Sunday, January 26, 2014

Photographic Evidence that Homeopathy Works

he started out with numerous growths 
that were multiplying over time

One of the things I often hear about homeopathy is that it can't possibly work.  People say that because the remedies are so diluted, there is no way they could actually have an effect.  Often, people will say that any positive changes must just be the placebo effect (whereby the mere act of thinking that a treatment will work makes the person get better even when they are just given a sugar pill). I'm excited to share with you some evidence that homeopathy works.

These photos are of a 1-year-old, who I will call Daniel*.  Because he is so young, it is not possible that the placebo effect caused the changes shown in the pictures. I first evaluated Daniel homeopathically when he was 17 months old.  At that time, one of the symptoms his mother noted was that Daniel had numerous small growths in his right underarm.  These growths started to appear at 6 months of age and had continued to multiply over time.

In classical homeopathy, the totality of a person's symptoms are used to select a remedy that best matches ALL of the symptoms.  For Daniel, his complete symptom picture included:
  • frequent colds
  • a demanding yet playful nature
  • being very attached to his mother and afraid to be alone
  • poor appetite for foods along with voracious nursing
  • desire to be carried
  • underarm growths
  • right-sided complaints
  • physical appearance including a thin physique with a head that seemed a bit large for his frame
I selected the remedy Lycopodium clavatum for Daniel because it matched the totality of his symptom picture. Within a couple weeks of starting to take the remedy, Daniel's mother noticed that the growths under his arms seemed to become inflamed (at which point she decided to take a picture of the growths), and then the growths started to shrink.

She continued to administer the remedy to him (given from a wet solution), and over the next two months the growths continued to shrink smaller and smaller until they disappeared entirely.  (Previous to the homeopathic treatment, the growths had just continued to multiply over a period of 11 months.) As is typical when the correct homeopathic remedy is chosen, Daniel's other symptoms were also affected by the remedy: he became more easy going, less demanding, less afraid to be alone, with a better appetite and deeper sleep. Nonetheless, with emotional or mental improvements people may rationalize that the improvement was just a coincidence. In Daniel’s case the obvious physical improvement of a long-standing issue left no question that homeopathic treatment was the source of the cure.

These photos show very well how homeopathy can work wonderfully and gently.  With conventional approaches to skin problems (such as eczema), each symptom is treated individually.  When the skin problems disappear through the use of cortisone and other topical applications, it is thought that a "cure" has taken place, when in reality the underlying disturbance is still in place.  The skin no longer manifests the symptom, but often a more serious, deeper-rooted problem takes it's place.  For instance, when eczema is suppressed, respiratory problems such as asthma often follow.

Through homeopathy, the true underlying cause of the symptoms is addressed, and all of the symptoms are taken into account to find the one remedy that matches ALL of the symptoms.  In the end, the skin symptoms are healed, but also the mental, emotional, and physical  symptoms are all improved. With homeopathy, not just one symptom is eradicated; rather the overall level of health is increased, and the person is left more balanced.

the growths were completely healed in two months




















*This is a true story, but I have changed the names to protect privacy.
**I am not a physician or licensed healthcare practitioner (as there is no licensure available for homeopaths in the state of New Mexico). The information I provide is intended to educate, and should not be construed as a prescription.  Please do not try to self-treat chronic conditions through homeopathy; while homeopathic self-treatment of acute conditions can work well,  the treatment of chronic conditions requires the skills of a classically-trained homeopath.

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

My Cookbooks are on Sale 30% Off - Happy 2014!


Happy 2014! My eCookbooks are now on sale for 30% off.  This sale runs for one week only, and ends on January 29th.

My Cookbooks

My two eCookbooks, Nourishing Eats and Nourished Cooking, include a total of over 120 nutrient-dense recipes.  My recipes are gluten-free, most are grain-free, and all are free of refined sweeteners.  These cookbooks are perfect for those who eat:
  • traditional, real foods
  • whole foods
  • gluten-free diets
  • grain-free diets
  • Primal diet
  • GAPS™ Diet
  • Specific Carbohydrate Diet

Coupon Code

The coupon code will apply to only one item in your cart, so if you want to order both of my cookbooks, make sure you add only the Cookbook Bundle to your cart. To get my cookbooks for 30% off, make sure to enter this coupon code on the order page:

30off

Click here to go to the info page where you can learn more and buy my cookbooks.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday and Real Food Wednesday!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Homemade Fast Food: Ground Beef Over Crispy Hash Browns (gluten-free : grain-free : nutrient-dense)

Over the last 6 weeks while we've been renovating, packing, and moving to our new home, I have had much less time to spend on preparing food for my family.  We have been relying more on real food convenience foods, making a few compromises, and eating some very simple homemade foods.  This recipe for Ground Beef Over Crispy Hash Browns is my family's version of fast-food.  With only a few ingredients and very quick preparation, this meal is on the table in about 20 minutes, start-to-finish.  My husband and both kids love this meal!

Ground Beef Over Crispy Hash Browns
Serves 4
  • one pound ground beef, preferably from grassfed, pastured cows
  • one 16-ounce package organic frozen hash browns (I buy Cascadian Farms brand, which contain only one ingredient: organic potatoes)
  • one stick (1/2 cup) butter, preferably from grassfed cows
  • celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • optional toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped avocado, salsa, honey mustard
  • equipment needed: heavy bottomed skillet with a lid for the hash browns, and another skillet or saucepan for the beef
  1. Start by melting one stick of butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium low heat. (I use a 10-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe.) Once the butter is melted, swirl it around the pan to coat the bottom and sides. Then add the frozen hash browns and increase the heat to medium-high. Sprinkle generously with fine-ground celtic sea salt. Put a lid on the skillet and let the hash browns cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes. (The lid for my stockpot happens to fit perfectly on my cast iron skillet.) To make the hash browns nicely crispy, make sure you do NOT stir them much.
  2. In the meantime, cook the ground beef in another skillet (or saucepan, if necessary). Crumble the ground beef into the skillet and cook over medium heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper to taste. I like to use about 1 tsp of the chunky grey celtic sea salt for one pound of ground beef. You could definitely add a spice or two (such as a sprinkle of oregano, thyme, or cumin) if you'd like. Stir occasionally to make sure the meat gets browned on all sides.
  3. Once the hash browns have cooked with the lid on for 10 minutes, remove the lid and flip/stir them. I find that a bamboo spatula works particularly well to scrape the hash browns from the bottom of the skillet so that the crispy goodness doesn't get stuck to the pan, and then I can just flip them right over. Check the heat and adjust as necessary to keep the hash browns sizzling but not burning.
  4. In the meantime, prepare any optional garnishes such as shredded cheddar cheese, chopped avocado, etc.
  5. Once the hash browns are crispy on both sides, it's time to eat!  Add a generous scoop of hash browns to each bowl, topped by the beef and any garnishes. This is a great substitute for a fast-food dinner. If you feel the need to have some sort of vegetable with this meal, I find that Fermented Bread and Butter Pickles or Sweet and Sour Snow Peas are a good complement.

Do you have your own version of homemade fast food?  What is your favorite quick-and-easy dinner?

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