Onion and Coffee- no need to avoid

Dear Dr. Sharma
I take Homeo-medicines regularly,one thing that has perplexes me the most is that does onion really antidote the effects of homeopathic medicine? do I really need to avoid onion and other stimulants like alcohol , coffee etc while I am on homeo drugs? what are the other dos and don’t that I need to take care off? … Jasbir Singh NJ

Jasbir

I have been a regular onion-eater. Hardly a day passes when I don?t take raw sliced onions as part of my meals. Still homeopathy works on me, and the same is true of my patients who are fond of onions.

We all have heard that onion, mint and coffee are the “super antidotes” to homeopathy and their complete abstinence is a must while using homeopathic medicines. But it has always been very difficult for me to comprehend this; how is it so that these three substances, which are so dissimilar in chemical composition, can work against all the known 2000 homeopathic drugs?

In this pursuit and without any bias I searched nearly all the known literature in the homeopathic software and my library, which includes invaluable contributions by Hahnemann (founder of homeopathy). To tell you the truth, I found no conclusive evidence that supported the antidotal effect of these three substances. Instead, I found a book in the local British Council Library quoting a recent research according to which mint has no antidotal effect on homeopathic medicinal value.

It surely is one?s prerogative to interpret anything as one wishes, but all that Hahnemann has said is that one should avoid substances of medicinal value while on homeopathic treatment. There is no mention of coffee or onion as an antidote by Hahnemann himself, although he advises against the use of coffee as a stimulant.

Hahnemann?s literature has been misinterpreted over the ages. On the contrary, what Hahnemann had actually said is often what is not practised. According to him, patients? food cravings (strong desires) should be satisfied as they represent the voice of nature.

Hahnemann had warned of overindulgence to a stage where they would act as stimulants. This is very easily understood by the fact that every homoeopath would warn of indulgence in alcohol as a stimulant during treatment even though every homoeopathic medicine is dispensed in alcohol.

It is quite possible that the consumption of certain foods can trigger an allergic response and would aggravate the disease condition, but this does not imply the “antidoting” of homoeopathic drugs. Also certain food substances that are not permitted during disease conditions (e.g. coffee and tea in acidity) should not be misunderstood as antidotes to homoeopathic medicine.

It is often advised not to chew medicated homoeopathic globules and that they should be sucked or left to dissolve in the mouth. This has a great deal of truth in it and is supported by a biological fact that there is a rich supply of blood vessels in the mouth and thus absorption is much faster. That touching by hand can change the medicinal value and should be avoided is also true.

One should keep in mind that homoeopathic medicines are in highly diluted form and prepared with great sensitivity. So any contamination even with the minutest amount of another chemical can alter its constitution. Obviously, hygiene adds another factor. One should avoid touching the medicated globules.

Scientific knowledge is an ever evolving process and its evolution is based on inferences drawn from the process of exactitude. Thus, assumptions, beliefs and suppositions have no place in its advancement and should be dispensed with as soon as possible.

Dr. Vikas Sharma