While talking to my mother last night, I came to know that her maid’s daughter is hospitalized due to high blood sugar and chest pain. Digging further, learnt that it was most probably the effect of a homeopathic medicine that she was taking for her infertility. Apparently, she was also asked to eat two papayas a day.

Whenever I am prescribed a medication or given a nutritional advice, my first impulse is always to google the hell out of it and make my decisions . How can someone who does not have internet access find out? What if you are illiterate ? In this era of disinformation and misinformation, with every Tom,Dick and Harry spewing nutrition advice, it is a tough call. This is where one should learn to be in control. Research and make your own decisions.

A quick search on papayas says “Carica papaya decreases the rate of ovulation due to a prolonged diestrus phase; thereby, resulting in decreased fertility” . Folk wisdom also says papayas are not be eaten when you are pregnant. In this case, she was trying to get pregnant and the advice was to eat lot of papayas. !! And no wonder her sugar was high!

Homeopathy works for some people, because of its placebo effect. Most often, the so called ingredient is so diluted , much to one’s relief, that it cannot be considered worthy of anything. When I search for homeopathy remedies for fertility , a drug called Sepia (made from cuttlefish ink) shows up. It seems to be able to treat everything under the sun, with varying potency of the drug! That is the problem. Who knows what that homeo practitioner gave her !

On this note, here are a few things to keep in mind

* Research, Read and learn about your medications / concoctions
* Do not believe the so called Social Media nutrition specialists
* Do not believe to WhatsApp forwards
* There is no one solution for all. No, drinking 4 cups of water in the morning is not a cure all.

You have to be in control!