Malnutrition is when there is an imbalance between a person’s nutritional intakes and his/her nutritional needs.

Malnutrition comes in many forms –

1. STUNTING – People are too short for their age
2. WASTING – People who are too thin for their height
3. OBESITY – People are overweight

Presentation of malnutrition –

1. Pain and dryness in mouth and throat
2. Difficulty in swallowing
3. Altered taste
4. Weight loss
5. Diarrhoea/ Constipation
6. Nausea/ Vomiting
7. Poor appetite
8. Fatigue
9. Easy satiety

Clinical effects of Malnutrition –

1. Ventilation – loss of muscle and hypoxic responses
2. Liver fatty change
3. Impaired wound healing
4. Impaired gut integrity and immunity
5. Anorexia
6. Loss of strength
7. Hypothermia
8. Immunity – increased risk of infection
9. Psychology – depression

Scope of homoeopathy – Increase immunity and absorption of the nutrition.

THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT –

1. CALCAREA CARB –

• Ill effects of overwork , worry , poor nutrition , aging , loss of vital fluids , suppressed sweat , strain , overlifting.
• Suited to persons of scrofulous type who take cold easily with increased mucous secretions, children who grow fat, are large bellied with large head, pale skin , chalky look.
• In all cases where there is improper nutrition and indigestion. Pituitary and thyroid dysfunction.
• There is also ravenous hunger and feeling of emptiness immediately after meal and in early morning.
• Craving for eggs and indigestible things. Milk disagrees, sour vomiting of large curds.
• Much perspiration , wets the pillow.
• Cold damp feet. Weakness of ankles in children.
• Children’s diarrhoea with ravenous appetite.
• Better when constipated.

2. SILICEA –

• Constitution which suffer from deficient nutrition due to lack of assimilating power, oversensitive physically and mentally.
• Corresponds perfectly to cases of rickets, scrofulous rickety children
• Children with large head , open fontanelles and sutures, much sweating about the head, which must be kept warm
• Distended abdomen, weak ankles , slow in learning to walk
• Scrofulous children who have worms during dentition.
• Diseases of bones , cartilages, decay and necrosis, softening of bones.
• Skin unhealthy , even injuries festers. Discharges – offensive.
• Ill effects of checked foot sweat, loss of fluids, injuries, vaccination.
• Modalities – > wrapping the head, warm room , profuse urination , magnetism. < change of weather, cold air, draft, damp weather, uncovering, mental exertion.

3. ABROTANUM – 

• Emaciation in lower limbs. An intense indigestion and morbid appetite. The child is very flaccid.
• There are burning, gnawing, constricting pains and sometimes vomiting of offensive matters.
• A peculiar sensation as if stomach were hanging or swimming in water.
• Marasmus of children, malnutrition with failure to thrive.
• Very useful remedy in marasmus of lower limbs only yet with a good appetite.
• Metastasis of symptoms or states. Rheumatism from suddenly checked diarrhoea. Alternation of constipation and diarrhoea.
• Metastasis of mumps , child had mumps , the mumps went away and then the testicles swell up .
• Irritable, depressed , hyperactive.
• < cold air , checked secretions especially diarrhoea, at night.

4. IODUM

• Iodum individual is exceedingly thin, dark with enlarged lymphatic glands.
• Has voracious appetite but gets thin. Tubercular type
• Rapid metabolism . Hungry with great thirst.
• > after eating , eats ravenously yet emaciates.
• Great debility , slightest effort induces perspiration.
• Feels always too hot , craves cold air.
• Acute exacerbation of chronic inflammation.
• Atrophy or induration of testes, ovaries , uterus
• Excited and restless.

Worked By – Dr. Nazia Ansari (BHMS)