STOP to Eat Chocolate.

STOP to Eat Chocolate.

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Homoeopathic Proving of Chocolate
by Jeremy Sherr,
Dynamis School The Society of Homoeopaths,
2 Artizan Road,
Northampton, NW 1 4HU, U.K.
Paperback 195 pages
Reviewed by Lorraine Taylor
Chocolate, who hasn't succumbed to its delicious temptations? Reviewing this book from the very heart of chocolate country, I now know why I always eat tons of chocolate while sitting at the computer. As a big bomb comes up on my screen after doing hours of "unsaved" work - I always knew my computer didn't love me!
Jeremy Sherr is one of the few experts on provings in the homoeopathic world. Here he doesn't just present us with a list of dry symptoms, but tempts us right from the cover page with its pile of half eaten chocolate. I never realised chocolate had such an interesting history from the Mayan's through the Aztecs, to its arrival in Europe in 1528 Sherr takes us on a fascinating journey. He considers the health myths of chocolate and the idea of being "naughty" for nibbling chocolate. The biggest theme in the history of chocolate however, is its associations with love and romance. We give chocolates to our sweethearts, advertisements exploit its romantic associations, and psychologists see chocolate as an emotional substitute for love. Then low and behold we discover that chocolate contains the same biochemical (phenyletylamine) as that which the brain secretes in such "states of euphoria" as being in love!
"One cannot deny that chocolate is a very sensuous experience combining the senses of smell, taste and touch. It just melts in your mouth, gradually softening and enveloping the taste buds"... ahh, However, before you reach for that next bar of chocolate, let your taste buds consider this.
Since it is apparently impossible to prevent cockroaches from contaminating the vats in which chocolate is manufactured, the American Food and Drug Administration specify that up to 4% by weight of chocolate may legitimately contain "cockroach parts"!
Sherr has more anecdotal information and some fascinating reports from chocolate lovers before launching into the methodology and substance of the proving.
(A more detailed discussion of methodology will be published separately by Sherr in the near future.)
Surprisingly the theme of romantic love was not strongly represented in the proving but expressions often revolved around family issues and raising children, nourishment and breast feeding and motherly love. "The dichotomy between animal instinct and over-civilised behaviour is obvious throughout the proving". Sherr discusses this briefly by looking at the main remedies with desire for chocolate.
The book ends with a "chocolate repertory" and as Sherr says "I leave the rest to your own study and interpretation"... and digestion.
Homoeopathic Links - Summer 1994


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