ACHENA Approved for 13 Hours

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), more than 23.5 million people in the United States suffer from one or more autoimmune diseases. That number may actually be closer to 50 million, according to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), meaning that almost 1 in 6 people is affected. Some 80-100 different autoimmune diseases have been identified, and researchers believe that at least another 40 have an autoimmune basis. Not only are these diseases chronic in nature – they are often life-threatening as well. And their incidence is on the rise.

Autoimmune diseases are familiar to us all: rheumatoid arthritis; lupus; vitiligo; Type 1 diabetes, to name but a few. They are chronic, they are notoriously difficult to treat, and they can be fatal. To tackle autoimmune diseases properly, we must also broaden our conception of which conditions belong among them. For example, if we consider migraine headaches as inflammatory in nature and, as such, part of a larger autoimmune spectrum, this will affect our traditional remedy selection process: weighting will be different, the totality of symptoms considered in a deeper way. But we should not limit ourselves to our remedies; an integrative approach is a necessity. In both the Organon of Medicine and his extensive letters, Hahnemann outlined in minute detail the dietary and lifestyle obstacles to cure that must also be addressed. By utilizing this two-pronged attack, we bring the body back into balance and restore it to health.

Hahnemann’s Classification of Disease model, as outlined in the Organon, has all but been forgotten in the contemporary practice of homeopathy… but no more! Using this simple – yet brilliant – framework, this class will tackle complex autoimmune conditions, and provide context for understanding the implications of diet, lifestyle, and judicious use of complementary modalities, along with the appropriate homeopathic remedy.

In autoimmune disease, the organism is depleted; the capacity to self-heal, gone. The body, in essence, is fighting itself, and energies are not focused in a restorative direction. It is for this reason that autoimmune patients do not respond to remedies in expected ways. Just as Hahnemann’s distant flute in §259 cannot be heard amid the clamour of daytime, neither can the vital force respond to a remedy amid the sludge of autoimmune disease. But, with the correct homeopathic treatment, lifestyle changes, and judicious use of complementary modalities, we have within our grasp a 200-year-old solution to a very modern problem.

We are delighted to present a new course with Denise Straiges and Alastair Gray, renowned for their highly-knowledgeable and ofttimes playful presentation style, as they employ homeopathy in their integrative treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases. The toxic environmental and genetic correlates will be comprehensively addressed, and lessons learned from Kent’s Remedy Reactions, Vithoulkas’ Levels of Health, and Bœnninghausen’s Homeopathic Diet, among others, will be discussed. Case examples – including long-term case management and resolution – will be used to map out integrative strategies for compassionate, client-centered care, and will help illuminate the following diseases, and more:

• Crohn's
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Lupus
• Allergies
• Migraines
• Hyperthyroidism
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
  
  

Finally (and perhaps most importantly), consideration will be given to a deeper understanding of autoimmune disease and how it impacts the full expression of the mind/body/spirit connection; because of the meaningful therapeutic client relationship that it affords, homeopathy can facilitate profound levels of healing.

As homeopaths, we are the backbone of a genuine integrative strategy because we work not only at the root of disease, but also always consider obstacles to cure, educating our patients way beyond the edge of the pill bottle. This course will provide you with a deeper understanding of autoimmune disease, thoughtfully considered from an integrative viewpoint. Thanks to homeopathy, even complex modern illnesses have met their match in our 200-year-old healing art.