Clinical homeopathy, from a practitioner’s perspective, is the approach used to select homeopathic remedies by clinical evaluation of the condition of the patient and guide the use of the selected remedies. A clinical approach evaluates the underlying and connecting causes of the patient’s state and draws conclusions that reach further than the visible symptoms that traditionally guide the classical homeopath. The clinical approach is different from the classical homeopathic approach that diagnoses and prescribes by the examination of the different symptoms of the patient without evaluating the underlying causes which connect the symptoms. This is important to understand because it will result in the improved efficacy of homeopathy, herbs, and supplements.
The clinical approach has been used since the last century, but it was only in the 20th century that it became an effective approach. It was the French school (i.e., the homeopathy pioneers Albert Leprince, Léon Vannier, and Henri Bernard) that formally established its principles and identified the underlying scientific reality that made it possible to develop this approach into an effective model for homeopathic diagnosis, prescribing, and healing.
Henri Bernard (1895 – 1980), French Homeopath Extraordinaire
Chronic disease is a metabolic disease that undermines the immune system of the body, causing the malfunction of the organs. Fatigue is usually the most visible symptom. The form that any chronic disease may take is dependent upon the inherent weakness present in any given individual, but there are only a few causes. To varying degrees, almost everyone suffers from some chronic condition. Most often digestion is compromised, making it difficult for the body to assimilate and use herbs or supplements alone as a means of healing. The most important cause is the accumulation of toxins in the body, which interferes with the normal metabolism in the cells and creates a variety of chronic conditions.
Because a strong immune system needs to be supported by a properly functioning metabolism, the immune system of a chronically ill person is weak and unable to protect the body efficiently. The diminished metabolic power also affects the glandular cells, often resulting in hormonal imbalance. The most important organ is the liver, whose primary function is to detoxify the body. In chronic situations, an overburdened liver results in cell function deficiency, hence, a backlog of toxins in the body tissues. This is the reason that chronic conditions can affect any area of the body and become worse with time.
Metabolic diseases are caused by the accumulation of toxins that are created in the body or are ingested with the food and drinks we consume. Some are present in the air we breathe such as the exhaust fumes of cars (carbon monoxide) and diesel motors (nitrogen oxide). Conventional processed foods (and drinks) contain a host of chemical additives that are alien to our metabolic pathways. Twenty of these legally sanctioned additives are known to be carcinogenic, whereas seventy of them are suspected carcinogens.
A typical “high protein” American diet also contributes to the toxic load in the body. The amount of protein above what the body needs is transformed into carbohydrates. In this process, nitrogen is removed, creating uric acid which is then transformed into urates (i.e. salts of uric acid) by a normally functioning liver, then eliminated via normal excretory channels. Because a chronically ill person has a malfunctioning liver, the uric acid accumulates in the body and causes diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and arteriosclerosis.
The scientific contributions of modern biology, chemistry, and immunology confirm that the primary cause of chronic disease is an overload of toxins in the body which in turn produces a deficiency of the liver and other organs of elimination.
The clinical homeopath knows that the cure for any chronic disease starts with the removal of toxins and the restoration of the normal functions of the liver by using homeopathic and herbal liver remedies. This is where the use of a homeopathic detoxifier remedy is the crucial first step in helping your customers. A homeopathic detoxifier is composed of several specific remedies that support liver function. It also supports the proper functioning of the kidneys, spleen, and colon. Homeopathy has the unique ability to act directly on the metabolic level (not relying on the digestive process) to improve liver function.
Albert Leprince Introduced Liver Detoxification in His Seminal Book, L’Homéopathie Médecine Atomique: Manuel Théorique et Pratique de Thérapeutique Homéopathique (Paris, 1947)
Digestion will be enhanced as proper liver function is restored, not the other way around. Subsequently, the body can assimilate herbs and supplements to their full benefit. The new style of clinical homeopathy encompasses a broad spectrum of elements to restore true health and vitality. To stimulate the return to normal metabolism, vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals should be used to provide the body with the necessary nutrients. Concurrently, one’s diet must be changed to organically grown foods to eliminate the influx of toxins contained in processed and chemically grown foods. Good quality well or spring water is important for the same reason.
By utilizing this clinical approach to homeopathy, several important benefits are potentially achieved:
1. Improved health and well-being.
2. Improved digestion and nutrient absorption.
3. Enhanced biological efficacy of nutrients, including those derived from foods and nutritional supplements.