Tuesday, December 13, 2011

#25 - Vegan Lasagna Recipe

“Vegan lasagna recipe”Lasagna Ingredients:
One package (organic) lasagna noodles
2 jars of “Organicville Italian Herb” pasta sauce
2 packages of “Yves” “meatless” ground meat
4 cups of fresh spinach
1 yellow onion
1 lg. tomato
1 lg. portabella mushroom (optional)

“Ricotta Cheese” Ingredients:

1-2 packages “firm” (organic) tofu
NOTE: If you like lots of "cheese" then use 2 packages of tofu and DOUBLE all the ingredients below for the "ricotta cheese" mixture:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbl oregano (fresh, if possible)
2 tbl basil (fresh, if possible)
2 tbl parsley (fresh, if possible)
1-2 tsp “Himalayan salt” (add till it tastes good)
1-2 tsp pepper (I used “garlic & pepper spice mix) (add till it tastes good)

Additional ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil (to use in water and in lasagna tray)

Preparing “ricotta cheese” mixture:

Put tofu in food processor or blender and blend till very smooth
Remove and place in bowl
Add remainder of ingredients (remember to double the ingredients if you are using 2 packages of tofu instead of one) and whisk together, then set aside

Preparing “meatless” meat mixture:

Dice up onion, tomato and portabella mushroom
Warm up saute pan
Add olive oil (2-3 tbl)
Let olive oil heat up for about 30-45 seconds
Added diced up veggies and saute till soft and/or lightly browned
Add both packages of Yves “meatless ground", stir until nice and warm
Add one jar of pasta sauce and stir until nice and warm
Turn off heat and set aside

Preparing lasagna noodles and spinach:

-Bring 4-5 quarts of water to full boil in large pot
-Add 1-2 tbl of olive oil (this keeps noodles from sticking)
-Do not break noodles in half when placing in pot
-Place about 5 noodles in at a time (edge will stick out – gently push on middle of noodle and/or edge that is sticking out, with wooden spoon, until entire noodles are submerged under water)
-Repeat this process till you have put all noodles in the pot of boiling water
-Cook no more than 10 min. (check that noodles are almost fully cooked, but are still “al dente”)
-You do not want to fully cook the noodles since they will be baked thereafter, they should be soft but not too soft
-Do not leave noodles in water when they are done cooking, as the hot water will continue cooking them and making them softer. When they get to desired consistency, remove water, rinse noodles and set aside
-Separately: Chop up spinach and thoroughly rinse all dirt out of spinach leaves, then set aside (spinach should not be boiled or cooked prior to being placed in lasagna mix)

Assembling lasagna: (at this point, turn on oven to preheat at 450)

-I like to use a glass lasagna tray (stainless steal or disposable foil trays will work as well)
-Pour a couple tbl. of olive oil in bottom of tray and use brush to brush bottom and all sides on the inside of the tray with the olive oil (this will prevent the noodles from sticking to the tray)
-Open second jar of pasta sauce and brush a couple tbls. over olive oil on bottom of tray
-Gently start to take lasagna noodles apart, if possible, without ripping them so you have full length strips (if they do rip, just layer them)
-Place 3-4 noodles side by side (lengthwise) to cover the width of the tray
-Brush another a couple more tlbs. of olive oil on top of noodles
-Use 1/3 of “meatless” meat mixture and spread over sauce and noodles
-Place another layer of noodles on top of “meatless” meat mixture
-Put another layer of pasta sauce on top of noodles
-Take 1/2 of the “ricotta cheese” mixture and place on top of sauce and noodles
-Take 1/3 of chopped fresh spinach and put on top of “ricotta cheese mixture”
-Repeat the steps above one more time (noodles, sauce, meat, noodles, sauce, cheese, spinach, noodles, sauce)
-Top of lasagna should have generous amount of sauce (you can add a “vegan shredded mozzarella cheese” on top if you like (I didn’t really care for the one I tried, but everyone else loved it…. it tasted more “parmesan-y than mozzarella-y, but it did make a nice crispy top”

Baking lasagna:

Place lasagna tray in preheated (450 degree) oven and bake for 30-45 min. (make sure that layers are hot by cutting a little piece and trying it.... a nice semi-crusty top is a good sign it's ready, but always taste test to be sure)

Viola, dinner is served!!!!
Soooo yummy!


The key is to make sure that every layer of your lasagna has pasta sauce throughout it. I made a second batch and did not put that much sauce in the layers and it didn’t taste as good. Then I went back and added more sauce and it was perfect!

So, with the “meatless ground" and the tofu-based “ricotta cheese”, the flavors are really brought together with the pasta sauce, otherwise it becomes a little too dry!

Good luck, enjoy and tell me how it went! I believe it took me about 45 min. to put it all together and no more than 45 to let it bake!  I've now made it 3xs and every time I've shared (with "carnavores" no less), every last one of them has said they LOVED it and would "never guess that there WASN'T any meat in there.
Of course, if you don't like using "meat substitutes", you can play around with the recipe and add other veggies (like mushrooms zuccini, squash and/or eggplant if you're a fan of any of these) and OMIT the meat substitute.
Below are pictures I took when I prepared this for my family in LA over Thanskgiving wknd, 2011.  I did not have one LARGE glass dish, so instead I used 2 small ceramic ones (you can't tell from the pics, but they are not full sized dishes, more mid-sized), so that's why I ended up layering and making 2 lasagnas instead of one.
 












 
 
My next challenge is how to take a fabulous "vegeterian" recipe for "Baked acorn squash with bread pudding stuffing" and turn it into a fully "vegan recipe" (I got the butter and milk covered.... but not sure what to sub for the eggs.... suggestions??)
 
 

Sunday, November 20, 2011

#24 - Laugh your way to happiness & longevity!!!

I don't know how many of you have ever heard of "laugher yoga", but if you haven't, one thing I will say is that most of us are missing laugher in our lives.  On average children laugh 300 times a day.  Years ago, the average adult American laughed 15 times a day (way less than children obviously), and now, unfortunately in the times we're in with high-stress work environments, longer working hours, lack of jobs, constant electronic interference, psuedo online relationships and the list goes on and on..... we (American adults) actually only laugh about 5 times a day (if that).  How sad is that!

Think about the last time you had a REALLY good laugh, I mean so good that you started crying and you thought you were going to pee your pants and/or start hyperventilating cuz you were laughing so hard?  I can honestly tell you in the last 10 years, for me, that's maybe been a handful of times.  Yet, in high school I had a great friend that together we'd make each other laugh so hard that I'd fall out of the chair gasping for air and literally would crawl away to another room or outside of the house just to catch my breath and stop crying from laughing so hard.

I miss those moments!  Laughter is truly a key to longevity!!!!  One of the oldest women on this earth, at age 122, stated that the key to living so long was "laughing on a daily basis".

So, if you are here in Chicago, I invite you to join me to attend the next laughter yoga class in Skokie next month on Dec. 17th, 2011 (a "meetup" group is organizing it.  If you haven't heard of meetup, they are nationwide and you should check them out, any interest you have, someone has probably created a meetup group for it.... and it's free to join, just create a user name and search your neighborhood at: www.meetup.com).  Here's the Skokie laughter yoga meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Laughing-Yoga-Club/events/26786301/

And here's a great website on a local Chicago organization that offers laughter yoga to corporations and other group settings.  The website gives a lot of amazing information on what laughter yoga is all about, so it's worth checking out (they don't seem to offer regularly scheduled classes, but seem to be contracted for events instead, but nonetheless, totally worth checking out their website).  And if you are not in Chicago and are interested in laugher yoga near you, I suggest you simply Google "laughter yoga" and add the name of the city you're in and see what you come up withhttp://www.laughteryogachicago.com/laughter_yoga_why_now.htm

Let us all live in love, laughter, sunshine and vitality!!!!
Lucy

PS Going to improv comedy shows, watching America's Funniest Home Videos, watching comedic movies that truly make you laugh, are all great sources for laughing as well. 

Saturday, October 22, 2011

#23 - Benefits of Hemp Seeds & other GREAT sources of PROTEIN

If you're vegeterian, vegan or raw and are looking for a great source of "protein", hemp seeds (aka hemp hearts) is a great source! 

Here's some great links on why hemp seeds are so good for us and why they are a "complete protein resource":

http://www.chii.ca/hemp-seed/hempseed.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/447808-are-hemp-seeds-good-for-you/

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/hemp-seed-nutritional-value-and-thoughts.html

Here's a link to the ones I personally purchase - there are many other sources online as well, but I trust this one because my "homeopath" carries it in his office and I know anything he carries, he has thoroughly researched the product and manufacturer and I can be assured that it is THE BEST OF THE BEST (also try your local WF to see if they carry them): http://www.hemphearts.com/ - Ok, well, I did not find the "purchase" info. on their website, but they have lots of great info. about the product there, so check it out, but in the interim, to purchase email: clark@hemphearts.com OR call: (403) 380-1958.

For MORE great sources of protein, also try adding the following to your diet:

1) chia seeds (you make them into a "chia jell" to use in your "super smoothie" - check out my blog #14 on a great "super smoothie recipe" and how to make chia jell.... super easy),

2) spirulina (contains THE highest amount of digestible protein per serving ON THIS PLANET.... oh yeah, you heard me, it takes the cake over "meat" (meat only offers 20% of protein per serving, btw).......... we've been brain-washed to believe that meat is our only source of protein when there are so many other sources) - Spirulina offers 60-65% protein PER serving!!! - Check out my blog #22 for more info. on a great "spirulina supplement".

3) chorella (contains the 2nd highest amount of digestible protein per serving on this planet).  Chorella offers 55-60% protein PER serving!!! - Check out my blog #22 for more info. on a great "chorella supplement".

4) nuts and/or seeds

5) dark leafy greens (collard greens, chard, kale, spinach are all great sources)

6) sprouts (all kinds, they are an amazing source of protein)

I strongly suggest you invest in a "spirulina supplement" and/or "chorella supplement" if you are on a "raw, vegan or vegeterian" diet........... this will give you the optimal amount of digestible protein without turning to meat AND.............

IF YOU ARE ANEMIC, these amazing supplements (Spirulina & Chorella) should really help you, as they have helped me (and I've battled Anemia for 8 years now (since 2003) and no "iron supplements" that MDs prescribed helped (they just made my constipated), then my homeopath got me on these supplements and it was night and day what it does for my energy.  Check out my blog #22 for more info. on which products I suggest and why!

#22 - Benefits of Spirulina and/or Chlorella supplements

OMG, what can I say about the AMAZING benefits of Spirulina and Chlorella!........ so, sooo, sooooooooo much!!!!

They are GREAT for people that are ANEMIC and/or looking for an amazing plant-based "complete protein" that gives us far more protein than "meat" does per serving without the nasty side effects and diseases that regular meat ingestion can eventually cause (see below for more details).

Also, if you compare the amount of "complete protein" we consume per serving from meat (a mere 20% per serving) vs. Spirulina (60-65% per serving) vs. Chlorella (50-60% per serving), I think we can do the math to figure out who are the TRUE WINNERS HERE................. NOT meat!  We've been brainwashed to think so AND to believe that plants CANNOT give us enough "protein" yet that's not true at all.  Check out my blog #23 for MANY more non-meat sources of protein!

First off, PRODUCT IS EVERYTHING............... so I HIGHLY recommend buying from "Healthforce Nutritionals".

Why Healthforce Nutritionals?

Their products are "Vegan" so NO animal-derived products are used (but then again, Spirulina and Chlorella are a "blue-green algae" found in the sea, so they have nothing to do with animals), but certifying that the product is "vegan" also goes beyond that, it means it was not produced in a factory that processes any meat or dairy products.

(Note: All information I've listed below is direct from Healthforce Nutritionals website/products)

Spirulina offers 60-65% protein per serving.

Healthforce Nutritionals products are "100% TruGanic"What does that mean?  TruGanic (a trademarked term) means it is a "purist, hard-core quality standard significantly beyond Organic.  In addition to no pesticides being used anywhere in the growing process, TruGanic include authentic standards for production, non-toxic cleaning agents, pest control, electromagnetic radiation, processing agents, additives, air quality and actual verification of purity."

"Spirulina is a water-grown, 100% vegetable plankton.  It is a blue-green algae that grows in fresh water lakes throughout the world... and is probably the worlds single #1 superfoodIncredible source of full spectrum, non-toxic absorbable nutrients and compounds including 60-65% protein!"

"The protein in Spirulina contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.  It is a highly beneficial substitute for isolated protein powders (especially those of animal origin).  Unlike the high uric acide forming protein from animal products that contributes significantly to osteoporosis and can cause kidney stree, Spirulina's protein is gentle on your kidneys and its Pycocyanin has been shown to actually help orotect against kidney failure!"

"Spirulina provides high levels of chlorophyll, and also contains iron (non-toxic in whole plant form), vitamin A (as non toxic beta carotene), a full spectrum of carotenoids: B-1, B-2, B-6, E and K.  In addition, Spirulina provides a vast array of minerals, trace elements, acids such as: DHA, GLA and others which have been shown to possess potent anti-viral activity, chlorophyll, and other beneficial pigments."

"Spirulina is a whole food source of concentrated nutrients that has been used for centuries.  The ancient Aztecs thrived on spirulina from Lake Texcoco in Mexico.  In addition, Spirulina is still harvested by the native peoples who live around the lake in Chad, Africa."

************************
So what about Chlorella, you ask?  Many of the amazing benefits of Spirulina are offered in Chorella as well.  It is also a "blue green algae" and all of the the facts I listed about "Healthforce Nutritionals" product above, also apply to their Chorella product. 

Chlorella offers 50-60% protein per serving.

It is beneficial to our body to switch up the blue green algaes we give it, so I suggest alternating back and forth between a jar of Spirulina and a jar of Chlorella. 

It's best to purchase a jar of at least "500 tabs" at a time as you will take anywhere from 20-25 tabs+ per day.  Oh yes, remember this is an actual FOOD and therefore, since it is beneficial to feed our bodies protein throughout the day, the best way to do it is to take 5-6 tabs at a time at least 4-5 times a day!  I keep a jar on my desk at work and another one at home to start my day off with!

Here's some links to Healthforce Nutritionals amazing products:

1) Spirulina (500 tabs): http://www.pureformulas.com/spirulina-manna-500-tablets-by-healthforce-nutritionals.html
2) Chlorella (500 tabs): http://www.pureformulas.com/chlorella-manna-500-tablets-by-healthforce-nutritionals.html
3) Digestion Enhancement Enzymes (120 tabs): http://www.pureformulas.com/digestion-enhancement-enzymes-120-high-potency-vc-by-healthforce-nutritionals.html

Check out my blog #24 for more information on why "digestion enhancement enzymes" are essential to our bodies (especially if we are on a "raw", "vegan" or "vegeterian" diet!)

PLEASE WATCH FOR MY FUTURE BLOGS that will give very detailed information on specific "super foods" including: Spirulina and Chlorella

But first, I will posting about all the benefits of doing a "28 day raw food cleanse" and clearing DECADES of gunk built up in your colon from eating meat and dairy and taking prescription drugs and OTCs (over-the-counter drugs).  The average woman loses between 15-18 lbs. during the cleanse period and the average man loses between 20-25 lbs.  Depending on your body structure, height, etc, you can expect to lose at least 10% of your total body weight during a "28 day raw food cleanse" following the protocal that I share AND of course, like I mentioned before "product is everything", so using the "Ejuva" product is ESSENTIAL to the success of your TRUE cleanse!!!

#21 - Benefits of taking "Allicin Garlic" during cold/flu season

You may have heard that garlic is good for you... but did you know that the "Allicin" it produces is a highly effective, safer, and less expensive natural alternative to many prescription drugs.


Many medicines only relieve symptoms, but Allicin deals with the cause.


And did you know that Allicin can fight a wide range of disease-causing microbes and parasites, including some dangerous yeast and bacteria organisms that are resistant to drugs and antibiotics?


Allicin fights viruses, including: Flu, Colds, and Herpes.
Allicin also fights: fungus, yeast, and bacteria, including hard-to-treat yeast infections.

You get all the benefits of consuming "raw" garlic without the bitter taste NOR the harsh smell on your breath!

I take 1 capsule per day of a product called: "Alli-C" which contains a combination of: 1) allicin powder, 2) vitamin c, and 3) citrus bioflavonoids "which work synergistically to help support your body's natural defense system." (see below for link to purchase online)

The product I mentioned above is amazing because of the combination of the 3 supplements it offers within it, so you are getting a triple dose of "feel good" to boost your body's immune system!!!!

You can purchase it online at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Allisure-Allicin-Powder-270-Josling/dp/B004VXIWR0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319307873&sr=8-3


If you cannot find this exact same product, then I suggest you find an "allicin garlic" supplement and take that throughout the cold/flu season to avoid catching any viruses AND avoid needing "flu shots" or "antibiotics" from your MDs.  Ick!  It's always about drugs, drugs, drugs in this society.... but I'm here to tell you it DOES NOT NEED TO BE THAT WAY and taking a daily dose (1 capsule) of "allicin garlic" should help ward away the mainstream flus and/or common colds!

Check out this link to more info. on Allicin Garlic benefits: http://www.astrologyzine.com/health/alli-c-benefits.html

Please, please, please..... stop the maddness.... stop taking annual flu shots, stop taking prescription drugs at the drop of the hat without doing your own research on the pluses and minuses of using them AND stop taking all the OTC (over-the-counter) drugs that also "suppress" our symptoms at the first sign of: congestion, stuffy nose, runny nose, lack of sleep, caughs, soar throat, etc, etc (forget about the crafty slogan Niquil has drilled in our heads)....

instead consider taking a supplement like "Alli-C" or at the very least a "allicin garlic" supplement, to help avoid or clear up those symptoms without needing to take DRUGS!  Ick!  Really, do you have any idea how many symptoms we've suppressed back into our bodies over the years that are just waiting to re-emerge in a worse form later on. 

Truly, the answer is to learn more about "homeopathy" (check out my blog #17 for more info.) and finding some great supplements such as the "Alli-C" I mentioned above, and the "Vitamin C complex" I mention in blog #20 and the "plant derived MSM" I mention in blog #21, as well as the Spirulina and/or Chorella supplements I mention in blog #22.

Be healthy, be smart and remember to live in SUNSHINE and VITALITY. 

And I mean it LITERALLY when I say "live in sunshine".... check out my blog #11 for more info. on why we're "Vitamin D deficient" and the "benefits of natural sunshine".

#20 - Truly Natural Vitamin C supplement

If you are looking to add "Vitamin C" to your diet, then you should look for a product that is "truly natural."

If you haven't found one on your own, I have found an amazing one that I highly recommend:

It's made by Health Force Nutritionals

Here's a link to their website, but you can also "price search" the web for other places that sell their product as well:  http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&category_id=2&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=31


So why choose Health Force Nutritionals as your source of a "Vitamin C Supplement"?

A NOTE STRAIGHT FROM THE MANUFACTURER:
"Vitamin C never occurs as an isolate in nature, it is part of an entire Vitamin C complex."

Here's a list of all the reasons listed on the product that I believe make this Vitamin C complex product (from Health Force Nutritionals) superior to other supplements that are usually based on isolated Vitamin C:

1) one tsp. contains naturally occuring, absorbable, non-toxic Vitamin C complex from a whole food extract of Acerola Berry,

2) it contains naturally occuring co-factors incl. bioflavinoids, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients,

3) it is naturally buffered,

4) it does not contain: "isolated Vitamin C", 

5) it does not excrete in large amounts in the urine (visible as a yellowish tint),

6) it is not highly acidic, and

7) is non-toxic and does not cause nutrient imbalances (does not imbalance iron or copper levels or cause anemia, etc.).

To purchase this amazing product, check out their website at: http://www.healthforce.com/shop?page=shop.product_details&category_id=2&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=31

ALSO, PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOG #19 that talks about 2 amazing benefits of pairing Vitamin C with MSM in your daily diet!!!

#19 - MSM - REDUCES CALCIFICATION & SCAR TISSUE + makes you FLEXIBLE

Let's talk about the benefits of "MSM" (Methylsulfonylmethane) today. 

MSM is the 4th most plentiful mineral in the body, and so essential to life that it is found in every cell of virtually every animal and plant.

I should start by talking about WHY you would want to consider including a MSM supplement in your diet in the first place.

If you've ever had surgery, you have "scar tissue" in your body and that's something we really don't want and MSM will help break down/eliminate the scar tissue from your body.

Also, if you've eaten eggs on a regular basis for any prolonged period of time in your lifetime, you are likely to have a lot of "calcification" in your body.  So what does that mean to you?  Well, calcification leads to DISEASE so it's something you do NOT want in your body, yet most of us have it even if we've lived a primarily "vegeterian" or "vegan" or "raw" lifestyle.  There are many other sources that add to "calcification" in our body.  Of course the SAD (Standard American Diet) doesn't want us to believe that what we eat can lead to calcification which can also lead to heart disease and joint pain, etc.

Injuries to our body are also great contributors to "calcification", so if you've ever fallen down, got in a physical fight, were in a car accident, etc, it's likely your body built up calcification because of it.

Here's a list of all the benefits MSM gives our bodies (when used in our daily diets):

1) Helps reduce/eliminate "calcification",

2) Helps reduce/eliminate "scar tissue" (see #11 below),

3) Makes you more flexible,

4) Helps our bodies to absorb more nutrients (vitamins and minerals), which is essential to our body's well being!,

5) Increases oxygen availability in our bodies, and in case you didn't know it, oxygen flow to our cells and our brain is essential for us to function and to live disease free!,

6) Increases energy!!!!,

7) Helps the body eliminate toxins, including lactic acid build up from strenuous exercise,

8) Relieves muscular pains and aches,

9) Reduces inflammation due to injury or inflammatory diseases, such as Arthritis,

10) MSM, along with Vitamin C (the real stuff, not the crap most stores sell us - check out my Blog #20 for more info. on a GREAT Vitamin C product), helps hair and nails grow stronger and faster,

11) MSM, along with Vitamin C (again, see my Blog #20 for a GREAT Vitamin C product), helps reduce scar tissue and wrinkles, and helps keep the skin more elastic,

12) Improves mental alertness,

13) Helps reduce and/or totally eliminate allergies,

14) Reduces headaches, cramps and muscle pain caused by hormonal imbalances (for example, PMS),

15) Helps relieve constipation,

16) Helps reduce/eliminate snoring, and

17) Helps reduces eye membrane irritation (when MSM in a water solution is applied).

Check out this great article I found online that gives you more details on all of the above: http://www.evolutionhealth.com/msm-powder3.htm

If you want the best of the best MSM, I strongly suggest you buy Omica's MSMWhy Omica?  Because it is PLANT DERIVED and more importantly, NOT derived from petroleum sources (which many other MSM products are derived from the later).  Here is a link to Omica's website where you can buy MSM in powder or capsule form (I personally prefer the powder as I believe it absorbs better in our systems, but it does have a bitter taste that takes getting adjusted to): http://store.livingearthbeauty.com/category_s/137.htm?gclid=CMOf4Kjf_KsCFW0CQAodpA0P9A

On a personal side note: As I've mentioned in my blog entries, #17 & 18, I have suffered from "uteran fibroids" since 2003 and have had 2 surgeries (myomectomies in 2003 and 2007), however with the help of my magnificent "homeopathic doctors" (if you don't know what a "homeopath" is, you MUST read my Blog #17), they helped me avoid surgery #3 in 2010.... I was literally months away from having to have a hysterectomy this time, when I stumbled upon my homeopaths.  Due to their advise on diet change, homeopathic remedies, and several natural supplements they gave me, my fibroids are now SHRINKING and I NO LONGER NEED surgery!  One of the supplements that has greatly contributed to my fibroids shrinking has been MSM!  Every month I have seen huge pieces of them leave my body and I know it is due to the MSM breaking them down in my body, the healthy meat-free and dairy-free diet I lead AND the homeopathic remedies and care I receive on a WEEKLY basis!!!

But don't take my word for it, try out MSM for yourself for a few months and see what it can do for your body!!!  http://store.livingearthbeauty.com/category_s/137.htm?gclid=CMOf4Kjf_KsCFW0CQAodpA0P9A

Monday, July 11, 2011

#18 - How I first realized ENERGY HEALING WORKS... despite not believing it!

My first experience that opened my eyes to believing in energy healing was thru Reiki back in 2001.  Back around 1989, I had a bad fall off of a horse.  I landed on a rock and broke my coxix (sp?) bone.  It was excrutiating pain!  The next day I went to the doctor and on the way home, was rear ended in my car.  The day after that, I was on a 14 hr. flight to France with my mom, a trip she had planned a while back and refused to let me out of despite the excrutiating pain I was in.  I spent the entire flight with my head down between my ankles, no exaggeration!  I had a donut pillow and the few places I did agree to go visit while we were there (2 out of 3 times, I refused to go anywhere and stayed in our room cuz I was in so much pain), the darn donut pillow was in all the pictures somewhere.  Ha, ha!  I do recall we took a train from Paris to Monaco in S. France and we went to the Monte Carlo Casino and we went on a tour inside these huge amazing caves, so that was worth it, but still, I was dying.

Anyway, that pain stayed with me for 12 years.  Yes, 12 years.  Despite all the chiropractor work on my spine and tailbone and the coxix lining back up exactly where it needed to be, I was still in excrutiating pain and having to sit on my butt for hours on end while working was truly horrible.  I'd often come home and cry and after 10 years had almost convinced myself that I would let a doctor put me under and re-break and re-set the bone (which they do by slamming it with a brick, btw).  Luckily, I did not do that.

So then my dad dies and my mom moves in with this quirky lady in La Crescenta, CA for about a year or so.  The lady did massages and "Raiki" (which I had no clue what the latter was).  When she told me about Raiki and how she could help heal someone by placing various crystals on them and focusing her energy thru the crystals into the person, all I could think was "this woman is NUTS!"  I truly didn't believe it for a hot second, but lucky for me, I never verbalized that, I just thought it.  So I started doing massages with her and any time she tried to massage the glute muscles, I would scream bloody murder.  They were so tight and the slightest little pressure really hurt.  I started seeing her about 3xs a week and she would work the muscles a little more and a little more till finally, a few mos. later she said that she believed my body was ready for the Raiki.  Again I thought she was nuts, but I said nothing and let her go for it.  It was my first and only session of Raiki I've ever had.  She put the crystals on my lower back and put her hands above them.  Then, suddenly, I felt this huge gush, that felt like a waterfall gushing down my spine from the very top of the spine to the very bottom of it.  It was insane.  I think it went on for about a minute and I couldn't believe what I was feeling, nor did I understand what it meant.  But as soon as she was done, I had immediate 100% relief and permenantly since then.  It's been very rare that I have some pain flare up for a little bit in that area again.  What had happened, was that due to that injury from the horse fall, I had "blocked energy" and that was causing the pain!  Once she did the Raiki, it released that blocked energy and allowed everything to flow again as it was supposed to and the pain was gone!  In turn, she said that normally after a session of Raiki, she is sick for a few days cuz she internalizes some of that bad or sick energy.  After she finished with me, she was sick in bed for an entire week!  I was so greatful that she did it though.  She said she had never experienced anyone that had that big of an issue before me.  Shortly thereafter my mom moved but thank God she lived with that woman for while as it was meant to be for me to be healed by her. 

And, through that experience, it opened my mind to "energy healing" and ever since I moved to Chicago in 2006 (five years later), I've been blessed to be led from one healer to another. 

I started with a doctor (Dr. Gary Clyman) who did "emotional liposuction" sessions (pure torture, but phenomenal experience... he pushes on points on your body that hold certain emotions: fear, pain, anxiety, abondonment, etc. and if you have issues with those feelings, it hurts REALLY badly and if you don't, you feel nothing at all or very little.  I was screaming bloody murder the whole time.  I've never cried or screamed that hard in my life.  When he was done, he told me he knew that I had issues in my uterus (and that was without him ever touching it nor me telling him anything about it).  Then he had me talk to one of his other patients who had a huge fibroid in her uterus that she cured through energy healing, and she referred me to an "energy healing counselor" in Chicago who I saw for a couple years.  Dr. Clyman also referred me to a "holistic MD" named Dr. Emily Lindner whom I started seeing also for about a year and a half and Dr. Lindner had an acupuncturist in her office who specialized in helping people with issues with their uterus and so I started acupuncture in the uterus with her.  But, I eventually stopped seeing them both as the office was too far away and Dr. Lindner was only giving me 30 min. sessions for my $20 co-pay, when I should have been getting 60 min. sessions, so I stopped seeing her.  And the energy healing counselor refused to give me receipts, despite my prior job reimbursing for counseling and so I stopped seeing her too. 

Then I started training for the triathlon and started going to a "trigger point massuese" who worked at my gym.  Eventually he started coming to my home.  Then, he got a room in an office that, guess what......... is the office of the homeopathic doctors I am now with.

So you see, everything happens for a reasonI truly believe it is no coincidence that I ended up with them, the husband and wife homeopathic team I work with on a weekly basis now (and the wife, Maria, who does my weekly massages and energy healing sessions, happens to be Bulgarian so we speak in Bulgarian the whole time).  I also believe if I had met them first, before going to all those other people, I probably would not have been ready to receive all their guidance and probably would not have followed all the things they've led me on a path to do for my health and therefore, I wouldn't be where I am at now with my health, which is leaps and bounds above where I was just a year ago!

So yes, I totally completely believe in energy healing and it's amazing powers!  We are all made up of energy, after all.  But I also believe, if you strongly don't believe in it, you can block it's healing powers.  If you have any sort of serious health ailments and you've been told by MDs or any sort of "medical specialists" that "there's nothing else you can do" or they "don't know why you have this problem", etc. and their only answer is DRUGS and/or SURGERY and like me.... you walked that path and are now sick of that answer and want to live a life of TRUE FREEDOM, HEALTH and VITALITY, then I strongly suggest you find a "homeopathic doctor" near you and you also open yourself up to the possibilities of using various different forms of "energy healing" as well. 

At the very least, if you're not sold on the latter, please try the "homeopaths" and read by POST #17 that will give you details on WHAT A HOMEOPATHIC DOCTOR is and how all of Europe uses them as their #1 form of healthcare BEFORE using drugs or surgery and us idiots in the US are brainwashed to simply believe "Western medicine" is THE answer and there's nothing else we can do. 

Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm living proof that is B.S.!  So please read my post #17 to read my story and personal journey with homeopaths and also learn what they are all about and how they teach our bodies to HEAL THEMSELVES!!!

Friday, July 8, 2011

#17 - Why "homeopathy" can be BETTER than an MD! + my personal story + WHAT IS Homeopathy + the HISTORY of Homeopathy

So, most of us in the "Western World" have been schooled to believe that the only answer to our medical needs is to see an MD or any type of "medical specialist" that believes in giving us antibiotics, prescription drugs and/or recommends surgeries for our ailments.

But did you know that at the turn of the 20th century 15% of American doctors were "homeopaths".  Eventually they were pushed out of the medical field as "orthodox" (ie- the Western World) doctors admit, it's not that we don't believe homeopathy works, it's that they're stealing our business.  Well guess what?  Homeopathy is making a great comeback now!

Ironically, most of us have never heard of a "homeopathic" doctor, let alone know what they are or what they can do for us.  A lot of people would consider homeopathy "alternative medicine" (which we are gradually come to accept as "complimentary medicine") depite the fact that it is a great resource in lieu of drugs and surgeries.  It is said that homeopathic medicine has no side effects and it works on the principal of "curing like with like".

So.............. what is homeopathy???

Well, first off, before I give you the answer, let me tell you my personal experience....

In 2003 I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids and there were so many of them and they were so large that only a few months later, I had to have surgery and they removed 19 of them from my uterus.

In 2007, I was back in the exact same boat.  I had surgery #2 and they removed 18 this time.

By 2010, I was right around the corner from surgery #3 and this time the doctor said he didn't have any hope and due to all the surgeries there would be no benefit in removing them again since I already would have a lot of scar tissue and so his professional advise was to do a "hysterectomy" and leave me with no uterus, therefore, no children.

My response.......... HECK NO, this is not acceptable, there MUST be another answer!

So, I started on my journey to wellness.  I found a crazy doc that does "emotional lyposuction" and I had a session with him and thought I was going to die!, but it truly did suck out a lot of stuck emotions, that's for sure.  His name is Dr. Gary Clyman.  http://www.chikung.com/emotional-liposuction/

What's interesting about that session is that I purposely did NOT tell Dr. Clyman about my issues with my fibroids up front.  I figured if he knew his stuff, he would be able to figure it out and sure enough at the end of the session he told me that he felt a lot of negative energy in my abdomen/uteran area and that he knew I had a serious issue that had to be addressed.  So, I told him about my surgeries and where I was currently at.

Then, he called me the next day and had me talk to one of his other patients who referred me to a lady who did "energy healing talk therapy."  Dr. Clyman also referred me to a "holistic doctor" that was also an MD named Dr. Emilie Lindner.  I started seeing the energy healer AND the holistic doctor.  In the interim, I signed up to do my first triathlon and started getting "pressure point massages" at my gym from a massuese named Nico Tricocci.  Eventually, Nico started doing sessions at my home and then he eventually rented a space in a "chiropractor's" office to do his massages there. 

Well, how ironic was that......... it ended up that the licensed chiropractor was a "homeopathic doctor" but of course, since most of us in America have no clue what that is, his business is listed under chiropractic care.  His name is Dr. Robert Selig.  He is my GOD SEND!  I, myself, had never heard of homeopathy before but as soon as Nico started explaining what they did, I was more than intrigued and set up my first appointment.

About 15 months ago (March of 2010), I started seeing Dr. Robert (as I like to call him) on a regular basis.  I have a visit with him once a week and he does acupuncture, chiropractic and energy healing on me every time AND gives me various "homeopathic remedies" as my body needs them and/or to specifically target my fibroids.  To boot, his lovely wife Maria (who happens to be Bulgarian, an added bonus for me cuz I have someone to practice my language with) does massage and energy healing and she too suggests various "homeopathic remedies" (they consult with each other), so I see her once a week as well.  Here is a link to their website in case you live in the area, but trust me, you will learn far more if you schedule an appointment with Dr. Robert and see him face to face!  http://backupchicago.com/

Here is a link to a short YouTube video of Dr. Robert Selig explaining all of the options he offers at his amazing office in Chicago (which I go to ONCE A WEEK - religiously)!!!  I will be sad to say goodbye when I move back to CA.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J-kvl8j0bw&feature=player_embedded

In March of this year (2011), just 12 mos. after I started working with this amazing husband/wife team.... I went for my follow up with my OBGYN to check on the status of my fibroids.  As of a year prior, I was only months away from needing surgery #3, but I knew, as soon as I found Dr. Robert, that I needed to give my body a chance to let the homeopathy work and so I refused to go back to the OBY for my 6 mo. follow up and instead waited a year.  So here I go, March of 2011, and the OBY is shocked at my progress.  Not only did I lose 60 lbs. over this past year (changed my diet and omitted all meat and I have no dairy in my home at all, only when I travel or am out to eat.... which means I omitted the unnecessary hormones in my diet) and guess what, not only the diet, but also the homeopathic remedies and also the daily "super smoothies" and also the weekly acupuncture, chiro, massage and energy healing, all set my body back on the right track.... it wasn't about the weight loss, it was about reversing the pattern that my body was on.... surgery after surgery, just growing these darn fibroids for no good reason.  So, I'm happy to report that the fibroids, for the first time ever in 8 years, are now SHRINKING and my OBY told me that he was so proud of everything I've accomplished, that he now has a "lot of faith" for my future and that I no longer had to come back for a 6 mo. follow up, I could wait a full year (which was unheard of in my last 8 year history) AND, most importantly, I was no longer around the corner from another surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In addition to the amazing homeopathic care I receive on a weekly basis AND homeopathic remedies, another great contributor to my success has been some of the "supplements" that my homeopaths have put me on.  One of them being, MSM!!!  If you don't know what MSM is or the amazing pluthera of benefits it offers us, CHECK OUT MY BLOG #19 FOR MORE INFO.).  It helped me start shrinking my fibroids & avoid another surgery (along with my weekly homeopathic care, my homeopathic remedies AND my change in diet to a completely meat-free and primarily dairy-free diet - I admit, I'm not perfect, so in my household I have NO meat and NO dairy and have many wonderful dairy substitutes such as: almond milk, almond cheese, vegan butter spread & coconut milk ice cream.... but, when I eat out, I often cheat on the dairy as it seems to be in EVERYTHING, so.... I try not to eat out so often).

So, now back to the question at hand...........
WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY (please keep reading further down to read about the fascinating "history of homeopathy as well)?????

Answer (I've copied this from the website of an MD who has practiced homeopathy since the 1980s (she's located in CA) here's the link but also below is all the info:
http://www.homeopathy-md.com/Homeopathy.html:

****************************************************

Homeopathy is a scientifically based holistic system of medicine that is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States and worldwide  because of its effectiveness, safety and low cost.  Homeopathy works naturally to activate and boost the body’s own inner ability for self-healing.  Very dramatic and long lasting improvement or cure is seen in a wide variety of illnesses including diseases traditionally called chronic or incurable. 

Many of the fundamental ideas and principles of Homeopathy may be quite different than those to which you are accustomed.  It isn’t necessary to fully understand Homeopathy for it to work for you, just as it isn’t necessary to fully understand or believe in x-rays in order to have a picture produced. 
The goal of treatment with Homeopathy is FREEDOM.  Freedom on the physical level means a sense of well-being, vitality and symptom-free living.  On the emotional level, it means joyful, satisfying relationships with your family, society and yourself.  On the mental level freedom results in positive, creative expression through a career, service or the arts.

Homeopathy views the human being as a dynamic, responsive and health-oriented organism which expresses itself in a physical, emotional and mental way.  The sum of these ‘levels’ [physical, emotional and mental] constitutes the whole person.  As a unified being, each level can and does affect the others.  For example, we all have experienced how our emotions can affect us physically or how our physical health can impact our moods.  Homeopathy looks at us in this comprehensive way, taking into consideration symptoms and information from all three levels  in its diagnosis and treatment plan. 

To evaluate the whole person, Homeopathy takes a very broad view of the term “symptom”.  To a Homeopath, a symptom means any characteristic from any of your three levels.  Therefore, symptoms may include: your physical complaints; your emotions, thoughts, reactions to stress or weather conditions, your sleep patterns, food preferences, childhood experiences; your family, social and work experiences as well as other important areas.  In cases of chronic disease it can take up to two hours to collect enough information from all these areas before the proper prescription can be made.  This individualization is a key feature of Homeopathy.  It is often surprising to new patients to see how much attention the doctor gives to unexplained and annoying symptoms that have persisted for so long.

Think of the way a mechanic cares for your automobile.  The car is exposed to wear and tear and certain environmental influences.  To keep everything running smoothly, the car must be serviced at the first sign of any problem.  You, too, are exposed to various stresses: emotional, mental, chemical and environmental influences, as well as others.  Any of these stresses can start a disease process.  By paying attention to precise details of every symptom, the homeopathic physician prescribes a medicine to “tune-up” or re-establish your healthy state.

You have another very important part called the defense mechanism.  This is the part that keeps you healthy on all levels.  The defense mechanism can be regarded as your immune system; yet it is much more than that because it also keeps you healthy on the emotional and mental levels.  When your defense Mechanism is operating perfectly, you don’t even notice it.  Those are the times when you feel energetic, vital, creative, joyful and loving.  You experience this wonderful level of health and vitality not because of the absence of stresses or germs, as is commonly thought but because your defense mechanism resists against these external influences.

Sometimes the defense mechanism may be overpowered by a stronger disease force, which requires activation of physical, emotional and mental symptoms as your body reacts to combat stress, grief, deprivation, shock or other factors.  The symptoms produced reflect the defense mechanism “battling” it out against the disease.  When the battle is over and the defense mechanism has re-established harmony and health, the symptoms are no longer needed and they disappear.  This episode is known as an acute illness.

In another instance, the disease influence may again be strong enough to cause a reaction in the defense mechanism producing symptoms just like in the acute illness.  In this case, however, the defense mechanism is not strong enough to completely fight off the disease and the result is a chronic condition with symptoms lasting for months, years or even a lifetime.

The symptoms are not the actual disease.  In the process of protecting itself from a disease influence, the defense mechanism creates a very precise set of symptoms.  It knows exactly what is needed to fight that disease.  So, the continued presence of any symptom indicates the continued presence of a disease.

Traditionally symptoms are thought to be a malfunctioning of the body that must be suppressed.  This is clearly represented by the types of medicines that are available to doctors: antibiotics, anti-histamines, anti-depressants, anti-inflammatories, anti- hypertensives and so forth.  In most cases, these medicines must be taken continually to keep the symptoms from returning.  This counteracts all the body’s efforts to protect itself.  Conventional treatment may give immediate relief from a particular symptom, but the patient’s overall health and resistance to disease are not improved and are often weakened.

With Homeopathic treatment, the patient’s symptoms are also eliminated; but this time it’s because the remedy helps to eliminate the reason the body developed symptoms in the first place.  By eliminating the disease process that forces the body to produce symptoms, the symptoms are no longer necessary and the body stops producing them.  This is the true definition of healing: gentle, natural and permanent disappearance of symptoms and disease.  This is why Homeopathic remedies are taken for only short periods of time.  Sometimes only one dose is needed.

How does Homeopathy assist in removing the inner disease process which then leads to such dramatic healing?  Prescribing is based on a biologic principle called the Law of Similars that states: whenever you give a healthy person a substance, a certain plant or mineral for instance, very distinct symptoms will be produced.  Whenever a doctor sees that same group of symptoms in a sick person, then that same substance (in homeopathic form) will cure him.  This concept is so unfamiliar to most people that it may sound amazing.  Nonetheless, it is a fact of nature that has been well demonstrated and used in healing for centuries.

When a person has an illness, acute or chronic, he will exhibit a specific set of symptoms.  We already know that those symptoms are a sign of the body’s best effort to combat the disease.  By prescribing a Homeopathic remedy that has proven it can produce that same set of symptoms, we are giving the body a little bit more of exactly what it needs to fight the disease.  By empowering the body in this way, it will be able to do what it couldn’t do before; overcome the disease.  Now, the symptoms are no longer needed and they simply disappear.

We may never actually know the cause or exact nature of the original disease influence.  The symptoms are its reflection and will be enough to guide the doctor to the correct remedy.  The body will then cure the disease process itself with the extra boost from the appropriate remedy.

There are over 2000 Homeopathic remedies which are all derived from plant, mineral and a few animal substances.  The remedies are created by a processing method that is unique to Homeopathy.  With this method, all the toxic effects of the original substances are removed but the healing power is retained.  Contrasted to conventional drugs or even plants and herbs, Homeopathic remedies do not produce side effects, overdosing or poisoning.

Homeopathy works dramatically, deeply and safely to improve or cure an incredible variety of medical conditions from infections to hypertension, from premenstrual syndrome to headaches.  This may sound too good to be true, yet Homeopathic doctors worldwide have used this method to relieve people of these and many other disease processes and symptoms for over two centuries.  No wonder this gentle, effective, safe and non-toxic healing approach is attracting the interest of so many people.

Historically, Homeopathy’s success was a major factor in its disappearance in the early 1900’s.  At that time approximately 15% of all doctors in this country and Europe were Homeopaths.  The effectiveness in curing acute diseases as well as the dramatic results and improvements in chronic conditions caused concern, both economically and politically among the conventional medical establishment and the drug manufacturers.  Even without knowing the details of the years of suppression and struggle, you are aware of the outcome. 

Homeopathy all but disappeared in the United States.  If this seems unlikely, think about how difficult it has been to bring nutrition or preventive medicine into the mainstream of medical care today.
The current phenomenal resurgence of Homeopathy is simply a reflection of the demand for a more direct, affordable and human-oriented medical system.  You now have the opportunity to experience the enormous benefits for yourself as we participate in the change, improvement and redirection  of medical care.

****************************************************
HISTORY OF HOMEOPATHY

I've copied this from Dana Ullman's website.  ABC News touts that Dana is "Homeopathy's Foremost spokesman."  He's authored 10 books as well as chapters in 3 leading medical textbooks. 

I personally "follow" Dana on Twitter @HomeopathicDana.  You can follow him too for great updates on Homeopathy.

Scroll down after the quotes below which I've shared from his website's article about "A Condensed History on Homeopathy" to find a link to the entire article with full details. 

"The history of homeopathy combines the high drama and intrigue commonly found in the best efforts of the silver screen. Although a movie has not yet been made about homeopathy, it is a film waiting to happen."

"Homeopathy became spectacularly popular in the United States and Europe in the 1800s and its strongest advocates included European royalty, American entrepreneurs, literary giants, and religious leaders. But at the time that it was gaining widespread popularity, it became the object of deep-seated animosity and vigilant opposition from establishment medicine. The conflict between homeopathy and orthodox medicine was protracted and bitter. We know who won the first round of this conflict. We await the results of the second round. Hopefully, we will soon discover that a "fight" over healing is inappropriate and that various approaches to healing are all necessary to build a comprehensive and effective health care system."

"The history of homeopathy begins with the discoveries of its founder Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German physician. Hahnemann first coined the word "homeopathy" ("homoios" in Greek means similar, "pathos" means suffering) to refer to the pharmacological principle, the law of similars, that is its basis. Actually, the law of similars was previously described by Hippocrates and Paracelsus and was utilized by many cultures, including the Mayans, Chinese, Greeks, Native American Indians, and Asian Indians, but it was Hahnemann who codified the law of similars into a systematic medical science."

..."Despite the persecution, homeopathy continued to grow. It grew not just because it offered a systematic approach to treating sick people, but also because orthodox medicine was ineffective and even dangerous. There is general agreement among medical historians today that orthodox medicine of the 1700s and 1800s in particular frequently caused more harm than good."

...The Opposition to Homeopathy

..."Finally, a compromise was reached. In 1875 the Michigan legislature voted to give money to a new hospital dependent upon the appointment of two professors of homeopathy, but it was also decided that only the president and the secretary of the university would sign the diplomas, thereby allowing their graduates to be recognized by the A.M.A."

..."In addition to the attacks by conventional physicians on the homeopaths' right to practice, the right to join medical organizations, and the right to a medical education, conventional physicians sought to besmirch the reputation of homeopaths. Homeopaths were considered "immoral," "illegitimate," and "unmanly." The opposition to homeopathy was not based on any scientific evaluation of this healing art, but arose primarily because homeopathy and homeopaths were a significant competitor to conventional physicians.""In a 1890 issue of Harpers Magazine, Mark Twain... asserted that "You may honestly feel grateful that homeopathy survived the attempts of the allopathists (orthodox physicians) to destroy it." "

"Despite the significant oppression from the orthodox medical profession, homeopathy survived and even thrived in the 1800s and early 1900s."

..."Homeopathy was also disproportionately popular among women, not only as patients, but as its practitioners. The first women's medical college in the world was the homeopathic Boston Female Medical College, founded in 1848. Four years later it became the New England Female Medical College, and in 1873, it merged with Boston University, another homeopathic college. Homeopaths also admitted women physicians into their national organization considerably before orthodox physicians did. Homeopaths admitted women into the American Institute of Homeopathy in 1871, while women were not invited into the A.M.A. until 1915."

..."The press was often very supportive of homeopathy, as the Journal of the American Medical Association regretfully acknowledged, "(W)e all know perfectly well that the sympathy of the press generally and of the public is with the homeopaths." "

..."However, probably the most important reason that homeopathy developed such immense popularity was its success in treating the various infectious epidemic diseases that raged throughout America and Europe during the 1800s. Statistics indicate that the death rates in homeopathic hospitals from these epidemics were often one-half to as little as one-eighth those in orthodox medical hospitals."

...The Fall of Homeopathy

"It is quite remarkable in itself that homeopathy survived the incessant and harsh attempts to destroy it. After the turn of the century, however, the A.M.A. became increasingly effective in suppressing homeopathy. In a strategic move to make themselves look like "good guys," the AMA chose to "allow" graduates of homeopathic medical schools to join the AMA...as long as they denounced homeopathy or at least didn't practice it."

..."In 1910 the Carnegie Foundation issued the famous/infamous Flexner Report. The Flexner Report was an evaluation of American medical schools chaired by Abraham Flexner, in cooperation with leading members of the A.M.A. While pretending to be objective, the Report actually established guidelines meant to sanction orthodox medical schools and condemn homeopathic ones."

..."As one might easily predict, the homeopathic colleges on the whole were given poor ratings by the Flexner Report. As a result of the report, only graduates of those schools which received a high rating were allowed to take medical licensing exams. There were 22 homeopathic colleges in 1900, but only two remained in 1923."

..."There were other reasons for the sharp decline of homeopathy after the turn of the century. Orthodox medicine was no longer as barbaric as it was in the 1800s, and because of this, it didn't drive as many patients away. Orthodox physicians also began incorporating several of the homeopathic medicines into their practice. Although they didn't prescribe the same small doses as the homeopaths, their use of certain homeopathic medicines confused the public, who were having increasing difficulty in distinguishing orthodox physicians from homeopathic physicians."

..."The drug companies' antagonism to homeopathy continued significantly to the collective efforts to suppress this form of medicine. Because the drug companies published medical journals, they could use them as mouthpieces against homeopathy and in support of orthodox medicine. Even the Journal of the American Medical Association acknowledged that "the medical press is profoundly under the influence of the proprietary interests (drug companies)." "

..."From 1930 to 1975 there are not many horror stories of the A.M.A.'s oppression of homeopathy, primarily because it seemed that the AMA had already won the war. By 1950 all the homeopathic colleges in the U.S. were either closed or no longer teaching homeopathy. There were only 50-150 practicing homeopathic physicians, and most of these practitioners were over 50 years old."

"And yet, it is hard to suppress the truth. Homeopathy has risen again, and this time, history will be rewritten."

The Rise of Homeopathy

"Homeopathy posed a serious threat to entrenched medicine. Orthodox physicians criticized herbalists, midwives, and various other "non-regular" practitioners because they were not medically trained. Homeopaths, however, could not be discredited as being unlearned, since they were graduates from many of the same medical schools as "regular" physicians. In fact, many of the initial practitioners of homeopathy graduated from some of the most prestigious medical schools of the day."

..."One of the most important reasons that orthodox physicians and drug companies disliked homeopathy was that inherent in the homeopathic approach was a sharp critique of the use of conventional drugs. Homeopaths were primarily critical of the suppressive nature of these drugs. They felt that they simply masked the person's symptoms, creating deeper, more serious diseases. Homeopaths also noted that this masking of symptoms made it more difficult for them ultimately to find the correct medicine, since the person's idiosyncratic symptoms are the primary guide to the individual selection of the medicine."

"Perhaps the most important reason that conventional physicians disliked homeopathy and homeopaths was well expressed at an A.M.A. meeting by one of the more respected orthodox physicians who said, "We must admit that we never fought the homeopath on matters of principles; we fought him because he came into the community and got the business." Although most physicians, past or present, won't as easily admit it, economic issues play a major role in what is practiced and what is allowed to be practiced."

..."Besides keeping homeopaths out of their societies, the A.M.A. wanted to discourage any type of association with homeopaths. In 1855 the AMA established a code of ethics which asserted that orthodox physicians would lose their membership in the A.M.A. if they even consulted with a homeopath or any other "non-regular" practitioner."

The Present Status of Homeopathy

"Homeopaths throughout the world experienced varying degrees of opposition from orthodox physicians, but not anywhere near the systematic or intense attacks as those beset upon them by American doctors. When homeopaths have been given a relatively free environment to practice, homeopathy has been able to grow and flourish."

"Homeopathy is particularly popular in Great Britain where the Royal Family has been under homeopathic care since the 1830s. The New York Times noted that visits to homeopathic physicians are increasing in England at a rate of 39% per year. A British consumer organization surveyed its 28,000 members and discovered that 80% had used some form of complementary medicine* and that 70% of those who had tried homeopathy were cured or improved by it."

..."(* In Great Britain and to a small extent in the U.S. "complementary medicine" or "complementary therapies" is replacing the term "alternative medicine" or "alternative therapies." Advocates of complementary therapies assert that their therapies are not "alternative" but are a growing part of mainstream medicine.)"

"This impressive growth in Great Britain is being matched in France. A recent survey of French doctors revealed that approximately 11,000 utilize homeopathic medicines, approximately 25% of the French public have tried or are presently using homeopathic medicines, and over 20,000 French pharmacies now sell homeopathic medicines."

..."In 1981 the Dutch government published a report on Alternative Medicine in The Netherlands in 1981, which concluded that 20% of the Dutch public utilize alternative healing methods. The report also noted that homeopathy is one the most popular therapeutic modalities."

"Homeopathy is widespread in Europe, but it is even more popular in Asia, especially India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Homeopathy spread in India, in part, because of the support it received from Mahatma Gandhi, who was reported to have said that it "cures a greater number of people than any other method of treatment," but also because it has been effective in treating many of the acute infectious conditions and the chronic maladies on the subcontinent."

..."Homeopathy is not as popular in South America as it is in Europe or Asia, but it is still widely utilized."

..."Homeopathy is equally popular in Brazil, where there are also approximately 2,000 physicians who utilize homeopathic medicines."

..."Besides homeopathy's special popularity in the previously mentioned countries, it is widely practiced in Mexico, Greece, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, and the Soviet Union."

"Homeopathy is re-experiencing a renaissance in the United States as well. In the early 1970s there were only 50-100 physicians who specialized in homeopathy, and yet by the mid-1980s, it can be estimated that there were approximately 1,000 physicians who specialize in homeopathy."

..."The rediscovery of homeopathy by the general public is even more encouraging. The magazine, The F.D.A. Consumer, recently reported a 1000% increase in sales of homeopathic medicines from the late 1970s to the early 1980s."

"Contrary to some critics who think that people try homeopathy only because they are uneducated, research published in the Western Journal of Medicine showed that homeopathic patients tend to be considered even better educated than the average American."

..."Clearly, homeopathy will play an increasingly important role in health care, for as internationally acclaimed violinist and humanitarian Yehudi Menuhin* once said, "Homeopathy is one of the few medical specialties which carries no penalties--only benefits." "

"(* In addition to the various awards and achievements which the internationally acclaimed musician and humanitarian Yehudi Menuhin has, he is also the President of The Hahnemann Society, one of Great Britain's major homeopathic organizations.)"
 
Here's a link to Dana Ullman’s full article which I quoted from above: "A Condensed History of Homeopathy."

Here's a link to Dana Ullman’s blog:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman

And here's a link to a great article Dana Ullman wrote re treating DEPRESSION with homeopathy: "A Healthier Way to Treat Depression?"


****************************************************
I strongly encourage EVERYONE to seek out a "homeopathic" doctor near you.  Note, this is not to be confused with "holistic" nor with "naturopathic".  The latter two are not "homeopathic", but do have some wonderful healing aspects as well. 

Stop the madness!  Stop feeding the medical industry's pocket books.  The FDA and the USDA are NOT our friends and they are NOT looking out for our best interests when it comes to the food: meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits, etc that we consumeThe insurance companies, doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the US are NOT our friends and they are NOT looking out for our best interests either.  Wake up people, it's all about MONEY!  Surgery is quick and fast and a good chunk of income for them.  Do you think that they will benefit if we learn how to eat better, stop consuming unnecessary hormones and pesticides and perservatives and genetical modified foods (GMOs) and learn all about what are real "super foods" and start incorporating them in our daily diets AND, most importantly, if we learn how to self-heal our bodies through homeopathy, who wins?  Definitely not THEM (the doctors, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, etc, etc).  They win only by pumping us with more drugs and cutting us open time and time again......... oh and of course, by continuing to ruin our food and water system so we can continue to get FATTER and SICKER and continue to run back to them for more drugs and more surgeries.

We must, must, must start thinking OUTSIDE THE BOX of what the Western World has taught us and get on board with what the rest of world has known for ages and is practicing on a regular basis right now......... the wonders and amazing healing powers of homeopathy.

If you're like me and are fed up with being pumped with drugs and/or being told to have yet another surgery, what have you got to lose by trying to embark on a new path to FREEDOM and amazing VITALITY and HEALTH!

I did it.... SO CAN YOU!!!!!!