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| Hpathy Ezine - March, 2006 | |||||
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Dr. Nancy Gahles<-- Interviewed by Elaine Lewis |
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| Elaine: Nancy, wake up, it's time for your interview! We don't have a moment to lose, we're sandwiched in between Fredrick Schroyens and Luc De Schepper; but if we try hard enough, I'm sure we can make them both look really bad! But I need to come up with a very imaginative opening question! .....Don't tell me, don't tell me, I think I'm getting something..... Your name is Nancy, right? Nancy: I AM Nancy Gahles, definitively. No one else would want to be me! Oh, no, I can't accept that! You're famous! Your picture is everywhere! In fact, your contention that no one would want to be you is so controversial, I think it begs to be one of our poll questions! Question: Would you like to be Nancy Gahles? a. No way! b. Definitely! c. Who's Nancy Gahles? Please state the reason for your vote and send it to me at LEWRA@aol.com . So, Nancy, are you married? I am married to Stewart and have 2 children. Stewart? Really? I don't know him. Who are your children? Well, first there's my son Skylar, who is responsible for introducing me to homeopathy. Is his name Skylar Gahles? Because if it is, I don't know him either. How did he happen to introduce you to homeopathy? At 2 years old, he developed acute attacks of allergic respiratory airway syndrome. Oh my God! I hate Allergic Respiratory Airway Syndrome! What was that like for the two of you? It's a lot like asthma, enough to make a mother's hair turn grey. As a chiropractor, I initiated treatments that helped to relieve his symptoms but I began searching for something like......a constitutional! I discovered homeopathy and the rest is history. No no no no, Nancy, the rest can't be history because we've got two pages to fill! Oh, so you actually want to hear what happened? If that wouldn't be too much trouble, because otherwise, I'd have to start singing again. Maybe you should because I can't remember when it began. It subtly insinuated itself into my life. I do remember when my son had colic. Nothing but nothing was helping! Walking, rocking... the endless crying! I gave him a tab of Hyland's colic tablets and IMMEDIATELY he quited down and went to sleep! I thought, "What is this??!" I believe that is when my quest began. When the next crisis arose, I again looked at homeopathics but as a layman I chose combinations that said : "Asthma" on the label. Did the asthma remedy help? Alas, no. Then I sought to study. Read some books. Took classes with Lawrence Galante privately. He was the director of the now defunct Atlantic Academy of Classical Homeopathy. I went one Saturday a month just to get my feet wet and to learn enough to help my own family. I didn't register for their whole program because I wasn't planning to become a practitioner. Then I was led to a seminar with Jeremy Sherr, which blew my mind! From that instant I knew this was bigger than me and I had to take the plunge. I went kicking and screaming into the profession! Oh my God! And Sharon Stevenson let you in the building? I always thought of the NCH as having a sober quality. You've never met Sharon, have you? Anyway, it was very strange because I had resolved to use it only for my family as I didn't want to get into all the "emotional" stuff with my patients. Oh, the emotional stuff! Say no more! The yelling, the screaming, the shattering of glass, the bloviating! Elaine, what profession are you in, exactly? Anyway, as I was saying, little by little, as the beauty of the art unfolded, I was enraptured and passionate and, like being in love, I couldn't contain it within myself. Whoa! Nancy, this column is rated PG-13! A lot of children read this column! OK, Shana reads this column, but only to see if I've mentioned her name (or Conan O'Brien or the Bee Gees). Nevermind. You were saying? I wouldn't want to leave out MY beloved daughter, Jade! Do you have any stories to tell about Jade and homeopathy? Jade was having difficulty learning to read. This confounded me. I am shocked as well! Conventional investigation revealed no overt reason for this. At the age of 8, she said, "So, who really cares?''
Elaine, you seem to have missed the point. I took her out of "conventional" school and home-schooled her. On our journey of discovering her learning style, I found her remedy. It's always in the last place you look. So what was it? Jade doesn't learn by rote. She had difficulty decoding words. By the time she sounded it out she lost the meaning of the sentence and therefore, didn't know what she was reading. No comprehension, leading to frustration and lack of self confidence, as in, "I must be stupid." I consulted with Nick Churchill who gave her, first, Calc-phos. and then we arrived at Anacardium which kept her in good stead until lately when we switched to Germanium which Jo Daly prescribed. Tell us about Germanium. I'm not an engineer... (Gasp!) ...but I do know that Germanium is used in industry as a one-way conductor of information--only incoming, not outgoing. (Jan Scholten or Jeremy Sherr will know the answer.) Therefore, a person who needs this remedy has features of an inability to process outgoing information. Remember we are people, human beings, not the element itself. There is simply a "similar" of function. I suppose that a 2-way remedy, whatever that is, is one where the person is able to take in and give out information reliably and with an ease of flow. I have treated many children with processing difficulties and all manner of aspects of those issues along the autisitc spectrum with both homeopthy and chiropractic thanks to my lovely daughter. (She is in a private high school at present where her learning styles are validated, enhanced and celebrated. She still does not perform well on standardized tests, does not like to read but is happy, well adjusted, chooses healthy relationships and is comfortable with her style of learning and living and is in active pursuit of a college that fits her as well.) Autistic people are "trapped" in their own world. They take in stimuli--indeed, are quite sensitive to external impressions--but they are unable to connect with the outside world. They cannot communicate their thoughts, feelings or emotions. They cannot connect with another person. What did you find special about Jeremy Sherr? Jeremy's seminar was an advanced one and I was just dabbling in the concept, so, when he drew a diagram of the Mappa Mundi theory I was amazed. I have a rather broad background in all types of healing and knew that if these principles applied to homeopathic treatment then it was a discipline that had depth, merit and was worthy of my consideration. More than that a passion of inquiry was ignited in me that has not been extinguished to this day. I'm sure you know that my next question is going to be: What is the Mappa Mundi? Oh, my God! I'm lucky if I can remember my own name! As best as
I can explain it, the Mappa Mundi is a representation, a diagram
showing all the elements: Earth, Air, Wind, Fire... Oh my God! I love Earth, Wind and Fire! No, no, Elaine...not the people who sang "Boogie Wonderland"! (Though now I can't get it out of my mind!) I was trying to say that Mappa Mundi is a representation, a diagram, showing all the elements--the names of which I dare not repeat-- interconnecting with the temperments--choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic--and then with the seasons and with stages of development and with Chinese meridians and with systems...brain, heart, spleen, etc. This all in a wheel-like arrangement outlined with sensations and desires like hot/sweet; cold/sour; dry/bitter; states of consciousness...love, joy, will..foolish, needy, fear...alienation, indifference, etc., a map of the territory in which you live if you can map it out into quadrants and parts of the circle. So complex and yet so dynamic in its consideration of the totality of everything that exists! That is, of course, what we are made up of. One with everything that exists. When we are not flowing interconnectedly with all and through all the elements, we are stuck. Where we are stuck can be plotted on the map. Then we call for help to get us onto the right track again. Sort of like GPS on your car. Where are you stuck? How did you get there? And, how the hell do you get out of this mess!! 1-800-homeopathy. I hope that's an actual number, because I plan to call it frequently! Are your children homeopaths too? My children who are now 14 and 16 are fairly well versed in using typical first aid remedies, their favorites being Calendula and Arnica. Several years ago, I took a trip to Philadelphia for my Mom's birthday and to see the Annual Flower Show.
This would probably be a good time for me to relate an interesting anecdote. One of our readers wrote to me today with the following Arnica story: Your advice in that article ["homeopathy and sports injuries"] finally made a believer out of my honey when he broke a toe earlier this winter. I think he was as disappointed as he was relieved [apparently he didn't want to believe that homeopathy could work] that, unlike a previous toe fracture, there was NO swelling, NO bruising (just a little redness), much less pain, and much more rapid healing, haha! I mention this because it so mirrors your story above; but let me ask you this question, how would you answer the criticism that maybe the ice was responsible for the whole thing? As a chiropractor for 26 years I have treated hundreds of acute sprain/strains where all the ice in the world does not help to keep the swelling at bay! I have never seen it have much effect on the actual bleeding from the tear in the tissues only the resultant edema. Many, many times I have seen Arnica, before my very eyes, resolve the immediate tissue bleeding within minutes leaving no trace of a bruise and no swelling. In fact, this is the mainstay of my pediatric bumps and bruises practice. Commonly, a child will fall, bang the head and you can watch the "egg" grow and discolor and upon taking Arnica, internally or topically, watch the "egg" disappear and resolve as if it never happened! Nancy, since you mentioned Nat-mur... I don't remember mentioning Nat-mur.... (Ahem! Nancy, if you could possibly play along...) Oh, yes, Nat-mur. What about it? I got to thinking, and to some extent, our culture tends to demand Nat-mur behavior from everyone! We're asked to control our emotions, not to have outbursts, not to complain and so on. With this behavior forced on all of us, can it be that we ALL need Nat-mur? How do you distinguish the real item from the rest of us "behaving" this way? Also, what you said about Germanium previously, being a one-way remedy; you could say the same thing about nat-mur, I suspect--that input is received but it doesn't flow back out. Well, Elaine, we cannot all display symptoms of Nat Mur simply due to societal pressures or the dysfunction of cultural trends or religious fanatcicism or political oppression. We are uniquely who we are, always and all ways. Like a gem, we will tend to reflect that ray of light that shines upon it depending on which facet it strikes. The same two people witnessing the same event will relate the "exact" facts differently, from their perspective. One person will laugh in the face of trauma and another will become hysterical crying and another will be silent in icy fear. Some people will rebel and others will follow. In the face of cultural pressures, some will take up the cudgels of leadership and others will incite a revolution. The way in which we perceive and react to a stimuli is the way in which I would evaluate the need for a remedy and the remedy selection itself must describe you in the totality of your being. As for the second part of your question, the way I would distinguish Nat-mur from Germanium would be this: the Nat-mur person feels resentment and bitterness, the Germanium person feels indifference and apathy.
And now, if you wouldn't mind telling us about the famous National Center for Homeopathy ( the NCH). The National Center for Homeopathy is a nonprofit organization that promotes homeopathy through education, publication, research and membership services. I have been a member of the Board of Directors for 3 years and have been graced to be a part of the dynamism that makes up that group of people dedicated to the art, science and philosophy of homeopathy. Increasing the awareness of homeopathy and thus making it available to all people has been a daunting task but one which the NCH has advanced in full measure. Our marketing and media committee is responsible for the ads, radio and TV spots that bring the message to the average viewer as well as behind-the-scenes work with educators, politicians and legislators. Our education committee has developed an "On The Road" program that will be held in varying educational settings across the country. The first of these will be held at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA June 9-11, 2006 . FIRST RESPONSE HOMEOPATHY: Disasters, Epidemics and Emergencies. I'm going! I'm going! And I'm sure with a little arm-twisting, we can get our dear friend Shirley Reischman to go too! Everybody remembers Shirley's and my last adventure at the 2003 NCH Conference in Philadelphia and I'm sure we can cause just as much damage this time around! Of course you can! Watch your mail box because we'll be sending out more information. The amazing results in public awareness and empowerment has been through the effort of a few dedicated individuals who work hard in advancing the cause we all hold dear. One way that you can participate in these efforts is to become a member of the National Center for Homeopathy. For a mere $55./year, you tell us that you care about homeopathy and want to keep it alive and growing. In return, you get our committment to continue to do our very best. You also receive the fabulous magazine HOMEOPATHY TODAY and are invited to submit articles and cases of your own. Hey, I couldn't live without "Homeopathy Today", and no one else should try to either! To subscribe, just go to http://www.homeopathic.org/, and click on "join us". It's really important to become a vital part of the community of homeopaths, whether you're a practitioner, pharmacist, veterinarian or just a mom or dad trying to take care of your children. The NCH needs you and your unique contribution to homeopathy. The NCH also needs your membership dollars to sustain our vital force. Join now so you can register for the next NCH Conference which is in San Jose, California, April 7-11, the first ever joint homeopathic conference! Look me up and tell me that you're there because you read about it here! We also send out an e-newsletter; plus, you can participate in our monthly live chat with all the celebrities of homeopathy. That is so true! I just chatted with Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman last month, much to my surprise, because I figured she would NEVER speak to me in a million years and suddenly there was this silence, and I thought, Oh my God, isn't anybody going to ask a question? So, there I was, throwing questions together off the top of my head, frantically, just to keep her from leaving! So you're the one! "What is homeopathy....Where can I find a homeopath?" I never heard such inane questions in my life! You're not coming to the next one, are you? No. Good. See you there. Right. _____________________________________________ Dr. Nancy Gahles |
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Oh
that is so sad! Tell her California Congresswoman Maxine Waters.
Cares. Really cares.
Oh!
So you're the one holding up traffic on the Expressway! The Annual
Flower Show is in progress as we speak! Aren't there any flowers
in New York? We Philadelphians sit on the Expressway for hours every
March waiting...just waiting for the Flower Show People to get off
at South Street! Here's an idea if you're interested, I can tell
you how to grow your OWN flowers! In fact, here! Flowers! Flowers
from Philadelphia, take them, please, take them all; just don't
come back, OK?--unless you're coming to visit me, of course!
