New Notions of Healing 

Greetings from Dr. Erin

Human health and wellness being my passion, I had several new insights earlier this summer while traveling in Europe.  Most relevant to my work were the days I spent in France at "La Chrysalide" (The Chrysalis), a center for well-being and transformation developed by the doctor who created the color therapy and "Holopsony", or sound/music therapy, that I've mentioned in previous newsletters.  Five days I spent there, going into the chrysalis of a caterpillar, coming out like a butterfly, and I lived to tell it!

This newsletter shares my story at "La Chrysalide", as well as an informative article from Dr. John about one of our favorite homeopathic methods: Isopathy.  He'll explain further, but in short, this is a method of using known toxic substances in homeopathic form, to trigger detoxifications and the negative effects of the same substance.   Perhaps reading his article will engender more questions, if so, let us know! All in all, I hope this newsletter continues to educate everyone on the new notions of healing encompassed in the medicine used at Options Naturopathic Clinic.

FInally, Carol Baglia of Correct Breathing Concepts, will be holding a free informational lecture this coming Wednesday at Options on the Buteyko method.  Please see below for more information!

Dr. Erin’s Summer visit

While Dr. Erin will be in Cleveland from July 22nd-31st, there are only a few open days left for appointments, so if you plan to schedule, please do so as soon as possible.  We cannot guarantee there will be appointments available if not scheduled before her arrival. For patients requiring a joint appointment with both Dr. Erin and Dr. John, July 22nd, 23rd and 30th are the only possibilities, and those first two days are nearly full!

Dr. Erin will not be in Cleveland again before late September, at the earliest, as those dates are yet to be determined.

Isopathy: 
A Fascinating and Powerful Homeopathic Technique

by John Sherman, N.D.

Counseling a patient last week on the idea of using a nosode to treat a particular disorder, I was reminded of how powerful and specific the method of homeopathic isopathy can be for true healing to take place. Before I describe some amazing case studies, several basic definitions are called for. 

Most of you know the definition of a homeopathic remedy: a diluted preparation of a plant, mineral, or animal, that has been potentized into a form that can effect the true healing essence in all of us. Most remedies are determined by pure logic. Once you know the effects of the substance in physiologic doses, the same material in a diluted, potentized form will eliminate the same symptoms that are present in those doses. I often use the example of chopping an onion: everyone has experienced the strong effect of burning, watery eyes and nasal drainage. These symptoms make homeopathic onion (Allium cepa) one of the best remedies for hay fever, or even the common cold. To induce vomiting, one uses tincture of ipecac. But to treat a case of nausea or vomiting that’s already present, one needs only to use homeopathic ipecac (Ipecacuanha) in an acute dosage. 

Rather than just using a ‘similimum’(similar constellation of symptoms) remedy, in isopathy, one uses the specific material in an energetic potentization to reverse and eliminate the symptoms. An example of this is a person suffering from chronic strep throat infections. Many people can become predisposed to these chronic infections through the overuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics can be a life saver when used discreetly, but most doctors grossly over prescribe them to the point that they no longer work. Often times, a single dose of Streptococcinum in a homeopathic form, can help prevent these persistent, recurring throat infections, as well as protect the individual with a current or threatening infection from the reflexive damaging effects of strep. This is the concept of isopathy: using a nosode (a homeopathic remedy made from the germ or virus that has caused the illness) to restore order to the system. Isopathy is very logical, but simple and elegant. 

In my early years of practice, I witnessed a miraculous transformation of a patient using isopathy. She came to me as a last resort, after seeing many specialists: dermatologists, internists, endocrinologists, every “–ist” you can imagine. She claimed I was her last chance to find an answer. It was a lot of pressure for a doc just starting out! Her case was the classic indication for an isopathic remedy. She had a case of alopecia totalis, the loss of all head hair. She came to me very despondent, 28 years old, and totally bald since age 9. She told me how embarrassed she was to have to wear wigs in junior high and high school. It was a very traumatic, emotional issue for her, to say the least. In taking her history, she recalled losing a lot of her hair when she developed a high fever at age 7 during a bout of chicken pox. Then two years later, she got another high fever after contracting the measles, and lost all of her head hair, even eyebrows and eyelashes! 

After considering what I have explained about isopathy, what would you give her? Of course, I gave her homeopathic chicken pox (Varicella) and measles (Rubeola), in gradually increasing potencies. She claimed, on the first dose, that she felt ‘tingling’ on her scalp and it became very itchy. After a few weeks, she developed peach fuzz-like hair, similar to a newborn; and over time, she slowly grew in long, dark black strands of hair. Needless to say, she was ecstatic. She would come to the office for a check-up, and there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the room. It was a healing I will never forget. 

Other physicians have also witnessed this type of powerful change. In “Rediscovering Real Medicine”, Dr. Jean Elmiger, a French physician, describes many cases of isopathic healings. Here is an example of a typical case:  

On 6 July, I received Diane G. from Geneva, aged 6 months. Her parents had come to me because they felt their child had been unable to recover from her first DTPP vaccination. It seemed that shortly following this first shock she had developed a slight fever which failed to disappear. The child had ceased to be cheerful, and the parents to have peace of mind. It is difficult not to imagine the worst with a sickly child who has run a fever for 3 months. The pediatrician claimed this ‘inflammation’ had nothing to do with the vaccinations, and prescribed Tylenol, but the fever refused to go away. Worse, the baby’s cheerful character disappeared completely, and the parents lost all confidence in the pediatrician. The parents correctly diagnosed the only illness involved here: the distortion of vital energy resulting from the vaccination hammer blows. 

The appropriate treatment was immediately decided. I mixed the four DTPP nosodes and administered them immediately. Five days later the father called to confirm the fever’s disappearance and a spectacular improvement in the child’s overall condition. Over the next 10 months there were four more visits to strengthen the general constitution of this child who had now become a lovely and robust little girl. I can assure you that these parents aren’t in any hurry to consult their pediatrician again(p. 84). 

This article is not meant to be a negative commentary on conventional medicine or the use of vaccinations (that could take several articles on its own!). Rather, it demonstrates the real cause of illness, which is so often overlooked. As Dr. Elmiger puts it, “the doctor’s art is really the unraveling of the subtle fabric of influences making up our lives. In essence, this fascinating work of homeopathic diagnosis is really a disentangling of the sequence of large and small events that have created the knots.” 

Isopathic homeopathy is just one of many powerful tools used in a comprehensive, individualized approach that we employ at Options Naturopathic Clinic. As I have demonstrated, it is a very practical and logical method for removing the blocks to your own healing. Sometimes cases like these seem incredulous, until of course, you experience such a healing in your own life.

"La Chrysalide: Sting Like a Bee, Float Like a Butterfly"

by Erin Holston Singh, N.D.

The imagery from Muhammad Ali's favorite phrase often rings true for detoxing, particularly if the phrase were in reverse, since the process of detoxifying can initially “sting like a bee”. Of course going to “La Chrysalide” (the chrysalis), a unique holistic health center near Amiens, France, is not uniquely a “detox” (this is just one of the many side benefits as I like to call them). Rather, a week long assessment and treatment at La Chrysalide is an amalgamation of experiences to put one back into a state of “good form”. Going into a chrysalis, or a protected stage of development, is a lovely analogy to what happens while there, which makes the name of their center so appropriate.

Dominique Bourdin and his wife Sylvie run the center, where color serves as a dominant therapy and obvious visual treat. Dominique is a medical doctor who left conventional medicine to practice as a homeopath and eventually moved on to become a psychotherapist. In France a psychotherapist's work stands apart from a psychologist's in that psychotherapists do not do only talk therapy. They believe that one must work with the whole body to put the mental state back into balance. This is quite distinct from the notion of psychosomatic illness, where the mind is thought to create the disease. Rather, it is the realization that the body and the mind are inseparable, and that they work together to manifest disease processes. In this view, the mind and the body are one and the same and thus must be treated as one with holistic therapies for any lasting effect to occur.

Dominique has discovered and greatly expounded upon the symbolic relationship between physical illnesses and mental states. He recognizes one must treat both the body and the mind simultaneously to create harmony and balance in a person. Colors, being essentially nothing other than various wavelengths of light, harmonize all aspects of the human being since we are also nothing but manifestations of light. Dominique has developed a true treasure of a therapy in his color emitting lamps, which he uses as a means to open the door to one’s self and to facilitate self-reflection.

A “cure”, or treatment, at the center is three to five days of various therapies, ranging from colon hydrotherapies (what we usually call “colonics” in the U.S.), to color and music therapy, to saunas and propeller baths and more. During this time, one is brought into immediate awareness of the life lessons necessary to understand much of what relates to one’s physical and mental well-being. This is done in several ways through the week, but initially it is done by interpreting the color and hearing tests performed at the start of the “cure”. One can gain insight into particular desires, needs and deficiencies on a more symbolic level, since the color test shows the meaning behind the colors we prefer and reject. It helps tell us where we have difficulties and what our needs are.

Then, the hearing test, performed to determine how the music will be modified for individual therapy, tells us what parts of our physical bodies are strong or weak. The test shows the peaks and the troughs as the hearing test goes from the lower frequencies, corresponding with the lower aspects of the body (i.e. feet, knees, legs), to the higher frequencies, corresponding to the upper parts of the body (neck, shoulders, head). These color and hearing tests together create a picture of what is out of balance and where the color and music therapy may aid an individual to more self-awareness in their quest to become a balanced being in good form.

As an example of my personal findings will demonstrate. The first test revealed my great love for the color orange. It was by far my most preferred color in the test. Conversely, magenta was a very low on the graph, almost non-existent. The extreme imbalance of both showed two things, first with orange, that I need more playfulness or perhaps a need to be creative in my life (which makes complete sense to me, considering my time at the computer!). The second, the lack of magenta, showed a need to harmonize all activities in my life, to unify them into one common goal. As I grasped at the words when Dominique described his interpretation of the color test (it was in French, after all), I recognized some truths about myself that I was able to reflect upon during the week. Ironically, all that speaking French likely created the biggest trough in my hearing test, since the readings corresponding to my head were quite low. Dominique suspected this was due to the mental fatigue of struggling with a foreign language, and I can confirm that I did struggle!

Since the process of bringing one back to a state of “good-form” requires an undoing of previous habits, it was a blessing that my return to good-form was smooth, with very little emotional pain or physical discomfort. This served as a reminder that the therapies and practices I’ve employed for 20 years, such as homeopathic care and good nutrition do have a measurable benefit. I learned it is very easy to lose sight of the good work I have done on myself and am doing for others, in light of learning so many new fascinating methods.

The cumulative benefits of the preventative medicine treatments I have employed over the years were especially evident to me when looking at the various experiences of the participants that week at the center. Some individuals' sojourns were smooth, some were physically painful and some were full of emotional releases. It appeared that the degree of previous work with naturopathic modalities to affect foundational health and spiritual well-being could be visibly measured by how each participant responded to the treatment offered at the center. The more I reflected on this, the more profound it was with respect to both my professional work and my personal life. If I had a splinter of a doubt remaining, I couldn’t anymore; it was crystal clear to see the benefits with these contrasting experiences.

Likewise, it is often the case that the advantages of homeopathy and naturopathy are not appreciated until we stop using them and then find ourselves becoming sick again. Since the benefit of this type of work is basic normal functioning and good health, we can forget why we are doing what we are doing until, alas, we are sick again and find ourselves struggling to get back on track. In my mind, this would be one of the most important studies in homeopathic research: track the degree of health maintenance and rarity of illness between two populations, those who use homeopathy consistently, and those who don’t. My experiences have shown me that the proof most certainly would be in the pudding.

Soon, the basic color therapy will be available during office visits with me at Options. It’s an obvious example of a therapy that needs the benefit of time to see its value. In the beginning, it seems difficult to trust in it’s immediate value, but quite pleasant during the process and remarkable in the end. I hope to expand on these therapies in the years to come.

Overall, my stay at "La Chrysalide" was quite something. For five days, I was in the cocoon of self-transformation, reflecting on the symbolism my fixed ideas generate and how they effect my health. The center offered a fabulous combination of therapies to learn how my illnesses are often the result of my mental attitudes. Fortunately, my cure did not need to sting like a bee, now I am able to float like a butterfly.

-- For those of you interested in learning more about Dominique Bourdin, La Chrysalide and his therapies, there are two easy methods for the English-speaker. First, his website www.lachrysalide.com has an English section, just click on the British flag in the upper right corner. Secondly, one of his many books, “Healing: A Love Story”, has recently been translated into English and will be published as soon as we find a publisher! Please let us know if you are interested in a copy!

The Buteyko Breathing Method

Free Informational Lecture by...

Carol Baglia of Correct Breathing Concepts, LLC
Registered Respiratory Therapist; Certified Buteyko Practitioner

Wednesday July 16, 2008 at 7 pm

Is the way you breathe making you sick?

Inhale....exhale....  It's what you do more than anything else, taking over 20,000 breaths a day.  

Breathing is the foundation for all other body systems.  Yet if it is out of balance, it can compromise your health.

•  snoring
•  panic attacks
•  insomnia
•  sleep apnea
• seasonal allergies
   

Even if you eat right, exercise and rest well, when  your breathing is dysfunctional, you could still be at risk. Carol's enthusiastic presentation is grounded in her own experience as an asthmatic. She achieved life-saving benefits from learning to breathe correctly using the Buteyko Institute Method.

What is the Buteyko Method?

Buteyko is a physician-developed, clinically-proven, breath retraining program developed in Russia. It is widely used there, as well as in Australia and the United Kingdom. 
 
This educational program provides effective techniques and strategies for treating sinus drainage, stuffy nose, chronic cough, chest tightness, snoring, shortness of breath, dry mouth, throat clearing, and more. 

It is especially effective for asthma, allergies, eczema, COPD, sleep apnea, and chronic fatigue, as well as a variety of stress related conditions such as panic attacks, insomnia, and hypertension.
  
Return to a more active life by learning better breathing. Training is provided both to correct the breathing pattern and help you maintain it. 

So, How is your breathing? 

Hope to see you there. Breathe well, and be well.

This free event begins at 7:00 pm.  Space is limited.   Call to reserve a seat at 440-357-5834 or 216-952-7048.

If I get enough interest the program would run July 23, 30, Aug 6, 13 Sept 3 at 7 PM.

Remember that Buteyko Breathing Method training is available at Options.  If you are interested or would like to know more about it, contact Carol Baglia, Registered Respiratory Therapist and Certified Buteyko Breathing Method Practitioner by calling 888-748-8874 or see www.correctbreathing.com for more info.

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 If you 'd like to UNSUBSCRIBE, please send an email to oncmanager@gmail.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.  Thank you!