Author: Dr. Nancy Malik BHMS
https://drnancymalik.wordpress.com/2016/04/07/world-health-day-on-7th-april/INTRODUCTION
‘World Health Organisation’ celebrates 7th April every year as ‘World Health Day’ to raise awareness on health, disease and cure. Let us review each of them.HEALTH
Health is not just merely an absence of disease but a dynamic entity where a state of equilibrium keeps the constitution of an individual whole in harmony [1] [click to tweet]. Constitution means a person’s state of health, including their temperament and any inherited and acquired characteristics. Genetic code genome is responsible for what’s going to constitute the make-up of a resulting individual.
Health is also defined as freedom from pain on physical plane, confusion on mental plane (mental clarity) and passions on emotional plane (emotional calm) [2]. Signs of good health, apart from others, are mental clarity, emotional calm and refreshing sleep.
DISEASE
Disease is dynamic disposition in harmony of constitution due to either non-maintenance of equilibrium or physio-chemical alteration of tissues. Symptoms are the language of a disease. The genetic code map is responsible for physical, mental and emotional symptoms, which are a result of both functional disorders and structural changes in the body. Environment (stress, shock, traumas producing changes in glands) modifies the constitution.
Diseases which when untreated or maltreated, lead to chronic disease syndromes related to natural progression of disease or lead to an increase in susceptibility for other diseases when immunity is low.
CURE
The single purpose and highest ideal of the medicine is cure. Cure is “the rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of health, or removal and annihilation of the disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reliable, and most harmless way, based on easily comprehensible principles” [3]. Cure means the recovery of the state of stability of physiological norms [4].
The Physician’s high and only mission is to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed
— Samuel Hahnemann, Aphorism 1, Organon der Rationelien Heilkunden (Organon of Rational Art of Healing), 1819
If all biochemical reactions in human body are balanced and not independent of each other, this balance is called homeostasis. The disturbance in above balance is due to mal-synthesis, introduction of protein in human such as insect bite, bacterial toxin, toxins from killed bacteria after antibiotics, etc. Disturbed homeostasis impairs immunity and results in physical and mental symptoms.
The direction of cure was first mentioned [5] by Hippocrates. In the 49th of his aphorisms he writes, “In a person suffering from angina pectoris the appearance of swelling and erythema on the chest is a good sign, for it shows that the disease is moving towards the circumference”. And in aphorism 26 of section 6, he writes, “If the erysipelas moves from the outside to the inside, it is a bad sign, but if the opposite happens it is a good sign.”
The progress of cure in chronic diseases was mentioned [6] by Dr. Hahnemann where he stated that during the course of treatment the cure progresses from above (top of the body) downwards (head to chest to abdomen to legs), from within (inside of the body) outwards (exterior, often as skin eruptions), center to periphery, from more important organ to less vital one (brain followed by heart, liver, kidney and lungs followed by muscle and skin), in reverse order of coming of the symptoms (presenting symptoms disappear in the reverse order of their appearance i.e. first in last out, so old symptoms might resurface).
“The bloodbrain barrier provides both anatomical and physiological protection for the central nervous system, strictly regulating the entry of many substances and bloodborne cells into the nervous tissue” [7]. This indicates how the body is designed to actively protect the systems that are most vital to survival.
MEDICINE
Albrecht von Haller had postulated as early as 1771 that the effect of a drug ought to be tested on healthy persons before it was given to the sick but it was Hahnemann who in 1790 first tested the effect of drug (Cinchona) on healthy human being [8] and published [9] the results in 1796.
The goal of the medicine is to stimulate the body’s defense system to assist itself to encourage its natural healing process and clear itself of any expressions of imbalance.
DIET AND HYGIENE
1792: Dr. Hahnemann advocated healthy accommodation for the sick, before anyone else
1795: He advocated improvements in public hygiene measures, before anyone else
1841: He had identified the need for healthy diet, including avoidance of excess use of sugar and salt, before anyone else.
POLL
Poll: Which system of medicine would you prefer to use?
CONCLUSION
A real and fundamental improvements in health care management with patient’s health in focus should be the central theme.
REFERENCES
[1] Nancy Malik, Basic Principles of Homeopathy Explained, Version 25. Science-based Homeopathy. 2016 Jan 6.
[2] George Vithoulkas. The Science of Homeopathy. The Three Levels of the Human Being: The Definition and Measure of Health. page. 40.
[3] Samuel Hahnemann. Organon da arte de curar. 6th edition. São Paulo: Robe; 1996.
[4] Vitalism and vital normativeness, Denise Scofano,Madel T Luz
Reference Link
[5] George Vithoulkas. Homeopathic Medicine for the new millennium
[6] Samuel Hahnemann. The Chronic Diseases: their nature and homoeopathic treatment, 1stedition, page 135, 1828
[7] Pachter JS, de Vries HE, Fabry Z, “The blood-brain barrier and its role in immune privilege in the central nervous system”, J Neuropathol Exp Neurol, 2003; 62(6): pp. 593–604
[8] B.K. Sarkar. History of Medicine with special reference to Homoeopathy, Sept. 1949, Essays on Homoeopathy, Hahnemann Publishing Company Pvt. Ltd, Calcutta, India, 1968. FULLTEXT
Reference Link
[9] Samuel Hahnemann, “Experiments concerning a new principle for the discovery of the healing forces of drug substances besides a short review of what is known so far”, Zeitschrift für Praktischen Medizin (Journal of Practical Medicine), Vol.1, Issue 1, 1796.
https://drnancymalik.wordpress.com/2016/04/07/world-health-day-on-7th-april/INTRODUCTION
‘World Health Organisation’ celebrates 7th April every year as ‘World Health Day’ to raise awareness on health, disease and cure. Let us review each of them.HEALTH
Health is not just merely an absence of disease but a dynamic entity where a state of equilibrium keeps the constitution of an individual whole in harmony [1] [click to tweet]. Constitution means a person’s state of health, including their temperament and any inherited and acquired characteristics. Genetic code genome is responsible for what’s going to constitute the make-up of a resulting individual.
Health is also defined as freedom from pain on physical plane, confusion on mental plane (mental clarity) and passions on emotional plane (emotional calm) [2]. Signs of good health, apart from others, are mental clarity, emotional calm and refreshing sleep.
DISEASE
Disease is dynamic disposition in harmony of constitution due to either non-maintenance of equilibrium or physio-chemical alteration of tissues. Symptoms are the language of a disease. The genetic code map is responsible for physical, mental and emotional symptoms, which are a result of both functional disorders and structural changes in the body. Environment (stress, shock, traumas producing changes in glands) modifies the constitution.
Diseases which when untreated or maltreated, lead to chronic disease syndromes related to natural progression of disease or lead to an increase in susceptibility for other diseases when immunity is low.
CURE
The single purpose and highest ideal of the medicine is cure. Cure is “the rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of health, or removal and annihilation of the disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reliable, and most harmless way, based on easily comprehensible principles” [3]. Cure means the recovery of the state of stability of physiological norms [4].
The Physician’s high and only mission is to restore the sick to health, to cure, as it is termed
— Samuel Hahnemann, Aphorism 1, Organon der Rationelien Heilkunden (Organon of Rational Art of Healing), 1819
If all biochemical reactions in human body are balanced and not independent of each other, this balance is called homeostasis. The disturbance in above balance is due to mal-synthesis, introduction of protein in human such as insect bite, bacterial toxin, toxins from killed bacteria after antibiotics, etc. Disturbed homeostasis impairs immunity and results in physical and mental symptoms.
The direction of cure was first mentioned [5] by Hippocrates. In the 49th of his aphorisms he writes, “In a person suffering from angina pectoris the appearance of swelling and erythema on the chest is a good sign, for it shows that the disease is moving towards the circumference”. And in aphorism 26 of section 6, he writes, “If the erysipelas moves from the outside to the inside, it is a bad sign, but if the opposite happens it is a good sign.”
The progress of cure in chronic diseases was mentioned [6] by Dr. Hahnemann where he stated that during the course of treatment the cure progresses from above (top of the body) downwards (head to chest to abdomen to legs), from within (inside of the body) outwards (exterior, often as skin eruptions), center to periphery, from more important organ to less vital one (brain followed by heart, liver, kidney and lungs followed by muscle and skin), in reverse order of coming of the symptoms (presenting symptoms disappear in the reverse order of their appearance i.e. first in last out, so old symptoms might resurface).
“The bloodbrain barrier provides both anatomical and physiological protection for the central nervous system, strictly regulating the entry of many substances and bloodborne cells into the nervous tissue” [7]. This indicates how the body is designed to actively protect the systems that are most vital to survival.
MEDICINE
Albrecht von Haller had postulated as early as 1771 that the effect of a drug ought to be tested on healthy persons before it was given to the sick but it was Hahnemann who in 1790 first tested the effect of drug (Cinchona) on healthy human being [8] and published [9] the results in 1796.
The goal of the medicine is to stimulate the body’s defense system to assist itself to encourage its natural healing process and clear itself of any expressions of imbalance.
DIET AND HYGIENE
1792: Dr. Hahnemann advocated healthy accommodation for the sick, before anyone else
1795: He advocated improvements in public hygiene measures, before anyone else
1841: He had identified the need for healthy diet, including avoidance of excess use of sugar and salt, before anyone else.
POLL
Poll: Which system of medicine would you prefer to use?
CONCLUSION
A real and fundamental improvements in health care management with patient’s health in focus should be the central theme.
REFERENCES
[1] Nancy Malik, Basic Principles of Homeopathy Explained, Version 25. Science-based Homeopathy. 2016 Jan 6.
[2] George Vithoulkas. The Science of Homeopathy. The Three Levels of the Human Being: The Definition and Measure of Health. page. 40.
[3] Samuel Hahnemann. Organon da arte de curar. 6th edition. São Paulo: Robe; 1996.
[4] Vitalism and vital normativeness, Denise Scofano,Madel T Luz
Reference Link
[5] George Vithoulkas. Homeopathic Medicine for the new millennium
[6] Samuel Hahnemann. The Chronic Diseases: their nature and homoeopathic treatment, 1stedition, page 135, 1828
[7] Pachter JS, de Vries HE, Fabry Z, “The blood-brain barrier and its role in immune privilege in the central nervous system”, J Neuropathol Exp Neurol, 2003; 62(6): pp. 593–604
[8] B.K. Sarkar. History of Medicine with special reference to Homoeopathy, Sept. 1949, Essays on Homoeopathy, Hahnemann Publishing Company Pvt. Ltd, Calcutta, India, 1968. FULLTEXT
Reference Link
[9] Samuel Hahnemann, “Experiments concerning a new principle for the discovery of the healing forces of drug substances besides a short review of what is known so far”, Zeitschrift für Praktischen Medizin (Journal of Practical Medicine), Vol.1, Issue 1, 1796.
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