Breast milk is our first food, creating the bond between mother and child; establishing our relationship with the mother. With only 34% of mothers breastfeeding at six months, the UK has one of the lowest rates of breast feeding in the world. Recent studies highlight the many benefits of breast- milk’s including ‘fewer infections, increased intelligence, protection against obesity and diabetes’. One of the emotional benefits is the connection made in these early development stages of a mammals’ lives helps to support our relationships later in life development within the wider community, finding our ‘tribe’. In current society we see smaller nuclear families or families dispersed geographically. Which have a direct correlation to the essence of our homeopathic Lac remedies. In my opinion mammal milks are a hugely important group to be used in our clinical practice with patients.
One reason for selecting the lac family to illustrate was their connection to our homeopathic bowel nosodes, matridonal and sarcode remedies. I believe having a grounding of the lac family can support our understanding of these other important sub groups. Mammal milks are sarcodes themselves which can be easily overlooked in practice. With our societies relationship to disease and possessing a ‘healthy microbe’ is becoming more prominent within our consciousness, seen in the revival of fermented foods and ‘clean eating’. Clinical research is turning to the gut for answers; from clinical trials with faecal transplants to Parkinson’s disease stem cells found in the gut lining.
Noteworthy here is Fecal Microbiota Transplants (FMT) where patients suffering from C. Difficile ingest pills containing fecal stool samples from healthy donors to replace the good gut bacteria. Results of experimental trials having been very successful in this field treating C.Diff, Chrons, IBD and unrelated bowel conditions such as MS.
When comparing the Lac remedies’ main homeopathic affinities to chronic conditions, we can see correlations between diseases stemming from gut imbalances such as allergies; digestive system, colitis, autoimmune conditions; nausea; headaches; eczema etc. The Lac group’s main affinity is to the mucus membranes; and all membranes have their own unique microbe, from our digestive system, skin, lung bronchi to even our eye lens. Again high- lighting the strong connection between Lac family, matridonal remedies and bowel nosodes.
“When a child is born her bowel is populated by e-coli and other non-lactose fermenting bacteria picked up by the vagina when going through the birth canal’ (O’Sullivan, M. 2007). Lac-humanun is said to follow well morgan pure. (One of our bowel nosodes known to be beneficial for infantile eczema).
Addition to the above reasons for studying the lac family, are they can be easily confused with several of the polycrest remedies such as Natrum’s, Thuja, Magnesium’s, Carbons and many more. See comparison tables and differentiation illustrations earlier in the workbook.
Homeopathic Lac family Themes
One of the main themes is disconnection // separation; this can be felt as being separate from the world. Individuals have delusions, of being of out of their body. Lac-can has the sensation as if floating, a physical sensation where the body and mind are no longer ‘bonded’, there is a separation at the lev- el of the psyche. The theme of separation can be a state of being unable to incarnate; Lac-materum is beneficial for incarnation for an individual patient at any age. In practice we may see a strong connection or bond to the mother, with children (or parents) saying they are my best friend or experiencing separation anxiety. However, the opposite to can be a separation from the mother or abandonment. Forsaken is a keynote and rubric for this group. Iso- lated, alone, loneliness or excluded from ‘the group’ are commonly expressed in cases; this is alike to animals exiling individuals from the ‘herd’. Outcast is another key word, linking the mammal milks to the leprosy miasm.
Lacking and Lac’s; there is a deep sense of ‘lacking’ in individuals requiring a mammal milks. They lack nourishment, nurture, care, love, touch, warmth, bonding, self-esteem. The opposite expression can be individuals ‘over’ caring, ‘over’ giving and ‘over’ feeding others. The mammal ‘feeling’ is cuddles, cosy, warmth, tactile, intimacy vs cold, hard, empty.
The theme shame and self disgust, is highlighted by the well-known remedy lac-caninum; their self-loathing expressed by constant hand washing, aversion to their reflection or observing they cannot bare to touch themselves. The lac group is clinically used in practice for cases of bulimia or anorexia. Which relates back to the physical pathology of digestive issues, assimilation and ‘lack of nourishment’, The sensation is a ‘empty, hollow or internal chill’ in the body which needs to be ‘filled’. This links to the common pathology, ‘failure to thrive’.
The animal kingdom’s theme of dominance // submission is also seen in the lac family. David Liley states there is an ‘essence of acceptance of their present position’; this acceptance may be from an abuse relationship or seen in sexual abuse cases. Issues with hierarchy and ‘being respected or appre- ciated’ can be seen in individuals requiring a mammal milk remedy. Lac caninum feels as if he is being looked down upon. Whereas the ‘big cat’ remedies and their dominate behaviour, may feel disrespected and betrayed by others as their delusion is to be ‘the leader’ and ‘top cat’, many take leadership roles as their occupation.
Evolution of mammal milks
The span of the Lac family is extensive in its mental and emotional picture’s, affinitie’s, physical pathology, and clinical uses due to the nature of each specific mammal source. (see Helios list of lac remedy available). Mammalia are vertebrates and one of our most developed animal species in terms of evolution. Mammalia individuals will discuss their ‘aggressor’, as a direct relationship such as their boss, mother or friend. In comparison with inverte brates, who will express threats from ‘thel outside enemy’, general comments such as ‘they are after me.. the external environment is threating’. This differentiation is due to the development of the central nervous system in vertebrates possessing a back bone for protection. Homeopath Dr M. Ghandi’s work on the Personal Evolutionary Model puts them into the Terrestrial plane, which relates to mammals requiring territory to hunt and feed, giving them both shelter and food sources for survival. The Lac family may not be seen as aggressive as some other animal kingdom families due to the nature of the remedy source being from mother’s milk. The general challenge of ‘survival’ seen in the animal kingdom can be highlighted in Lac’s affinity to digestive issues and modalities of food aversions and cravings. A challenge faced by the animal kingdom is procreation to continue the species survival is reflected in the groups affinities to the hormonal system with clinical uses for PCOS, endometriosis, period issues and hormonal imbalances. Addi- tionally the source breastmilk itself contains several hormones.
The Lac group can be divided in several sub-orders such as prey animals or predators; herd or solitary; domesticated or ‘wild’, carnivora or omnivore. All these sub-orders can hugely change the characteristics of each remedy. Predatory mammals are more aggressive and independent, whilst prey milks are suited to individuals who may be timid, yielding with a tendency to run away and hide rather than ‘fight’. Fighting can be highlighted in patients being aggravated or ameliorated by conflicts; with friends and family (alike the magnesium’s). Herd mammals desire to ‘conform’ alike to ferrum series and follow the herd rules, whereas Puma’s will be independent and may have rebellious world views. However, in regards homeopathic milk sources these mainly come from animals in captivity which could have an impact in regards the emotional expression of submission.
General physicals
The general physical pathology of the Lac family includes allergies (milk, food intolerances); digestive issues, assimilation, vomiting, constipation, colitis, autoimmune conditions; nausea; eczema; headaches; hormonal imbalances; chilly disposition; diabetes; sore throats; herpes etc. This is not an extensive list please research for more sources.
The Lac group of remedies are mainly used in practice as constitution remedies, however all homeopathic remedies can be used when the remedy picture is seen in a patients case. Such as Lac-caninum can be highly affective in acute sore throats and Lac-leoninum in acute cystitis.
Miasms
In regards miasm - The sycotic miasm is common throughout the group however some remedies such as the ‘big cats’, lac-leoninum have been cited as syphilitic. Lac-equinum is described in various books as tubercular. In regards the remedy source being mother’s milk, I would suggest that psora and the cancer miasm are also important to note.
General modalities
The general modalities of the group are worse for < alcohol; < before menses (or have a some agg around the time of menstruation) < or > for eating; < pressure and alternating symptoms for example be throat pain starting on the right and extending to left.
Differentiation of kingdoms
When we look at the lac family’s essence and main essence, they can be compared to themes in the Plant kingdom - Thuja is an important remedy to differentiation against lac’s, as it has many similarities of self-loathing, feeling dirty and a ‘free floating’ anxiety. In also has a connection to a lack of incar- nation and out of body sensations especially regarding sexual abuse cases. The lac family can also express the plant kingdom with their feeling of being scattered. The Lac’s physical pathology of ‘alternating’ or ‘wandering’ reminds us of Ledum’s wandering pains or the plant essence of wanting to evolve in their position. Additionally, the sensitivity of a Lac individual may feel like a plant remedy. However Lac’s are more emotionally detached than a plant remedy due to the theme separation and will have the overarching animal kingdom themes.
In comparison with the Mineral kingdom, they can look alike to gases such as Helium or Hydrogen; who does not want to exist and wants to stay in the womb and Lithium being co-dependant. There must be differentiation between the lac’s and natrum’s due to physical pathology of headaches and the keynote forsaken. However the mineral case is achieving for stable structure and the lac will be achieving for competition or regarding their feelings of be- ing looked down upon. Similarities in the mineral kingdom and the Lac family can be related back to the remedy source of breast milk, which is composed of many of these building block minerals such as magnesium and calcium! As we know drink your daily milk for the daily dose of calcium!
The overall essence of the Animal kingdom is strong in the Lac’s, although the nature of the remedy source, mother’s milk makes them a very distinctive family in their own right. This short examination of the group only highlights some of the main themes of mammal milks however there is much more to delve into and research in regards these dynamic remedy sources. We are privileged to have their energy vibration to support the healing of our patients.
For further reading, sources and homeopaths to delve into see reference list at the back of mammal milk ebook - https://www.kirstinbrugeshomeopathy.com/product-page/