Homeopathy and Weight Loss: The Emotional Connection
By John C Cassone, MS, CNC
“Just eat less.”
The elements of weight loss are so simple that it becomes obvious that there is much more to the issue of weight gain than just the calorie. I have researched and experimented with hundreds of diets during the last sixteen years with clients of all shapes and sizes. I know what works. But, knowledge is not the problem. All the trendy diets are really just various strategies to get you to eat less. In other words, the diets themselves offer nothing new. Nutritionists create lengthy explanations of their approaches just to get you to believe in their new idea long enough for you to begin their program of eating less. If you believe in it, and you start to eat less, then you will lose weight. But generally, at some point, you will start to eat more again and gain weight back. So what’s the real problem? Why can’t we eat less?
Most people are aware that there is a significant emotional component to over eating (let’s define overeating as eating beyond our actual physiological need). The discomfort of this emotional state seems to be proportionate to the need to eat. In other words, the overeating is the compensation or the survival mechanism for dealing with the emotional state. Permanent lifestyle changes will not last unless the state that the person is compensating for has been reduced. In the brain, the neuro-chemistry of compulsive overeating looks very similar to drug addiction. Unfortunately this compulsion to overeat can be extremely damaging and self destructive leading to all kinds of modern day illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and obesity. So do you go to a shrink, a nutritionist, or a 12-step meeting?
Treat the whole person. Homeopathy is a complete system of complementary medicine that has treated hundreds of millions of people world wide for over 200 years. It goes beyond traditional medicine and treats the entire person. A skilled homeopath will study physical pathology as well as mental and emotional patterns and sensitivities. The initial appointment usually takes up to 2 hours. By taking the total organism into account, a complete picture can be observed. On this level, treatment can be profound and lasting. Because homeopathy takes into account mental and emotional states, it is uniquely successful at treating anxiety, depression, and other mental or emotional states. Homeopathic remedies are made from highly dilute natural substances that trigger a massive healing response (almost like a vaccination). When you are taking a well prescribed homeopathic remedy, you will begin to feel a sense of wellness in all areas; it has a global response. Once the disease state begins to decrease, it becomes easier and more likely to stick to a basic weight loss strategy long term.
The conclusion that I am making is that excess weight gain is actually a disease state. It is not just physical, not just mental, and not just emotional. It is the sum total of an unhealthy pattern of disease effecting every area and resulting in the symptom of excess fat deposit. Effective long term treatment must address the whole person in addition to providing basic lifestyle programming, direction, and accountability.
