About Me
I hold licenses in Connecticut, both as a Physician and Surgeon, and as a Homeopathic physician. I have practiced medicine since 1974 and Homeopathy since 1981.
My goal as a physician is to form a partnership with my patients in order to help restore a state of health.
One Doctor’s Story
This is a piece I wrote while I was the president of the National Center for Homeopathy, explaining how I became interested in homeopathic medicine. Some 30 years later, it seems a bit dated, but still of interest:
In 1979 I left my medical practice of six years, frustrated with the limitations of modern medicine. Looking for a new approach, I moved to Connecticut to work in a holistic health center, intending to focus on nutrition, stress control, and visualization. There I met a woman who had studied homeopathy abroad. With no faith in the method, I asked her to consult on a difficult patient, one with severe bleeding, thyroid inflammation, angina pectoris, and several other problems.
Specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital had sent the patient back to me saying, in effect, “Do the best you can. We don’t know what to tell you.” To the homeopath, her intense cravings for ice cream and salt, her fear of thunderstorms, her bleeding tendency and sympathetic nature indicated the use of Phosphorus. Not believing that it could help, but since a common nutrient in a low dose couldn’t hurt, we commenced treatment. I was astonished at the good results and wanted to see more.
Since then I have studied and learned how to apply the method. I have seen it work, even in serious conditions, as have thousands of doctors and lay-persons worldwide for the past 200 years. The low cost of the medications and the rarity of adverse reactions make it preferable, in most cases, to modern drugs. Furthermore, because the medicines are inexpensive, safe, and easy to use, lay-persons can learn to handle many common illnesses for which people seek medical help. The resulting savings in costs and the increase in personal independence are what health care in this country needs now.
Recent Continuing Education Courses
Illuminating the Clinical Web: Treating Complex Cases (Boston, Mass, 3/27/2010): This clinical follow-on to the Jeff Bland seminar (see next entry) focused on applying new data organization techniques and concepts in Functional Medicine to complex problems of woman’s health (osteoporosis, menopausal syndromes, weight gain of both android [apple-shaped] and gynoid [pear-shaped] body types, thyroid and adrenal problems, etc.) The course was presented by Joseph Lamb, MD, from the Functional Medicine Research Center in Gig Harbor, Washington. I’ve met Dr. Lamb before and we have an ongoing conversation about homocysteine, vitamin D, methylation, and various other matters. He is a knowledgeable and experienced clinician whose teaching never fails to give me clues in helping my own patients.
Bridging Lifestyle Medicine and Systems Biology in Clinical Practice (New York City, 2/21/2010) Another one day seminar by Jeff Bland, bringing the latest in the sciences of molecular biology, nutrition, nutritional pharmacology, genetics and epigenetics, etc., to clinical medicine. This seminar focused on vascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis.
Louis Klein Homeopathic Seminar — More on Miasms and Nosodes (Excitability, Action, Reaction and Non-action) (Portland Maine, November 6-8, 2009). See below for information on Lou. His work on linking homeopathic methodology to modern concepts of infectious disease is revolutionary.
Infectious Disease, Risk Management, Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence: A Guide for Connecticut Physicians This is a home study course offered to Connecticut Physicians and Surgeons in order to complete mandatory continuing education.
Autoimmune Disease — (October 24, 2009) presented by Dr. Thomas O’Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN, and sponsored by Metagenics, this seminar presented a large amount of scientific studies whiich linked autoimmune diseases to environmental and nutritional factors, including gluten sensitivity. Nutritional Approaches to the problem of autoimmunity, also with documentation in the medical literature, was also reviewed.
Massimo Mangialavori — Dualism, Ambivalence, and Schism (October 17-21, 2009) This is approximately the 20th of Massimo’s seminars that I’ve attended over the past 10 or so years. He places homeopathic theory and practice in a very wide context which includes classical homeopathic data, anthropology, culture, mythology and modern medicine. The current series of courses (twice a year, not all of which have I had the discipline to list here) continue to be a great source of instruction for me. I am invariably able to help some old patients who have not made progress after attending his seminars.
Louis Klein Homeopathic Seminar — Ancient remedies an Nosodes (March 13-15, 2009). Lou is one of the premier thinkers in applied homeopathic philosophy and practice. It is always inspiring for me to attend his presentations. The presented materials never fail to give me ideas for specific patients that I work with.
The Future of the Clinic — New Frontiers in Nutritional Medicine (February 8, 2009) This seminar, presented by Jeff Bland, PhD, one of the premier researchers and thinkers in nutritional medicine, and the head of Metagenics, Inc., focused on understanding and applying new concepts in genetics (and the role of the environment in expressing genetic potential for good or for ill) and inflammation in the clinical problems of cardiovascular health, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and osteoporosis. I also attended an afternoon workshop a couple of weeks later on applying this knowledge in practice.
Environmental Toxins (June 8, 2008) This Detoxification seminar, presented by Metagenics, Inc., focused on the widespread presence of toxic chemicals in the environment, relationships to disease states, and strategies for improving health and treating toxin-related illness.
Unlocking the Secrets of Gluten Sensitivity (Novermber 9, 2008) Presented by Metagenics, Inc., this seminar focused on the widespread effects of gluten sensitivity on human health and disease. In particular, the likelihood that this is a very under-diagnosed condition was explored, and strategies for treatment were discussed. I suspect that gluten sensitivity is important for many patients suffering from multi-system problems which are difficult to treat
Bowel Nosodes (October 25-26, 2008). Presented by Russell Malcolm, M.B.Ch.B., FFHom. Dr. Malcolm is a Scottish homeopathic Physician with a lot of experience and skill in the use of the “Bowel Nosodes.” These homeopathic preparations were developed in the 1920’s and 1930’s by Dr. Bach (more well-known for the “flower remedies”) and Dr. Paterson, among others. In light of modern knowledge and terminology, this is an 11 member set of remedies which can positively impact Intestinal Dysbiosis. The use of antibiotics, hormones such as the birth-control pills, improper diet, chronic stress, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other factors can all combine to alter the normal bacterial populations in the small intestine and the colon, with adverse effects on health. The importance of a “healthy” intestinal micro-flora is being increasingly recognized, even in conventional medical circles. The combination of treating dysbiosis, gluten sensitivity (and other food allergy-type syndromes) should be a very powerful addition to my therapeutic regimens. Six weeks after taking this course, I am already starting to see some gratifying results from using these agents.
Cancer, Medical Malpractice and Primary Care: Improving Skills and Lessening Risks (December 6, 2008) It is legally required that all physicians licensed in Connecticut complete 50 continuing education hours every two years, including “risk-management” hours. While I do not offer primary care, this course extensively discussed the pros and cons of screening in cancers of the Colon and Rectum, Breast, Lung, and Prostate. It was quite interesting. It was also quite clear from the data presented and the reactions of the audience, composed mostly of primary care doctors from the Boston area, that doctors are expected to do more and more in less and less time, and many of them are upset about it.
My Teachers
I first learned of homeopathy from Merideth Lowry, who has since earned a D.O. degree and is in practice in the state of Oregon. I subsequently was aided by two homeopathic physicians from Fairfield County, Franklinn McCoy, M.D., and Dr. Cherian.
I took post-graduate courses at the National Center for Homeopathy summer school in the early 80’s, and was exposed to several more experienced American homeopaths at that time, some of whom had studied under George Vithoulkas, a Greek homeopath.
I subsequently became involved with a professional study-group under the tutelage of a Belgian homeopath, Jacques Imberechts, M.D. From Jacques I learned the structure of a “complete” homeopathic evaluation, and furthered my understanding of homeopathic philosophy as elaborated in Samuel Hahnemann’s classic work, The Organon of Rational Healing. Through this study group, I was also exposed to other well known classical homeopaths from Europe and South America.
Later, I studied with Ananda Zaren, a classical homeopath who had studied extensively under George Vithoulkas but went on to develop her own formulation. Her approach relies extensively on using the non-verbal presentation of the patient to “focus” the case (meaning to understand what really needs to be addressed) to facilitate healing. Ananda has a very extensive knowledge of homeopathic materia medica, and a great ability to perceive the state of the patient. Her use of videotaped cases has strongly influenced my practice.
I have also been helped by the ideas of Jan Scholten, a Dutch homeopath, who has investigated the periodic table of the elements from a homeopathic point of view, and has come up with some very interesting relationships and ideas. Through this work, I have learned to prescribe some remedies I had not previously used.
In the last 10 years, I have been attending seminars and to listen to tapes of previous seminars given by Massimo Mangialavori, M.D., an Italian homeopath who has greatly expanded our understanding of many previously little-known homeopathic medicines, and challenged several commonly held ideas about homeopathic practice. His web site may be reached at www.mangialavori.it
I attended a 2 year course given (2000 – 2002) given by Louis Klein, RS Hom., an experienced homeopath from Vancouver, British Columbia. Together with Massimo Mangialavori and Jan Scholten, they have extended the possibilities of successful prescribing through a variety of concepts and methodologies. Their work, although controversial, will greatly improve the accuracy of prescribing and therefore will result in curative action into a variety of illnesses which we have not been able to help until now.
I have also studied the methodology of Rajan Sankaran, a reknowned Indian homeopath (www.thespiritofhomoeopathy.com). His method involves a concept called “vital sensation.” This refers to a description of the patient’s symptoms “at” the interface of the mind and body. While this can be difficult to apply, the results can be startlingly good.
Most recently I’ve been more formally studying Functional Medicine, primarily as presented by Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D. His website can be found at his Synthesis site. Dr. Bland is a rather amazing individual, who has done a tremendous job at monitoring and presenting a massive amount of current science pertaining to the use of nutrition in the creation and maintenance of good health, and perhaps more importantly in the restoration of health. I’ve written (too briefly) about this in the nutrition article on my website.
Most importantly, I consider my patients to have been my greatest teachers. It is a real honor to be able to witness the healing process in action, and a great challenge to find the correct treatment in more difficult cases.
