Historic Article

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Homeopathic doctor straddles the fence

Also trained in traditional medicine

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 09/3/2003 5:00 AM | Comments: 0

DR. BALA Varma straddles both sides of the fence. The Henderson Highway homeopath is also trained as a medical doctor. She embraces natural medicine, but only as a complement to conventional treatment.

Varma isn't alone on her views.

According to a 2001 Statistics Canada study, about one in every five people living in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia regularly turn to holistic healers of all kinds for help because they are disenchanted with mainstream medicine. The same study says most Canadians who choose holistic medicine use it as a supplement, not an alternative, to mainstream medicine.

Varma has noticed the trend.

Over the past four years since she began practising homeopathy, she says her patient load is growing steadily, mostly by word of mouth. Her patients include adults and children.

"People come and see me for conditions like allergies, eczema, psoriasis, fatigue," says Varma. "I've had a very good success rate in treating these things."

Varma was trained as a physician in Jaipur, India, and is registered to practise medicine in Britain, where a growing number of conventional doctors are also homeopathic doctors.

What exactly is homeopathy? It's a system of medical treatment that chooses "natural" methods of treating patients. Varma says that means using remedies as opposed to drugs to treat ailments. Homeopathic medicine was founded by German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnermann more than a century ago.

"I treat people on all levels, the physical, metal and emotional," says Varma.

Remedies are plant, vegetable and mineral based. She says they come with no side effects, and are registered with Health Canada. Ailments are treated internally and require patience, she says.

"Treatment is slow. You have to treat like you peel and onion, in layers, healing from inside out," she says. "A medical doctor will treat eczema with creams until only the top layers are cleared.

"If somebody comes to me with eczema I try to clear in from the body."

Part of her treatment often entails nutrition advice.

Varma, who was trained at a homeopathic medical school in Winnipeg, says consumers should make sure they seek a qualified homeopath. The profession is currently unregulated, meaning anyone can call themselves teachers and practitioners of homeopathy.

"Schools are coming up like mushrooms without any standards," says Varma, who has taught at Winnipeg's Holistic Centre. "Anyone can hang a sign calling themselves a homeopathic doctor. It's unfortunate."

She suggests homeopathic doctors should be trained by reputable schools, not by correspondence courses.

"I work with the system, I don't work against. I always send my patients to physicians on a regular basis," she says. "You've got to come at it from both sides."

Varma operates from two locations: 3B-1050 Henderson Hwy. and the Consumer Drug Mart at 35 Lakewood Blvd.

PHOTO MIKE DEAL/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 3, 2003 $sourceSection$sourcePage

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.