Morning sickness: how to self-manage it with homeopathy

As many of you will know from bitter experience, though morning sickness is usually associated with the first trimester, it frequently extends way beyond the twelfth week and is by no means confined to mornings only. As homeopathy is safe for use during pregnancy, there is no need to put up with the symptoms when they get too much.

As what is written here is intended for self-prescription, we will not deal with those more severe cases of morning sickness which involve a lot of actual vomiting. In such situations, professional help is advised.

Before looking at the principal homeopathic remedies for morning sickness, there is a simple trick which many mums to be have sworn by. Keep a dry biscuit by your bedside, and eat it lying down when you first wake up in the morning. Sit up in bed and have a drink of water, then get up. Following this, try to avoid caffeine, and have ginger tea (ginger is an age old cure for nausea) or honey and milk instead. In general, eating and drinking little and often throughout the day is advisable.

In addition to these measures, take the remedy from the list below which most closely resembles your symptoms. Use the remedy in the 6c potency, and take one dose three times a day for up to 4 weeks. Seek professional help if the nausea extends beyond this time frame.

Sepia (Cuttlefish Ink) 

This is the first remedy to consider when you have nausea at the sight, smell or even the thought of food. Eating or drinking a little alleviates the nausea. The symptoms can be associated with backache, and feelings of being very easily irritated or depressed.

Nux Vomica (Poison Nut) 

The person who would benefit from this remedy would suffer a lot of nausea and retching without much vomiting. They are likely to also be constipated and bloated but be craving caffeine and other stimulants.

Pulsatilla (Wind Flower) 

Nausea for this person will be worse if eating or smelling fatty food. The nausea will ease when out in the fresh air and be worse in a warm stuffy room. The typical Pulsatilla person is tearful and much in need of kindness and understanding.

As ever, excellent homeopathic remedies are to be had from www.helios.co.uk. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries. 

DIY homeopathy: Managing anxiety

What follows is some advice on how to deal with one-off periods of anxiety using homeopathy. It is not meant as a guide to coping with persistent and longstanding feelings of anxiety, for which help from a professional is certainly required.

If you are experiencing a brief period of anxiety such as before taking a flight, interview, exam or other important event, or after hearing bad news, then there is much that homeopathy can do to restore calm and help you through these trying times.

Before considering which remedy from the list below might match your feelings most closely, take a look at your diet, and make sure you reduce your intake of caffeine and other stimulants to an absolute minimum. Also, you can use Rescue Remedy, which is a combination of five Bach Flower remedies, alongside any homeopathic remedy.

Aconite

Aconite is for high-pitched feelings of anxiety that can even reach a sense of terror, where there might be a fear of dying. Whatever the source of anxiety, the person needing Aconite will be convinced that disaster is ahead. Take Aconite before and after any experience you know will result in these feelings.

Argentum Nitrate

This remedy suits feelings of anxiety rather than outright terror, and this anxiety can sometimes bring on diarrhoea. The person requiring Argentum Nitrate can often experience feelings of claustrophobia, perhaps in relation to flying or going on the tube.

Arsenicum

The person who may benefit from Arsenicum will be prone to feeling unduly anxious and to experiencing extreme responses which are best calmed when given TLC and far worse if the person is left alone. The worst time for these people is around midnight, when the fear and restlessness is at its most extreme. Arsenicum suits those who are neat and tidy and who have a strong streak of perfectionism; anxiety will only serve to exacerbate their fastidiousness.

Gelsemium

This remedy suits those with anticipatory anxiety in a stage fright kind of situation. The Gelsemium person gets the shakes and may feel like they have lost control of their extremities, which can result in feelings of weakness and tiredness. Gelsemium people can suffer anxiety in open spaces, when they’ll need company to allay their fears.

Phosphorus

People requiring Phosphorus are characteristically extremely nervous and sensitive. Their anxiety may be heightened when alone in the dark or twilight, and are very afraid of storms. Their anxiety is greatly alleviated by sympathetic company. 

If one of the remedies above matches your own situation closely, then take it in the 30th potency twice a day for no longer than ten days or until the period of anxiety has subsided, whichever comes first. The remedies can be easily obtained from www.helios.co.uk.   Please feel free to get in touch if there is any other information you need.  

Nappy rash and homeopathy

Despite the best hygiene and preventative measures, most babies suffer from nappy rash from time to time. In some children it can come as a response to changes in diet, washing powder or nappy brand, while in others it is connected to teething or being generally under the weather. As ever, there is much that homeopathy and natural medicine can do. 

Before looking at natural solutions, it's important to identify between straightforward nappy rash and thrush. If a breastfeeding mother or the child her or himself has received antibiotics, thrush can be a knock-on effect. Unlike nappy rash, thrush can spread above the belly button. 

If your child develops nappy rash, consider the following measures:

• Replace wipes with water to which a few drops of calendula tincture have been added.
• Dry the area thoroughly.
• Once dry, add calendula ointment if the skin isn't broken.
• If you're not using disposable nappies, ensure that the cloth nappies have no soap residue, otherwise consider switching to disposables temporarily.
• Let your child be nappy-less for as long as your nerves and your carpet can stand.
• If you're breastfeeding avoid spicy food and citrus, which can irritate the nappy area. Also, cut citrus out of your child's diet as it makes the wee acidic. 

In addition to these measures, give your child the remedy from the list below which best matches their symptom picture. 

The child needing Apis, or homeopathic bee sting, will have a rash which is hot, red, swollen and angry looking. It is worse for washing and better for open air.

Rhus Tox, homeopathic poison ivy, often has sore spots or blisters which are better for washing and covering.

Homeopathic Sulphur suits a dry, red raw nappy rash that might be bleeding. It is much worse for heat and better for being uncovered, and is likely to be concurrent with teething. 

Take the remedy that best suits your child's rash in the 30th potency 3 times a day for 3 days. If this doesn't crack it, or if the rash is recurrent, seek professional help. All things homeopathic are available from www.helios.co.uk.

I hope that's been helpful. If it has, you might also want to take a look at my blog entry from last week about how homeopathy can help with teething. 

Teething and homeopathy

It takes the average child from around 6 months old till they're about 2 and a half to cut their full complement of 20 teeth. That can add up to a lot of sleepless nights and frayed nerves for parents of children whose teething causes them a lot of pain. Homeopathy can really help ease the pain for your child and therefore for you too.

Chamomilla, homeopathic Chamomile, is the remedy numero uno for teething. The child who could do with a dose or two of Chamomilla is extremely cross and stroppy, will demand one thing then throw it to the ground and will only be appeased when carried or rocked. Being a parent to a child in a Chamomilla state will stretch your patience and forbearance to their limits. The child's cheek may be very red on the side where the gum is inflamed, and their teething might well be accompanied by some pretty obnoxious smelling nappies. Should this description rings any bells, give your child Chamomilla 30 hourly if the symptoms are intense, but for no more than 6 doses at a time.

The child requiring the remedy Pulsatilla, homeopathic wind flower, is an entirely different kettle of fish. This child will be whinging and clingy, crying pitifully, and will often be very snotty while teething. Similarly to Chamomilla, the Pulsatilla child will want to be cuddled, but will also be appeased by being in the fresh air. In such circumstances, give Pulsatilla 30 3 times daily over 3 days if required.

A third remedy to consider is Belladona, homeopathic Deadly Nightshade. The teething child in a Belladonna state will be very restless and may well quickly develop a fever with burning red cheeks and gums. Their symptoms are likely to be at their worst in the middle of the night, right when you least want them to be. Give your child Belladonna 30 every half hour till the fever subsides for up to 6 doses.

As ever go to www.helios.co.uk for the remedy you need for your child's teething pains and for your sanity! If you have any queries please get in touch. 

Travel tips and homeopathy - Sunburn

Hello again. As a nation, we are brilliant at getting sunburnt; when the sun finally comes out, we go a little nuts and our skin pays the price. In this instance, as in so many others, prevention is far better than cure, but if you find yourself impersonating a lobster, homeopathy can do much to ease the pain and repair the damage. 

A note of caution first: if your burns are extreme, i.e. covering 5% or more of the body, if you have a fever over 40 degrees Celsius, if you have a fast pulse or feel dazed and confused, you need to seek medical help immediately. Be especially careful with children, whose skin is thinner and more sensitive. Take Cantharis 30 (see below) half hourly till you get medical help. Whether severe or not, there will be a loss of fluids as a result of burnt skin, so stay hydrated. 

If your sunburn can be self-managed, apply Calendula lotion (one part Calendula tincture to 10 parts water) to skin that is unbroken, and repeat regularly until the pain and redness subsides. Cantharis, the Spanish fly, is a major remedy for burns and burning pain. It has been used medically at least since Hippocrates, and was used by the Marquis de Sade (though not medically...), and whatever was good enough for the Marquis de Sade is definitely good enough for me. Take Cantharis 30 hourly till the symptoms lessen. 

Now here's an interesting remedy: Sol is potentised sunlight and can be used for any ill effects of the sun such as sunburn, sun headaches, prickly heat and so on. Take Sol 30 up to 4 times a day for 3 days. Sol can also be taken prophylactically: if you or your children are very fair skinned and you're off to much warmer climes, take Sol twice a day for the first few days of your holiday to help your skin get used to the sun. 

Go to www.helios.co.uk for all the remedies mentioned above, and I wish you very happy and healthy holidays. 

Travel tips and homeopathy - hives and insect bits and stings

Hi all. Here are some more recommendations for a pharmaceutical-free summer using homeopathy plus some traditional naturopathic wisdom. You'll get to find out how bee sting, stinging nettles and poison ivy can be your new best friends when homeopathically prepared. 

With insect bites or stings, if there is a severe reaction with a lot of swelling, urgent medical help will be required. Otherwise, try firstly to remove the sting with tweezers if the insect left it behind as its calling card. Then bathe a wasp sting in diluted vinegar or lemon juice, and a bee sting in a solution of bicarbonate of soda to help neutralise the effects. If you have Calendula lotion to bathe the area in, then that may well be enough. If not, consider the following internal homeopathic remedies. 

Arnica does wonders especially if you have a child who is in shock, or if that's all you have handy. The remedy Apis is made from bee sting, so no surprises for guessing that it is used for any kind of bite or sting which becomes hot, red, puffy and swollen and which feels better for cold applications. Urtica Urens is a remedy made from stinging nettles, and surprise surprise it is what you need if a nettle-like rash or hives appear following a bite or sting. 

The recommended dosage should be one dose of the best-suited remedy in the 30th potency every 2-4 hours on the first day depending on the severity of the symptoms. This should drop to one dose once a day for the next two days. 

Hives, also known as nettle rash or urticaria, with their itchy, angry real weals, are usually the result of an allergic reaction to food, plants, drugs or stress. If the mouth, tongue or throat becomes swollen, or if there is any difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical help. However, in normal circumstances, the same remedies as above apply here also. 

Apis will be the remedy to consider if the hives are hot, red, puffy and itchy, especially if the person wants the area kept cool. The more swollen the area is, the more likely it is that Apis will be your remedy, particularly if there is puffiness around the eyes and the person develops a fever. Urtica Urens is used when the rash looks as if the person has been stung by stinging nettles (or if they actually have!), when there is itching and burning, and the person can't stop rubbing the affected area. A third remedy, Rhus Tox (poison ivy), is your best bet if the rash becomes water-filled blisters, and if it comes on after becoming chilled. 

The best-suited remedy should be given in the same manner as described above. www.helios.co.uk is a trusted source of all things homeopathic. 

Thanks for reading. Next week – sunburn – ouch! 

Travel tips and homeopathy - Travel sickness

As school holidays are around the corner, I thought it might be the right time to look at how to deal with the complaints that can so easily take the edge off your summer break.

This week, we'll consider how to manage travel sickness and I will describe the two principal homeopathic remedies used.

Cocculus Indicus, or the India Berry, is for someone who suffers nausea and vomiting, dizziness, headaches or diarrhoea when travelling. The person who would benefit from taking this remedy needs to lie down still when their symptoms come on, feels much worse for fresh air and the sight or smell of food.

Tabacum, the homeopathic preparation of tobacco, is for someone with nausea and vomiting while in motion, and who might feel cold and dizzy. Differently to the previous remedy, the person who needs Tabacum feels better for fresh air and much worse for stuffy rooms. They will feel worse if they encounter any strong smells, especially tobacco.

If either of these symptom pictures match yourself or someone you know, then take the appropriate remedy in the 30th potency (potency refers to the strength of the remedy) in the following way: one tablet the day before a planned journey, another tablet just before leaving, and a third while travelling. After a few journeys using the best indicated remedy, the motion sickness often lessens and can sometimes stop entirely. A trusted stockist of homeopathic remedies is www.helios.co.uk.

In addition to these homeopathic remedies, Ginger is known to bring relief for symptoms of nausea and vomiting, not only while travelling. Crystallised ginger is not everyone's first choice of treat, but 2-3 pieces before a journey, and then the same amount at half hourly intervals while travelling can prove very helpful.

Happy homeopathic holidays!

Hayfever blues

If you were unlucky enough to live in Narnia under the rule of the White Witch, you'd always suffer the chill of winter and never have the joy of Christmas. This is a little like having hayfever: you endure gun-metal grey skies for months then finally get the sun but you can't get out there and frolic because your eyes itch and you can't stop sneezing. Not fair is what I'm saying.

The underlying principle of homeopathy is "like cures like", so my hayfever patients take a homeopathic dose of the pollen that they are allergic to in the morning, and a homeopathic preparation of histamine in the afternoon during the hayfever season. I treat them constitutionally during the winter to address the susceptibility, and Bob is your uncle - Christmas comes to Narnia.

There is also a lot you can do yourself. I'll tell you the less painful stuff first to keep you reading. Local honey is delicious, and cunningly contains the pollen local to the sufferer. If you were really clever you'd add some to nettle tea, which is a natural antihistamine. Vitamin C is another natural antihistamine, so make sure you're getting it down you. Echinacea is a fabulous anti-inflammatory, which could give you another line of defence at this tricky time of year. And if you read my previous blog entry, you'll remember the flower Euphrasia or Eyebright, which works wonders for all manner of eye complaints. 10 drops of its tincture in cooled boiled water used as an eye bath is very soothing.

That was the good news; you know what's coming next. Much of the food and drink you crave works against hayfever sufferers. Caffeine puts stress on your adrenals, which are already working like a dog to produce the cortisol to counter the inflammatory effects of the histamine that your body is experiencing. Alcohol is, guess what, rich in histamine, so that's the last thing you need. Finally, dairy is one of the biggest food allergens, and can stimulate the production of mucous, exacerbating blocked noses and ears. It's a bummer, I know, but the agony of withdrawal is worthwhile.

Put this all together, and what I want to say is that there is no need for summer to be synonymous with suffering.

Doctrine of signatures

I've always been intrigued by how obscure substances have been found to contain medicinal properties. Who, for example, thought it might be an idea to see whether the morbid secretion of a sperm whale might just work a treat to help women who are acutely sensitive before their period? The mind boggles. 

Less obscure is the ancient Doctrine of Signatures. The doctrine states that natural objects which resemble a particular part of the body contain properties with the ability to cure illnesses occurring there. 

The homeopathic pharmacy is full of beautiful examples of this doctrine. The remedy Euphrasia is made from a flower whose common name is Eyebright and which looks like a bright blue eye. And guess what? It's used for all sorts of eye issues from the red, itchy eyes of hayfever, to eye injuries. My scrap-loving cat has had Euphrasia countless times; he swears blind that homeopathy is just placebo though (pun intended). 

The indispensable flower Calendula with its ragged leaves works wonders for the similarly jagged grazes on your child's knee. Ginkgo Biloba (see image), which is famed for its use in addressing many of the symptoms connected with the ageing process, is the oldest living tree species and is known as a living fossil. 

It's a great reminder, I think, of how nature provides all the answers, if only we'd let it speak. Having said that, as a modern day homeopath, I'm extremely grateful that my esteemed predecessors have done the hard yards, and it's not down to me to discover that the cracked and ulcerated nipples of breastfeeding mothers can be greatly relieved by Castor Equi, the thumbnail of a horse. 

Bye for now and thanks for reading.

Arnica moment

Hello and welcome. 

It is only right and proper that a homeopath's first blog entry should be about the Arnica Moment. The Arnica Moment is homeopathy's equivalent to the Eureka moment, happily minus the bath water and nudity, and it often goes something like this. 

One minute you're helping a friend shift some furniture, the next you've seriously thwacked your head and you are the proud owner of a boiled egg style swelling. That's the bad news. The good news is that your friend legs it upstairs, firstly to have a silent, sneaky laugh at your expense, but also to fetch some Arnica (see image). One tablet of homeopathic mountain daisy and you're looking in the mirror, watching the egg literally disappear before your very eyes. You take a few more doses over the next two days and that daisy has saved you from some seriously technicolor bruising. It's at this point that homeopathy shifts from the periphery of your awareness to take its place in your life as real way of getting better. 

My Arnica Moment wasn't actually with Arnica but with another indispensable homeopathic remedy called Natrum Muriaticum, or table salt. A homeopath friend of mine prescribed it for me when I was at one of life's crossroads and was struggling to find my way. The remedy's effect was to help me cut through a lot of doubt and confusion. It was a powerful catalyst: I wanted to find out more about how homeopathy works, so much so that 5 years later in 2006 I obtained my homeopathic license, and have been in practice since.

Thank you for reading, and though I don't wish you a bump on the head, I do wish you a very happy Arnica Moment.