the mother has to break up the stool with a plunger so that it can be flushed down the toilet.

There is no other type as attached to their home as a Calc. carbo. They are not interested in summer camp, especially if it is not right around the corner. I had knew a mother who kept making that mistake. Every summer, her little boy managed to misbehave so much at camp that he was sent home for the rest of the summer, where he then behaved perfectly in the company of a baby-sitter.

As you can see, the Calc. carbo is nice but stubborn. Moving away from a home is a catastrophe. Even if the new house is nicer and bigger, he will always miss that old house, the old neighborhood and his friends. In my practice I have often seen Calc. carbo suffer from a serious disease since moving away from his childhood home.

You have to think of a Calc. carbo person as an oyster (and indeed the remedy is made from the middle layer of the oyster shell): he has a hard shell (his stubbornness), but on the inside is this weak creature (the soft, flabby Calc. carb. person) and often you find a pearl of polished and delicate beauty-his compassionate, sensitive nature. He is horrified when he sees upsetting stories on TV. Often a Calc. carb. person does not read newspapers or turn on the TV for fear of seeing all the cruel things of this world -wars, famines and suffering. It really reflects the Calc. carb.'s great fear of physical harm and pain.

That's why the Calc. carbo child of three or four years old asks those questions about God and "What happens when I die?" Tell him some angels are waiting for him, who are going to play with him, and that there is going to ne plenty of food ( a major concern for a Calc, carb.) He will be perfectly content as long as there is no suffering.

Just like a Phosphorus, a Calc. carbo can be very spiritual and giving, always ready to console people, to listen to their complaints, and then, alas, getting overwhelmed by it.

A Calc. carbo stands for the "F's": fat, flabby, fair, faint, and fearful. We have already discussed the lack of tone in this person ("there is little bounce to the ounce") and hence he is not readily interested in competitive sports, especially contact sports. He is exhausted from any physical effort, especially going upstairs. This includes sexual intercourse. In his thoughts he can be hypersexed, but in reality the act exhausts him as quickly as any other exercise.

Of the other F's, faint stands for the easy fainting this person goes through. As for fearful, nobody has more fears than a Calc. carb. I have already mentioned his fear of physical suffering, but this big, stout person is also fearful of mice, of the future, of death (there might be suffering), of disease (there is definitely suffering), of being alone (especially being away from home and mom), of poverty (no more food and no more safe home), of the dark (especially at night, when they always need a little light; Calc. carbo is a great remedy for the nightmares of children), and fear of changes (he likes routine, old friends, the same barber, the same doctor, etc.).

One sure thing is that a Calc. carb.'s appetite will never fail. He is a glutton and not very choosy about his foods, which can be plain and bland. Of course he never says no to ice cream or pizza, two of his more beloved foods. His wish list also includes boiled eggs and milk (which he tolerates poorly). He generally does not like meat (except for the occasional hamburger), but of course he would not say no to it if there is no other food. Fasting is definitely not in his vocabulary!

A Calc. carbo has a great sense of humor and likes teasing, which he does with an uncanny ability. But he is very sensitive to being teased himself. He can take quite a bit but he has his limits. Often the butt of the jokes at school, he can tolerate it for quite some time. But suddenly he will surprise everyone with a violent outburst-even to the point of killing someone. I have read about some of these unfortunate incidents in the newspapers. It is always incomprehensible to everyone involved that such a soft, mild, gentle child could suddenly kill someone (but no surprise if you know homeopathy!).

The Calc. carbo often shows his slowness early in life (late teething, late closing of the fontanels, late walking, late talking). At school the teacher can have the impression that he is not really intelligent as he will never volunteer to answer questions like the Sulphur (because he knows the answer) or the Phosphorus (anything to be loquacious and in the limelight). He sits in the background, but many times he will surprise peers and teachers alike by understanding everything and coming up withvery logical answers. His logic is down-to-earth.

I had a four-year-old patient who heard his mother saying that his pediatrician had moved. The next time he felt sick, he did not say anything. When the mother finally noticed his fever, she scolded him and asked him, "Why didn't you tell me?" The little fellow had a very logical answer: "My doctor moved, so there is no sense in complaining. He does not live in that office where I used to go."

A Calc. carbo never wants to get pressured into answering things, at school or at home. Even when I asked a little six-year-old Calc. carb., "Who is your best friend?" he answered, "I have to mull this over." (Quite the contrast to the Phosphorus girl who tells me she has fifty friends and can name them all; or the Sulphur boy who would look at me with disdain for asking such a stupid question, thinking "Doesn't he know, I am a Sulphur, so people admire me, and of course everyone wants to be my friend.")

Usually though, a Calc. carbo will tell me he has one very special friend who he prefers to spend his time with. But he never has any problems playing by himself, lining up his little cars against the wall or playing war with all his little characters, in quite an animated way for a Calc. carb. But you have to understand that he is in his own room in his own home, which he feels is his castle.

It is amazing that we see many of these characteristics maintained in the Calc. carbo adult. The Calc. carbo father lives for his family and friends. He loves to play cards and watch football while eating pizza. He adores his wife (who is often a Phosphorus trying to put some spice in his life). The Calc. carb. mother is pleased with staying at home, tending the garden, and driving the children to their various activities. She is the "mother on the block" for everyone who needs a sympathetic ear.

Calc. carbs. might appear naive, slow, and earthbound, but they have an unsurpassed inner beauty in the love they have for people and the earth. There are very stable people, contributing very much to happiness in this world.

A Calc. carbo person is likely to need these acute remedies:

A Calc. carbo child is susceptible to recurring ear infections, especially those of a Belladonna type.
When sick or under stress, he is also likely to become more clingy to his mother and demanding of attention, typical of conditions responding well to Pulsatilla.
One of Calc. carb.'s weak points is weak ligaments and especially a weak back, which he is likely to strain by overlifting, a condition which respond well to Rhus tox (the #1 remedy for lumbago).
And of course Calc. carbo will also be a good acute remedy for such common Calc. carb. problems as constipation and the ill effects of overwork.

Copyright by Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
from his book, "The People's Repertory". Reprinted by permission.
Dr. Luc is the author of excellent books on Classical Homeopathy.

Homeopathy for Mothers: Best Remedies for Your Household!

2008-03-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

When you have children (and even adults that can act like children) then mom knows that she needs to be prepared to be a doctor in the field and trenches. I have five children and I suspect that one of the reasons I got them is that they wanted to challenge me to see how good I was in acute homeopathic prescribing. Hardly a day went by or I had to bring out the "magic box" as it was dubbed by my combative children…"Let's see dad if homeopathy can treat this," was their warrior cry: Cuts, bruises as big as an egg, burn wounds…and yes even heartaches and disappointments! I am actually grateful for these challenges now as they are all grown ups, and have their own children, and not even a moment do they doubt to use homeopathy for all the same troubles their children cause now as they did to me. There is some pride in their voice as they talk about having successfully treated some of the 101 incidences that do not require an ER visit or a even a doctor's visit. I want the reader to get acquainted with some of these "magic pills" and put a physician's cap up for a moment and see the "magic of the minimum dose" as we call it.

Here follow some descriptions of homeopathic remedies you should have in your first aid box. They easily replace Tylenol and company as they are effective if truly indicated. The intake of these remedies for acute cases (I am not talking about chronic diseases for which you need to consult a professional) is always the same.

How to Dose with Acute Homeopathic Remedies
Put two pellets of a 30C potency (NOT 6C) in a bottle of 8 oz spring water, let them dissolve (if they are big pellets crush them first in paper without touching them and throw the powdered remedy in the bottle) and take 1 tsp from the bottle directly. Do not repeat before two hours go by. If there is total improvement after two hours there is no need to repeat. This bottle should be kept out of sunlight or radiation.

The Magic of Arnica

This is the sports and injury remedy par excellence! Bruises, falls on the head with the formation of the well known "eggs" on the front, black eyes (you never know how they got them) and "over exercise" all respond by magic to Arnica. "Over-exercise" can go truly to overdoing it even when you are a well trained athlete. But I think more about children and adults alike who do very little during the year, go on vacation and imagine that the muscles they never used, are just ecstatic to be used excessively. Enthusiasm easily takes over the first vacation day but the second day, one feels like a "bulldozer run over him." This is where Arnica comes in (the pellets taken orally in water are MUCH more effective than the cream and cheaper!). Arnica can be used acutely after operations where bruising takes place, is a must for the woman right after delivery of her child, after tooth extraction…it brings the swelling down immediately, stills the pain and stops the bleeding. Pure miracle! Keep in mind: never use Arnica for open wounds!

The Sting of Hypericum

Have you ever crushed your finger between a door? Fingers are rich in nerve endings and that's why it is excruciating painful! It is also indicated in any pressure on nerves like in acute sciatica where the pain radiates down your leg from the back on. While an chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture treatment can do wonders, Hypericum's pain relieving characteristics are fabulous. Indicated for those sharp, electrical, stinging and stitching nerve pains (even in tooth pain).

Sprains and Rhus-tox

Nothing is more effective than Rhus-tox for sprains and strains of your ligaments no matter where in your body. You rolled over your ankle and now a swelling appears? Make sure there is no fracture first but in such sprain there is restoration within a few days. It is also greatly indicated in any lumbago. You lifted some things during a move? You hyper-extended your shoulder serving a tennis ball or less gloriously, painting a ceiling in your home? You worked for hours bent over in the yard and now you really do feel your age as you can't straighten your back? Put the youth back in that lower back with Rhus-tox and look forward to your next day of gardening! Keep it also in mind after acute whiplash!

Grief and Ignatia

While physical ailments can bring much pain, whoever has felt grief (and who hasn't) needs this remedy. Hearing bad news, emotional shock from seeing horrible things, unexpected death of a friend or family member, deception and betrayal and the first lost love of your child…nothing makes the healing of the soul smoother than Ignatia. It has all the characteristics of deep grief: hysterical crying or sobbing, loss of appetite, even the development after grief of a stiff neck or tic nerveux, constant sighing, a feeling of a ball in the throat, loss of sleep in your grief…this miraculous remedy will remedy all of this before the situation might develop in a full blown depression! I wish the rest of the world knew of this remedy! Tell your friends, they will be grateful. I even had children developing a stiff neck when humiliated by a coach or teacher in front of everyone. Always have Ignatia remedy for the many insults to the soul!

Infection and Calendula

I wish allopathy would know the wonders of the antiseptic characteristics of this remedy. Again better to take the remedy orally rather than using it on the open wound although you can do both! Any cuts, open wounds, scraped skin, incisions after operations, post delivery to heal the cu in the perineum, to avoid infection after tooth extractions, can be avoided and healed with Calendula, derived from a little flower like Arnica, True Nature does not have healing boundaries and limitations. Mankind has not made sufficient use of its powers.

Aconite and Fever

If your child wakes up around midnight with sudden high fever, weeping, very restless, hot to the touch in the head and over the body, bring Aconite out to the rescue! That little teaspoon from your bottle as by magic will calm the child down, make her fall asleep and often, the first dose cures! How could it have happen? It often happens on a sunny but rather cold NE windy day. he child has been sweating and caught a cold, which shows up without warning between midnight and 2 am with these violent expressions. It is also a great remedy for anyone who was caught in a sudden fright…almost died from as heart attack or from an accident: the restless and excited mind needs the calming capacity of Aconite! And no better remedy for the fearful woman pregnant for the first time, fearful for what can happen during the delivery!

Cantharis and Burn Wounds

The sun is out for the first time and you can't get enough! And it was so great to splash around in the pool or ocean, but when evening comes, you are burning allover your body in spite of sun cream. Even blisters (second degree burn) can show up. Reach to cantharis for first and second degree burn wounds and see healing taking place without the formation of scars. As I told you before, my children did test this remedy more than once!

Arsenicum: Such Poison and Such Healer!

To finish a remedy that "I never leave home without," (never mind Mastercard), especially on my travels overseas! For any food poisoning with bad water, causing burning constant diarrhea, draining your fluids, Arsenicum is indicated. The diarrhea is an expression of the body's attempt to purification and evacuation and Arsenicum will assist the body in doing so in the right way. Medications that stop the diarrhea often don't help (it is like putting a cork in your anus leaving the toxins in your body where they play havoc!). Numerous are the people I helped with this wonderful remedy in Mexico, India, Egypt, China, Morocco…The travel brochure usually does not advertise Montezuma's revenge as they call this illness. Don't be caught without having Arsenicum at hand.

These are just some of my favorite remedies but there are so many more. Much more can be learned from my book, "The People's Repertory", which you should have at home and bring on your travels. You feel empowered and grateful you can help your family and others!

Become a domestic physician!!

by Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
Reprinted by permission.