HOW TO KEEP YOUR REMEDY WORKING

The action of a remedy can be either partially or completely neutralized by various substances or treatments. This can bring about a relapse, which can be mild and involve only a few symptoms or can be complete and bring about the return of old symptoms or the introduction of new ones.

After a remedy has been neutralized, it can take some months to get the treatment back on track and the path of healing becomes more difficult. Sometimes the same remedy can be taken again, but more often a new and different remedy is necessary to get the case back on track.

Substances and treatments that can neutralize a remedy include the following:

Beverages

Coffee and medicinal chemicals can combine to counteract the effectiveness of a remedy. As little as one cup of coffee can undo the beneficial effects of the treatment, so I recommend that you do not drink any coffee at all. Please be aware that coffee is an ingredient in many desserts, including mocha beverages, most chocolate cakes and tiramisu. Coffee extract is also an ingredient in face creams and sun block lotions. Please check for the presence of coffee before using these products. It is not the caffeine that stops the remedy from working but the coffee bean itself, so although tea also contains caffeine, you may safely use one regular tea bag daily.

Use in moderation: Herbal teas, such as spearmint, peppermint, chamomile, and hibiscus flowers. A few remedies are counteracted by mint. If the remedy you are taking is counteracted by mint, you will be informed at the time of administration.

Not Allowed: Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, Postum, decaffeinated tea, Good Earth tea, sage tea, teas or colas that contain ginseng, Gota cola, Pau D'Arco and Chinese herbs.

Camphor Products

Avoid the external or internal use of any product that contains camphor or other aromatic substances, such as deep heat rubs, liniments, Vicks, Ben-Gay, eucalyptus, pine, Tiger Balm, Campho-Phenique, Seabreeze, calamine lotion and Noxzema products. Be alert to camphor or aromatic substances that might be present in massage oils and lotions, lip balms, Chinese candies cosmetics, most cough lozenges, and cough syrups. Do not enter a sauna when eucalyptus is being used as an aromatic. Tea tree oil should also be avoided.

If you receive massages or facial treatments, ask the massage therapist of facialist to avoid camphor substances, pine and eucalyptus. Fennel oil does not present a problem. Aromatherapy is not antidotal in general, but pine, eucalyptus and rosemary should be avoided.

Menthol

Some of the remedies used in homeopathic treatment are negatively affected by menthol and mint. Mouthwashes such as Listerine should be avoided. Mentholated candies, such as candy canes, and cough lozenges should be avoided by all individuals while undergoing homeopathic treatment.

Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs

Because prescription or nonprescription drugs can interact with and/or neutralized the remedy given to you, it is important for you to let your homeopath know if you are taking nay medications. Your homeopath can decide whether or not the drugs can or should be discontinued. Immunizations and flu shots can antidote homeopathic remedies. The same is true for medicinal herbs, megadoses of vitamins, and products like Cyclone Cider. If your medical doctor recommends that you begin taking a new prescription, please, let us know at once because this could strongly affect your homeopathic treatment. Birth control pills and other hormonal drugs will counteract your remedy. Regular aspirin or Tylenol will not interfere with the remedy. The use of prescription or over-the-counter items, such as Preparation H, and antifungal creams, such as Tinactin and Cortisone-containing preparations, can disrupt the action of your remedy. See your medical doctor before discontinuing any medications.

Recreational Drugs

Your remedy will be deactivated by marijuana ( grass, pot ), hashish, LSD, mescaline, peyote, psychoactive mushrooms, cocaine, amphetamines ( "uppers" ), and tranquilizers ("downers"). Moderate alcohol usage is not problematic unless it exceeds three glasses at a sitting or is taken every day; however, drinking to the point of drunkenness will act as an antidote to the remedy.

Dental Work

Dental drilling and the use of anesthetics can neutralize your remedy. If an emergency arises, of course have the dental work done and let your homeopath know as soon as possible so that the necessary steps can be taken to keep your remedy working. Deep-root cleaning requiring nitrous oxide and anesthetics can act as an antidote, as can ultrasound cleaning. Routine teeth cleanings are not a problem, and preventative flouride treatments will not disturb the remedy. Flouride pills can act as an antidote.

Electric Blankets

The electromagnetic field produced by electric blankets can neutralize the remedy in certain individuals. You can turn on the electric blanket to warm the bed and turn it off before entry. The use of heating pads is not recommended either, but the electric heaters used with waterbeds do not pose a problem.

Mineral Hot Springs

Avoid hot sulfurous mineral baths. Hot tubs and saunas are not known to have ill effects on the remedy, however. These should be avoided for the first month after taking a new remedy or after a re-dose of the remedy.

Ultrasound and Radiation Treatments

Ultrasound therapy and ultrasound teeth cleaning have a negative effect on the remedy; however, the radiation from routine examinations, such as mammograms, does not affect the homeopathic remedy. The diagnostic ultrasound used during pregnancy will not cause a homeopathic antidote.

Travel

All airplane flights should be avoided in the first month of homeopathic treatment and after each repeated large remedy does.

Other Treatments

Because the balance of symptoms on all levels is delicate and can be easily upset, it is best to refrain from other treatments, such as acupuncture. Aromatherapy is OK, but pine, eucalyptus, and rosemary are to be avoided. Bach flower remedies (with the exception of the Rescue remedy), combination homeopathic remedies, and Cell Salts should also be avoided. Acceptable treatments include acupressure, osteopathy, chiropractic, Reiki, massage, meditation, and medically supervised fasting.

Allergic Substances

Do not expose yourself to foods, chemicals, or substances that you know to be irritating -- i.e., those that can cause hives, skin eruptions, asthma, nausea, or other allergic reactions. The fumes from latex and oil-based paints can act as an antidote of the homeopathic remedy, as can contact with insecticidal substances such as flea bombs, flea sprays, and insect repellent sprays or lotions.

Hair Treatments

Hair coloring and permanents are not recommended in the first month of homeopathic treatment, and after each large re-dose.

Cigarettes

Cigarettes are not an antidote; however, they have been clinically proven to be harmful to your health. Mentholated cigarettes should be especially avoided.

Stress

Higher levels of stress that can result from trauma such as a death or severe illness in the family, moving, automobile accidents, high fevers, stress on the job, etc. can result in a lowering of the resonance of the homeopathic remedy. Please call the office if you are experiencing stress of high intensity and feel that the action of the remedy needs further evaluation.

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