To the Homeopathic Patient:
This is the one I give to my patients. Others will vary and include or exclude certain things or products. Just understand that this list has evolved because of EXPERIENCE with patients on these items. This is not an all-inclusive list.
Different people will antidote on different things. This is simply a good, working guide. If you are under the care of a homeopath, and they haven't given you an antidote list--ask for one. You may also take this one to your homeopath and s/he can discuss it with you.
Above all--remember--everyone is DIFFERENT!
One person's Vital Force may be susceptible to vinegar and antidote their remedy, while another may not.
This is not an exact science. It is people driven and experienced. Usually, everyone antidotes at least once or twice during constitutional treatment "just because"---no matter how hard you try to stay away from known antidotes. Don't worry about it. Your homeopath should not 'chew you out' for it, either. People are people. Sometimes, we forget. Sometimes, we run into a situation where we have no idea that it will antidote our remedy. So, don't get up tight about this. Just do the BEST YOU CAN. Understanding, that the remedy can be re-given to you.
A Working List of Antidotes to a Homeopathic Remedy
hile you are on a homeopathic remedy, you must stop eating/drinking or inhaling certain items that will NEUTRALIZE or 'antidote' the homeopathic remedy you are taking.
The resulting relapse may be short-lived (up to two weeks) and involve only a few symptoms, the relapse (due to the antidoting material) may be complete (all your symptoms will come back). If this occurs, you must schedule an appointment to have your case re-evaluated, and possibly, re-taken at that time.
Explanation as to "Why"
Coffee: There is an OIL (not the caffeine) in the coffee itself that will antidote the remedy. This includes 'real' coffee as well as the de-caf variety. SUBSTITUTE: Go to your health food store and look for a 'coffee-substitute'. You may drink that instead. You may continue to drink any other caffeine-type product, such as cola, tea (make sure it does NOT contain peppermint, spearmint, camphor or eucalyptus in it--if it does, do NOT drink it as these items will antidote a remedy as well), vegetable and fruit juices and water.
Herb Teas: That contain any of the mint family (spearmint, peppermint), or contain eucalyptus or camphor, will antidote a remedy. Also, 'strong' herbs may also partially antidote it, as well. I suggest you stick with mild forms (many of Celestial Seasonings use 'mild' herbs--but just make sure you don't choose one with camphor/eucalyptus, or the mint family in it!). Items such as orange peel, hibiscus, lemon herb, are okay. When you get into strong herbs such as ginseng, cascara sagrada, golden seal, then you MAY run the risk of a partial antidote.
Camphor, Eucalyptus and Mint: This includes inhaling the odor of mothballs, too. Skin or mucous membrane (placing it externally on your skin) application of camphor, menthol, or strong herbal oils (such as eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender) can antidote a remedy. Camphor is used in: Vick's Vap-o-Rub, Tiger Balm, Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment, Chapstick, Ben-Gay, Campho-Phenique, Deep-Down Pain Relief Rub, Vick's Vaposteam, Afrin Menthol Nasal Spray, Vick's Inhaler, Rhulispray, skin creams like Noxema and Caladryl. It is also found in other ointments used for topical (applied to your external skin) treatment of muscle aches and pains; in most lip balms; SOME lipstix, and cough lozenges; many mouth washes and shaving creams. Brief smelling of camphor can antidote a remedy. Also avoid concentrated Pine-sol cleaner, Listerine, Tea tree oil and wintergreen. Read labels CAREFULLY. If you aren't sure--do not apply it to your skin, or smell it--call the homeopath first.
Odors: Some people can walk into a hair-dresser's establishment and the use of strong chemicals in there, will antidote their remedy. Others can walk through a perfume counter in a department store, and the remedy is antidoted. Try the best you can to avoid ANY strong odors.
Hair Colouring: If you get your hair bleached and chemicals used on it, it will antidote your remedy. Even using a 'rinse' can, in some instances, partially antidote a remedy in SOME people. Do not color your hair while on a remedy.
Strong Tastes Vinegar is probably the biggest problem to antidoting a remedy. Some homeopathic remedies are highly susceptible to antidoting with vinegar. And sometimes, the person on the remedy is simply susceptible to vinegar as an antidote to their Vital Force. Don't forget: vinegar is found in MOST grocery store salad dressings!!
Dental Work: The high speed of a dental drill can and sometimes does approximate the frequency of a remedy, and antidote it. If you cannot avoid dental work during this time, inform your homeopath when the dental work is finished and s/he will send you the same remedy/potency to take again. We do not know what laser or air-related "drills" do to a remedy as yet. My guess is that they will NOT antidote the remedy--but the jury is out on this as these are too new a technique to know for sure, yet. Above all, if you need to go to the dentist--go. Don't worry about antidoting.
Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs: All of these items will "hide" or "cover" your symptoms. Your homeopath needs to see if the remedy is making in-roads into your ailment/symptoms. To do this, any changes in the pattern of your symptoms must be carefully monitored. Any substance above, alters, "hides" or "covers" the symptoms and will interfere--directly--with the ability to accurately follow your case. If possible, the homeopath will ask you to STOP taking all of these several weeks or a month before your case is taken to that the homeopath can 'see' your symptoms clearly.
Traditional Medical Drugs and Over-The-Counter Drugs: Drugs are designed to remove specific or local symptoms. A resulting suppression of symptoms weakens your vital force as a whole, and often 'clouds' (hides) the homeopathic picture of your 'real' symptoms. It can nullify the work of the homeopathic remedy, as well--up to 50% or more, in some cases. Which means you will take the homeopathic remedy at a lower potency, more often, if your medical doctor requires you to stay on your drug(s).
If unable to be off your drug(s) (and this must be discussed FIRST with your physician and s/he makes this decision for you--you do not make it for yourself), be patient and understand that the homeopathic remedy you are taking has to work against the drugs your are taking at th same time it is working against the ailment. Consult your physician and homeopath BEFORE you decide to get off a drug. Do not make this determination yourself!! Many drugs are the type that you cannot just stop; but you must be carefully monitored and 'weaned' off it to not create damage to your body. The good new is: as the homeopathic remedy begins to cure your symptoms, you will be able to slowly get off whatever drug(s) you are currently taking--but not without the prior approval of your physician.
Other Treatments: The balance of symptoms on all levels is a delicate on that can be easily upset. Some treatments are likely to suppress symptoms; thus weakening the vital force, or to antidote the remedy, or to confuse the symptom picture and therefore, make it more difficult for the homeopathy to accurately follow your case.
Consult a homeopath before planning: acupuncture, polarity therapy, psychic healing, or any other treatment aimed at the 'energy' plane of you and your Vital Force.
Treatment such as going to a chiropractor, Doctor of Osteopathy, massage, accupressure, foot reflexology, cranial work, are fine as long as 'electrical' stimulation is not involved (and it can, especially in chiro or osteopathic work). The masseuse should be informed NOT to use any oil containing: mint, camphor or eucalyptus on you. Stay, instead with mild or ordorless oils to avoid antidoting your remedy.
Others:
Lastly...
I always tell my patient, "If you aren't sure, don't eat it, apply it to your skin, or inhale it--call me first and ask." That way, you will avoid most potential situations of antidoting your remedy.
And....no matter how hard you try, you may well, end up antidoting your remedy because something that you are "susceptible to" that is not on this list, will do it--and we will only know after the fact when your symptoms suddenly start to come back (and they shouldn't be...the opposite should be happening....your symptoms should steadily clear and go away over time....)