HSI Newsletter October 2010
Homeopathy is a natural, gentle and non-toxic way to prevent or treat colds and flu. Homeopathic treatment can be less expensive than traditional routes of care and can really help to save on health care expenses if one doesn’t have medical insurance. Homeopathic treatment strengthens your vitality. It can protect against bacterial and viral attacks, and fend off “what’s going around”. A few small doses of homeopathic cold and flu remedies can reduce the symptoms and shorten the duration of an infection dramatically.
Tips for the Cold and Flu Season:
From the pros at the Homeopathy School International in Boulder.
- Wash your hands frequently
- Keep hydrated, drink warm drinks when it gets cold out
- Stay active and warm for good circulation
- Make sure you get enough sleep to feel rested
- Take a jacket for surprising weather changes
Also, consider these 5 over-the-counter homeopathic cold and flu remedies available in health food stores:
- Oscillococcinum – First line of defense with onset of flu-like symptoms (muscle-aches, tiredness, fever). Take as soon as symptoms occur and rest.
- Eupatorium Perf. – Flu with tremendous aching or “as if the bones are broken” Excruciating pain in the back or limbs. This often happens during the first stages of a flu. A thirst for cold drinks during the fever combined with these kind of pains indicates that Eupatorium may help a lot.
- Dulcamara When in spite of the nose running the mucus membranes feel dry, think of Dulcamara. This remedy is often called for when symptoms start from getting damp and cold. The nose starts running after being exposed to rain and wind and there is an urge to keep it covered and warm.
- Belladonna – Has helped many kids with right-sided ear infections, not only acutely but also with a long history of ear infections. It works like a charm for fevers with great heat, extreme dryness anywhere and the absence of thirst during a flu. It works well to alleviate colds or flu that came on very suddenly.
- Hepar Sulph. – Is used for the “riper” cold, when the discharges get yellow or cheesy. The pain in the throat is described as sharp, stitching pain or as if something like a splinter is stuck in there. The person is extremely sensitive to cold even if it’s only a part of the body that is exposed. The person may smell a little sour and is super sensitive to pains. Being overly sensitive (noise, light, draft, uncovering) is the key reason to give this remedy.
Also available from Boiron
5 special homeopathic cough remedies:
- Spongia – Tightness of the throat with a dry tickle starts every coughing episode. To get improvement from Spongia the cough needs to be worse at night (usually worse before midnight), and has a barking (“like a seal”, or “a saw going through wood”) or croupy character. It gets better from eating or drinking.
- Ipecac Is a very effective remedy for whooping cough (Pertussis). It works well for severe acute coughs with retching and vomiting, making it difficult to breathe. The cough can be associated with nausea, and for a condition like this the tongue looks surprisingly clean.
- Antimonium Tart. – A deep rattle in the chest often points to using this remedy. The cough sounds wet but is not productive. The patient may be weak and have cold sweat on the forehead.
- Drosera – A good remedy for violent coughing, many times in a row, sometimes so severe that one can’t catch a breath or the nose starts bleeding. Talking starts the cough and walking around a bit seems to lessen its severity.
- Stannum – Use this remedy when there is great weakness in the chest and the cough is worse from talking and/or there is so much weakness one can barely talk. The voice may become deep and husky and be improved for a short time by the cough. The cough itself is deep, hollow, shattering, strangling, concussive and in paroxysms. There may be profuse expectoration that looks like the white of an egg during the day.
How to take a homeopathic remedy:
The most efficient method to take a remedy in acute conditions is to drop a couple of the beebee-sized pellets (over-the-counter potencies can be 6c or 30c) in 4 ounces of water and let them dissolve. Stir the mixture very strongly and take one tablespoon every two hours . Swish it around your mouth, hold under your tongue a few seconds and swallow. With improvement, stop the remedy and then resume when the symptoms come back. For serious conditions please consult with a professional homeopath or your doctor.
