Individualised diet and regimen: smart strategies to manage case

Dr Jalmin Chotaliya

ABSTRACT
Homoeopathic Science concerns with holistic treatment of sick one. Homoeopathic management includes many aspects apart from mere Prescription. Advice on diet and regimen and its role in Homoeopathic case management is well known among the Homoeopathic Practitioner. Experience regarding dietary restriction during treatment to get uninterrupted medicinal action is variable and controversial. Avoidance and caution regarding diet and regimen is necessary to avoid obstacles to cure in case Management. In this case individualized diet and regimen according to prescribed remedy seems to one of the interesting matters to discuss in Homoeopathy.

KEY WORDS: Case Management, Diet and Regimen, Homoeopathy

INTRODUCTION:

Diet and regimen in General:
Homoeopathic treatment consists of different parts like counseling, prescription, auxiliary management. These all are interdependent to each other and affects greatly when not taken care properly. Dr. Hahnemann mentioned about diet and regimen with its effects in Case Management in his writings. He mentioned about it in Aph. 259 of Organon of medicine in following manner, “Considering the minuteness of the doses necessary and proper in homoeopathic treatment, we can easily understand that during the treatment everything must be removed from the diet and regimen which can have any medicinal action, in order that the small dose may not be overwhelmed and extinguished or disturbed by any foreign medicinal irritant.”⁽¹⁾ In his lesser writing, an article named on effects of coffee from original observation (Leipsic 1803) was dedicated to matter related to medicinal action of Dietary articles and its effects on Human body and action of medicines.⁽²⁾

Effect of substances with aromatic properties and its interrupting effects on dynamic action of medicine are acceptable facts in Homoeopathy. There are some general guidelines regarding avoidance of strong smelling substance and food articles during Homoeopathic Treatment are popular among Practitioners. Some instructions like avoidance of coffee, ginger, garlic, onion and other strong smelling substance during homoeopathic management are very popular among neophytes of homoeopathic Science.

As per Dr. Richard Hughes, “The rules of Hahnemann in regard to diet did more good than we are apt to ascribe to them. You know that it has been said of our school in times past that our success was due to our care in the matter of diet. Finding that our drugs acted oftentimes, indeed, in spite of errors in diet, we have abandoned many of these rules, and I am afraid to the detriment of the patient and the disadvantage of ourselves. If we drink coffee and tea, as many of us do, let us drink them weak. If we use wine and beer let it be in extreme moderation and not to the extent of heating the body or causing flushing of the face. If we indulge occasionally in tobacco, when tired or depressed, and I am told it has a soothing effect under such circumstances, let it be only occasionally, and not at all times or every day. If we control ourselves we will have a better influence upon our patients.”⁽³⁾

Individualized Diet and Regimen:

There are some general rules regarding diet and regimen in Homoeopathy but some specification will make it more worthy in application.  As every case has its own individuality and Simillimum medicine so, instruction regarding diet and regimen varies according to it.

In Homoeopathic Case taking, thermal reaction plays a vital role in totality as well as in auxiliary management.  Warm drink for patient with chilly thermal reaction is bless for them but at the same time warm drink for hot patient is like curse. So, one should advise patient according to their thermal reaction if it strongly affects your case management.

Especially in case of local application, thermal reaction is very important consideration for instruction regarding the regimen. Dr. Robert in his book “The principles and Art of Cure By Homoeopathy” stated that, “There is another phase of local applications to be considered, those which have to do with the thermic reactions of the body. For instance, it would be very objectionable to put cold applications on a patient whose symptomatology calls for Rhus tox. It would be equally inconsistent and aggravating to put a local hot application on a Pulsatilla patient, and one should guard against using a hot water bottle at the feet of Sulphur patients. When using any adjuvants, the thermic reactions of the patient should be considered. This brings out the necessity of having a keen observation and a very thorough knowledge of the aggravations and ameliorations of our remedies, so as to avoid doing anything locally that would aggravate the general discomfort of the patient.”⁽⁴⁾

Dr. George Royal mentioned about this matter in following way, “As to diet, there is a sad need of reliable information. Anyone who would write a book on the dietetics of each remedy would bestow a great boon upon the human race.” ⁽⁵⁾

Following examples of medicines with precautionary individualized diet/regimen (6,7,8)

• Aconite Napellus – Acids, wine and coffee, lemonade, and acid fruits modify its action.
• Ammonium carb- Chemical incompatibles such as acids must be avoided (Petersen F.J.)
• Anantherum muricatum- advises him to avoid wine.
• Artemisia vulgaris– Said to act better when given with wine.
• Benzoic acid- Incompatible: Wine. See that one avoids wine. (Pulford)
• Borax– Acetic acid, vinegar, and wine are incompatible. (Pulford)
• Bromium- Avoid milk when taking Brom.
• Ferrum Metallicum-Anything containing tannic acid should be avoided when iron is taken. (Petersen F.J.)
• Psorinum patient does not improve while using coffee.
• Selenium- Avoid Wine.
• Zincum mettalicum-Cannot stand smallest quantity of wine.

CONCLUSION: All physicians are not following the rules of diet and regimen. They believe that if one correctly chooses the medicine than no external influence will capable to hamper the action of similimum. In some cases even after prescription of medicine in correct potency and repetition the results disappoints the physicians. So, in that case of obstacles to cure one may easily handle case with suitable diet and regimen according to prescribed medicine.

REFERENCES:

1. Boericke W., Organon of Medicine, 6^th edition, Reprint Edition April 2012; Indian Books & Periodicals Publishers New Delhi.
2. Dudgeon R.E., Lesser writings of S. Hahnemann (collected & translated) by R. E. Dudgeon, 13^th impression – 2017, B. Jain publishers, New Delhi.
3. Hughes R., Discussion, 1884, 37^th session, appendix: America; American institute of Homoeopathy. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Homeopathica version number 2.2.1-2006/07/24.
4. Robert H. A., The Principles and Art of Cure by Homoeopathy. Reprint edition 2020. India: Indian Books & periodical Publishers New Delhi.
5. Royal G., Text book of Homoeopathic Materia Medica with therapeutic hints. Reprint edition: May 2004. India: Indian Books & Periodical Publishers.
6. Boericke W., Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica with Indian Medicine & Repertory. 9^th reprint edition august 2015. India: Indian Books and Periodicals Publishers New Delhi.
7. Pulford, Homoeopathic Materia Medica of Graphic Drug Pictures and Clinical Comments. India: Indian Books & Periodicals Publishers New Delhi.
8. Petersen F.J. Materia Medica and Clinical Therapeutics. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Homeopathica version number 2.2.1-2006/07/24.