Many children in the U.S. are born this type: indeed about 50% of them start out this way. And it is reflective of the steadiness and stubbornness of a Cal carb. that many of them remain the same throughout their life At birth they are grandmothers' favorites: big babies, with chubby cheeks inviting pinches and (in the grandmother's eye) radiating health and happiness.
Unfortunately, "fat and flabby" can remain a constant symptom, as they struggle with their weight for the rest of their life. But they are cute babies indeed, easily smiling and always having a great appetite (a breast is a pacifier for this baby and they make snacking an art form).
As part of their obstinacy, they have constipation from the beginning of their young life. They can go for days without a bowel movement and that without any sign of discomfort. But watch out when they go! The bowel movements are voluminous and big, no one can believe that all this comes from such a little guy; not infrequently the mother has to break up the stool with a plunger so that it can be flushed down the toilet.
There is no other type as attached to their home as a Calc. carbo. They are not interested in summer camp, especially if it is not right around the corner. I had knew a mother who kept making that mistake. Every summer, her little boy managed to misbehave so much at camp that he was sent home for the rest of the summer, where he then behaved perfectly in the company of a baby-sitter.
As you can see, the Calc. carbo is nice but stubborn. Moving away from a home is a catastrophe. Even if the new house is nicer and bigger, he will always miss that old house, the old neighborhood and his friends. In my practice I have often seen Calc. carbo suffer from a serious disease since moving away from his childhood home.
You have to think of a Calc. carbo person as an oyster (and indeed the remedy is made from the middle layer of the oyster shell): he has a hard shell (his stubbornness), but on the inside is this weak creature (the soft, flabby Calc. carb. person) and often you find a pearl of polished and delicate beauty-his compassionate, sensitive nature. He is horrified when he sees upsetting stories on TV. Often a Calc. carb. person does not read newspapers or turn on the TV for fear of seeing all the cruel things of this world -wars, famines and suffering. It really reflects the Calc. carb.'s great fear of physical harm and pain.
That's why the Calc. carbo child of three or four years old asks those questions about God and "What happens when I die?" Tell him some angels are waiting for him, who are going to play with him, and that there is going to ne plenty of food ( a major concern for a Calc, carb.) He will be perfectly content as long as there is no suffering.
Just like a Phosphorus, a Calc. carbo can be very spiritual and giving, always ready to console people, to listen to their complaints, and then, alas, getting overwhelmed by it.
A Calc. carbo stands for the "F's": fat, flabby, fair, faint, and fearful. We have already discussed the lack of tone in this person ("there is little bounce to the ounce") and hence he is not readily interested in competitive sports, especially contact sports. He is exhausted from any physical effort, especially going upstairs. This includes sexual intercourse. In his thoughts he can be hypersexed, but in reality the act exhausts him as quickly as any other exercise.
Of the other F's, faint stands for the easy fainting this person goes through. As for fearful, nobody has more fears than a Calc. carb. I have already mentioned his fear of physical suffering, but this big, stout person is also fearful of mice, of the future, of death (there might be suffering), of disease (there is definitely suffering), of being alone (especially being away from home and mom), of poverty (no more food and no more safe home), of the dark (especially at night, when they always need a little light; Calc. carbo is a great remedy for the nightmares of children), and fear of changes (he likes routine, old friends, the same barber, the same doctor, etc.).
One sure thing is that a Calc. carb.'s appetite will never fail. He is a glutton and not very choosy about his foods, which can be plain and bland. Of course he never says no to ice cream or pizza, two of his more beloved foods. His wish list also includes boiled eggs and milk (which he tolerates poorly). He generally does not like meat (except for the occasional hamburger), but of course he would not say no to it if there is no other food. Fasting is definitely not in his vocabulary!
A Calc. carbo has a great sense of humor and likes teasing, which he does with an uncanny ability. But he is very sensitive to being teased himself. He can take quite a bit but he has his limits. Often the butt of the jokes at school, he can tolerate it for quite some time. But suddenly he will surprise everyone with a violent outburst-even to the point of killing someone. I have read about some of these unfortunate incidents in the newspapers. It is always incomprehensible to everyone involved that such a soft, mild, gentle child could suddenly kill someone (but no surprise if you know homeopathy!).
The Calc. carbo often shows his slowness early in life (late teething, late closing of the fontanels, late walking, late talking). At school the teacher can have the impression that he is not really intelligent as he will never volunteer to answer questions like the Sulphur (because he knows the answer) or the Phosphorus (anything to be loquacious and in the limelight). He sits in the background, but many times he will surprise peers and teachers alike by understanding everything and coming up withvery logical answers. His logic is down-to-earth.
I had a four-year-old patient who heard his mother saying that his pediatrician had moved. The next time he felt sick, he did not say anything. When the mother finally noticed his fever, she scolded him and asked him, "Why didn't you tell me?" The little fellow had a very logical answer: "My doctor moved, so there is no sense in complaining. He does not live in that office where I used to go."
A Calc. carbo never wants to get pressured into answering things, at school or at home. Even when I asked a little six-year-old Calc. carb., "Who is your best friend?" he answered, "I have to mull this over." (Quite the contrast to the Phosphorus girl who tells me she has fifty friends and can name them all; or the Sulphur boy who would look at me with disdain for asking such a stupid question, thinking "Doesn't he know, I am a Sulphur, so people admire me, and of course everyone wants to be my friend.")
Usually though, a Calc. carbo will tell me he has one very special friend who he prefers to spend his time with. But he never has any problems playing by himself, lining up his little cars against the wall or playing war with all his little characters, in quite an animated way for a Calc. carb. But you have to understand that he is in his own room in his own home, which he feels is his castle.
It is amazing that we see many of these characteristics maintained in the Calc. carbo adult. The Calc. carbo father lives for his family and friends. He loves to play cards and watch football while eating pizza. He adores his wife (who is often a Phosphorus trying to put some spice in his life). The Calc. carb. mother is pleased with staying at home, tending the garden, and driving the children to their various activities. She is the "mother on the block" for everyone who needs a sympathetic ear.
Calc. carbs. might appear naive, slow, and earthbound, but they have an unsurpassed inner beauty in the love they have for people and the earth. There are very stable people, contributing very much to happiness in this world.
A Calc. carbo person is likely to need these acute remedies:
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A Calc. carbo child is susceptible to recurring ear infections, especially those of a Belladonna type.
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When sick or under stress, he is also likely to become more clingy to his mother and demanding of attention, typical of conditions responding well to Pulsatilla.
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One of Calc. carb.'s weak points is weak ligaments and especially a weak back, which he is likely to strain by overlifting, a condition which respond well to Rhus tox (the #1 remedy for lumbago).
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And of course Calc. carbo will also be a good acute remedy for such common Calc. carb. problems as constipation and the ill effects of overwork.
from his book, "The People's Repertory". Reprinted by permission.
Dr. Luc is the author of excellent books on Classical Homeopathy.
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