Homeopathy for Christmas (2)

Try singing or humming this along to the tune of Jingle Bells - another fun rhyme for Winter colds and chills - enjoy

Homeopathy (to the tune of Jingle Bells)

Winter time is here again
Bringing colds and chills
You can treat it naturally
Using homeopathic pills

If you catch the flu
And your bones do ache
Eupatorium Perfoliatum
Is the remedy you should take

When you lose your voice
You really have no choice
Phosphorus is the remedy name
That will let you sing again

Your tongue resembles a map
And your nose runs like a tap
Here’s a little friendly tip
Natrum Mur will stop the drip

Shivers up and down the spine
So you want to lay supine
Gelsemium is the one to meet
Gets you back up on your feet

When your temperature is high
And you think you’re going to die
Belladonna will bring it down
And alleviate your frown

It’s like a splinter in your throat
And you voice it has a croak
Nit Ac will relieve the pain
So you are happy again

A few well-known remedies
To help you feel at ease
Homeopathy is the medicine of choice
Of its benefits please rejoice

Now it’s time to say
I hope you’ll find a way
To use these homeopathic remedies
When you are ill at ease

© June Sayer 2013

Homeopathy for Christmas

Christmas is nearly here so I thought I would pass on some remedy tips in rhyme to keep you all in good spirits throughout the festive season.

Homeopathy for Christmas 

Leading up to Christmas my homeopathic remedy supply I should check
To keep my friends and family well so they don’t all end up a wreck

The shopping is done, presents wrapped, it is always so much of a rush
When I am in need of a power nap, I will thank goodness for Phosphorus

Definitely need to have some Gelsemium for the fear and anticipation
That food and presents will be well received; it helps allay my agitation

Aconite, the trusted friend when eyes can’t bear the light
For a dry sore throat and hoarse cough that is worse at midnight

Arnica for those bumps and bruises caused by kids falling over toys
Or when muscles ache or my head hurts by listening to all that noise

Little Alice always eats too many sweets and ends up with the squits
I’d better make sure that in my remedy box, I have some Arg Nit

Turkey dinner and Christmas pudding can wreak havoc with the digestion
For all that flatulence and burping Carbo Veg will be my suggestion

She knows it gives her a headache but Patty still craves rich food
She will whinge and whine at anything, Pulsatilla will lift her mood

Greedy Glen drinks too much until it makes him feel sick
Nux Vomica will be close at hand to sort him out real quick

Restless Ron needs some Rhus Tox for his rheumatic pain
It stops him from complaining and the family are happy again

Just in case it’s needed for dear cousin Annabelle
To soothe her jealous disposition I have some Apis Mel

Irene is missing her boyfriend he’s gone travelling to Malaysia
To help her enjoy herself while he’s away she is taking some Ignatia

Hypersensitive Hilary with teenage acne always seems to sulk
To clear her skin and put a smile on her face she needs Hepar Sulph

The festivities have tired me out now back to work I must go
Some Kali Phos will restore my energy and give me a healthy glow

© June Sayer 2013

The Handman - an amazing cure with Homeopathy

This article was first published in the ARH magazine, "Homeopathy in Practice", Summer 2005 edition. Alison Pittendrigh, a UK trained Homeopathy, who runs the Frontline Homeopathy project near Mombasa in Kenya, was the author.

No day of rest
It was a Sunday afternoon, just the time when I don't really want to see a patient. One of the workers told me that a man had arrived with a very sore hand.

"How sore" I asked.
"It's very bad" he replied

I have to admit I sighed. "Very bad" is something that is seen every day here and I really needed a break.

A bit more than just sore
The patient was sweating and clearly in agony. The story he was was that he'd been arrested because he 'd lost his ID card (everyone has to carry one here) and while in prison something had bitten him. It started as a small itchy spot and within two weeks it had turned to this - the flesh across the bridge of his hand had been eaten away and his fingers were beginning to fall off (he is supporting them in the photograph as even through the lens it was hard to look). I could see the tendons and bones behind all the pus and within seconds of removing the old cloth bandage the flies buzzed around us.

He had been released from prison but had nowhere to go, so he had been living in the rough scrub between the main road and my house and someone had told him I may be able to help. What? I thought, no, no, no, not even homeopathy can fix this. He told me he had come to the coast to look for work but had found himself in prison instead. His home town was over 600 miles away.

I had heard a similar story where the person also thought he had been bitten by an insect of some sort. I remembered that in that instance the person had enlisted the help of a witchdoctor who had saved the hand and one finger and thumb. I decided the best thing was to give him the bus fare home, where he would be fed and looked after, some money for a decent meal while he was travelling and suggested he went to see his witchdoctor in his home area. I gave him some remedies.

The remedies
The remedies I chose were:

• Pyrogenium 200c (truly bad meat here)
• Mercurius Viva 200c (eating away at tissues)
• Calcarea Sulphurica 30c (just to keep it all coming)

The remedies were made by machine into one tablet, and I told him to take them as often as he liked really. I gave him enough for 2 a day for about 3 weeks. I also gave him Syphilinum 200c (why did it happen to him?) to take weekly for 4 weeks. I honestly never thought I would see him again and had no expectation of a good result from the prescription. Would it really save his hand?

I took a photograph. It is not something I like to do because it feels so inappropriate and intrusive when a patient is suffering so much, but something was nudging me and the patient himself was not too concerned.

They worked!

Well, imagine my surprise when he returned some months later and showed me his hand. There was only one small hole just at the base of his third finger which was still producing a small amount of pus. I asked him if he had seen the witchdoctor.

"No"
Had he been to hospital?
"No"
What, he only took the remedies?
"Yes"
And he went home?
"Yes"

I wondered if he was just saying that so that I might give him some more money but he said he didn't want any money. He told me he had returned to collect a few possessions and he just wanted to thank me, and to show me his hand. He told me that the pain went within a couple of days and over three weeks he watched as his hand began to heal. He said there was still some pain if he carried heavy items, so I gave him some more Calc-s and suggested he came back if there was still some residual problem.

He hasn't returned - I suspect he has gone home so I really won't see him again.

This is quite an amazing story, and highlights just how, sometimes, especially when we are not expecting anything to happen, it does. It is the amazing power of homeopathy at work.

Wonderful Moments in Homeopathy

A group of my Homeopathy colleagues got talking about some of their 'magic' or 'wonderful moments' in experiencing Homeopathy recently. It started like this, when we were discussing the treatment of Salmonella food poisoning.

I cured Salmonella poisoning once in myself in about 30 seconds with the bowel nosode Gaertner - in a 30c (which contains salmonella). One of those miracle cures we all know about in an acute situation. It went from pain, cramping, sweating, about to throw up - to nothing - in the click of a finger! (Erica)

Oh! Erica! ... aren't those just wonderful moments!  Happened to me many years' ago.  I had an eye problem and, after suffering miserable symptoms all day (and in front of a computer), I was given a remedy and wham! all the symptoms disappeared within seconds!  I was a new patient to homeopathy and I was so impressed. (Anne)

I had a similar 'magic' experience, after my first visit to a Homeopath for my painful gastric ulcers. I was given a remedy before I left, and walking out of his house, towards my car, I could feel the remedy working. I knew something was going on, something healing. And within a few weeks, no more ulcers. Never again was I going to say "Homeopathy? Nonsense, I don't believe it that sort of thing!"

Others soon joined in with their own 'magical' homeopathic moments.

One of my simple and wonderful moments, of the very many, happened when a lady I was working for had a severe reaction to a sun cream that she had used. Her face was completely swollen, puffy, red, eyes swollen and stinging, she said her face felt so tight, she thought it would explode. She had been googling on the internet, reading other peoples experiences, and she was starting to panic.

This was before I qualified, I was at college, but I always carry a bag of remedies with me. I suggested she try Apis 30c and to take a couple more during the day if she needed it.

By the end of the day her face was back to normal and there was a big fuss around the office, about how amazing this was. She said at the time she was now a convert, but I don't know if she ever used homeopathic remedies again. But how wonderful anyhow. (Sylvia)

My friend's daughter, then 17 years old came to visit us, and had such bad period pain she could only sit on the chair with her knees drawn up close. One dose of the remedy, Chocolate, and two minutes later the pain was completely gone. (Marianne)

Which one to pick? I used to be a teacher and had parents' written permission to give homoeopathic first aid on school trips. On a residential visit to France, one boy was allergic to eggs and, having been told that îleflottante contained eggs, went ahead and ate it, thinking it wouldn't have any effect. I was sent for urgently as he was having a bad allergic reaction; I had a limited number of remedies, and thought the nearest I could get was Apis 30c. Another teacher was with me and we both witnessed with amazement what happened next. The remedy touched the boy's tongue and he at once vomited without effort, expelling all the contents of his stomach. After half an hour he was out playing football; that trip to the hospital for treatment for anaphylactic shock was avoided by a wee sugar pill. (Neil)

I had a little finger severely crushed when my front door banged shut. The pain was so excruciating, that I nearly fainted on the door step. My husband gave me Hypericum 10M, every five minutes, and repeated when the pain became unbearable again. The pain had completely gone after two hours. The following day the finger looked completely normal, good pink colour, no signs of bruising at all, apart from a broken nail which just grew up again healthily. (Grace)

Grace almost the exact thing happened to me last week. So glad I knew of hypericum. It was agonising! (Gemma)

The only amazing experience I have had may be a little too wacky for your blog, Steve, but here-goes anyway! I had a wasp sting on one one the fingers of my left had while gardening, went indoors and opened a bottle of Apis which I was holding in the same hand. Before removing a pill the pain vanished and I don't think I bothered to take it. It wasn't even a bee sting! Presumably the energy of the remedy was close enough to my sting for it to work. (Teresa)

(Well, it does sound a bit wacky, perhaps even far-fetched, but I have heard about this so many times it is now difficult for me not to believe something is happening. Remember that most of our skeptic detractors think Homeopathy is nonsense anyway, that there is nothing in any of our remedies. So I thought I would publish your experience - just to annoy them)!

My gardener told me that his mum was behaving in a psychotic way since the menopause and they were about to have her sectioned. At first he said she was obsessed with everything being right and straight and was very bossy so I suggested he give her Arsenicum. It had some effect, then a few days later he told me something.(I can't remember what as it was a few years ago) and I knew it was Sepia. I gave him Sepia 1m for her (she was happy about Homeopathy) and soon after he told me she had completely gone back to normal. (Suzy).

A year or so after qualifying I was seeing a patient who, at the end of the consultation, mentioned that she had been plagued by an ingrowing toenail for some weeks which was making getting about very painful for her. Although I hadn't ever tried this before, as she left I gave her Mag-aust 2M with which Clarke had had so much success. The following morning she rang me with the news that she was delighted to be completely pain free. The pain has never returned. (Peter).

A magic moment that I always quote to patients who ask how quickly remedies can act is the incidence of a fellow student at college who always used to bring her (usually very quiet and contented) baby to lectures. One day he would not settle and fidgeted and cried continuously, despite all efforts because he happened to be cutting his first tooth. Somebody had a Chamomilla 30C in their remedy kit, gave it to the little boy and effect was just like a switch. He became quiet & content again literally in under a second ....! (Sue).

And then, Fiona supplied these, saying that "even though I am fully converted and know how well homeopathy works it still never ceases to amaze me!" I could not agree more.

• 14 years ago, before I really understood homeopathy and used Arnica for bruises and Chamomilla for teething, we were on holiday in Cornwall and met the rest of our friends in the pub.  Our then one year old daughter was screaming her head off, bright red in the face, overtired but refusing to sleep. I gave her one ABC (probably a 6 x or c as I believed then that is all you should give children).  She stopped instantly and fell straight asleep for hours.  The rest of the group were open mouthed and asked whether we had given her valium!! 

• My son, aged 6 decided to undo his shoe laces with his teeth (just as we were rushing out for the theatre), he managed to rip a loose tooth out by what looked like the root.  Blood started pouring from it.  I tried to stop the bleeding with a tissue and pressure, but still pouring. I left him holding the tissue with strict instructions not to get blood on his clothes, gave him an Arnica 200 (in front of my somtimes sceptical daughters) and it stopped instantly, enabling us to get to the theatre on time - and amaze not only me, but the girls too.

• My eldest daughter became fluey November 5 years ago and I perservered with homeopathy for 3 weeks with no improvement.  She was pale, had a cough, no appetite or energy, laying on the sofa all day.  In desperation I went to the GP and of course was given an antibiotic prescription.  I was considering getting antibiotics as I didn't know what else to do when a friend suggested I call her homeopath.  With someone else looking at it from a fresh perspective the correct remedy was chosen (Carcinosin). I gave her the remedy Monday 8pm, by Tuesday afternoon she was playing with her brother and sister, on the Wednesday she started eating and was up and about and Thursday back to school!!  A case to completely disprove placebo effect as an excellent homeopath was treating her, but the remedies tried weren't correct.

• My Dad, a non alternative health believer, suffered severe hayfever from age 17, he tried antihistamines, steroid injections and suffered severely every summer. 25 years ago my mother persuaded him to see Janice Micalef and after one week of remedies - cured!  Every year he takes a few remedies throughout the week for the season and no longer suffers.  He still doesn't really believe in homeopathy though!!

Sadna then supplied these - saying that she had many, many others.

• My friend got a splinter in her finger from gardening which was very painful. One dose of hepar sulph 30c. I rang her the next day to ask how her finger was and she had forgotten that there was a problem with her finger - the pain and splinter had disappeared!

• I hurt my back through a succession of events over a few days which included gardening, hoovering and lifting heavy items. One morning I suddenly found myself unable to sit, stand straight or even move without being in pain.Every position I moved into caused excrutiating pain. One dose of Bryonia 200c and my back straightened within half an hour, second dose few hours later and my back pain had gone completely.

• My husband had been walking through a dusty building site and came home with a feeling of grit in his eyes. Eyes had become red and sore and inflamed, one dose of Aconite 200c took his symptoms away.

• My mum had one of her back teeth removed one dose of Emerald 30c along with Arnica 1M and she was having a full meal couple of hours later - no painkillers taken!

• When my daughter was just over a year old she developed croup which was very frightening, symptoms included heavy loud breathing it felt to us as if she was struggling to breathe, the first time it happened we took her to A&E in the middle of the night and they reassured us she was fine. The next time it happened I gave her a dose of hepar sulph 30c and the symptoms vanished within minutes - just like magic! Since then she has had a lot more homeopathy to build her her constitution.

And so they go on. If you have a magic, or wonderful moment relating to Homeopathy, do tell me about it. They can be made into a regular blog!

'Homeopathy in Practice' - the best Homeopathy magazine?

'Homeopathy in Practice' is probably the best Homeopathic magazine in the world! Well, ASA probably wouldn't like us saying that - but we think it's true - and we don't have too much respect for them and their knowledge of Homeopathy anyway!

For anyone who does not receive this magazine on a regular basis, did you know that we publish sample articles from the magazine following each new publication? For the latest, click here:

http://www.a-r-h.org/Publications/Journal/sampleArts/Bowel%20nosodes%20A%20Bickley.pdf

And for those who would like to have a copy of the magazine, you can subscribed on an annual basis by following this link:

http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm

Do have a look. It really is the best Homeopathic magazine.

They don't want you to know how good Homeopathy is!

In the London borough of Haringey, Gill Turner, a teacher and a qualified homeopath, was asked to start a small homeopathic clinic in a new children’s centre attached to the school. After much hard work preparing the venture she eventually opened a 'non-profit-making' clinic, and immediately attracted considerable interest from both parents and support staff.

However, after three weeks, she was told that the clinic had to be closed as three school governors had threatened to resign unless it did. 

Gill, a member of the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths, said of the situation:

“All I've tried to do is to help families who would otherwise be unable to access complementary health. I'm upset that they will lose the facility, and angry that such a tiny group of influential individuals can make decisions that affect hundreds of people in the community without any kind of democratic process.”

It appears that the clinic may have constituted some sort of 'threat' to some influential and powerful vested interests. 

Although it seems strange that such a safe and effective therapy can cause such a reaction, this is now happening to homeopathy quite frequently. 

In the April 2010 edition of our newsletter, Homeopathy Healthy Medicine, we reported how a small but determined group of ‘anti homeopathy’ campaigners were trying to close our homeopathic hospitals.

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in June 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

How homeopathy restored life in a young dog

Her name was Barra named after the brilliant white sandy beach on the beautiful Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. She was a labrador/collie cross, chosen because we like labradors and the collie genes tend to counteract the debilitating arthritis for which labradors are prone. 

So imagine our devastation when at the tender age of 4 years Barra could hardly get out of her basket in the morning and it was getting worse.

Naturally we visited the vet but he could only suggest very expensive drug treatment administered every month for the rest of her life with no real guarantees of success. Coincidently at this time I was taking an interest in various therapies, one of which was homeopathy. 

Since Barra often struggled with initial movement but gradually limbered up through exercising more, I decided to give her Rhus Tox 6X – a remedy for which the classic symptom is ‘better for movement’.

Was I lucky? Was it a miracle? Over the coming weeks, she became more active, her tail wagging and before long, she was jumping up like a young puppy.

Barra lived very happily for another 10 years and was not affected by arthritis again. She even seemed to relish taking the pill each day as if she knew if was this that was making her better. Through trial and error I tried many potencies of Rhus Tox, but the 6x potency given daily was the one for her.

Needless to say, I now practise as a Homeopath, and have never regretted a moment of it.

Homeopathy Healthy Medicine would like to thank Andrew Wilcox (Rhom, MARH) for his informative and engaging story.

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in June 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

Homeopathy for Bites and Stings

With the long summer days fast approaching, the likelihood is that you’ll be spending more time outside in the garden, and/or undertaking out-door pursuits. This inevitably means that you are likely to encounter more insects than usual, which unfortunately increases your chances of being bitten or stung. 

With this in mind, we’ve put together a short list of homeopathic remedies which may help to relieve the pain and swelling resulting from of a sting, and speed up the healing process.

It is advisable to clean the affected area thoroughly, and extract any sting remaining in the skin. After this initial step, try rubbing Calendula or Hypercal cream into the wound. 

For a more severe reaction, the following remedies taken in tablet form, may help:

Apis – Often effective for both bee and wasp stings. Use when the wound swells, the bite is often red and angry, sting may

burn

Arnica – for bruising and soreness (for example, a horse fly bite directly into a muscle pocket)

Cantharis – use when burning is the overriding symptom to the bite or sting

Hypericum – very effective if the injury is near nerve endings, with shooting pains through nerves

Ledum – helpful if the wound feels cold to touch, or is relieved by cold application

These remedy descriptions are only intended as a guideline, so please consult a registered homeopath for individualised treatment. 

To find a practitioner near you, please visit our website: 

www.a-r-h.org/FindMembers/find.php

Please note, if you experience serious symptoms after being stung, such as breathing difficulties or a racing heart, consult a doctor without delay.

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in June 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

Homeopathy Trials and ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, and it affects around one child in every school class. 

Sufferers of ADHD often display impulsive and disruptive characteristics and are frequently described as overactive, inattentive, aggressive and uncontrollable, with poor learning skills.

A succession of clinical trials surrounding the application of homeopathy to sufferers of ADHD have been researched and published. It took 263 children diagnosed with the disorder, and the results suggest there were considerable positive outcomes for those that were treated with homeopathic remedies - the children’s moods were more stable and their short term memory was vastly improved. 

Simultaneously, the children themselves felt their condition to be far better. The trials also concluded that the beneficial effect experienced as a result of homeopathy, continued long after treatment had been completed.

Up to 64 % of parents of children with ADHD choose complementary and alternative med- icine (CAM) to treat their offspring. 

No serious side-effects have been reported as a result of these homeopathic trials. 

By contrast, the US Food and Drug Administration have issued a warning that conventional ADHD drugs may cause cardiovascular disease. This suggests that homeopathy offers a safer form of treatment for ADHD than conventional drugs, a fact which could be one of the main contributing factors for parents choosing homeopathy for their children, rather than conventional interventions. 

For more information see:

www.homeopathy-ecch.org

and

www.healing-arts.org

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in June 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

Find a local Homeopath

Go to www.a-r-h.org

Homeopathy, Grass Pollen and Hay Fever

The grass is always greener without Hay Fever! This blog focusing on hay fever arising from grass pollen. It is believed that 95% of hay fever within the UK is caused by grass pollens. 

This type of hay fever starts at the beginning of June and peaks around mid-July, although these times may vary, depending on weather conditions and other contingency factors.

Pollen is vital in the reproduction of plants and trees, etc., and the wind is the carrier of the male DNA to the female. To ensure the pollen reaches its destination, plants release a much higher dose of pollen grains than are actually required for the process, so, along with wind direction, these are the two main factors that dictate the pollen count.

Plants release pollen twice a day (in the early morning and late afternoon) and depending on the direction of the wind it has been known to travel many miles from it's source (it has been gathered 200 miles out to sea and even two miles high in the atmosphere). Arising from the prominence of wind direction it is regarded that the West coast of the UK has lower pollen counts than the East, whilst the Midlands and central England have some of the highest in the country.

For those of you who suffer from hay fever, the summer months can represent sheer misery. You may find homeopathy can help to ease some of the specific symptoms that you may be experiencing. 

Ideally you should consult with a registered homeopath for an individualised treatment programme, but you may find the following remedies help to bring some relief.

Gelsemium - achey, flu-like symptoms
Mixed grass pollen - can be used on its own or in alternation with an indicated

remedy 

Wyethia - itchy upper palate, throat and ears

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in June 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

Find a local Homeopath

Go to www.a-r-h.org

Van Gogh's Impression of Homeopathy

If you managed to visit the recent Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy in London, you may well have seen “Still Life with a Plate of Onion”; the first painting by Van Gogh after the infamous mutilation of his ear. 

The picture depicts a coffee pot, an empty bottle of absinthe, and a handbook on homeopathy! 

This serves to remind us of the difficulties and illness that had become such a prominent part of the artist’s life. As was common in the late 19th century, Vincent van Gogh, along with many other impressionist painters such as Cezanne, Pisarro, Manet and Renoir, sought help and advice from a homeopathic practitioner. 

The impressionists physician of choice was Paul Ferdinand Gachet, who assisted in Renoir’s recovery from pneumonia and helped alleviate Van Gogh’s anxiety, following his discharge from a mental asylum in St Remy, France. 

It was during his time under the care of this homeopath, that Van Gogh painted 70 paintings in 70 days! As a consequence, art historians cite this period of Van Gogh’s life, to be his most productive.

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in June 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

Leptospirosis, Weil's Disease in Cuba

Each year, during hurricane season, many people throughout the world face flooding, homelessness and often disease; and Cuba is no exception. When the hurricanes hit each Autumn, flooding can often contaminate drinking supplies and the bacteria found in the water can frequently lead to Weil’s disease. 

Weil’s disease is also known as Leptospirosis which regularly results in a variety of symptoms including fever, muscle aches, jaundice, headaches, abdominal pains, diarrhoea and sometimes even death.

As Cuba is still subject to heavy embargoes from the United States, they have been economically restricted to sustain themselves on miniscule budgets throughout all areas including health. With an annual problem of Weil’s disease and limited finance to provide all those potentially affected with allopathic vaccinations, the Ministry of Public Health, embarked on distributing homeopathic remedies to 2.4 million Cubans in the most affected regions of the country. This campaign comprised of administering two doses of a preventative treatment to these inhabitants.

From this mass research, it became apparent there were several key advantages to this method over conventional treatment. 

Firstly, the cost of the campaign was US $200,000 - significantly lower than the customary vaccination of US $3,000,000. 

Simultaneously, producing the homeopathic treatment was far quicker than that of a vaccine (the 5 million doses required for the project was manufactured within a week), whilst managing the distribution of the doses did not require medical assistance and hence it was more efficient when accessing affected areas.

Most importantly, however, was the success of the study in terms of recorded illnesses and deaths attributed to Weil’s disease. According to reports, there was an 80% reduction in the prevalence of Weil’s disease in the affected regions where the homeopathic remedies were distributed, with only 10 cases of the infection recorded, in comparison to the usual several thousand whilst no deaths were documented.

(Information taken from an article in 'Homeopathy In Practice', Autumn 2009, the ARH's professional magazine)

Exams? Nerves?

It’s that time of the year again!

It is May, so it can only mean one thing - the exam season is just around the corner! And with the dreaded assessments looming, many a student will be pre-occupied over the coming weeks with revision and practising old past papers. 

As a result, stress and anxiety levels are bound to be on a high and so while you or your loved ones are getting ready to hit the books, we asked some homeopaths what remedies they suggest to calm the nerves and make sure the exam season goes as smoothly as possible. 

Please note the following homeopathic remedies are only a guideline that you may find helpful. As you will see, each remedy is known by their Latin name and for ease, we have detailed key symptoms that you may be experiencing and for which the remedy may help to alleviate.

Aconite. Fear (rabbit in headlights!), panic, restlessness, very thirsty

Anacardum Orientale. Brain fag and exhaustion from studying

Arg Nit. Craves sweets, diarrhoea, thinks he/she will fail

Cocculus. Dizzy from too much studying in to the small hours, Nausea

Gelsenium. Shakes like a jelly, butterflies in the stomach, feeling of a

band around the head, feels better for urinating

Kali Phos. Worn out from too much studying, nervous, feels better

having eaten

Lycopodium. Lacking in self esteem, feels dyslexic, irritable, domineer-

ing, indecisive

Phos Ac. Mental exhaustion through studying, homesick, indifferent

In addition, you may also find Rescue Remedy to be a useful source when trying to achieve a sense of calm and focus in any stressful situations from exams to interview nerves. Rescue Remedy is available in most health shops and some high street pharmacies.

Other helpful tips to combat exam anxiety include:

1. Staying focused on the task in-hand; prepare clear revision plans and stick to them 
2. Remain positive throughout the exam season; an optimistic attitude will go a long way 
3. Keep things in perspective and don’t bottle your feelings up 
4. Refrain from drinking too much caffeine, carbonated soft drinks or processed food with a high sugar content or preservatives. Instead indulge in fresh fruit and vegetables that is said to help reduce stress 
5. Continue to exercise during the revision period, preferably in the fresh air. Also make sure you maintain a regular and suitable sleeping pattern

This article was originally published in 'Homeopathy Healthy Medicine' in April 2010. This is a free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm.

Can't get a doctor's appointment?

If so, you are not alone!

The health insurers, National Friendly, recently conducted a survey to investigate the public’s attitude towards the NHS and the service they receive from their GPs. From the findings 21% of those surveyed felt they were unable to access Doctor’s appointments within a suitable timeframe. This frequently meant that a vast proportion of those surveyed (83% in fact) admitted to researching their symptoms on the internet before even arriving at the Doctor’s surgery.

Since it is commonly believed that the10-minute allotted appointment time is not long enough and GPs are often deemed too dismissive when discussing their patient’s health concerns, it comes as no surprise to find that 28% of the survey participants felt more comfortable listening to a diagnosis from a colleague or friend than actually visiting their GP. 

With British lifestyles becoming far more hectic over recent years, the emerging theme from the research suggests that the public are looking for faster and more informative ways of answering their health queries with 35% of those questioned feeling that the internet fulfills this requirement. 

But with the public placing so much emphasis on generic internet websites or untrained friends, surely this is the time for the NHS to actively inform the public about other therapies, including homeopathy, that are readily available to them.

(National Friendly website; Stylist magazine)

This article was originally published in April 2010 in 'Homeopathy, Healthy Medicine', the free newsletter published by ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm

The price the public pays for pharmaceutical drugs

With GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) currently battling a governmental lawsuit in the US over the production and marketing of Avandia, a drug for diabetes, it is little wonder that some members of the public have become disillusioned with the pharmaceutical industry. 

A report by the Senate Finance Committee has stated that GSK knew Avandia was linked to thousands of heart attacks but despite this, hid the information from the public and attempted to intimidate doctors and researchers that questioned the drugs safety. 

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007, patients who took Avandia were 43% more likely to have cardiovascular problems. In addition, the current report by the Senate Finance Committee has stated that by taking an alternative “safer” drug, 500 heart attacks and 300 cases of heart failure every month in the US would have been prevented.

Naturally, this case highlights the duty that pharmaceutical and healthcare companies have to warn patients about potential side-effects and adverse reactions. At the same time, this appears to suggest that some organisations are prepared to go to considerable lengths in order to boost their profits.

(The Wall Street Journal; Natural News)

This article was original published in Homeopathy Health Medicine in April 2010. This is a free newsletter published by the ARH, and available at http://www.a-r-h.org/publications.htm

For more up-to-date information on Avandia click here.
and also here.

Burns and Scalds. Homeopathy to the rescue

If you spent much of December in  the kitchen, preparing all the food for friends and family over the festive period, then you may have been unfortunate enough to burn yourself as you wrestled the weighty turkey out of the oven or checked the mince pies. 

Homeopathy can be very effective in treating minor burns or scalds by applying a variety of creams to the affected area. 

If the burn stings and is painful but has not blistered externally try rubbing Urtica, Calendula or Hypercal carefully on to the burnt skin immediately  after the burn occurs.

NB. Skin must be absolutely clean when using Calendula or Hypercal. If you only have the tincture of the above remedies: dilute one part tincture to ten parts water and apply frequently until the pain subsides. 

For more serious burns that have started to blister, take Cantharis 30c (in tablet form) hourly, remembering to drink plenty of liquid as the loss of body fluids through burnt skin causes dehydration.

Please note, however, that if the burn covers an extensive area of the body (5% or more), SEEK MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE AT ONCE, but whilst waiting for extra help, take Cantharis as 30c or Causticum 30c (tablet form) every 15 minutes.

The obvious physical ailment being treated is the burn but do not forget emotional shock can often play a large part in the event and, as a result, this may need to be addressed in addition to the burn.

There are two very effective homeopathic remedies for shock - Arnica and Aconite - which, if you are not sure which remedy is best indicated, can be taken in alternation with each other. Take one tablet of Arnica 30c in alternation with one tablet of Aconite 30c, every fifteen minutes for up to six doses. 

The Bach Rescue Remedy can also prove useful and this may be more readily accessible to you. Please note, if shock symptoms persist seek professional help without delay.

(Homeopathy for Common Ailments by Robin Hayfield)

This article first appeared the Homeopathy Healthy Medicine newsletter in January 2010. The ARH offers this to all Homeopaths as a free newsletter.

Homeopathy for Frost-Damaged Plants

Frost and snow are prolific at this time of year, as are the sudden changes in temperature which can occur in the shortest of time frames. 

The snow,while acting as a warming blanket and protecting plants from the extremes of frost, also makes any garden have a fairy-tale quality. 

Frost, on the other hand, hinders plant growth and kills tender plants, which are unable to take up water and therefore die from lack of moisture. Frost also causes water in plant cells to freeze resulting in damage to the cell walls. These problems are often made worse when tender plants face the early morning sun and the heat which causes them to defrost too quickly, rupturing their cell walls still further.

Distinguishing which plants have been frost-damaged is relatively easy as their growth becomes limp, blackened and distorted. Evergreen plants often turn brown and the leaves of tender plants appear translucent. 

Since prevention is always better than cure it is advisable to cover up susceptible plants with straw mats or cardboard on frosty nights. If, however, this is not possible, try watering your damaged plants with a homeopathic preparation of agricultural Magnesia Carbonica – Mag Carb 6X (available from www.homeopathyplus.com.au). 

Mix ten drops in one litre of water, shake vigorously for about a minute and then add a further twenty litres of water to the mix before spraying on your plants but please ensure this procedure is applied only once the frost has completely thawed. 

Information taken from the book "Homeopathy for Farm and Garden". Valunthanath das Kavaraj.

This article first appeared the Homeopathy Healthy Medicine newsletter in January 2010. The ARH offers this to all Homeopaths as a free newsletter.

Aconitum napellus – Homeopathic remedy to take at the beginning of an illness

Aconite, commonly known as ‘monk’s hood’, is a tall, very poisonous plant which has attractive, hood shaped, blue flowers. It belongs to the family Ranunculacee, and grows in shady, mountainous areas across most of northern and central Europe. 

The homeopathic remedy is made at the start of flowering from the whole plant, including its highly toxic root. It is believed that local people used to dip the tips of their arrows in a preparation of Aconite when hunting wolves, hence the plant’s other name, wolf’s bane.

Consider Aconite as a remedy to take for the early stages of any illness, especially if the symptoms come on suddenly, or the patient has recently become chilled as a result of being exposed to cold, dry winds. 

The symptoms can include aches, pains, colds, coughs, sore throats, flu, chills and fever. 

An example of the rapid onset of symptoms could be that your child is playing quite happily one moment, and then suddenly becomes fractious and feverish just a few moments later. 

Great anxiety and restlessness often accompany a typical Aconite fever. The patient may feel very hot internally, but chilly externally, with dry skin except for covered areas, which become sweaty. They can also be extremely thirsty and drink large quantities of water, often observing that everything tastes bitter, except for water, which just tastes odd. 

The typical Aconite cold comes on suddenly, and is characterised by sneezing, a hoarse croupy cough, and a throat which is painful, red and swollen.

Aconite is especially helpful for people suffering from symptoms associated with sudden shock, fear, or fright. 

So if, for example you suddenly experience a painful, burning, bursting headache following a shock or trauma, Aconite may well be the indicated remedy for your condition. 

The Aconite ‘fear’ expression is characterised by a staring, startled, glassy eyed look (‘rabbit in the headlights’ syndrome), and the patient is in obvious distress. The 30C potency can be taken every half hour for up to four doses, then reduce as symptoms improve.

Our thanks to Pauline Start for helping to compile this article. See Pauline’s web site for more information: www.healthandhomeopathy.com

Homeopathy and Nosebleeds

Although nosebleeds are idiopathic, meaning there is often no identifiable cause, one in seven people will develop a nosebleed at some time in their lives. These can occur at all ages,although they are customary with children between 2 and10, and adults aged 50 to 80.

Nosebleeds tend to occur more often during the winter months and in dry, cold climates. This is because children are more likely to have colds during this period, and the subsequent nose blowing can often trigger a bleed. Moreover, the drying effect of central heating can cause irritation of the delicate mucous membrane which lines the nose. This then becomes inflamed, crusted or cracked and is much more likely to bleed.

Nosebleeds are generally harmless and stop of their own accord. If anyone in your family suffers, you are advised to tip their head forward, ensuring it is held up well above the level of the heart. Encourage  the patient to breathe through their mouth while you pinch the soft part of the nose, just below the bony part, whilst pressing the nose firmly towards the face. This position should be kept for five minutes or until the bleeding stops.

If the bleeding persists, try one of the following remedies: 

Arnica – re-absorbs the blood of nosebleeds resulting from an injury.

Phosphorous – an all-purpose haemorrhage remedy, particularly useful for persistent nosebleeds that pour without warning or reason

If the nosebleed continues for more than half an hour or so apply a cold pack of ice to the face continuing to pinch the nose whilst seeking medical advice from you local homeopath or your GP.. 

And now, to Detox

The Christmas baubles have been packed away in the loft for another year, the grandiose celebrations of the New Year have passed and many people are concentrating their time and energy on detoxing from fatty foods and alcohol, at the same time as attempting to return to the weight they were before the festive season began!

Our attention, however, should not only focus on reducing our body weight. We should also consider consuming foods which help prevent disease and maintain health. 

It has long been understood that a Mediterranean diet - rich in vegetables, fruit, fish and olive oil - is far better at combating heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions than the processed food now occupying most of the Western shopping market aisles. 

The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths, with this in mind, has looked at recent research into the foods we eat and the positive effects the consump- tion of same has upon our well-being. You will find, listed below, certain conditions alongside foods, which will help in the fight against these conditions, and which can consider adding to your regular diet.

Alzheimers Disease. Brussels sprouts, shellfish, apple juice, olive oil

Cancer.  Brussels sprouts, brocolli, seaweed, rhubarb

Diabetes (type 2). Grapefruit, pink grapefruit, black tea, blueberry juice

Heart problems - watermelon, eggs, oily fish, beetroot juice, dark chocolate, grapes, almonds, flaxseed

High Cholesterol - eggs, almonds, flaxseed 

Hypertension (Raised blood pressure). Watermelon, beetroot juice, dark chocolate, grapes

Prostate cancer.  Pomegranate Juice

Stress - walnuts, walnut oil, oily fish

If you would like to read a more detailed review of the findings and additional information about foods, please read the December 2010 issue of ‘What the Doctors Don’t Tell You’.

This article first appeared the Homeopathy Healthy Medicine newsletter in January 2010. The ARH offers this to all Homeopaths as a free newsletter.

Are You Resisting Antibiotics this year?

Antibiotics have been life-savers, and reduced illness and suffering in the past. But, as with most conventional pharmaceutical drugs, they come with risks. There is, every winter, a seasonal increase in the number of antibiotics prescribed to the public.

The widespread use of such medication has contributed, over the past few decades, to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria whereby short courses of antibiotics can leave normal gut bacteria harbouring drug-resistance genes for up to two years after treatment. 

It was previously believed that the impact of antibiotics was short-term and normal health would be restored several weeks after completing a course of antibiotics. 

But Swedish scientists have now confirmed otherwise. The Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control states - “this could reduce the success of future antibiotic treatments and lead to new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria".

So, with this in mind, finding alternative ways to treat common ailments and illnesses will enable you to regain your health in a risk-free environment, whilst continuing to maintain a natural defence for any future illnesses. 

Homeopathy helps to stimulate the body’s healing response instead of causing imbalances through the use of antibiotics - an artificial medicine unable to differentiate between friend and foe in the bacteria within the body.

To find out more about homeopathy and how it can help you, please visit our website at:

www.a-r-h.org.

To find your nearest homeopath:

Go to www.a-r-h.org and click ‘Find a Homeopath’, and search by town, county or postcode.

This article first appeared the Homeopathy Healthy Medicine newsletter in January 2010. The ARH offers this to all Homeopaths as a free newsletter.

Why not try walking as a New Year's Resolution?

January heralds the start of a new year and is the opportune time to reflect on the past and decide on any changes which you may wish to make for the future. 

The ritual of making New Year resolutions began circa 153 BC when Janus, a mythical king of early Rome, was placed at the head of the calendar. The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back, thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. 

So, at midnight on 31 December, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new, which led to the introduction of resolutions. 

Nowadays, resolutions are synonymous with the New Year and the most common are those associated with health. These include losing weight and taming the festive bulge, quitting alcohol and/or smoking and generally getting fit.

An easy and completely inexpensive way of exercising, which in turn will help to trim the post-Christmas waistline, is to take up walking. An investigation into the walking habits of 299 volunteers over a four year period has shown that people who walk at least six miles a week have larger brains and a better memory capacity by the time they reach retirement age than their non-walking counterparts. 

The research, which was undertaken at the University of Pittsburgh, concluded, at the end of the four-year trial, that 40% of the volunteers had developed cognitive impairment of dementia but those who walked the most had cut their risk in half.

(WDDTY - December 2010 or www.goalsguy.com/events/n_facts.html)

This article first appeared the Homeopathy Healthy Medicine newsletter in January 2010. The ARH offers this to all Homeopaths as a free newsletter.

Vaccine Free. 111 Stories of Unvaccinated Children

Andreas Bachmair is a German homeopath living in Switzerland, and calls this ‘an informal piece of personal research’. He established a website focused on vaccination which, 10 years later, was translated into English as http://vaccineinjury.info. Through this, 15000 people from all over the world filled in questionnaires to take part in a large-scale survey about health and vaccines, and health without vaccines.

The book is made up of people’s own comments and observations told in their own words. As such I find it a useful addition to the more medical books that are available. Rather than being statistics based it is very human. It is a pooling of experience and wisdom from the real world of families and their lives in their communities.

One mother says (p152), 

"As a speech and language pathologist in the pediatric setting I have seen many cases of children having seizures within 36-72 hours following routine vaccinations with a traumatic regression in the child’s brain and language and overall development".

From her research another reports Dr W Sears in the US saying that the AMA states that 25 micrograms is the maximum recommended exposure to aluminium for an infant but that the Hep B vaccine routinely given to newborns contains 250 micrograms -1000% more.

There are many instances of parents describing how much research they undertook and how very pleased they are to have healthy thriving children. Many recommend others to look into both sides of the argument. No parent has regretted his or her personal decision.

I think there is real value in this style of book about subjects such as vaccination where parents can feel, and often are, isolated if they choose to do something other than follow the mainstream path. It is a sharing of thoughts and feelings – describing how it is for the people writing. Not ‘you should’ but ‘we did’.

Whilst many of the contributions are from the parents of younger children, particularly striking to me were the families where 2 or 3 generations were vaccine-free (and often used very little conventional medicine at all). It seemed to suit them! It will be interesting to read about the younger families as their children grow up.

Andreas says "Whether you choose to vaccinate is and should solidly remain your own personal decision" and this book is clear and easy reading which makes it, I think, an especially suitable book for expecting and new parents who are faced with this decision about their children’s well being.


Margaret Haynes BSc Hom 
Member of The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths
Naturopathic Nutritionist
CEASE Therapist