How to protect yourself from the sun through homeopathy

With the strawberries and cream season now upon us and the school holidays in full swing, chances are you may be exposing yourself to the sun over the coming months. 

Naturally, in order to prevent any ill-effects which the sun and heat may cause, we suggest that you drink regularly to keep yourself hydrated, only expose yourself to the sun for short periods at a time and protect yourself with sun cream, re-applying frequently, especially after swimming.

Despite these preventative measures, if you do happen to find yourself unwell due to the heat and sun that you have experienced, below are a few remedies which may be able to help. 

Please note, however, that these are only a guideline and so consult with a homeopath for a more specific course of action. 

Alternatively, if you do not have any remedies to hand and are suffering from sunburn, try applying cold tea, cool whole milk or plain yoghurt to the affected areas.

To relieve a throbbing headache from excess sun exposure and sunstroke try:

§Belladonna 30c

§Glonoinium 30c

To ease sun burn, gently rub the following creams into the areas which have been exposed and are irritating:

§Aloe Vera

§Calendula

§Hypercal

§Urtica

The ARH would like to wish everyone a very happy holiday. 

This article first appeared in the ARH Newsletter, "Homeopathy Healthy Medicine".

Fragrance Allergy and Homeopathy

“You could wear a plastic bubble on your head and an oxygen tank on your back!” The general practitioner laughed as he spoke these words to me. I had suffered, for at least five years, with a chronic struggle to breathe. 

At the acute stage I would gasp for breath; my eyelids would redden, burn, swell and

itch and I scratched until the skin bled. I had consulted several general practitioners who agreed the symptoms were an allergic reaction.

A patch test was performed: the application of various substances to the skin under adhesive tape then left in place for forty-eight hours and examined for response - inflammation indicating an allergic reaction. 

The diagnosis: allergy to fragrances.

I was advised: “stop wearing perfume and keep away from fragrances.”

I ceased wearing perfume but avoiding fragrances was impossible since many items in daily use have a fragrance: soap, shampoo, deodorant, washing powder, bleach - the list is endless. 

Our home was almost fragrance free but I became desensitised and fragrances in the

outside world were more noticeable.

One day at work I collapsed. A hint of polish spray, in another room, had been sufficient to take my breath and affect my eyes. 

A colleague had recently read a newspaper article on homeopathy. I made an appointment with a homoeopath and within days of beginning homoeopathic treatment my breathing was easier. My symptoms disappeared without return.

A cure – yes! 

I had been told: “nothing can be done” and “allergies are difficult to treat. Learn

to accept and live with the symptoms.”

Well, I didn’t have to live with the symptoms or wear a plastic bubble on my head and an oxygen tank on my back - thanks to homeopathy!

This article first appeared in the ARH Newsletter "Homeopathy Healthy Medicine".

The ARH would like to thank Anne Bagust for sharing her interesting story.

Homeopathy and Travel Sickness. Give yourself an easier time!

With school holidays now underway, it is inevitable that many families will be taking to their vehicles for their annual ‘car journey’ to the seaside, grandparents or campsite over the

coming months. Memories of previous trips may have you reconsidering the length of your journey and, unfortunately, even homeopathy can’t help with pacifying backseat drivers, occupying squealing impatient children with car games or dealing with that infamous line “are we nearly there yet?”

However, we appreciate that travel sickness is a prominent problem among many families on long-haul trips and hence hope that the remedies described here may alleviate at least one extra worry that your family will have to endure during the holiday season. It is suspected that motion sickness, known as kinetosis, affects around one third of the population in mild circumstances, such as a boat in calm water, but about two thirds in more severe conditions. 

It is also generally more prevalent amongst children. The condition arises when there is a conflict between the visually perceived movement and the balance systems of the inner ear and symptoms include nausea, sweating, dizziness, headaches and vomiting. Any of these symptoms can be brought on by air, boat or car travel, as well as the smell of petrol and even watching 3D films!

§ Cocculus – use when you want to lie down and when food or the thought of food brings on a feeling of nausea

§ Petroleum – use if headache is overriding symptom but there’s a feeling of hunger

§ Tabacum – use when the slightest motion causes extreme nausea and you are pale,

sweat a lot and feel better in cool, fresh air

§ Zingiber – use when there’s a sense of vertigo and limbs being heavy

In addition to the above, there are a number of over-the-counter therapies such as wrist bands, Kwells and other travel-sickness relief pills which may help ease the symptoms, although, we recommend that for a more individualised remedy, please consult a homeopathic.

This article was first published in the ARH Newsletter, "Homeopathy Healthy Medicine".

Sporting Glory or just sprains and strains?

If the recent football frenzy, or Murray mania didn’t totally take you over, maybe the extensive press coverage of the World Cup and Wimbledon will have inspired some of you to try your hand at a sporting activity. 

For those of you who are already heading to the nearest playing field or local tennis courts in anticipation of becoming the next Maradona or Federer, we have put together a basic list to help you to cope with any sprains and strains which you may encounter on your way to winning glory! 

§ Arnica – eases bruising and soreness

§ Bryonia – useful for torn/damaged ligaments or tendons, especially if

the least movement is excruciating

§ Ledum – if injury is purple and feels cold to touch

§ Rhus tox – helpful for muscle strain, worse on first movement, better for

continued movement, better for warmth

§ Ruta – particularly good for tennis elbow, use when bones feel bruised

In addition to the above remedies, the pain of sprains may either be eased by hot baths and applying warmth to the vulnerable area, or the opposite, by the application of an ice pack to reduce swelling. Resting the muscles and tendons may also prove helpful whilst firm bandaging can alleviate the pain of dislocation.

There is nothing more frustrating than wanting to play your sport, and not being able to do so. Let homeopathy get you back in action quicker!

Is your garden plagued by snails?

Is your garden plagued by snails?

With the weather hotting up, it’s time for you to enjoy your garden, though you may not be so keen to share it with the snails and slugs intent on consuming your plants!

If this is a problem you’re encountering, try watering your plants with a homeopathic preparation of agricultural Helix Tosta 6X (available from www.moodiebiz.com). Mix 10 drops in one litre of water, shake vigourously for about a minute, then add a further 20 litres of water to the mix before applying to your plants.

Repeat the procedure when necessary.

This article first appeared in an ARH Newsletter in May 2010

Homeopathy for Hay Fever

Looking forward to dry, sunny days? Maybe not - if you suffer from hay fever.

It is estimated that a fifth of the population dread this time of year because they suffer from hay fever or similar allergies . They can expect to experience a range of respiratory disorders, together with sneezing, itchiness and watery eyes.

Hay fever is an allergy where the immune system of sufferers overreacts to pollen and spores. It usually occurs throughout spring and summer, when pollen and spore counts from trees, plants, grasses, fungi and moulds are at their highest. When the body comes into contact with pollen, the lining of the nose, mouth and eyes release a chemical called histamine which causes an allergic
reaction.

We asked our members to recommend some of the homeopathic remedies their patients most frequently found useful for the treatment of hay fever. Here is a brief list of remedies, which includes some of the key prescribing symptoms.

Please note this is only intended as a guideline. It is recommended that you consult with a registered homeopath in order to receive an appropriately individualised prescription.

Allium Cepa 30C
Dripping nose with burning discharge, violent sneezing, stinging, watery eyes.

Arsenicum Album 30C
Ssneezes because of tickling feeling in nose, burning sensation in eyes, nose and throat,
discharges may be acrid.

Euphrasia 30C
Eyes the biggest problem, with itchy and dry eyes, and burning discharge. Tickling cough, intense
sneezing, runny nose with bland discharge.

Pulsatilla 30C
Bland watery nose and eyes, worse in the heat, eyes itch and feel gritty, and may produce yellowy
discharge. Lots of sneezing.

Sabadilla 30C
Constant , maddening tingling in nose, burning and redness of eyes, sneezing provokes tears.
Eyes watery and burn.

This article was first published in an ARH Newsletter, May 2010.

Ashes to Ashes. Homeopathy for stress.

Whilst the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull volcano has expanded our knowledge on such geological matters, for Icelandic residents, there are potential health effects. These include eye and skin irritation, as well as increased respiratory problems for conditions like asthma or other lung conditions.

Volcanoes emit water (H2O), and a variety of gases including carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen chloride (HCl), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and hafnium (HF). These gases interact rapidly with the ash particles of a volcanic plume and especially atmospheric water to form acidic aerosols.

Volcanic ash may contain potentially harmful substances in the form of water-soluble materials, mostly acids and salts, which cling to the particles of glass and crystals. The most common are sulphate, chloride, sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium and fluoride.

Since the UK is located over 900 miles from the volcano, it is unlikely that these health issues will affect us. However the stress, frustration and anxiety of being stranded abroad because your flight has been cancelled, can give rise to a whole range of emotions. If you find yourself in this or a similar situation, you may find the following remedies helpful:

Rescue Remedy

Restores balance and calm during a stressful situation

Ignatia 30C

Really worried, feels like bursting into tears, sighing a lot, mood swings, over-sensitive and on-edge, may become hysterical

Staphysagria 30C

Irritable and very sensitive, takes offence easily, feels extremely frustrated, may try to suppress feelings but then explodes and can become very angry

Nux Vomica 30C

Gets angry very easily, rather impatient, over reacts to situations, needs a stiff drink or a strong coffee to calm down

Please note the above remedies and their symptoms are a guideline only. For an individualised therapy, consult your homeopath or find a practitioner at: 

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

This article was first published in an ARH Newsletter, dated May 2010. The ARH would like to thank Myriam Shivadikar for her contribution towards this article.