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Shameful Sugar Cravings

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Joette Calabrese,HMC,CCH,RSHom
Published in Wise Traditions, Spring 2009, “The Cod Liver Oil Debate”

Liz had a dirty little secret. Well, maybe not so dirty to others, but to Liz it was embarrassing so she kept it hidden from her family and friends. Sometimes she even denied it to herself.

Liz was a gourmet chef, working in one of the finest destination spas east of the Mississippi. She took pride in her reputation for having a keen appreciation of gourmet sensibility and nutrition, yet she had a personal vice. A clandestine act. A shameful indulgence that, if discovered, could taint her professionally. . . well, she thought so anyway. Liz was addicted to Twinkies.

This was no ordinary craving. Liz bought Twinkies by the case. . . literally. She had them stashed above the Viking refrigerator in the spa's expansive kitchen, in the glove compartment of her car for snacking during commutes, and at home she concealed them in the bedroom in her underwear drawer. She indulged in her secret sin in the mornings, when she felt overworked, and worst of all when she was exhausted, which was happening more frequently of late.

At first she saw the irony, and even humor in her choice of addiction, but her weight had been increasing steadily for the last few years and she was shaky when she tried to abstain. Recently her heart had been doing acrobatic flips in her now ample chest. It was no longer a laughing matter. Liz recognized she needed help but disdained drugs.

Instead, she turned to homeopathy, a medical method her physician grandfather had used when she was growing up in Germany. She learned of a homeopath of fine repute from one of the investors of the spa. He told her that this homeopath had helped him with his pre-diabetic condition. So she scheduled an appointment for herself.

When Liz confessed to the homeopath her awkward sugar addiction, she fully expected a snicker. But the homeopath didn't find it odd. She merely listened compassionately as though she, too, had experienced the same covert compulsion.

“My intellect tells me no, but my stomach and salivary glands give me the OK,” Liz explained. She also described her sleep habits, the details of the indigestion she sometimes suffered and at one point revealed the nightmares she used to experience. All of these features of her personality were of interest to the homeopath since homeopathic treatment is tailored to the unique aspects of the person as a whole, rather than to the disease. The practitioner explained to Liz that the remedy chosen for her would be specific to her, represented by her characteristics and symptoms. The homeopath added that despite Liz's best efforts, she might indeed find it difficult to abort the sugar cravings without a little help. Homeopathy has a reputation for stimulating the body's ability to bring itself to homeostasis, so as the pancreas becomes balanced, the cravings can diminish, clarified the homeopath. Your body will find its best way to respond.

“What way could that be?” Liz wondered.

Liz went home uplifted with renewed hope. The following day after eating three packages of her secret snack and a cup of cappuccino she started taking the remedy, Argentum nitricum. Then, she permitted herself the usual ration after lunch and two more upon retiring that night.

The next day was a repeat of her routine, but by day three she found herself longing for a refreshing drink instead of the Twinkies. This was noteworthy since she rarely experienced thirst. At first she considered chocolate milk, but resisted and instead found a glass of kombucha to be quite satisfying. “Hmm,” she thought, “I wonder if it's the remedy making my body respond in a new way as the homeopath described?”

That night she settled into bed, counting. She had grown accustomed to measuring her day by the number of Twinkies she'd consumed and she realized that she had eaten only one packet over the entire day. “I'll just watch as this unfolds,” she reflected.

This routine repeated day after day until a week passed and she noticed she hadn't eaten more than one package of the little morsels in all that time! She also couldn't help noticing that her fatigue had faded and her thinking was more brisk, the way it had been in culinary school.

Two weeks into the first dose of Argentum nitricum, Liz discovered that her waistband was loose and her hands no longer ached when she worked the cool dough on the marble surface. But an unexpected dividend was that her heart had stopped fluttering. She had nearly become accustomed to this alarming sensation many afternoons while slicing vegetables.

“How could this be?” she wondered, as she sipped her newly beloved kombucha. “I've eaten these all my life. Could they really have been the cause of all these maladies? And have all these changes really occurred after only weeks of the little homeopathic pills?!”

It took a loss of ten pounds before she was thoroughly convinced of the reformation. The evidence was clear. . . . Liz appeared no longer to be a Twinkie junkie! It was at this time that she made a prominent decision in her life. She threw out all the concealed little cakes. The cubbies in the big kitchen, the stash in the car, and even the store in the undies drawer were emptied once and for all. No remorse, no longing, no Twinkies. Liz was satisfied . . . she was gaining the health and figure she had always longed for.

And the other part of this story? Liz was so taken by her transformation that she implemented a sweet-free day at the spa once each week. On that day, sparkling kombucha is served in tall, frosted glasses with a twist of lime, instead of dessert. It's promoted as a refreshing aid and balance to digestion. And what a splash it has made among the employees and patrons! They affectionately call it “Fizzy Lizzy.”

FINE TUNING THE REMEDY TO THE PATIENT

Unlike other medical modalities, homeopathy is a method of treatment that is specific to the individual, rather than to a pathology. It is holisitic as it incorporates the aspects of the entire person, including the way the sufferer thinks.

Argentum nitricum is a powerful yet gentle remedy with a reputation for aiding people who suffer an extreme addiction to sweets and who show a marked inability to resist impulses in general. This can be seen as a desire to succumb to temptations on both an emotional as well as physical level. Since homeopathy treats the person and not the disease, when choosing this remedy for sugar addictions, these other components must also be considered. Otherwise, the remedy choice will be incorrect and the desired results will fail to materialize.

Interestingly, other remedies also address sweet addictions. Sulphur, for example, is useful for someone who also experiences sweet cravings, yet people who need it are those who suffer discomfort from heat accompanied by odorous perspiration. Had Liz been experiencing menopausal hot flashes attended by perspiration as well as her sugar addiction, the remedy choice might well have been Sulphur. But here is an interesting twist to the story and remedy choice. A person who is keenly aware of trying to avoid an ordeal is one who ought be considered for the choice ofArgentum nitricum. This is because this idiosyncrasy is a specific characteristic of this remedy picture. And it has been historically shown to be useful for many maladies associated with this personality trait. Other sugar addicts might not have considered this an issue, yet Liz found her addiction to be embarrassing and even shameful. One who might require Sulphur wouldn't have this concern. Hence, only Argentum nitricum would do for Liz.

These considerations underscore just how person-specific the remedies tend to be. This is the reason remedy choices for chronic illness ought to be made by a seasoned, credentialed homeopath.

Having said this, however, homeopathy indeed lends itself to self-prescribing in situations such as colds, indigestion and other self-limiting maladies. For this reason, the study of homeopathy is a perfect match for those who enjoy medical freedom via personal responsibility.

 

I am a homeopath with a worldwide practice working with families and individuals via Zoom. I'm also a teacher and most importantly, a mom who raised my now-adult children depending on homeopathy over the last 31 years. I lived decades of my life with food intolerances, allergies, and chemical sensitivities until I was cured with homeopathy, so I understand pain, anxiety, and suffering. You may feel that your issues are more severe or different than anyone else’s, but I have seen it all in my practice and in my work in India. My opinion is that nothing has come close to the reproducible, safe and effective results that my clients, students and I have achieved with homeopathy.

Call today and learn how homeopathy might just be the missing piece in your health strategy.


Joette is not a physician and the relationship between Joette and her clients is not of prescriber and patient, but as educator and client. It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn't "treat" an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. Joette believes that the advice and diagnosis of a physician is often in order.


We've provided links for your convenience but we do not receive any remuneration nor affiliation in payment from your purchase.


The Author disclaims all liability for any loss or risk, personal or otherwise incurred as a consequence of use of any material in this article. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.



 

32 thoughts on “Shameful Sugar Cravings”

  1. Amber says:

    Holy guacamole, Joette. I fit the bill for both descriptions of both shame and heat, but rather than sweets or sugar in general, it’s just chocolate, even 100% chocolate at times. Do I try first one remedy from your article, then the other if the first one doesn’t work? Or both at once, since my personality fits both, even in other areas of my life? Or, since it’s just intensely chocolate, is that a different remedy altogether? Thanks SOOOOOOO very much for your help with this…problem, addiction, power over me. 🙂
    Amber

  2. tama says:

    hi joette – what potency should be used of argentum nitricum for sugar cravings? and how often given? thank you!

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na) says:

      I like using 200c, every other day as a start.

      1. tama ordway says:

        thanks so much!

      2. Neesie says:

        Hi Joette, what if you’re addicted to chocolate/sugar, but don’t have a problem with being impulsive?

        1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na) says:

          One needn’t encompass every aspect of a remedy picture for it to act.

        2. Ruth says:

          I really enjoyed reading this story. Thank you for such vivid illustration! ♥️

      3. Katriina says:

        Do you continue every other day or would the dose change to every day?

        1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, PHom M says:

          As a medicine begins to act, its not uncommon to taper off its frequently. EOD is a good way to approach this.

  3. Karyl says:

    Joette thank you for this. Will try everything. I’ve been 30-40 pounds overweight
    since having kids, 11 years now. Right now doing the Nat Phos 6 before meals. Can I do Argentum Nitricum also? And if all else fails, will try Sepia 200.

  4. Nicole says:

    I saw in the comments you recommended 200c every other day. Do you recommend once or twice? I know that the label for Boiron usually says 5 pellets three times a day. I wanted your thoughts on this please. Thank you!

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na) says:

      When I write “every other day” it means once, every other day, otherwise, “I write 2 times per day”. I offer specific protocols. Boiron offers their idea of how it can be done.

  5. Patricia Fitzsimmons says:

    Hi Joette,

    In your Coca-Cola blog of a date later than this Twinkie blog, you recommend Chelidonium 6x twice daily for sugar cravings. Is this a case of “there’s more than 1 way to skin a cat” or is there another reason for the switch (for lack of a better word)? Thank you for all you do! Pat

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na) says:

      Yes, that’s the case. If we were to crack open our repertory, we’d find that under the rubric “Food; Sweets; desires;” there are probably 300 or so remedies to choose from. I distill it down to the most likely and pass that along in protocol form giving you the option if one doesn’t act.

  6. Maria says:

    And what will be the dosage for an 11 year old boy and for how long. Thanks! My son is very athletic and do tons of exercise but always in the need of a sweet treat, we eat very healthy, but i find it particular his need of it.

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na) says:

      The number of pills that comprise a dose is printed on the side of the bottle.

  7. Regina says:

    Does homeopathy treat pre diabetes Joette or does it wait until you are diabetic and just treat the symptoms. I have read that it can’t “cure” diabetes like other things such as infections, cuts, broken bones, etc. that it can only treat the symptoms.

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH says:

      I can’t imagine who said such a thing. ‘Sounds like someone who knows little to nothing about homeopathy’s ability.
      Pre-diabetes means there’s a blood sugar condition and homeopathy has been treating this for over 200years.
      In fact, I’ve successfully treated myself for it.

  8. Regina says:

    I’m prediabetic but used to eat sugar like it was going out of style. I recently realized that my desire for sugar was why I was in trouble so I’ve been trying to reduce my sugar intake drastically. But it seems like most of the things I chose still have sugar in them. Tested a few mornings ago and got a 91. Thought wow it’s working. Tested this morning and 103. Wow not working. Where I live we don’t have access to a really good grocery. Closest decent grocery is 30 minutes away and still doesn’t have much good raw foods. Trying to cut the sugar but since choices are limited processed food is about all that’s available. I’m losing weight but still have that little layer of fat that won’t go away. I’m skinny fat as they call it. I’m petite and can’t lose much more. Only weigh 119 but really need to get the sugar under control before I become diabetic. Will argenticum work for me?

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH says:

      I’m sorry but as you can imagine, I can’t offer medical advice on this forum.
      I urge you to take courses. For GI concerns such as blood sugar issues, my online course “Good Gut Bad Gut” is an excellent place to start.
      BUT don’t just look up the protocol for a specific condition. Instead, take the course 4 times. That’s correct; FOUR times before moving forward. For simple conditions, I offer them for free on this forum, every week on Facebook Live, my podcasts, Summits, etc. but when it comes to more complex conditions where case management is key, it’s important to have the background in knowing what you’re doing and how to proceed.

  9. Regina says:

    Joette I can’t afford that course right now. I have quite a few problems that span different areas so I really need to consult with you so I’m saving for that. My homeopath is having a lot of difficulty treating me. Just can’t get the correct remedies for my problems.

  10. Regina says:

    Hi again Joette,
    I have read that cell salts can possibly undo Constitutional remedies. I’m taking 3 cell salts right now. I’m also using Rhus tox, Nux vomica, and temporarily Sanguinaria. Are there any salts that would do that to these remedies? Or is this not true?

  11. Sonia says:

    would Argent.nit. also help with Diabetes? or would the BP of helonias be better for that. Also, would it be ok to use Helonias 200c for longer than 6 months, if it has been steadily lowering blood sugar readings but is not yet all the way to normal. I mean, can one take Helonias for a year or even longer if it continues to help, without having any negative effects?
    Do you have any courses where you discuss diabetes?

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH says:

      When medicine is acting but has not completed its full action, it’s usually a sign that it needs to be carried on further. I can’t advise of what to do personally but you’ll find good information in my online course, Good Gut Bad Gut in which I cover diabetes.
      There are other medicines that are sometimes used simultaneously as well.

  12. Sonia says:

    thank you. would you mind sharing what other medicine is used simultaneously for diabetes, in your experience please.

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH says:

      There are several that are considered.
      Given the complexity of diabetes as well as case management, I urge you to delve deeper into the courses or at least in a repertory to find the answer you seek.

  13. Sonia says:

    I just wanted to share my thoughts, since I don’t know of any other way to get in touch with you and tell you. I thank you so much for all the help you give to so many people, through your free blogs and through FB live ect ect. You are simply amazing and a great person. Thanks a lot.

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH says:

      Thanks for your kind words, Sonia. Keep up your studies.

  14. Sara says:

    If i’m gonna takenthe sulphur as you worte for sugar addiction what potency and how often should I take it. Thank you so much your blogs and podcasts have helped so much

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, PHom M says:

      Sulphur?

  15. Sara says:

    You wrote about sulphur at the end of the article would it also be the 200 every other day?

    1. Joette Calabrese, HMC, PHom M says:

      I wouldn’t take a guess of how it ought to be employed without fully taking the case.

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