Steve Waldstein

Presentation + Questions & Answers
For ADD-Holistic Discussion Group
http://www.HolisticMed.Com/add/


Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1998 22:34:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD Introduction of Visiting Expert

Hi! Before introducing the next Visiting Expert to the group, I would like to take a moment to thank Jane Hersey for taking the time to visit and provide very helpful information and resources. I was very impressed with the practical advice and tools that are offered by the Feingold Association. Thank you!

I am very happy to introduce our next Visiting Expert, Steve Waldstein. He is one of the most knowledgable and respected practitioners in his field. I have learned alot from reading his posts to Internet discussion groups and regularly direct people to his web page for information and referrals. I am grateful that he has offered to share his knowledge and experience with us.

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA) is a classical homeopath with 20 years experience. He is the author of "How to Choose the Diet That's Right for You," a book on individuality in nutrition. He is the President of the Colorado Homeopathic Association and an officer and director of the North American Society fo Homeopaths (NASH). He is certified as a classical homeopaths by NASH. He has treated successfully hundreds of childrean and adults diagnosed as ADD or ADHD.

Please join me in welcoming Steve to the group! [clap, clap, clap]

- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com



Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1998 21:46:09 -0500
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: Paula Lee
Subject: Re: ADD Introduction of Visiting Expert

Welcome Steve.



Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 11:56:59 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Thanks for the introduction Mark.

As Mark stated I am a classical homeopath with extensive experience in treating children with ADD or ADHD. I have treated a few adults also, but much less then children.

First let me give you a case study to see what homeopathy looks like in practice.

Robert was a 14 year old boy, who got into lots of trouble in school. His teachers said he was always goofing off and not listening to them and were very angry with him. He could not concentrate in schoolwork. When he was younger (from preschool on) he had been extremely hyperactive, he would literally bounce off walls, constantly moving. About two years ago the hyperactivity went away and instead the not focusing in school replaced it. He has now been diagnosed as ADD and Ritalin was prescribed , but he had such bad reactions to it that his parents took him off it. Before the change from hyperactivity to ADD his grade point average was 3.1, now it is down to 2.2. He gets angry easily over minor irritations, He is very restless in his sleep and wakes his his covers all twisted up.

This is a short summary of what was actually 25 pages of notes taken over a 3 hour initial appointment talking at times to bothe he and his parents together, and at other times to each seperately.

Based upon the exact symptoms he suffered from (not the disease name ADD) I choose to give him one dose of the homeopathic remedy Calcarea Phosphorica 50M. NOTE: Do not give this on your own to someone, this was the right remedy for this child but will not be the right remedy for 99.9% of children diagnosed as ADD.

The next day he became very angry- more so than usual. Immediately after this he became a different child. His mother said the difference was like day and night.

By one month he was able to focus on schoolwork much better but still had some problem focusing. Instead of having to call his name five times to get his attention, one time sufficed. His irirtability and anger became much better. His sleep was much calmer.

By 3 months after the remedy his ability to concentrate remains similar to at the one month level. His irritability and anger are even less. His sleep is much calmer. His Grade point average has gone up to 3.2 , the best ever.

By 4 months he relapsed slightly and needed another dose of the same remedy.

By 6 months he is totally able to concentrate. All the oroginal problems are gone and we closed his case.

Look at the difference between what happened here and what happens when someone takes Ritalin or similar drugs. With homeopathy he moved step by step toward cure with no additional homeopathic remedies needed. With Ritalin some symptoms are suppressed but nothing deeper is improved and the drug is always needed.

These results were achieved with homeopathy. Homeopathy is a 200 year old system of medicine based upon the LAw of Similars. This states that a medicine which will prodice symptoms in a healthy person cures a person with similar symptoms. Homeopaths have tested large numbers of mostly natural substances on healthy people to see precisely what symptoms they produce in healthy people. Then when we see a patient we choose the homeopathic remedy which is capable of producing similar symptoms to those of the patient.

Homeopathys works on achieving cure not suppression (driving symptoms inward).

There are many people who use homeopathic remedies without understanding homeopathy. To get the type of results I have described you need to see a real homeopath- which is usually called a classical homeopath. To make the search for real homeopaths easier I have a web page which refers people in the US and Canada to good homeopaths. The web address is http://homeopathy-cures.com/

I would be glad to answer any questions you have on ADD or ADHD or other childrens behavioral problems on this list for the next 2 weeks. To learn more about homeopathy and ADD, I recommend an excellent book, "Ritalin Free Kids" by Judith Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman.

My web site listed above also has additional information on homeopathy, other good books to read, good homeopathy websites and information on our practice in Denver.

Thanks Mark for inviting me to temporarily join your list. If I can help in any way let me know.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



From: Scofamily@aol.com
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 17:11:39 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Hi Steve,

I am curious about Homeopathy in treating develomental delays since attending a dinner recently (sponsored by the Developmental Delay Registry in Washington, DC) in which a testimonial was given by a mother whose child was treated with Homeovitics for exposure to xenobiotics - environmental pollutants.

To summarize, my son, 12 years, is diagnosed with a nonverbal learning disability manifesting itself as immature behavior and impulsivity. His overall cognitive functioning appears to be developing slower than others his age. He is currently taking 30 mg Dex and 1,000 mg Tegretol per day. In addition, he takes nutritional supplements prescribed by the HRI Pfeifer Institute (Vit B's, C,E,Mg,Mn, Zn, DMAE, folic acid)

In your introduction you mentioned that you ask many questions and take copious notes when interviewing a patient. What kinds of questions do you ask and what information do you need to come up with suggestions for therapy? A few examples would be nice. I realize the interview process takes a long time!

Thank you,
Teresa
Scofamily@aol.com



Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 17:35:45 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

> To summarize, my son, 12 years, is diagnosed with a nonverbal learning
> disability manifesting itself as immature behavior and impulsivity. His
> overall cognitive functioning appears to be developing slower than others his
> age.

I have treated about 30-40 children with delayed development. Usually they can be helped significantly. Actually I really like seeing patients like this as so often the results are so satisfying.

The difficulty is finding the right remedy. There are over 2000 homeopathic remedies and only one is the perfect one for him and a few others are close enough to help. A homeopath needs to look not at delayed development but who your son to find precisely the right remedy. One issue here is patience, whether you would have patience to wait thru a number of wrong tries, if neccessary. I have been in practice for 20 years and at this point I average getting the remedy right 70% of the time, the first try, 20% of the time it takes 2-4 tries to get it right with 1-2 months bewteen each try and 10% of the time I can't find the right one. This is after lots of experience. A less experienced homeopath will tend to take longer to find the right remedy. Tremendous improvement can be found, if you have the patience to wait for it.

> In your introduction you mentioned that you ask many questions and take
> copious notes when interviewing a patient. What kinds of questions do you ask
> and what information do you need to come up with suggestions for therapy? A
> few examples would be nice.

We start off by asking each of you to describe what the problems are - not in diagnostic labels, not in generaliites but in very precise terms. We ask about his personality, his likes, his dislikes. What every physical symptoms is in great detail. About any significant events in his life. ANd all the while we are observing- we get even more data from observation then from what we are told. Each appointment goes in different directions depending upon what the limitations are. But really we are trying to find out, on all levels, who is this person in front of us.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



From: YCaryl@aol.com
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 21:57:57 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

I'm 59, very smart but also very unfocused, and obese at more than 350 pounds. I have severe sleep apnea, which, together with the obesity, causes breathing problems if I walk much, so I use a motorized scooter a lot of the time. I have gone to all sorts of holistic practitioners over the years, including one of the homeopaths on your list (one of the ones in boldface even!), but I've never met any holistic person who had any insight into why I should be so very large.

My own theory is that it has something to do with thyroid (was always on the low end of basal metabolism tests as a kid) and also something to do with the fact that I took amphetamines by prescription from about age 12-20 for weight control even though in those days I was only about 20 percent overweight at most. I was once in a group of very large women all over 250, and the one thing we had in common was dexedrine prescriptions as kids.

Now that I know a little about ADHD and ritalin, I wonder, too, about the effectsof dexedrine on my brain. I do remember that it didn't calm me down -- on the contrary, it made me feel speedy and sometimes good and sometimes anxious.

So -- any thoughts on all this?

Thank you.

Caryl in Minneapolis



To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: ADD Individuality & Diet
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 23:37:25 -0700

Hi Steve,

I'm very interested in the title of your book - "How to Choose the Diet That's Right for You." For years I have tried following various diets recommended by "authorities" who all contradict each other; and I now have a strong hunch that the right diet is different for each person. Yet there must be some sort of "cluster effect" of body types that react similarly to similar foods. Yet after all my layperson's research into nutrition, I find good-quality information very difficult to come by.

I've never seen your book, what is its basis?

Thanks!




Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 10:34:30 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

> I'm very interested in the title of your book - "How to Choose the Diet
> That's Right for You." For years I have tried following various diets
> recommended by "authorities" who all contradict each other; and I now have
> a strong hunch that the right diet is different for each person. Yet there
> must be some sort of "cluster effect" of body types that react similarly to
> similar foods. Yet after all my layperson's research into nutrition, I
> find good-quality information very difficult to come by.
>
> I've never seen your book, what is its basis?

This book was published in 1984 and is now out of print (though We are privately reprinting it and will have it available in approximately 2 months.

The basis is that everyone has very different nutritional needs, and that even sub-dividing into body types does not work well. Instead you need to learn 1. what is a general good diet to try offering your body and 2. learn to listen to your bodies responses to what it likes and what it does not. So part look at things like listening to your cravings and learning which ones are real and need to be listened to and which ones are from pathology and should be ignored. Another part examines lots of the controversial areas in nutrition and tries to makes sense of all the conflicting information available.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 10:44:07 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

> I'm 59, very smart but also very unfocused, and obese at more than 350 pounds.
> I have severe sleep apnea, which, together with the obesity, causes breathing
> problems if I walk much, so I use a motorized scooter a lot of the time. I
> have gone to all sorts of holistic practitioners over the years, including one
> of the homeopaths on your list (one of the ones in boldface even!), but I've
> never met any holistic person who had any insight into why I should be so very
> large.

Why is something I don't know. Could the amphetamines have had an effect - yes. Did they- I don't know. But we usually can help make an obese person a healthier obese person- and sometimes they also lose alot of weight but not always. With the homeopath you saw- did they feel that they found the right remedy or were they still searching. As I mentioned yesterday, you don't always find the remedy the first try- sometimes it takes a number of tries. Once the right remedy is found, it will start moving things in the right direction. Sometiems the progress is quite fast and sometimes slow- and patience is needed.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 16:26:41 EDT
Sender: owner-add-holistic@mLists.net

On Tue, 30 Jun 1998 10:34:30 -0600 Steve Waldstein
writes:

>xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> >> I'm very interested in the title of your book - "How to Choose the Diet
>> That's Right for You." For years I have tried following various diets
>> recommended by "authorities" who all contradict each other; and I now have
>> a strong hunch that the right diet is different for each person.

====================

As someone new to this list and fairly new to recognizing and coping with ADD, I am excited by the possibilities offered by holistic approaches. I would certainly appreciate information on _How to Choose the Diet That's Right for You_ when it becomes available again.

I have read a variety of things lately that emphasize the importance of listening to one's various body signals--and PAYING ATTENTION to them--in order to address issues as diverse as weight loss, mood swings, concentration . . . it's amazing, and a bit scary, that something so fundamental is so overlooked these days.



To: add-holistic@mLists.net
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 16:31:14 -0700

emcklvee@juno.com wrote:
>
>I have read a variety of things lately that emphasize the importance of
>listening to one's various body signals--and PAYING ATTENTION to them--in
>order to address issues as diverse as weight loss, mood swings,
>concentration . . . it's amazing, and a bit scary, that something so
>fundamental is so overlooked these days.

Can you suggest any reading material?

Also - I would love to read Steven's book. When will it be available?

I still haven't figured out what to eat, after years of trying. As an ADD person, I've always had a hard time keeping good food journals. And there are so many variables - ingredients, food combinations, outside factors, etc... I am desparate for help in this area.

Thanks,




From: YCaryl@aol.com
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 20:15:02 EDT
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

Thank you for your reply, Steve.

How can we on this list be sure we know when your book is available? Exactly what I do not know is how to listen to my body's cravings, to know which are healthy and which are not.

Caryl



From: emcklvee@juno.com
To: add-holistic@mLists.net
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 21:20:45 EDT

On Tue, 30 Jun 1998 16:31:14 -0700 xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
writes:
>Can you suggest any reading material?
>
>Also - I would love to read Steven's book. When will it be available?
>I still haven't figured out what to eat, after years of trying. As an ADD
>person, I've always had a hard time keeping good food journals. And there
>are so many variables - ingredients, food combinations, outside factors,
>etc... I am desparate for help in this area.

====================

Regarding general principles on how and when to eat, I'd recommend books by Jean Antonello, a registered nurse and dietician. She really comes down hard on the things in our culture that have trained people to ignore the body's wisdom. She is specifically concerned with weight loss and maintenance, but her call for common sense applies in other areas of life as well.

For instance, I have found that ignoring the body's signals for water can sometimes exacerbate my ADDness as much as lack of good nutrition or lack of sleep. Poorly hydrated brain cells don't contribute to mental clarity and a sense of well-being.



Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 06:25:00 -0500
From: "Patti"
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Dear Steve...

I took my son to a homeopathic "doctor" and she prescribed and gave him one dose of stramonium... I think that is the spelling, but you would know for sure. The difference was remarkable, but considering he went to his dad's house for visitation, the remedy did not last. She has given him another dose, that lasted for several days as well. Maybe she did not "get" the right remedy??? I had really hoped this might do the trick... What is your experience with this? I really don't have endless resources to continue going each and every time he flares up , as visits with a remedy are around $100.,

Thanks!
Patti



Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 08:32:46 -0400
From: George von Hilsheimer
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

In most cases the homeopathic 'remedy' is not a remedy but a palliative, and you have to learn and get kits of medicines and manage yourself. Remember that alternative medicine is an alternative way to make money.

Dr. Von



Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 09:53:28 -0500 (CDT)
From: Pam Myers
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Hi all,

Homeopathy is a well respected system of treatment.

For more information see:

http://www.homeopathy.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pam Myers: pmyers@mail.coin.missouri.edu



Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 17:11:53 -0400
From: "Lisa Graham"
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Not so. Homeopathic remedies assist in the restoration of "balance" to the body. And you don't have to buy "kits". Homeopathy is very cost effective for our family. As for learning to manage oneself, hopefully that is something we all do everyday. Not just in our health, but every facet of our lives requires management to some degree. And your comment about money? ha ha You seem biased, and lack knowledge about homeopathy and apparently other forms of "complementary" medicine as well. Lisa



Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 14:37:31 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Can you suggest any reading material?
> Also - I would love to read Steven's book. When will it be available?
I will advise the group when my book is reprinted.

A good book is "Diet and Nutrition" by Rudolf Ballentine.

It is funny that we are going off in a nutrition direction so much, though I feel that for ADD and ADHD, nutrition, though important, will not solve the problem, while homeopathy can cure, in the majority of cases.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 14:58:43 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

George von Hilsheimer wrote:
>
> In most cases the homeopathic 'remedy' is not a remedy but a palliative, and
> you have to learn and get kits of medicines and manage yourself. Remember
> that alternative medicine is an alternative way to make money.
>
> Dr. Von

I am sorry but I don't agree. A large amount of homeopathic training goes into the differences between suppression, palliation and cure. On follow-up visits homeopaths are constantly evaluating to make sure that there is a curative reaction. I have treated a large number of people who no longer have their original problems and are no longer taking homeopathic remedies because they are cured.

Self treating with a home kit is fine for first aid problems and reasonable for acute disease but for chronic disease like ADD/ADHD you can't self treat or treat your family very effectively. Homeopathy is very difficult and takes many years of training.

As far as the slur about we are in it for the money, I would find it hard to think of another career that provides so little financial compensation relative to the number of years of study.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 15:23:18 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: YCaryl ADD ADHD and homeopathy

Richard Geller wrote:
> Sounds like a problem with carbohydrates/wheat/corn etc. You might want
> to try the Atkins diet. Many report their minds become clearer and life
> becomes a lot better within a few weeks from starting Atkins or similar
> low carb diet. Basically you cut out potatoes, bread, pasta, sugar,
> wheat, corn products, and stick to meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and low
> carb veggies such as salads, greens, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage.
> --Richard from Tarzana

I would not recommend this as a long term diet for most people. But one can experiment and see what works well for them.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 17:54:34 -0400
From: George von Hilsheimer
Subject: ADD Steve's Overdefensive response

Steve, people in alternative medicine all get paid. Pay always shapes what happens. I did NOT slur you or your fellows. I merely pointed out a truth. You get paid, M.D.s get paid. I get paid. I didn't even say "its ONLY an alternative way to make money." However, in my book, competent, compassionate, caring healers always urge their clients, patients, pupils to learn, care for themselves and to be aware, and wary. I tell my patients, NEVER trust me, I make mistakes, and I have an ego and I have unconscious drives too. Trust what I teach you which is solid, good, deep, useful, true for you.

The homeopath who saw this child should have outlined a path, made a prediction re time, and told what outcomes to expect. And should have started the process of education.

It would be useful if you, yourself, would post a good case history of an ADHD child who is now no longer ADHD so that we can see the path by which this occured. You might even refer us to published studies of homeopathic cures of ADHD. My own case histories and those of people who work as I do are always readable at www.eegspectrum.com.

Me, I'm very wary. However, Sam Corson did CURE hyperactive dogs by simple interventions. We CURE hyperactive and ADD children by a simple intervention - and I always advise parents to buy their own machine and learn to train their own child - buy one as a group. If its that simple, its that simple.

Moreover, if I spend time with you I give you a bill, but I'm always teaching and liberating. If a patient still needs me after 3 months then it was either a very difficult case, or I screwed up (or the parent didn't follow the plan). If he gets hit by a truck, maybe he'll need me again, but I will already have taught Mommy what to do.

It never hurts to remind our clients that we are human and fail.

Dr. Von



Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 18:26:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Steve,

Thank you for sharing your expertise. Being the inquisitive sort of fellow, I have a few questions. If it is too many for one sitting, please feel free to split it up and answer the one or two that seem most relevent.

  1. I have heard through friends that it is common for symptoms to worsen or change for a brief period after being given a homeopathic remedy. Is that true? And if so, what percentage of time does it occur and generally how long does this period last?

  2. One of the under-utilized aspects of Holistic Medicine is the patient interview. Learning details about a patient, his/her diet, lifestyles, emotional issues, etc. Given that, by defination, experienced Classical Homeopaths such as yourself learn quite a bit about a patient before prescribing a homeopathic remedy, based on what you learn, do you ever suggest diet or lifestyle adjustments to complement the treatment.

    I understand that the primary curative treatment is to provide the *correct* homeopathic remedy. I am just interested in what you and most other Classical Homeopaths usually do in the diet and lifestyle area -- whether to supplement the homeopathic treatment or as a preventive medicine suggestion.

  3. You mentioned that there are ~2,000 homeopathic remedies. Is it possible that there will be cases of behavioral disorders where none of the remedies are a "perfect match", but a couple are "pretty close"? If that happens, what can the Homeopath do?

  4. I know that adults and some children can sometimes be "guarded" about what they reveal about themselves emotionally (or perhaps even physically). Do you ever find that this significantly hinders your ability to find the correct remedy?

  5. I have heard that homeopathy is very popular in Europe. Are the practitioners primarily Classical Homeopaths or is it a mixture of Classical Homeopaths with lots of training and others with perhaps just a few workshops? For our non-North American list members, are there any organizations which compile a list of experienced Classical Homeopaths? If not, is it best then to contact certain types of Homeopathy colleges for a referral?
I know that you mentioned the book, "Ritalin Free Kids" by Judith Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman for information on homeopathy and ADD. Feel free to let me (us) know if the answers to these types of questions are in this book.

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/



Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 14:52:00 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Patti wrote:
> I took my son to a homeopathic "doctor" and she prescribed and gave him one
> dose of stramonium... I think that is the spelling, but you would know for
> sure. The difference was remarkable, but considering he went to his dad's
> house for visitation, the remedy did not last. She has given him another
> dose, that lasted for several days as well. Maybe she did not "get" the
> right remedy??? I had really hoped this might do the trick... What is your
> experience with this? I really don't have endless resources to continue
> going each and every time he flares up , as visits with a remedy are around
> $100.,

It depends- if these were liquid doses, then they may just need frequent repitition- ask the homeopath. If these were dry pills- it may be the wrong strength or it may be a close to right prescription but not the perfect one. You need to ask your homeopath. Homeopathy is very hard to practice, finding the perfect remedy and dose is sometimes very difficult, but the results when it is found are amazing.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 17:22:08 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Defensiveness

George von Hilsheimer wrote:
> If you are telling me that we should not encourage patients to learn, to be
> self responsible, to know all they can about themselves and their children,
> and to be as responsible as possible for themselves, make your own self clear.

Any good homeopath teachs their patients all they are willing to learn about homeopathy and has many books available to read. And they encourage them to take control of their life as much as possible.

But despite this, chronic disease is not something that you can self-treat with homeopathy. Also you can't treat yourself for chronic problems. I can't treat myself as I do not have the perspective to see my problems, I only know my experience of them.

The long term goal in homeopathy is curing a person so they don;t need treatment anymore, In some patients that takes the long initial appointment and 1 or 2 monthly follow-ups. In other more serious cases it is year after year of step by step removing of layers of problems. But the visits start monthly and tend to get less and less often over time.

> That's the way I prefer my patients to be
> - I've sent two mommies home this week with a biofeedback machine, its a lot
> easier for them in that manner, and any practitioner who doesn't want her
> patients to learn and to evaluate for themselves is just out of step with
> humane medicine, in my unhumble opinion.

I am glad that this works with your approach. With homeopathy the equivalent is that after we find the right remedy, and as the patient understands the process, with liquid remedies they can learn to take the remedy themself when needed to move the cure along. And eventually they don't need it at all.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Wed, 01 Jul 1998 17:30:35 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

Mark Gold wrote:
> 1. I have heard through friends that it is common for symptoms
> to worsen or change for a brief period after being given a
> homeopathic remedy. Is that true? And if so, what percentage
> of time does it occur and generally how long does this period
> last?

Often a person gets worse before they get better, This is not a side effect but the person getting stronger and the body throwing off old problems. It is a good sign. It usually starts within the first week, it usually doesnt last long, and it usually is not a big deal. If the dose of the remedy is chosen perfectly, adjusting it to the sensitivity of the patient, then it wont happen at all.

> 2. One of the under-utilized aspects of Holistic Medicine is the
> patient interview. Learning details about a patient, his/her
> diet, lifestyles, emotional issues, etc. Given that, by
> defination, experienced Classical Homeopaths such as yourself
> learn quite a bit about a patient before prescribing a
> homeopathic remedy, based on what you learn, do you ever
> suggest diet or lifestyle adjustments to complement the
> treatment.

Every homeopath approaches this differently. If there are major obstacles to cure, that keep them from getting well- these need to be addressed immediately. Otherwise I wait until after the right remedy is found and they start to improve. At some point after the right remedy, maybe a month, maybe a year, but at some point, a change happens inside the person and from within them they start changing ther lifestyle. This is when I start talking diet and lifestyle issues with them, because they can hear it now, where before it would have been inside one ear out the other.

I have to leave for the day and will answer the other questions tommorrow.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Thu, 02 Jul 1998 11:34:23 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD or ADHD and Homeopathy

I am continuing to answer Mark's questions.

> 3. You mentioned that there are ~2,000 homeopathic remedies.
> Is it possible that there will be cases of behavioral disorders
> where none of the remedies are a "perfect match", but a
> couple are "pretty close"? If that happens, what can the

There is a concept in homeopathy called the simillimum- which is the remedy which is the closest match with the symptoms of the patient. The simillimum will tend to totally transform the life of the patient, raising them to a high level of health in the shortest time possible. Sometimes the simillimum for a patient is not one that we have tested as a homeopathic remedy- so the best we can do is find a close similar. This similar will still cure a person but not as fast and not as deep and other remedies may be needed to complete the cure. Think of it as the difference between a hole in one in golf versus a series of shots all moving in somewhat the right direction and eventually reaching the hole.

> 4. I know that adults and some children can sometimes be "guarded"
> about what they reveal about themselves emotionally (or perhaps
> even physically). Do you ever find that this significantly
> hinders your ability to find the correct remedy?

Yes we need to look real deeply at what is going on in the patient. But the fact that they are guarded and the way they are guarded and what areas they are guarded about are pieces of the puzzle that we can use in choosing the remedy. But in general men are sometimes harder to treat then women because they are more guarded as a rule.

> 5. I have heard that homeopathy is very popular in Europe.
> Are the practitioners primarily Classical Homeopaths
> or is it a mixture of Classical Homeopaths with lots of
> training and others with perhaps just a few workshops?
> For our non-North American list members, are there any
> organizations which compile a list of experienced Classical
> Homeopaths? If not, is it best then to contact certain
> types of Homeopathy colleges for a referral?

There are many people who call themselves homeopaths who know almost nothing about it. One way to tell real homeopaths is to see if they are certfied as a homeopath. The following applies to the US and Canada

For a MD homeopath they should have DHt after there name
For a Naturopath (ND) they should have DHANP
For a professional homeopath they should have RSHom (NA)
For any they should have a CCH.

Or you can look at my website listed below which shows most of the good homeopaths in the US and Canada.

For elswhere check with the classical homeopathic society in your country for referrals.

> I know that you mentioned the book, "Ritalin Free Kids" by Judith
> Reichenberg-Ullman and Robert Ullman for information on homeopathy
> and ADD. Feel free to let me (us) know if the answers to these
> types of questions are in this book.

What this books does well is show a large number of case histories of people with ADD or ADHD cured with homeopathy.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 16:49:44 -0700
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

Steven,

What is the relationship between homeopathy and nutrition? If a patient comes to see you with chronic digetive problems, will homeopathy alone often cure them? Or do they generally need to make dietary modifications as well? And if so how do they know what to do about their diets?

Thanks,



Date: Sun, 05 Jul 1998 01:49:37 -0400
From: Feingold Association
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

At 02:37 PM 7/1/98 -0600, you wrote:
>
>It is funny that we are going off in a nutrition direction so much,
>though I feel that for ADD and ADHD, nutrition, though important, will
>not solve the problem, while homeopathy can cure, in the majority of
>cases.
Steve, it's not at all "funny" to discuss nutrition relating to ADHD ....... since in over 50% of people who try the Feingold diet (NOT strictly "nutrition," because even junk-food freaks can do it), the person is sufficiently better on the diet so that NO other intervention is necessary. That includes homeopathy, supplements, EEG, meds, all the stuff that must be bought and bought and bought ........ truly a remarkable savings in money since membership in the Feingold Association is all it takes.

The Feingold diet is not as hard as keeping Kosher or being a vegetarian .........and no-one feels sorry for the kids who keep Kosher or become vegetarian -- it is expected that they will appreciate the benefits of doing so. How do I know? Because my own kids have kept Kosher, are on the Feingold diet, and have friends who are vegetarians. We also have friends whose children are diabetics -- now THERE is a tough diet to learn and keep. Feingold? It is voted the easiest of them all by the kids who have had to DO it. My son had been on Ritalin and Cylert and would have also been on Tegretol because the docs were sure the hallucinations (on Cylert) were really seizures .......... all meds were cancelled when he developed Tourette Syndrome ........ a year later I tried the Feingold diet because nothing else had helped him, I didn't expect that to help either; but in 4 days he was a different child. He still needed someone to write for him in school for the next year (he was dysgraphic) and untimed tests ........ but he was no longer off-the-wall emotionally and was able to learn. He is now a college senior majoring in Chemistry, and doing just fine. This kid who had been almost kicked out of day camp, had no friends & had been refused entrance in the local Hebrew school because of his behavior, after becoming a Feingold kid was voted "most popular CIT" at a day camp, has been a life guard, is president of the university fencing club (and won the title of unclassified champion of the city in fencing after only 1 semester of fencing), was fencing master at the Renaissance Festival, had a lead part in his high school play as the prince in the Princess & the Pea. He did not need homeopathy or anything else. It pays to try it, because rather than medicating the child you simply refrain from poisoning him with stuff he does not tolerate. The child who is used to it does not feel it as a hardship; in fact, since I myself have been on the diet with them for years now, I am absolutely unable to eat fluorescent-yellow rolls or red punch drinks. As my daughter would say, "I don't eat things that color." When I look at ingredients and see a list of petroleum-based items, that food is simply not edible in my book.

Remember, the food dyes and synthetic flavorings are generally made from petroleum; same with BHT, BHA, TBHQ ........... these are not foods. The salicylate fruits contain chemicals whose relationship to these things is complex, but they can usually be returned to the diet after a while, at least to some extent. And why do companies put petroleum products in your food, anyway? Because it is CHEAPER than real food products, and it saves them money. And they will continue to do so until we the people demand better.

I repeat: the diet approach should always be first; the other interventions -- if still needed -- should be next, with the least invasive being the first, of course. And, by the way, we have had numerous reports that use of the diet together with meds results in success with a much smaller than expected level of meds. There has not yet been any research to show why this is so, but a pilot study I myself did this year as a senior psychology student supports it and points the way to some interesting research I hope to do in the future. Therefore, even if the dietary intervention itself does not "work," it may pay to continue to use the diet while trying the other interventions.

Sorry this was more long-winded than I expected.

Come visit the Feingold web site at http://www.feingold.org for more information & drop me a line (I'm the webmaster).

Best wishes,

Shula Edelkind, webmaster
http://www.feingold.org/indexx.html



Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 11:20:23 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

Feingold Association wrote:
>
> Steve, it's not at all "funny" to discuss nutrition relating to ADHD
> ....... since in over 50% of people who try the Feingold diet (NOT strictly
> "nutrition," because even junk-food freaks can do it), the person is
> sufficiently better on the diet so that NO other intervention is necessary.

What I thought was funny as that I was talking almost exclusively about my nutrition book and not about homeopathy. The Feingold approach is to my mind not really nutritional so much as avoiding poisons, which is something we all should do. If the Feingold approach is enough to elimate all out of balance problems in a person then great. I have no problem at all with your approach of Feingold first, and if that does not eliminate all problems then consider other approaches also.

That said, As a homeopath I look at some things a little differently then you. We look at why of 100 people eating the same diet, some have problems and some don't. It is because some people have strong constitutions and some have weak ones. Yes eating a poor diet and eating poisonous food additives, adds to peoples problems. But a persone with a strong constitution can be exposed to many stresses without breaking down. What homeopathy does is increase a person's constitutional strength so they can handle any reasonable stress they are exposed to. But still it is important to avoid posions.

PS : I will be on line to answer questions thru Thursday morning.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 11:27:10 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Individuality & Diet

xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> What is the relationship between homeopathy and nutrition? If a patient
> comes to see you with chronic digetive problems, will homeopathy alone
> often cure them? Or do they generally need to make dietary modifications
> as well? And if so how do they know what to do about their diets?

I will answer this in a slightly different form. Say a person has massive food allergies. They find that if they avoid a long list of foods then they have less symptoms. I tell them to continue avoiding the foods. Then I work on finding the homeopathic remedy which will cure them. Then after finding the right remedy and seeing that they are getting better on every level, I then ask them to start slowly reintroducing foods and see if they can handle them now. I ask them to first try introducing the foods that they had the least problem with and when they see then can handle them, slowly add back the rest. If they still have problems with the foods, I say wait a few months and try again. The goal is that a person can eat a normal (but good) diet without having any problems.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 12:29:52 -0700
From: xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: ADD Thanks

Thank you, Steven, for your reply. While the fields are often divided, this is exactly the kind of thing that should be discussed among people interested in holistic health.




Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 09:19:07 -0500
From: "Linda E. Love"
Subject: ADD Question for the doctors

On behalf of my grandson, my daughter would like to ask the following questions:

My 5 year old son was diagnosed with mild ADHD. Is there a "mild" form?

His ADHD seems to only affect his ability to stay focused. He isn't running around a lot, but does fidget some. Is this typical of some ADHD children?

We put him on a dosage of 5mg of Ritalin, but the school said that there wasn't much (if any) improvement, so we took him off. Should we try again at a higher dosage?

TIA

Lisa



Date: Wed, 08 Jul 1998 11:14:04 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Question for the doctors

Linda E. Love wrote:
> On behalf of my grandson, my daughter would like to ask the following questions:
> My 5 year old son was diagnosed with mild ADHD. Is there a "mild" form?
> His ADHD seems to only affect his ability to stay focused. He isn't running
> around a lot, but does fidget some. Is this typical of some ADHD children?

The name ADHD is just a label. Your son has the issues he has. Like all children labeled ADD or ADHD he has his own unique symptoms. Of the hundreds of ADD kids I have treated, each has their own unique symptoms and the differences between them is much more than the commonalities. That is why homeopathy usess different remedies for each of these people.

To understand more read "Ritalin Free Kids"

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 21:48:12 -0400 (EDT)
From: Mark Gold
Subject: ADD Homeopathy Question

Steve,

I have a few more very short questions I was hoping you could answer and it may be of interest to the group as well.

A person who visits a Classical Homeopath might (before the visit) be taking a numbers of possible substances:

  1. Herbs
  2. Vitamins
  3. Minerals
  4. Amino Acids
  5. Pharmaceuticals
  6. Other Supplements (e.g., green drinks, vandyl sulfate, etc.)
I have heard that it is better to avoid other treatments (unless absolutely necessary) while taking homeopathic remedies. My questions are:

  1. Is the practice relating to this issue consistent between Classical Homeopaths, or is there some variation between practitioners?
  2. Which of the items do you generally recommend not taking when using homeopathic remedies?
  3. When you have had success treating children with ADD, have some of them been on ritalin or similar drugs? And if so, when do they eliminate the drug? Before, during or after homeopathic treatment?
Thank you again for all of your help!

Best Wishes,
- Mark
mgold@holisticmed.com
Holistic Healing Web Page
http://www.HolisticMed.com/



Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 12:30:10 EDT
From: DrRappMD@aol.com
Subject: Re: ADD Homeopathy Question

In a message dated 98-07-08 21:53:05 EDT, you write:
> A person who visits a Classical Homeopath might (before the visit) be
> taking a numbers of possible substances:
> 1. Herbs
> 2. Vitamins
> 3. Minerals
> 4. Amino Acids
> 5. Pharmaceuticals
> 6. Other Supplements (e.g., green drinks, vandyl sulfate, etc.)
> I have heard that it is better to avoid other treatments (unless
> absolutely necessary) while taking homeopathic remedies. My questions
> are:
> 1. Is the practice relating to this issue consistent between Classical
> Homeopaths, or is there some variation between practitioners?

THERE IS CERTAINLY A VARIATION. SOME SAY OPNE THING- OTHERS SAY SOMETHING ELSE. SOME CSAY CONTINUE ALLERGY EXTRACTS, SOME SAY STOP THEM. SOME SAY ONLY ONE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY WORKS; SOME SAY YOU CAN USE A MIX. I AM IN THE MIX SCHOOL BUT IDEALLY I THINK ONE REMEDY AT A TIME IS BEST. YOU WORK WITH WHAT HELPS, FASTEST, EASIEST AND MOST INEXPENSIVELY!

> 2. Which of the items do you generally recommend not taking when using
> homeopathic remedies?

I USE ALL OF THEM , INDIVIDUALIZED FOR EACH PATIENT.

> 3. When you have had success treating children with ADD, have some of
> them been on ritalin or similar drugs? And if so, when do they
> eliminate the drug? Before, during or after homeopathic treatment?

IF THEY REALLY NEED THE DRUG, THE PARENT CAN TELL WHEN THEY "RUN OUT OF GAS". i TELL THEM TO START TO TAPER WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE DOCTOR WHO ORDERED IT WHEN THEY FIND THEY CAN'T SEE WHEN A DOSE IS LATE OR MISSED. I USE MY TREATMENTS WITH THE HOMEOPATHIC AND IT SEEMS TO WORK BUT HAVE DONE NO STUDIES TO TELL WHAT IS DOING WHAT. I DON'T START WITH HOMEOPATHICS. I DO THE DIET FIRST, BUILD UP THE IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH NUTRIENTS, CLEAN UP THE HOUSE AND IMPROVE THE DIET. THESE THINGS OFTEN DO THE TRICK WITHOUT ANYTHING ELSE.



Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 11:41:00 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Homeopathy Question

> 1. Is the practice relating to this issue consistent between Classical
> Homeopaths, or is there some variation between practitioners?

Most experienced classical homeopaths would agree. The problems are that taking drugs and other treatments can supress the symptoms. They also can impose symptoms of their own (side -effects). So instead of seeing a clear picture of the patients symptoms we seee the patient minus some supressed symptoms plus added on symptoms. This makes finding the right remedy much more difficult. Then after we do find the right remedy the drugs and treatments can interfere, stopping the remedy from working well. Also the interpretation of the action of the homeopathic remedy is more difficult as a result.

Now we often don't have the luxury of treating people without any drugs. Somoene with lupus may die if you take them off steroids, someone with asthhma may die without their drugs and with ADD or ADHD children especially may not function very well without Ritalin or similar drugs. So the first thing we need to do is clear the field of every drug and treatment that is not absolutely necessary and reduce drugging as much as possible. Less experienced homeopaths are not capable of working around drugs so they can;t treta people who must stay on them, and they should refer these patients to more experienced homeopaths.

Then you prescribe despite the drugs and as the patient gets better you start withdrawing the drugs. The short term goal is to get them reasonable without drugs. The long term goal is cure.

> 2. Which of the items do you generally recommend not taking when using
> homeopathic remedies?

All drugs if possible- see above and also certain other things can interfere with the patient. These vary from person to person. But most homeopaths have patients avoid coffee, other treatments, drugs, anti-perspirants , electric blankets and depending upon the remedy other things also.

Steve

PS. I leave the list today. Any further questions should be sent to me personally. And Mark I cant find the going off the list instructions - please send them to me.

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 11:55:17 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Homeopathy Question

DrRappMD@aol.com wrote:
> SOME SAY ONLY
> ONE HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY WORKS; SOME SAY YOU CAN USE A MIX. I AM IN THE MIX
> SCHOOL BUT IDEALLY I THINK ONE REMEDY AT A TIME IS BEST.

Any homeopath only uses one remedy never a mixture. But there are many people who use potentized remedies (what are called homeopathic remedies) without prescribing based upon homeopathic principles and these often use a mixture.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/



Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 12:01:09 -0600
From: Steve Waldstein
Subject: Re: ADD Question for the doctors

DrRappMD@aol.com wrote:
>> The name ADHD is just a label. Your son has the issues he has. Like all
>> children labeled ADD or ADHD he has his own unique symptoms. Of the
>> hundreds of ADD kids I have treated, each has their own unique symptoms
>> and the differences between them is much more than the commonalities.
>> That is why homeopathy usess different remedies for each of these
>> people.
> I CANNOT AGREE. THERE REALLY ARE A CLUSTER OF VERY TYPICAL SYMPTOMS BUT EACH
> CHILD HAS A SLIGHT VARIATION.

The difference in our views is understandable. You are trained as an allopath. Allopaths diagnoses by putting people into diagnostic boxes, then chooses treatments depening to some degree on the diagnoses. Homeoopaths do not use these diagnostic labels at all, in determining the prescription. The reductionist system of diagnoses gives allopathy some strengthes, but also some weaknesses. A good book to understand more is Science of Homeopathy by George Vithoulkas.

> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HOMEOPATHICS HELP BUT
> WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR 40 YEARS CERTAINLY WORKS TOO AND NOT TIL RECENTLY

I did not say anything disparaging about your approach. Mine is just different.

Steve

Steve Waldstein RSHom (NA)
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S. Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014 USA
Phone: 303-338-1776
E-mail: stevew@dimensional.com
Web Page: http://homeopathy-cures.com/