Antidepressants Blog

Miss Kuldip 19 years was under treatment for Thyroid Gland in the of Nuclear Sciences for the last over 6 months. Two days ago she was prescribed some medicine which had reacted badly on her. She had developed nausea, headache and worst of all her Thyroid Gland which had almost subsided by the previous treatment, had suddenly become prominent on her throat. This had thoroughly unnerved the whole family, as the next appointment at the Nuclear Science Laboratory was fixed 6 weeks away, and she could not go there earlier. She was terrified at the resurgence of the glandular enlargement and was weeping incessantly. She was given 3 doses of Cherry Plum (weeping due to intensity of feeling) and 3 doses Mimulus (fear). She came to report that she was absolutely alright, the very next day. Not a trace of the glandular enlargement on the throat could be seen.*142\308\8*

You may never have thought about it, but did you know that it matters where we sleep, whether in a healthy environment and bed or not? It strikes you first when travelling and your customary routine and sleeping place are not possible. The first time I slept in an Indian hut in the jungle I looked around in vain for a mat or some other soft surface to lie on. In the end I had to sleep on the bare bamboo floor like the Indians themselves, but at least I had my jacket, which I rolled up and used as a pillow. The only luxury I found was a mosquito net to keep out the malaria-carrying insects. If it had not been for the screeching sounds of monkeys and parrots or the cries of wild animals that kept rousing me, I would have slept comparatively well, because lying on a hard base is actually healthy. But when one is not accustomed to sleeping on a hard surface the old bones do rather object! Nonetheless, I did sleep better in that hut than the time I used a farmer’s bed that was too soft and gave me the feeling of being smothered under a mountain of downy feathers.

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What do all these observations teach us? They suggest that we, too, should use common sense. The sun’s rays have a stronger effect in the mountains than in the lowlands or by the sea, and if you are used to living at a high elevation you will be able to stand the sunlight there better than in low-lying areas. The converse is true of people who are used to living in lower areas. They would do well to avoid the sun’s rays in the mountains but become less tired when exposed to the sun in their habitual lowland climate.

Let me tell you an experience from Sri Lanka that confirms my point. Together with our friends who lived by the sea we went to visit some other friends in the beautiful hills. How amused the hill dwellers were when they saw the lowland folk quickly make for the shady places because the mountain sun was too much for them. Not so with us Swiss; we felt much better than we would by the sea, where our lowland friends were at home and on their best form.

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Yogurt benefits the intestines most of all. It will cleanse the intestinal mucous membranes and encourage the development of healthy intestinal flora. The yogurt bacillus will eliminate the pathological kind. All this promotes better digestion and assimilation of food.

Yogurt should be eaten as the first course of a salad meal, that is, first the yogurt, then salad and finally, vegetables. It is often eaten with fruit but this is less beneficial because it can lead to undesirable fermentation. Anyone inclined to flatulence should particularly avoid taking sugar or fruit with yogurt.

Intestinal putrefaction, which manifests itself by offensive smelling stools, can be gradually overcome by eating yogurt. I would emphasise the qualification ‘gradually’, for there are some people who think that an occasional bowl of yogurt will rid them of all their digestive disorders. This, of course, is not so; it will take time. It is a good idea to keep a stock of yogurt at home; in fact, you may find that it pays to make it yourself. Yogurt has an even greater health value if Lactobacillus acidophilus is also used in its preparation.

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I am often asked whether rhubarb is harmful as a food. There are some good things to be said about it, for instance that it is rich in vitamins, acids and various essential minerals. On the negative side, however, it must be said that rhubarb can be hard on the kidneys, especially when there is a tendency to kidney stones. One should always be very careful with rhubarb, as well as asparagus and Brussels sprouts, as all three of these are excessively acid-forming. Although they are beneficial if taken in small quantities, they can have an injurious effect on the kidneys if eaten in large amounts. Particular care should thus be exercised by anyone suffering from kidney stones or gravel, rheumatism and arthritis. For them it would be better to limit their intake of these foods or avoid them altogether.

Furthermore, it is important to choose the right kind of manure for rhubarb. If artificial fertiliser or unfermented liquid manure is used, the rhubarb can actually become poisonous. It is indeed lamentable that what is good for the farmer often turns out to be bad for the consumer. Still, we have to draw attention to these things. And then: ‘let the buyer beware!’

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Depending upon the time of year, a great variety of salads may be served. The dressing may be prepared with lemon or Molkosan (whey concentrate), which is a great aid to digestion, but never use vinegar. Another tasty dressing can be made with sour cream or yoghurt, and herbs such as savory, marjoram and thyme may be added to give a zesty flavour. Every kind of cabbage is good, but it is best eaten raw as a salad, because cooked cabbage can easily cause flatulence. Cabbage salad (coleslaw) is not only well tolerated, but is also very tasty, healthy and nutritive.

Then you might have vegetables which, when steamed, should not cause fermentation and flatulence.

A third category, food containing starch, or carbohydrates, should also be on the menu. From a dietetic point of view, whole rice is the best choice. It has a good effect on the blood pressure, helping to normalise it and to regenerate the veins. For variation, substitute potatoes, either boiled in their skins or baked. Of course, they can also be served in other ways, but they can harm the liver when fried so this method should be avoided.

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Eggs are also a source of protein and many people like to include them in their diet. But hard-boiled eggs, omelettes and egg salads are hard on the liver and should be avoided by anyone with a liver problem; indeed, it would be better for them to have meat rather than eggs. It is important to make sure that the eggs we consume are fresh and come from healthy chickens raised on natural feed. An egg is better for you when eaten raw, since in its liquid state an egg can be considered a valuable source of nutrients. This can also be said of soft-boiled eggs (for 2-3 minutes). Eggs are harmful, however, for anyone suffering from rheumatism or arthritis. Acting on this knowledge can only be of benefit to you.

I would like to stress the importance of making sure the eggs are safe, if you like to eat them raw, because the diseases chickens suffer from can be transmitted through their eggs. This is a problem that has received considerable publicity in recent years, particularly in the United Kingdom, and people should not forget the fact that it poses a very real danger to their health.

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Probably some 50 per cent of the population, particularly women, suffer to some degree from constipation. We hear again and again that it is bad to allow constipation to go on for any length of time, and there is no lack of good advice for its treatment. In contrast with constipation, not many people suffer from constant diarrhoea, a condition that prevents normal evacuation over long periods of time, even years, as opposed to the occasional bout of diarrhoea that passes quickly. Very little has been written about this kind of diarrhoea, even though it is more harmful than constipation.

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Consequently, our ability to relax diminishes. We cannot rid ourselves of the many problems that haunt us and thus subject our already heavily burdened mind to even more stress. Is it any wonder that we cannot fall asleep?

Another approach to inducing sleep was described in a letter I received from a former patient living in Australia. She wrote to tell me how thrilled she was with a book written by Kneipp. Her enthusiasm led her to introduce her entire family to Kneipp’s cold water cure. Her husband, who had been suffering from insomnia for months, was cured by the brief application of cold water packs to the back of the head and neck (without drying off afterwards) just before going to bed. The treatment resulted in a deep and undisturbed sleep. One of their daughters, who could not sleep either, also tried her father’s method and had been able to fall asleep without any trouble ever since. Sufficient sleep had also bucked up her spirits and benefited her general frame of mind in every way.

How gratifying it is to know that books on health have a wide circulation in every country and continent. There can be no doubt that their influence is very beneficial. The thought that my own health books, which are available in many languages all over the world, will continue to provide good advice for those who read them even long after I am gone, is enough to put my mind at rest and let me sleep peacefully.

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It is possible to become mentally retarded due to a deficiency of iodine. The thyroid fails to produce enough hormones, and in severe cases myxoedema can result. The deficiency may cause physical and mental lethargy. It can deaden all initiative and result in extreme lack of interest in anything, especially in work or job-related activities, while it may increase the desire to eat. The entire metabolism is affected, normal heart function is slowed down considerably, with low blood pressure following. When sexual potency is also low or lacking entirely, liveliness and emotional feelings will be missing. It is not infrequent to observe a miraculous change in a patient if he is given iodine in the form of seaweed tablets, for example, Kelpasan, and if he is put on a natural wholefood diet.

The formation of goitre is in almost every case connected with an iodine imbalance. This subject has been discussed in great detail in the preceding sections and the reader is advised to refer to these for further information.

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