What is constitutional prescribing?

    The word constitution comes from the Latin word constituere or constitute, which means to set up, to establish, to form or make, to appoint, to give being to.

Constitution is the makeup of the person, it is our basic nature. The way one reacts, one's temperament, one's mood, physical appearance, patterns of thinking. The constitution has weaknesses and strengths. One cannot behave differently, than  according to his constitution. If we face these coded constitutional features and adapt them in a conscious way, then they are for our own benefit, and they no more appear as hindrance.

Philip Bailey in his book, Homeopathic Psychology describes the psychogenesis and psychodynamics of the remedies and writes that the majority of people remain in the same constitutional state for the whole of their lives.

My opinion is that one is born with a basic constitution, that may change through the traumas in life. According to Eizayaga one's basic constitution is the Genotype, which can change to Phenotype. And that altered state needs to be addressed, treated first. The fundamental states may change and pile up on each other, like skins of an onion. It is not enough to give the constitutional remedy. Eizayaga distinguishes between 1. the “Soil”- the nosode, the “Constitutional”-this is what one is when born, 2.the “Fundamental” is a layer, a trauma in life, 3.the “Lesional” is when there are physical symptoms. The “Lesion” must be treated first and then the “Fundamental”. If the “Lesional” and the “Fundamental” is the same remedy then everything gets better.

There is nothing pathological in the constitution, constitutional characteristics are not symptoms. Giving constitutional remedy can prevent future ailments, can strengthen the life force.Constitutional remedies improve the person's health in all aspects.When the constitution and the totality of symptoms are matching, that is the ideal situation.

Hahnemann also wrote about that certain type of people will respond better to certain remedies. But it was Kent who gathered much information about constitutions. According to him the constitutional remedy corrects one's constitutional imbalances and susceptibilities, inherited or acquired. 

 When did we receive our basic constitution and what factors cause changes?

We received our basic constitution at the time of conception. It is fixed in our genes.

   The main factors of influence are: 1. motther's mental and physical health during pregnancy, 2.problematic birth(trauma at birth), 3. vacciations, 4. emotional shocks/traumas, 5. morbid external influences leading to diseases, 6. physical traumas, 7. bad living conditions, 8. unnatural, unhealthy lifestyle, 9. bad dietary habits, 10. bad hygiene, 11. problematic personal relations in the family and in a wider circle of relationships.

Because of this it is best to treat prospective parents before conception, if possible - both partners!