Getting Started With Homeopathy PART 2

In Part 1 of Getting Started with Homeopathy we met combination homeopathic medicines and some introductory basics.

But, as you will likely discover, if you haven’t already, these can only take you so far.

So what to do when you are out of options with the over-the-counter combinations, or you are facing more serious, complex or specific issues?

Now we turn to the Banerji Protocols. 

There are hundreds of Banerji Protocols for everything from colds and flus, to headaches, to various types of cancer and infectious diseases. Refer to this page to find the complete (searchable) index of all the published protocols from the two Banerji Protocol books.

[There are even more protocols that haven’t been published. I have reams of them from my year with the Academy of Practical Homeopathy, passed down by Joette Calabrese who spent many months over the course of nine years studying under the Drs Banerjis at their clinics in India. More in time. We’re still just laying the groundwork here.]

When we use the Banerji Protocols as a basis for our homeopathic medicine choices, we are practicing Practical Homeopathy (TM). Because we have these beautiful Banerji Protocols, we are way ahead of the old-school homeopaths who must start from square one with every single case and attempt to find the one perfect remedy for all that ails their client. 

(We too can, and will, use the foundational homeopathic resources to select remedies—  but why start there when so often the protocols are able to take the guesswork out of it for us?)

When looking for a homeopathic answer to a health problem, the first question to ask yourself is:

Is there a Banerji Protocol that exists for the condition?

Reminder: A protocol is a tested and tried remedy that works in most cases for the condition. (A protocol is not something that worked once or twice for someone. These true protocols have been tested clinically and shown to have consistent and reproducible results in the majority of people.)

A protocol basically means ‘this for that’.

When using the Banerji Protocols, the more clear we are on what is happening— meaning the better the diagnosis— the better the results we will have.

Case in point: A client of mine complained of a dreadful headache behind the right eye. It came on when she was sick with the flu. That pointed to particular remedies, which we tried with ZERO results. Fortunately, she went to the doctor who diagnosed her with shingles. AHA! Now we had a clear diagnosis to work with. She started on the Banerji Protocol for shingles and within 5 days was feeling 80% better, and continued to heal all the way over the next couple of weeks.

Again, IF there is a protocol, we start there. We don’t second guess. We don’t have to do all the research. We don’t even have to look up the remedies in the Materia Medica. (Though we might want to, because it’s a great way to learn as we go.) The hard work has already been done for us by the medical doctors in India who developed the protocols by seeing 1000 patients per day (collectively with their teams) 6 days a week over multiple generations. 

And, this is very cool too— there are often 2 or 3 options. So we start with Line 1, which has been shown clinically to address 80-85% of the cases. And if that fails, then we have Line 2, and even Line 3 sometimes, for the other 15-20% of people who don’t respond to Line 1 (or for situations where Line 1 helps but doesn’t go all the way).

Here’s an example from the book with three protocol lines. (And an important protocol for today with the prevalence of blood clots.)

Varicose Veins /Deep Vein Thrombosis pg 130

Note that the + indicates the two remedies are taken together at the same time. (See the intro to the Banerji Protocols book for explanations on these types of details.)

Yes, you must buy the books. We all have to. There is the original Banerji Protocols book and then a book of Additional Banerji Protocols. You can find them here and here. They are worth their weight in gold.

Then purchase the remedies and administer them as directed. The protocols include the remedy, the potency, and the frequency. (Everything you need! Which is amazing. These are the three big factors, each of which is critical to outcome.) 

Now for a few common questions about using the protocols from the books:

•What if I can’t find a particular potency? 

[The potency is where it says 6X, or 6C, or 30C or 200C. In the book where it indicates 1000C, that’s what we call a 1M. The higher the number, the more potent. The number of pills taken does not affect the potency— it is the same whether you take one pill or a whole bottle.]

It does happen that what we can readily get in the US, for example, is different than India where the protocols were created. Often the Banerjis recommend a 3X or 3C, which may be hard to find in the US. In which case we generally substitute a 6X or 6C. (More on purchasing hard-to-find remedies in a future post.) But 30C and 200C are NOT close enough to be interchangeable. If there’s urgency, you may start with what you have, but do order the correct remedy. Potency matters!

Also, some remedies are called for ‘in liquid’. That does not mean the wet dose method. That means in a water and/or alcohol base direct from the pharmacy. If you can find this, use it. If not, then start with the standard pill form.

Here’s an example of a brand that can often be found in the US that is in liquid. (Check Amazon and eBay.) In this case, drops are put in a small amount water and swallowed. You can take the drops in your mouth directly, but the alcohol-based tinctures will burn and taste bad.

By the way, Crataegus Oxyacantha is a great remedy for general heart conditions. The Banerjis will call for it in a Mother Tincture or MT (using a symbol that looks like a 0 with a dash in it, which is the Theta symbol. Others will write it as Q instead.) I, personally, like to use it in a 3X, which is the lowest homeopathic potency generally available in most remedies.

As I was always taught, if you are facing a very sobering disease, do your best to adhere strictly to the protocols for the best results. If it’s not so serious, then you can try alternate options and see how it goes without as much concern. However, if something doesn’t seem to be acting, a wise step is to check the exact instructions again and adjust any deviations from the original ‘recipe’.

Sometimes the Banerji Protocols will recommend something like taking 2 tablets per dose. These kinds of instructions are referencing the medicines from their own in-house pharmacy in India. For the number of pills/drops that YOU should administer, follow the recommendation of the pharmacy you are buying from. (Meaning: Refer to YOUR source for dosing instructions.)

Finally, a very common and important question that gets asked over and over again:

How long do we continue with a protocol? (Which goes with: How do I know if it is working? When do we give up and move on to the next line or other remedies?)

This all depends on the case and condition.

And this is the hardest part of treating chronic cases with homeopathy. With experience you will learn what to look for and how to manage cases. 

But generally speaking for most chronic issues, we continue for a solid eight weeks before we assess progress. (This is where the new paradigm of Practical Homeopathy really kicks in.) We need to give it time and then look at the big picture to really tell if the remedies are acting, even if only just starting to.

General guidelines:

1. If very much better, stop taking the remedies. They are not supplements. We only use them when needed.

1. If we think we’re better and stop the remedies, but the condition flares up again, we resume. 

If we stop the remedies and a year later we get a return of some symptoms, we pick up where we left off and take the remedies again until better. This may happen a handful of times, typically getting more and more spread out in frequency and less intense each time.

If we take the remedies longer than needed, there is a built in mechanism called a proving to tell us we no longer need the remedy. In this case we will get some new symptom that is part of the remedy picture. It’s as if you were a healthy person who underwent a ‘proving’. 

[Provings are how we determine what the homeopathic medicines will do. In a very scientific manner the remedy is given to healthy people who then report the disturbances that arise. In fact, the format used is the double-blind, placebo controlled trial. The homeopaths began utilizing this method to test potential homeopathic medicines some 40 years before anyone else began doing it. (We also have gained important information from clinical cases of overdoses and poisonings.)]

For example, let’s say you are taking Arsenicum Album 200 for itchiness, and the itch is gone but you keep on taking the remedy. Then maybe you develop a restless anxiousness which is out of character for you. So you check the Materia Medica (more on this in Part 3) and you’ll see this is a keynote of Arsenicum Album. This is your cue that it’s time to stop taking it and then the anxiety dissipates in a day or two. (It’s not causing any permanent changes, it’s like a faux illness. When you stop the remedy in a proving, it goes away. If it doesn’t go away then there is something new occurring for you or the picture has changed and it’s time to reassess with clear eyes.)

Because homeopathy gently uproots conditions, we must look for movement in the right direction when assessing progress. Many times it will be two steps forward and one step back, but over the course of eight weeks (minimum) and taking the big-picture view, we should begin to see clear progress. This may mean the pain is down from a 9 to a 6. Or that hyperactivity is down from an 8 to a 6. Or that the itch is now a general 3 and doesn’t keep one up at night, or the flare ups are now only a few times a week instead of every night. 

We assess Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type (FITT). So we are looking for less frequent occurrences, less intense symptoms, lasting for less time, or a change in what is presenting.

Although we do see times where the issue clears up in a week or two, for many chronic conditions we can be looking at a couple months or even a year. (And in some cases, such as alopecia, or complete hair loss, it could be years.)

Remember, when using the Banerji Protocols, we are looking for a traditional diagnosis. Nothing against Naturopaths and other alternative health care providers, but a diagnosis of ‘fibromyalgia’ or ‘candida overgrowth’ is not going to be very helpful here.

Homeopathy does have remedies to help with any condition, but once we get into these rather vague diagnoses, then we need to take a look more closely at the actual symptoms as they are currently presenting in order to choose the homeopathic medicines. More on this in Part 3.

And, look, trying to treat yourself or a loved one, especially if you have something complex going on, or multiple issues, can be very challenging. One needs to be able to assess objectively, and our fears and self doubts can be one of the biggest obstacles. If you need help, don’t give up, there are inexpensive Practical Homeopaths available to help guide you. 

Also, I will warn you, DO NOT start these protocols and then go find a Classical Homeopath to try to help you assess progress. They will have no idea what you are doing. It’s an entirely different paradigm in homeopathy. For instance— just one big difference— the Banerji Protocols often recommend repeated doses, usually 1-2 times day, month after month. The Classicals don’t use this method and don’t understand the background, efficacy, or reasons for the protocols, so you will likely end up confused, shamed, or back at square one. 

The Banerji Protocols have been proven to work, time and again. They avoid aggravations and avoid concerns about antidoting (since we dose repeatedly, it’s not so critical to avoid things like mint). But these protocols are not yet widely known and telling your mainstream doctor, or even another homeopath, what you are doing may (at best) leave you doubting yourself.

Homeopathy doesn’t hit you over the head or suppress the problem and make you think you’re all better… until you realize you aren’t. (When in fact you now have to recover from the treatment, in addition to the original disease.)

Homeopathy, given time, has the ability uproot the problems for good. I have seen people get off thyroid medication and have their thyroid lab results return to normal. One case took about 9 months. (What’s 9 months, or a year or two, to take care of conditions many people have dealt with for 10, 15, 20 or more years?) Pretty miraculous, in my opinion.

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Now you must get the Banerji Protocol books. Here are the links again:

The Banerji Protocols, A New Method of Treatment with Homeopathic Medicines by Prasanta Banerji and Pratip Banerji.

Additional Banerji Protocols from the Clinic by Nimisha Parekh (a woman who visited the clinics and documented more protocols).

Be sure to READ THE WHOLE INTRODUCTION in the first book. 

Many, many of your questions about the protocols will be answered there.

And don’t forget to use the index I created to make it easier to search by keyword.

And don’t forget to check out joettecalabrese.com for more acute issues. (Best is to search online— joette and the condition— and the relevant blog pages will pop right up in your search results.)

For additional questions that arise, you may ask me in the comments section or contact me directly.

Then if we run out of protocols (or if there isn’t one), THEN we hit the books. How to do that in Part 3…