Homeopathy treats the person, not the disease
One of the most often heard homeopathic mantras is “Homeopathy treats the person, not the disease”.
But what does this really mean?
From a medical standpoint, a disease diagnosis is key, because drugs are prescribed to target a particular disease condition – for example, Prilosec for heartburn, Fosamax for osteoporosis, and Ritalin for ADHD.
From a homeopathic standpoint, the disease name is not important. Homeopathy triggers the body’s own healing mechanism and homeopathic remedies are prescribed based on the overall symptom picture.
In an acute case – such as flu, gastroenteritis, or an injury – this picture would include such variables as:
– Energy level – are you more or less tired than usual? Is it worse at any particular time of day?
– Changes in emotional state – are you more weepy, restless, or angry?
– Pace of the illness – did it come on quickly, did it progress rapidly or slowly?
– Any unusual symptoms – e.g. a fever with no thirst, hunger with no desire to eat (These are the most important symptoms for a homeopath, as they help to individualize the case and guide to the best remedy)
An example of this is a case of the flu.
A medical doctor will elicit the common symptoms, such as aching limbs, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose and fatigue, and the prescription will be the same for every patient.
A homeopath will take these symptoms too. but will also want to know how your flu is different from everyone else’s.
So you
could have a situation where two members of the same family have contracted the same virus, but one may have felt it coming on for several days, with chilliness, irritability and fatigue, while the other experienced a rapid onset of symptoms with a high temperature, perspiration, restlessness and anxiety. Although the medical diagnosis would be the same, the manifestation of the virus is quite different, and each person would require a different homeopathic remedy.
This is the beauty of homeopathy – that it is unique and personalized for each individual and for each case of illness – but the down side is that homeopathy is not one-size-fits-all, which makes it more complex to practice and not compatible with the double blind trials so popular in the validation of traditional medicine.
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Homeopathic Support for Dental Health
Growing up in England, land of chocolate biscuits, sticky toffee pudding, and bad teeth (remember Austin Powers?), my children’s favorite poem started out like this…
Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth,
And spotted the dangers beneath
All the toffees I chewed,
And the sweet sticky food.
Oh, I wish I’d looked after me teeth.
They loved the poem, but, like most children, they didn’t follow the sentiment, and by the time they were in their teens, they already had a cavity or two. The CDC calls tooth decay “the most prevalent chronic disease in adults”, and periodontal disease is present in almost half of adults aged 30 years or older.
Fortunately, there are homeopathic remedies that, along with a regimen of brushing and flossing, can help you in the fight against dental decay.
Homeopathic cell salts (also known as tissue salts) are the first line of defense. Made from minerals that are important for the body, they provide support in times of physical and emotional stress.
There are a total of 12 cell salts and 2 of them, Calcarea Fluorica and Calcarea Phosphorica, are especially indicated for dental health.
Calcarea Fluorica is found in the surfaces of the bones and in the enamel of the teeth. For dental health, this homeopathic tissue salt has a sphere of action where there is deficient tooth enamel and a tendency to cavities, and also where the teeth are loose in their sockets.
Calcarea Phosphorica is essential for the proper growth and nutrition of the body, and it has a special affinity for the bones and teeth. It is helpful in tooth decay and where the gums are painful and inflamed. It helps to build strong healthy teeth.
For tooth pain from nerve injury, the number one remedy is Hypericum. For fear of the dentist, a dose of Aconite 30C can help calm nerves. Following tooth extraction, Arnica 30C is the first remedy to use, along with a diluted Calendula tincture rinse when your dentist says it is safe to use a rinse.
Plantago tincture is helpful for teeth that are sensitive to hot or cold or where there is pain from a cavity. Add 3 or 4 drops to half a cup of warm water and rinse as needed.
For teething, a single dose of Chamomilla 30C helps with pain and irritability in babies and young children and can also help older children when wisdom teeth are coming through. .
In cases of chronic tooth pain or gum disease, you will need a constitutional homeopathic remedy, supervised by a professional homeopath, but these remedies are a good place to start out for the relief of short-term dental problems.
For questions about how homeopathy can help with dental health, or any other questions about homeopathy, please contact me here. If you would like to receive more tips and information, please sign up for my newsletter.
Arnica and Calendula: The Dynamic Duo
Arnica and Calendula are the most-used remedies in my homeopathic first aid kit. Over the years, they have come into use for toddler tumbles, sports injuries, dental extractions, skateboarding falls, gardening mishaps, and all manner of everyday accidents. They go hand-in-hand for any injuries involving the soft tissues – Arnica for shock, sprains, bruises, and bumps, and Calendula for cuts and grazes. They can be used either internally or topically. I find that in most cases Arnica is needed internally and Calendula (in tincture form) externally. This is primarily because Arnica should not be used where the skin is broken, and Calenda can be very soothing to painful wounds when applied to a soft gauze dressing.
In cases of acute trauma where there is bruising and swelling, Arnica is the first remedy to think of. It ‘s helpful too where there is shock and emotional trauma, especially when the person says “I’m fine” when they obviously are not.
Arnica has the ability to reach back and heal old injuries – physical and emotional.
It is made from the Arnica Montana plant, also known as Leopard’s Bane. It grows on mountainsides and its German name, Fallkraut, which translates to “falling herb”, attests to its historical use as an injury remedy
The Calendula plant is a marigold, a member of the Asteraceae plant family.
Calendula is a great wound healer. Applied to open wounds in diluted tincture form, it reduces pain and promotes healthy granulation and rapid healing. If the wound is deep or inaccessible, a pellet of Calendula 30C will have the same effect. Calendula is also very useful following dental extraction, where a gentle application of diluted Calendula tincture can staunch bleeding and prevent infection.
The English homeopath Dorothy Shepherd, who practiced in England during World War II, shares my love of Calendula. In her classic book Homeopathy For the First Aider, she recounts many experiences of miraculous healing with this humble plant.
Calendula’s healing properties have been recognized since ancient times; there are records of its use as a medicinal herb in Roman, Mayan and Aztec culture.
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The Top 10 Homeopathic Remedies for the Flu
This year’s flu season is well under way, with the H1N1 flu – the strain responsible for the 2009 worldwide pandemic – showing up in many states.
Although there are different strains of flu, the response to the flu virus is fairly consistent – the main symptoms of the H1N1 flu virus are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. In some cases, these symptoms are accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea.
The most commonly used homeopathic remedy for the flu is Gelsemium – this remedy was useful in fighting the “Spanish flu” epidemic of 1918, which affected over 20 percent of the world’s population and is a forerunner of the flu strains that exist today. During the 1918 epidemic, the death rate was 30% or higher for those treated conventionally, while homeopaths cured an incredible 98% of their cases!
The main keynotes of Gelsemium are “dizzy, drowsy and dull”. The person feels sleepy and exhausted. Any exertion – even thinking – seems too much effort. They feel chilly and achy, with chills going up and down the back, accompanied by a dull, heavy headache. They can experience delirious episodes, especially during sleep and high fever, and they have no thirst, in spite of the fever.
Where the ‘bone-breaking’ aches and pains of the flu are the strongest symptom, Eupatorium Perforatum can bring relief. Unlike Gelsemium, this remedy has great thirst, especially in the morning, even though they are chilly. The whole body is painful – joints, head, neck and shoulders, even the eyeballs.
If the aches and pains are more in the muscles than the bones, and the slightest movement aggravates the pains, so the person wants to just lie still and be left alone, Bryonia is the indicated remedy. The Bryonia flu comes on slowly and lingers, there is a dry soreness of the throat and a dry cough that causes soreness in the abdomen.
While people needing these first three remedies want to lie still, be quiet and sleep, two other useful remedies for the flu have the main keynote of restlessness.
Arsenicum Album has a lot of fear and anxiety, especially about their health – they have thoughts of death and fear they will never recover. They are very chilly and weak, and they feel much worse at night. Arsenicum is also indicated where there are gastric symptoms – diarrhea, cramping, and nausea.
The restlessness of Rhus Toxicodendron is more physical, caused by an inability to get comfortable in bed; every position is painful and sore. There is also a redness and soreness of the throat. They feel better from warmth – a heating pad helps the joint pains and warm drinks soothe the throat.
Nux Vomica is the remedy where the focus is on digestive symptoms – vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, etc. The keynote for Nux Vomica is “excess” and, besides its affinity for the flu, it is also useful for cases of “overdoing it”. This could be an excess of partying — rich food, alcohol, excitement – or working – mental stress, anxiety, late hours. The Nux Vomica individual is very chilly, even with the fever they want to be covered up, and they can be very irritable, even angry.
Ipecacuanha is another remedy that has an affinity for nausea and vomiting, but in the flu it also has respiratory complaints – lots of mucous and wheezing – and head and back pains.
Other respiratory remedies are Sanguinaria – characterized by a neck ache, high fever and raw trachea – and Phosphorous, which is characterized by a raging thirst for cold drinks, tickling cough, burning sensations, and a tendency for all colds to settle in the chest.
Homeopathy treats every case and every person individually – there is no one-size-fits-all remedy for the flu and it is often the seemingly trivial symptoms that can lead to the right remedy. The more uncharacteristic the symptom is – for example, an easy-going person who suddenly becomes angry and impatient during the flu (Nux Vomica!) – the more helpful it will be in finding the remedy. If the flu is in the very early stages and there really are no individualizing symptoms, a dose of the tissue salt Ferrum Phos 6X can often head it off.
A consultation with a professional homeopath is recommended for anyone who has never been well since a bout of flu – homeopathic constitutional treatment can help, even in long-standing, chronic cases.
The si
mplest flu prevention method is hand washing – use regular (not antibacterial) soap, lather well and scrub for about 20 seconds (2 rounds of the Happy Birthday song!) and rinse under running water for about 10 seconds (one Happy Birthday song). And Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to be an effective natural preventative for the flu, especially for those with limited access to sunlight.
These remedies and guidelines are a general introduction, and you can read more about the remedies listed above in one of the many Homeopathic Materia Medica books available at Whole Health Now Books or online at http://www.homeoint.org/books/boericmm.
If you have any questions, please contact me here or, if you would like to receive more tips and information, please sign up for my newsletter.
