Note: appeared in the California Homeopath, January 2014. The Future of Food: What Should We Be Eating? (Vol 16 #3). California Homeopathic Medical Society.
A Universal Diet, Like A Universal Medicine, Is An Idle Dream 1
One of the most challenging things as a homeopath is to work with people who have many physical complaints. Giving them one remedy and sending them on their way somehow does not make clients feel taken care of, nor does is address the plethora of symptoms in a complicated case.
I started looking for adjunctive therapeutics to add to my practice to address the need to help clients with their symptoms while not interfere with the action of the homeopathic remedy. One of the adjuncts I was looking for was dietary recommendations; however, beyond books, I had little to offer.
I was skeptical of plans like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig that offer one plan for all, because, from a nutritional standpoint, they seemed to be lacking – high in simple carbs, high in sodium, high in preservatives, etc. The quality of the ingredients in their packaged foods is questionable. I watched my mother lose weight on one such program, eating fudge, canned French style green beans, and a white bread “casserole” baked in canned evaporated milk, which was “legal” on her plan. She lost weight, yes, but I was not certain she was gaining health.
HOW I FOUND METABOLIC BALANCE®
I heard about metabolic balance®2 from a homeopath in my community who uses it successfully in her practice. I referred a client who was desperately trying to lower her blood sugar to avoid a prescribed medication. I suggested she try the program. To both of our delights, her blood sugar normalized very quickly, she lost weight, and she felt great.
MORE THAN A LIST OF FOODS
Metabolic balance® is an individualized whole-food nutrition program that helps optimize overall health. It is backed by over 25 years of scientific study and is managed by a group of dedicated physicians and nutritional scientists. It was developed by Dr. Wolf Funfack in Germany. It’s a functional approach; taking into account the complex interaction of macronutrients in food and how they interact with blood chemistry.
What I like best about the program is that it continues to evolve. As new discoveries about the relationship of foods to the body are found, they are studied and, if sound, are incorporated into the program. Even so, one’s plan is considered a one-time investment, they can always return to it should they need to reestablish balance.
Over 30 blood values are used to develop a person’s program. Health history, inherited metabolism, medications and food preferences are taken into account. Plans are available in many countries. Plans are further tailored to the foods of that region. The remarkable thing about the program is that more than 500,000 plans have been developed in Europe and no two plans have been the same. That has been true of my experience. The variety of foods considered for any one plan is very broad, from sorrel to sheep’s milk, to ghee and coconut oil, to soy, to pork, beef, fish, russet potato, fermented foods, and rolled rye. There is no whole food that is considered “bad.” An individual’s program is only limited by the needs of that individual. I have seen very specific foods on some plans, such as pepper jack cheese, uncured ham, specific cuts of meat and green olives to more generalized requirements such as turkey and beef. Queued by inflammation markers in the blood, some foods are only specified at certain meals day.
Metabolic balance® delivers the blood labs, a meal plan that has a list of foods that are best for balancing their unique metabolism, and a four-phase method to use those foods to do so. As a coach, my role is to help the client through the four phases. The pace one moves through the phases is based on the individual’s response. Once a person gets to Phase 3, they are encouraged to incorporate foods not on their list. By then a person is so in tune with their needs they can recognize their response if a something agrees with them or not.
WHAT IS HEALED
In 2010 an independent study3 showed metabolic balance® an extremely effective program for weight loss; which also has a positive effect on both health and personal quality of life.
The program is advertised as a weight loss program, but it works deeper by addressing and repairing the metabolism and helping to eliminate inflammation. It can correct the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions including increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Occurring together, these symptoms may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.4 I have seen great improvement with participants who were not in need of losing weight but had specific inflammatory symptoms that needed to be addressed. One woman on the plan actually needed to gain weight, by the end of the program she no longer had chronically cold hands and feet, her hair became thicker. Clarity of mind was the most striking improvement for this client.
I use metabolic balance® as a stand-alone discipline and combined with homeopathy. When I have clients who come to me interested in both homeopathy and metabolic balance, we discuss the expectations of each program. I have them choose to start with one and begin the other after a month or two. I welcome referrals from homeopaths and other practitioners who want their clients to eat better and let the homeopath tend to the homeopathy or whatever their discipline.
As in any discipline, I find compliance an issue with some clients especially when there are mental/emotional issues with food or food addictions. I work more closely with these clients and do refer to appropriate practitioners. In situations like these it might be best to begin with homeopathy and then move to metabolic balance®.
CONNECTING WITH THE VITAL FORCE
Depending on the lab results I might offer a client a remedy for organ support such as chelidonium 3X, ceanothus 3X, a biochemic cell salt, or a gemmotherapy preparation. Sometimes the program directs a client to take a mineral supplement or a pH balance supplement in the beginning phases but does not dictate a favored brand.
The response my clients have gotten to the program is quite deep and remarkable. Within the first 3 weeks, clients report increased well-being, better sleep, increased energy, lowered blood pressure, improvement of skin, and reduced joint pain. Many clients are able to reduce or eliminate psychiatric medications addressing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and serotonin inhibitors. A client diagnosed with Lyme disease, who was very lethargic and having bodily aches, was going on 10-mile bike rides within the first 3 weeks.
One client diagnosed with fibromyalgia reported an experience that is in line with Hering’s Law of Cure, stating that they had an increase of symptoms for about a month after which their fibromyalgia seemed to leave their upper body. The week following it was only in their lower legs. Now they are only bothered by symptoms when they are chilled. Their energy has increased and report needing fewer hours sleep. When first diagnosed with fibromyalgia, they had no energy at all. Now we have moved on, add a constitutional remedy, and symptoms continue to improve.
When we remember that Hahnemann says, “…every intelligent physician, having a knowledge of rational etiology, will first remove by appropriate means, as far as possible, every exciting and maintaining cause of disease and obstacle to cure, and endeavor to establish a correct and orderly course of living for his patient, with due regard to mental and physical hygiene.”5 I believe that metabolic balance® does this for people. It not only removes the influences of processed food and toxic additives from modern foods, it helps establishes an individualized approach to detox and nutrition that allows the vital force to respond and start bringing the client back to homeostasis. It is a great tool to sort out complicated cases by removing background symptoms.
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END NOTES
[1] 1852, Dudgeon; Marcy, The Lesser Writings of Samuel Hahnemann, William Radde, N.Y. p. 311.
[2] metabolic balance®
[3] 2010, Meffert, Cornelia; Gerdes, Nikolaus: Program Adherence and Effectiveness of a Commercial Nutrition Program: The Metabolic Balance Study. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, Volume 2010 (2010), Article ID 197656.
[4] 2013, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). 1998-2013.
[5] 1924, Close, Stuart, The Genius of Homeopathy: Lectures and Essays on Homeopathic Philosophy. Ch. 4.
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Copyright © 2013 –, Myra Nissen.
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This article was brought to you by Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA), Board Certified Classical Homeopath. Myra teaches women how to recognize their body’s unique needs and cues and uses Homeopathy to help empower women to take control of their bodies, health and well-being. Find out more, visit her blog www.myranissen.com/blog.