 I used to think I wanted to live forever. My then-young son told me that wasn’t a good idea. He couldn’t really explain to me at the time what he was thinking, but he was adamant. Later, we read one of his school assigned-reading books together, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, and the penny finally dropped for me. (Forget the fact this is a children’s book and pick up a copy — it’s excellent.)
I was recently speaking with a man in his early 90s, who said, “My mom is dead. My dad is dead. My brother is dead. My sister is dead. My wife is dead. I’ve outlived them all.” For some, this could be touted as a victorious feat and worn with a badge of honor; for others, it could be a desolate situation. If one is not feeling triumphant in this position, that is a heavy place to sit. This particular gentleman still has his best friend (same age), and he has lots of younger people around him all the time, including some good friends who are a decade or so behind him. But, it seems to me after talking to him that there is a different level of loneliness when you’re the last of your ilk. There is a tendency, I think, to assume one who is lonely is also sad. Though this may not always be the case, Julia Métraux in Everyday Health says depression and loneliness appear to reinforce each other. From that same article, Drew Maygren, DO, a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California says, “Among a cohort of older adults in the UK, there was a 29% increase in depressive scores of those that reported loneliness compared with those who did not report loneliness.” For other reasons, loneliness is also increasing among young people with 1 in every 3 young adults reporting feeling lonely. Gone are the days of mandatory human interaction, replaced, instead by technological interfacing which some say can make loneliness “more like virtual isolation.” In some respects, you can’t fix normal. This is simply a sad situation. I think, though, homeopathy can help one cope with this heavy, lonely burden. Let’s look at some possible MIND rubrics, using various repertories (Mangialavore*; Murphy (both Homeopathic Remedy Guide and Meta*); Saine; Schroyens), followed by the number of remedies listed in each, including the remedies I have chosen to highlight (note: when rubrics were available in multiple repertories, I chose to use the one with the largest number of remedies available):
There are other, smaller, more specific rubrics which I will not throw into the mix, such as: “being a castaway” or “imaginations, alone, graveyard, in a” — but I think it’s useful to know these rubrics exist. **Continuing the theme from the Language of Rubrics earlier this month: Delusion: in modern parlance, we may equate this with someone who is “delusional,” implying someone with a mental illness. That is not necessarily the case in the language of rubrics. Delusion = a false judgement of objective things. Dr. Muhammed Rafeeque’s Reverse Repertory of the Mind explains further:
“Wrong perception” sums it up nicely, I think. Now, let’s see what remedies are indicated for these thoughts… Rafeeque lists some of the important drugs for delusions/hallucinations and illusions: Argentum nitricum; Belladonna; Coccinum; Hyoscyamus; Ignatia; Lachesis; Petroleum; Phosphoric acid; Sabadilla; Stramonium; Sulphur (which is found only in the large “loneliness” rubric). (The bold remedies in this list are also represented in our rubrics listed above.) It’s important when choosing a remedy to consider the following differentiation: is this a rubric to lift the delusion or idea, or, is this a rubric addressing the loneliness? What are we trying to achieve? There are many, many homeopathic remedies which may be relevant here, but I have chosen just a couple of commonly available remedies to compare. Natrum muriaticum, Aurum metallicum, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Argentum nitricum and Arsenicum album are all well indicated; in fact, all of them are also in Murphy’s “elderly constitutions” rubric (90). For each head to head comparison, both remedies are indicated, but one may be a little more indicated than the other and I tried to simply give a flavor of each remedy in regard to how they may relate to loneliness. Nat mur and Aurum are both excellent sadness/depression remedies.
Phosphorus and Pulsatilla both hate to be alone. In very broad terms, Phosphorus is more fearful and Pulsatilla is sadder.
Arsenicum album and Argentum nitricum are two more "fearful/anxious” remedies (both are level 4 in Murphy in the anxiety rubric). Again, both of these remedies are in all of these rubrics; I have just highlighted the higher ranked remedies.
Bellis perennis showed up very strongly in Massimo Mangialavore’s*** rubric: Age - old people - mind - forsaken feeling… so I went looking a little further and I was surprised to see it in the ailments from death of loved ones rubric. Most people know Bellis as a “deeper” Arnica — something to try when Arnica doesn’t quite do what it is needed to do on a physical level. Let’s take a little look at some prominent mental symptoms of Bellis perennis (Schroyens & Murphy’s Meta*): Anxiety about their or their or loved one’s health. Indifference: to pain; to loved ones; stoical to what happens. (The word “stoical” is in this rubric so I am going to assume this is different than “apathy.” note: Mangialavori has this remedy in both “heroic” and “stoic.”) Too much sense of duty. Dictatorial/domineering. Aversion to being touched. Aggravated by consolation. Abandoned/forsaken feelings. Ailments from agony/anguish; ailments from grief. Anger alternating with indifference. Fastidious. Fearful of impending danger and heart disease. Panic attacks. Feels friendless; forsaken feeling. Silent grief; cannot cry. They feel better from physical exercise. Aggravated by company. Oversensitive to criticism/reprimands. All of these, ultimately overlapping, remedies may help regardless of age, or reason for the loneliness. Look a little beyond the surface of loneliness and see what lies underneath to find the most well-suited remedy. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits *Both Mangialavore’s and Murphy’s Meta repertory are (will be?) available in Similia.io†. **This note is beneath the list of rubrics, in the text. ***I recently listened to a talk by Massimo Mangialavore and he was talking about the idea that perhaps we don’t need more homeopathic remedies but that maybe we should work on the quality of the information we have on our existing remedies rather than keep adding more. He also says he doesn’t “consider a good case something where the follow-up is not at least four, five years.” With that, I put a little more stock in the remedies in his repertory because they generally come with a lot of reflection. †I have no affiliation with this company other than they have been kind enough to open up the full software for me to play around with it. I have to say, I really like Similia and I enjoy using it. Reference list Métraux, J. and Vann, M. R., 2012. Dealing With Depression and Loneliness [online]. EverydayHealth.com. MUHAMMED., D. and Salini, J. P., 2021. Reverse Repertory of the Mind. B. Jain Publishers (P.) Ltd. Newport Institute, 2022. Loneliness and Depression in Young Adults [online]. Newport Institute.
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 No matter what you want to call it … (if you’re squeamish, just know we’re talking about diarrhea and skip forward to the next paragraph). If toilet humor is your thing, here we go: Number 3, Chocolate Thunder, Poo Stew, Rectum Rapids, Turd Tea, Emergency Evacuation, The Squirts, Brown Bomb, Liquid Lunch, Poop Soup … I’ll stop now. (If you would like a few more unseemly names, see Travelers’ Diarrhea.) Don’t worry, I won’t continue with the graphic descriptions. What follows is a long list of situations where one might experience diarrhea and the most highly indicated remedies for each. Once again, if you are experiencing diarrhea beyond an acute bout, please seek professional medical advice. Before embarking on my long list of unfortunate bottom-related circumstances, let me share one of my first amazing homeopathic "wowee!" moments. We were traveling and my then young teenage son was very sick in the night with suspected food poisoning. I was hemming and hawing, trying to remember what I had learned about remedies. I went with Veratrum album and within minutes everything stopped. I mean, everything completely stopped. He slept the rest of the night and woke up fine and dandy. “Better out than in” is what we say around here! As a result of this experience, I keep a little vial of Veratrum album in my little travel kit that accompanies me every time I leave the house with my suitcase. Veratrum album is my go-to homeopathic remedy for if things are coming out of both ends. What else may point to the use of this remedy? The diarrhea (or vomiting) may be violent, voluminous and relentless. Collapse following diarrhea (not the only well indicated remedy in this rubric, but a good place to start). The person may be cold: cold limbs, generally chilly, and/or clammy. Diarrhea with perspiration. Diarrhea after eating fruit; diarrhea after eating cucumbers (technically a fruit, after all). Diarrhea during menses. Diarrhea which is made worse by movement/motion (Bryonia is another one to think of for this symptom). And, here’s one more unusual concomitant symptom for Veratrum album: hiccups during diarrhea. Isn’t that just what you need in that situation?! Children & Diarrhea: If you have an infant with diarrhea, administer Podophyllum on the way to see the doctor — dehydration can set in quickly. Diarrhea while cutting teeth: Chamomilla. Chamomilla is such an excellent remedy for children, in general, and it doesn’t let us down in this situation, either (but these symptoms are not confined to children. With everything homeopathy, if the symptoms match, the remedy would be effective for man, woman, child or animal.) Diarrhea with abdominal pain. Diarrhea: following anger; after taking a cold; after eating and, specifically after eating rhubarb. Emotional diarrhea or from excitement. During hot weather. Painless diarrhea. And, here is a rubric unique to Chamomilla (but hopefully you wouldn’t find this in a child!): diarrhea after smoking. The Elderly & Diarrhea: Like children, the elderly, too, have some remedies with great affinity to their age. In this particular situation, I would lean toward China officinalis. China is so good for enfeebled people, as can often be found in the later years. In particular, China is useful for weak digestion; dyspepsia/indigestion; flatulence; chronic belching. Dysentery, in simple terms, involves frequent bowel movements with blood and mucus in the stool, often accompanied by cramps and pain. Give some China while on the way to see a doctor. Please seek medical assistance if you are experiencing these symptoms. If diarrhea and constipation alternate in older individuals, consider Antimonium crud. On to the general list… If experiencing abdominal pain, and it feels like diarrhea is imminent, Aloe would be my first recommendation. There may be accompanying weakness. Diarrhea after eating and in particular, diarrhea following the slightest dietary indiscretion. Walking makes it worse. Lots of toots during the diarrhea. There are a few rubrics where Aloe and Sulphur “tie” when it comes to diarrhea: burning pain in the rectum; being driven out of bed in the morning, needing the toilet desperately (Sulphur has the specific times of 5-6 am); painless diarrhea; standing makes it worse. Where Sulphur “wins out” over Aloe: diarrhea after beer and nighttime diarrhea, especially after midnight. If the diarrhea alternates with another symptom, such as:
Diarrhea and emotions:
Feeling wiped out after all that wiping? China is a good place to start. If the weakness is particularly pronounced, also consider Phosphoric acid. If the act of wiping actually causes pain: Graphites. Diarrhea during pregnancy: Phosphorus Diarrhea during menopause: Lachesis Diarrhea following an injury: Arnica If it’s coming out as from a hydrant: Podophyllum If it has a really noxious smell: Baptisia Diarrhea following the consumption of:
If you find your appetite increases with diarrhea: Petroleum. Cold hands with diarrhea: Phosphorus Cold feet: Lycopodium Cold limbs: Arsenicum album, Camphora and Veratrum album Positionally speaking: If lying down make it worse: Dioscorea If lying down makes it better: Bryonia (though it may be worse lying on your side) Sitting upright makes it worse: Bryonia Time of day: If it starts after you have risen from bed and moving around: Bryonia or Nat sulph After midnight: Arsenicum album or Sulphur If the diarrhea causes sleeplessness: Phosphorus I changed my mind. I will use one more dysphemism: the sharts, also commonly referred to as “gambled and lost” (Flanagan 2010). If you are having diarrhea during rectal flatus, there are a number of well indicated remedies, but I would start with Aloe — the remedy for an insecure rectum (click that link to read the previous article with the same name.) What would cause an “insecure rectum?” Let’s go back to Giulia Enders’ Gut for this explanation. Apparently we have a pair of “sophisticated” sphincters which Enders takes a few pages to explain and I am going to try and shrink it down to the bare essentials using her words, (but the full explanation is certainly worth a read). “The outer muscle is a faithful servant of our consciousness. When our brain deems it an unsuitable time to go to the toilet, the external sphincter obeys and stays closed with all its might. … Our internal sphincter is a no-nonsense little guy. His motto is, ‘If it’s gotta come out, it’s gotta come out!’ … The external sphincter, on the other hand, has to deal with the vagaries of the outside world and its many options.” Suffice it to say, we need these two sphincters to communicate well. A few more remedies for involuntary stool (not necessarily diarrhea):
As you can see, homeopathy can be invaluable when it comes to diarrhea — there is a homeopathic remedy for almost any situation! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits References:
Enders, G., 2015. Gut : the Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. Greystone Books. Flanagan, D., 2010. Everybody poops 410 pounds a year : an illustrated bathroom companion for grown-ups. Berkeley, Ca: Ulysses Press. Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus software.  As seen many, many months ago in my news feed. I have no idea where it comes from, but I like it. Anybody out there getting stressed out watching the news?
I suppose this post could have been written at any point in history, but 2024 seems to be gearing up for a new level of stressful watching/listening/reading. If you find yourself getting upset by the news, have a think about a few of these homeopathic remedies: Ignatia is a good place to start. (SEE: Homeopathy Can Make a Heavy World a Little Lighter) Homeopathic Ignatia can be found in the following rubrics:
Now, a short list of a few other remedies which may be applicable (as found in a quick look of Robin Murphy's Repertory): Obsessive compulsive disorder (as may be acutely exhibited through an irrepressible need to keep checking the updated news feeds): Nux vomica or Argentum nitricum Trembling with anger: Staphysagria or Gelsemium Trembling from anxiety: Gelsemium or Argentum nitricum Trembling as if frightened: start with Gelsemium but also Aconite, Coffea, Ignatia Headaches following depressing or sad news: Gelsemium or Ignatia Shock from hearing bad news: Gelsemium, Ignatia or Calc carb Vertigo from bad news: Calc carb Obsessed with justice: Causticum If all these thoughts are creating anxiety: Argentum nitricum If all of these stories and images and thoughts keep you from sleeping: Coffea If all these thoughts are keeping you from concentrating: Nux vomica If your mind is preoccupied with thoughts of the future: Argentum nitricum. Persistent thoughts: Argentum nitricum is the place to start, but also: Calc carb or Nat mur. Witnessing traumatic events: Aconite Rapid thoughts: Coffea Repetition of thoughts: Argentum nitricum Shock from bad news: Calc carb, Gelsemium and Ignatia One more thing to do, as seen on many on-line posts… unclench your jaw. soften your forehead. relax your shoulders. breathe. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits  Pooping is under appreciated. We all do it. Some of us appreciate it. Some of us find it a nuisance. Some of us struggle with it daily. Some of us find it funny. Some of us find it disgusting (there may be some scientific evidence for this one (Curtis et al. 2011). Some of us find it embarrassing. Some of us find it unseemly and certainly not a topic for polite discussion. If you find yourself in that last category, I hope to change your mind starting today and continuing over the next couple of weeks because poop is so amazingly important! Don’t believe me? Try not having a poop for a few days and see how you feel! Not surprisingly, finding a good homeopathic remedy for an individual can be helped along with some fecal details. It’s one of those little tidbits that really can relay a lot of useful information. Also not surprising, lots of people have poop issues but they never bring it up until after the fact. (After the fact: "My constipation is better after that remedy" after never having mentioned the problem.) Even if a homeopath asks directly about pooping, it is not uncommon for the answer to be along the lines of, “all good there” — implying "move on". (If you find yourself in a homeopathic consult, put whatever squeamish embarrassed-ness you may have aside and fling those poop facts out there!) If you’re not in the habit of taking a peek after you poop, I suggest you re-evaluate that decision. If you don’t look, who else is going to … until it’s too late and you find yourself at the doctor’s office leaving a stool sample to find out what is going wrong? Keeping an eye on your deposits can help you keep an eye on your health. Back to how important poop is… Poop takes waste from our bodies — preventing the build up of toxins and maintaining a healthy gut. Poop can have an effect on our psychological wellbeing. Poop reflects our physical health. The color, consistency and frequency of poop can indicate an underlying health issue such as digestive problems, infections, or nutrient deficiencies. Stool samples are used to diagnose infections, detect bacteria, viruses or parasites and also to screen for medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer. So, that’s a lot of poopy talk, but what is this poop we are actually talking about, anyway? According to Taber’s Medical Dictionary, feces is bodily waste such as food residue, bacteria, epithelium, and mucus, discharged from the bowels. People poop generally once or twice daily (1.2 times a day on average), totaling about 1.8 oz to a whopping 28 oz for the average adult and between 2.6 oz and 13 oz per day for children (Rose et al. 2015). For reference: a tennis ball weighs about 2 oz. A can of soda weighs about 12 ounces. On the high end of this scale, 28 oz equates to 1.75 pounds which is approaching the weight of a typical pineapple sold in grocery stores (Measuring Stuff 2022). 😳 Where does all this stuff come from? Poop is (generally) made up of 75% water and 25% solid matter. 30% of that solid matter consists of dead bacteria; about 30% indigestible food matter such as cellulose; 10-20% is cholesterol and other fats; 10-20% is inorganic substances such as calcium phosphate and iron phosphate; and 2-3% is protein (Britannica 2019). (Short hand: 10 parts water, 1 part bacteria (dead and alive), 1 part indigestible fiber and 1 part mixture of fat, protein, dead cells, mucus (Richman and Sheth 2007). With all the basics out of the way, let’s get back to homeopathy. In preparing for this mini-series on poop, I was browsing through my little assortment of poop books. (What? Don’t you have one of those?!) Judging by my quick look on the internet, my poop book collection is woefully slim … there are poop log books which claim to help you improve your gut health; poop coloring books; books about how to poop in the woods; an absolute ton of books for kids about pooping; and, a surprisingly large number of bathroom guest books 😳. (I guess that’s one way to encourage people to talk about this heretofore forbidden topic.) To get us in the poop mood, however, I am going to be relying on What’s your Poo Telling You? By John Richmond and Anish Sheth, M.D. The very first page of the introduction talks about “the feeling of unbridled elation that results from unleashing the perfect poo. Although difficult to achieve, this Poo-phoria lends a feeling of ecstasy, even invincibility, that some have likened to the perfect buzz.” Cheerfulness after a stool is a symptom in a few homeopathic remedies, but Natrum sulphuricum is the most highly indicated. (Paradoxically, anxiety, confusion or weakness following a stool may also indicate Nat sulph. Men who may benefit from Nat sulph also may have an increased desire for sex during stool. In short, if there are residual emotions following a stool, Nat sulph may be worth considering.) * If you experience ANY of these physical symptoms, or, if you have recently had a change in bowel habits, be sure to seek professional medical advice. In particular, pain, blood, excessive mucus, especially if they are ongoing, should be evaluated professionally. What other intestinal indicators may lead you to Nat sulph?
What if having a poop leaves you little irritated instead of cheerful? In that case, I would look to Nitric acid. What other intestinal indicators may lead you to Nitric acid?
If you find yourself in a state of tranquil serenity following a stool, that may lead you to Borax. Borax is a smaller stool-related remedy, but other indications may be:
Note: A small amount of mucus on the stool is usually not a cause for concern. Mucus lines your intestines to keep your colon running smoothly, among other tasks. However, if there is excessive mucus in or on the stool it may be a sign of an underlying condition such as: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, food poisoning, bowel obstruction or blockage, cancer of the rectum or colon. If you have excessive mucus or even a small amount of mucus which is on-going, seek professional medical advice, especially if it is accompanied by abdominal pain, bloody stools, fever or weight loss (Mayo Clinic). Check out this article for more information. It’s important to remember in these situations that cheerfulness, irritation or tranquility after a stool is not something pathologic — it’s not a problem and it doesn’t need to be addressed. These symptoms may just be useful in leading you to an overall remedy for an individual (or, an animal). However, some other stool related symptoms may be calling for attention and the post-evacuation mood might help you get to the best remedy. Back to our book to round out this opening article on emotions and poop… Number 3, as What Your Poo Telling You calls it … AKA diarrhea. I will be writing a longer article on diarrhea shortly, but today, going with the emotions involved with pooping, I will just mention a few remedies where mental/emotional symptoms are the leading indicator of a remedy for diarrhea. When diarrhea is triggered by emotions, the first remedies to consider are Argentum nitricum and Gelsemium. I have written about Argentum nitricum a few times before (see: What Goes Up; Feel the Fear; My Little Bag of Wellness). Gelsemium is an absolute go-to remedy for anticipatory anxiety (see: Back to School; The Big Goodbye). Gelsemium is bold type and underlined for ailments from anxiety. Nervous tummy sending you running to the toilet? Gelsemium. Another emotional diarrhea symptom for Gelsemium is diarrhea from bad news. Arsenicum album could be considered here, too, especially if there is any burning pain associated with it. (I see a new article in the making, comparing Arg-nit, Gels and Ars. Sit tight. I’ll get to it one day.) If it is diarrhea after anger, Colocynthis is the remedy to grab for ailments from anger. Homeopathic Colocynthis pains are almost always better by pressure and by warmth -- bending double or a hot water bottle helps the abdominal pains associated with the diarrhea. (I see where you're going with that thought and yes, it can be very helpful for menstrual cramps.) Diarrhea following chagrin or humiliation: Staphysagria. Diarrhea following grief? Phosphoric acid is another remedy for diarrhea after anticipation, but it is an even bigger grief remedy… weakness and sorrow and depression, mental exhaustion. Diarrhea after mental exertion? There’s a 3 way tie between Arg-nit, Nux vomica and Picric acid (see: Taxing Remedies for more info on Pic ac). How about the other side of things, like excitement? Aconite, Argentum nit, Arsenicum album or Gelsemium. If that excitement is coupled with fear, then stick with Aconite. Sudden diarrhea following joy? Coffea cruda (see: Silence, Please!) One last emotion to talk about in regard to poop and that is fear. Touched on a couple of lines above, Aconite is the place to start for all things fear. There can certainly be a bit of crossover with anxiety, but fear, to me, is a result of a threat or impending danger and anxiety is a response to an anticipated or expected danger. However, a fear of losing control of one's bowels is a genuine fear, especially if one is already experiencing some goings-on in that area. Homeopathic Aloe is the remedy for an insecure rectum. Involuntary stool, with or without flatus. Involuntary stool following urination. Tune in next week for the second installment of the Doo-Doo Documents: The Bristol Stool Scale. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list and poop-related books:
Britannica, 2019. Feces | biology | Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica [online]. Choi, B., 2024. Fun Poop Facts Kids Should Know • Human Body Learning [online]. Human Body Learning. Cohen, M., 2023. Mucus in Stool: Is It Normal & What Does It Mean? [online]. The IBS & Gut Health Clinic. Curtis, V., de Barra, M. and Aunger, R., 2011. Disgust as an adaptive system for disease avoidance behaviour. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences [online], 366 (1563), 389–401. Enders, G., 2015. Gut : the Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. Greystone Books. Holzwarth, W. and Erlbruch, W., 2007. The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his business. London: Pavilion. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Mucus in stool: A concern? [online]. Mayo Clinic. Measuring Stuff, 2022. Things Around The House That Weigh 2 Pounds – Measuring Stuff [online]. Measuringstuff.com. Richman, J. and Sheth, A., 2007. What’s your poo telling you? San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books. Rose, C., Parker, A., Jefferson, B. and Cartmell, E., 2015. The Characterization of Feces and Urine: A Review of the Literature to Inform Advanced Treatment Technology. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology [online], 45 (17), 1827–1879. Tarō Gomi, 2020. Everyone poops. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. The Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, n.d. The Scoop on Poop [online]. Gastrointestinal Society. Venes, D. and Clarence Wilbur Taber, 2013. Taber’s cyclopedic medical dictionary. [22nd ed., ISBN: 9780803629776]. Philadelphia, Pa.: F.A. Davis.  Chocolate. 😍 Sigh. Such a marvelous thing, chocolate. I don’t think I will ever stop being surprised when someone tells me they don’t like chocolate. When my youngest was turning 3, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner. “Chocolate. Just chocolate,” he said in his little sing-songy voice. I happen to agree with him. Chocolate, (100% cacao is my preference), any time of day. (Click here for a link to my current favorite.) Just before flying to England last year I read about a study in a Mark Sisson email: “Chocolate for breakfast prevents circadian desynchrony in experimental models of jet-lag and shift-work.” I didn’t even check to see if there is good science behind this study because I am more than happy to do some self-experimentation when it comes to chocolate! Did it help? It seemed to. However, when we crossed the pond again a few months later, I forgot to bring the chocolate and I still did as well as last year on the jet lag front. NOTE: I did use homeopathic remedies on both flights, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say that was the more important factor. But, next time I make that physically painful trip, I shall do both — just in case! 😉 As you may (or, may not) know, classical homeopathy loves basic information about a person — their preferred weather; if the person runs hot or cold; if they are aggravated by damp places; early bird or night owl; sensations they may experience and food likes and dislikes as well as how certain foods affect them. This homeopathic fact-gathering point brings us to chocolate and homeopathy. There are two main remedies associated with the desire for chocolate: Argentum nitricum and Phosphorus. Today, I shall focus on Argentum nitricum. Arg-nit, as it is known, is a homeopathic remedy made from silver nitrate. One of Arg-nit’s keynote symptoms is a desire for sugar, which at the same time makes the person feel worse. I have written a few times about Arg-nit: Hoarseness; What goes up; Feel the Fear; Back to School. Anxiety is a big part of Arg-nit as a homeopathic remedy picture: anxiety for health; anticipatory anxiety; anxiety when alone; anxiety in the morning on waking; anxiety about the future; anxiety when hungry; diarrhea from anxiety. So, I went looking for links to chocolate and anxiety. Turns out there are some interesting studies out there.
Maybe we chocoholics are just self medicating? 🧐 Back to Arg-nit and chocolate… Homeopathic Argentum nitricum may be helpful for people who suffer abdominal pain or diarrhea after eating chocolate. Additionally, if a pet gets into chocolate, I have been told that giving them some Arg-nit ASAP can be very important! Those who experience acne as a result of eating chocolate may also benefit from Arg-nit. Note: the chocolate/acne connection is disputed in conventional science. See (Daszkiewicz 2021), (Goh et al. 2011), (Vongraviopap and Asawanonda 2015). Regardless of the scientific controversy, Argentum nitricum may benefit those who suffer ill-effects after eating chocolate, regardless of what those effects are. For those who have chocolate cravings, that tendency could be addressed through a number of remedies, but Arg-nit and Phosphorus are particularly well indicated*. If there is a tendency to become addicted to chocolate, homeopathic Chocolate may be the remedy to turn to. Chocolate as a homeopathic remedy was proven** by Jeremy Sherr after seeing frequent complaints from patients resulting in adverse effects after eating chocolate as well as “the impressive” number of his patients who were seriously addicted to chocolate. There’s not a lot in this remedy that stands out in terms of symptoms, actually. In my never-to-be-humble opinion, it’s because they didn’t actually do the proving on the important part of the chocolate. For the proving, Sherr used the “purest form of processed chocolate” (Sherr 2015). That, to me, is like doing a proving on a Starbucks Caffeè Mocha instead of doing a proving on the important ingredient which, in this case would be the coffee bean. (Note: we have good information on Coffea cruda, the raw coffee bean, which was originally proved by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann and again in modern times.) Similar to Arg-nit, anxiety is also part of the Chocolate remedy picture: anticipatory anxiety as well as anxiety about health and money and anxiety in the morning. Frans Vermeulen in his Synoptic Reference (2011) notes that homeopathic chocolate has an affinity for the reproductive system, the central nervous system and hormones. I’ve never used homeopathic Chocolate with a client. Maybe I will have to try it out on myself one day to get a better feel for it. But, I eagerly anticipate reading a full proving on Cacao one day. I have no doubt it would be a much more impressive remedy than Chocolate. (Cacao does appear in "Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica" by T. Allen but all that is stated is about the separating out of theobromine from the butter of cocoa and no actual symptoms are listed.) So, the good news on chocolate is, according to the above listed studies, it appears we chocoholics have nothing to fear with a daily indulgence of our favored treat. Phew! “It was like having a box of chocolates shut in the bedroom drawer. Until the box was empty it occupied the mind too much.” --Graham Greene Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits ** for more information on provings, see: The Original Drug Testing. Provings are a little like a box of chocolates, I suppose … You never know what you’re going to get! 💝 Reference list:
Chocolate Class, 2016. Understanding The Chemical Compound that Confirmed Chocolate was Consumed by the Maya [online]. Chocolate Class. Dallard, I., Cathebras, P., Sauron, C. and Massoubre, C., 2001. [Is cocoa a psychotropic drug? Psychopathologic study of a population of subjects self-identified as chocolate addicts]. L’Encephale [online], 27 (2), 181–186. Daszkiewicz, M., 2021. Associations between diet and acne lesions. Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny [online], 137–143. Fusar-Poli, L., Gabbiadini, A., Ciancio, A., Vozza, L., Signorelli, M. S. and Aguglia, E., 2021. The effect of cocoa-rich products on depression, anxiety, and mood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 62 (28), 1–13. Goh, W., Kallianpur, K. J., Chow, D., Almeida, P. G., Brown, A. C., Pager, S. and Sil, P., 2011. Chocolate and acne: How valid was the original study? Clinics in Dermatology [online], 29 (4), 459–460. Jackson, S. E., Smith, L., Firth, J., Grabovac, I., Soysal, P., Koyanagi, A., Hu, L., Stubbs, B., Demurtas, J., Veronese, N., Zhu, X. and Yang, L., 2019. Is there a relationship between chocolate consumption and symptoms of depression? A cross‐sectional survey of 13,626 US adults. Depression and Anxiety [online], 36 (10), 987–995. Martin, F.-P. J., Antille, N., Rezzi, S. and Kochhar, S., 2012. Everyday Eating Experiences of Chocolate and Non-Chocolate Snacks Impact Postprandial Anxiety, Energy and Emotional States. Nutrients [online], 4 (6), 554–567. Martin, F.-P. J., Rezzi, S., Peré-Trepat, E., Kamlage, B., Collino, S., Leibold, E., Kastler, J., Rein, D., Fay, L. B. and Kochhar, S., 2009. Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects. Journal of Proteome Research [online], 8 (12), 5568–5579. Martinez-Pinilla, E., Oñatibia-Astibia, A. and Franco, R., 2015. The relevance of theobromine for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption. Frontiers in Pharmacology [online], 6. Moreno-Dominguez, S., Rodríguez-Ruiz, S., Martín, M. and Warren, C. S., 2012. Experimental effects of chocolate deprivation on cravings, mood, and consumption in high and low chocolate-cravers. Appetite [online], 58 (1), 111–116. Sathyapalan, T., Beckett, S., Rigby, A. S., Mellor, D. D. and Atkin, S. L., 2010. High cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate may reduce the burden of the symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Nutrition Journal [online], 9 (1). Sherr, J., 2015. Homoeopathic Proving of Chocolate. B Jain Pub Pvt Limited. Vermeulen, F., 2011. Synoptic reference. B Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd. Vongraviopap, S. and Asawanonda, P., 2015. Dark chocolate exacerbates acne. International Journal of Dermatology [online], 55 (5), 587–591. Yamada, T., Yamada, Y., Okano, Y., Terashima, T. and Hidehiko Yokogoshi, 2009. Anxiolytic effects of short- and long-term administration of cacao mass on rat elevated T-maze test. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry [online], 20 (12), 948–955.  “The greatest triumph of a science is when it becomes the common property of the people and thus contributes to the common wealth.” — motto inscribed in The Homeopathic Domestic Physician Let’s face it… learning to use homeopathy can be a little overwhelming and daunting. Even once you are an official homeopath, it can still feel overwhelming… especially when you are under the weather like I am today.
It’s hard to think through your symptoms when you’re not feeling your best. It’s times like this it’s very helpful to have a couple homeopath friends, both human and technological!! Back to learning to use homeopathy… I have mentioned some books in the past to get you started, and, now, let’s take a look at some software that might be helpful. (I have used Homeopathic Housecall many times but most of the rest of these apps are new to me, unless otherwise noted.) Homeopathic Housecall has been around for a number of years. Based on Constantine Hering’s The Homeopathic Domestic Physician from 1835, Homeopathic Housecall brings this classic book into the modern world through an internet-based app. The interface is pretty easy to navigate. You begin each case by searching by Complaints, Locations or Stressors. From there, the program leads you through a series of questions to help you find an appropriate homeopathic remedy. At the end of that, they give you a few remedies (and some basic information for each) for you to parse through to see what looks like the best fit. Homeopathic Housecall is a subscription based service beginning at $65 per year for a 2-year annual subscription or $11.99 per month. They also offer a 7-day free trial. I was pleasantly surprised at the surprisingly large number of mobile apps on the iPhone if you search “Homeopathy” in the app store. (If they mention the app being available for Android, I have included that information.) I played around with a few of them so you don’t have to. Homeopathic Helper is an app for Apple and Android phones ($14.99 at the time of this writing). The app includes a free book which is a nice little introduction to homeopathy with some sample cases and dosage instructions. Once you have registered an account, you can choose “conditions” or “remedies.” A few of the choices: allergic reactions, bladder infections, earache, impetigo, sciatica, shingles. Each condition has a brief overview followed by a handful of remedies which may be useful.
Healio Homeopathy is available through Apple and I must confess, I’m a little confused by their pricing, but they appear to offer monthly and annual subscription plans. For this trial run, I searched for “post-nasal catarrh” and what comes up is a long list of remedies with color coded buttons on the side of “low,” “medium,” and “high” to help you wade through them. Once you click on one of the listed remedies you then get more information on that remedy. The information provided comes from Kent and there is a lot of it. (Note: I did not purchase a subscription and it appears you just have to sit through a momentary ad to get to your information. It looks like you can have the “analysis” feature if you subscribe.)
Boiron’s Medicine Finder appears to be free and when I searched “postnasal drip” only 1 remedy popped up. Of the few conditions I scrolled through, only 1 or 2 remedies ever popped up. There is a “shop” button that takes you to the Boiron website to purchase remedies. They have an electronic version of their “Easy Guide” and a button for their new products. It does, however have a handy dandy video for how to open a Boiron tube, something I found incredibly frustrating when I first used one (click here to read about my first time trying to get into the blasted tube!) Additionally, there is a link to the internet to watch Boiron videos on various remedies.
Biochemic Tissue Salts appears to be free and has a pretty in-depth overview of each of the 12 cell salts: what the substance is, preparation, physicochemical data, what a deficiency of the substance can cause, normal function in the body, general indications and then a nice, long list of symptoms and “particular indications.”
Homeopathy for Everyone also appears to be free and is a little different than the previous listings in that they provide some combination remedy suggestions as well as potency and dosing guidance. Note: A number of the suggested remedies are unusual remedies. When you click on “whiplash” for example, it lists a remedy combo, suggests taking it 3 times a day for a maximum of a week and that’s that. It appears to be just that for every condition clicked.
Homeopathy Clinical Tips asks you to register, but it appears you can use it without doing so. This app isn’t as user friendly as some of the others but they do offer some potency and dosing suggestions. This app offers many little pictures of information under “Useful Tips.” For instance, "Examination Fear" says “Argentum nitricum 200c offers instant relief” and names the author of the suggestion, in this case, Dr. Foubister. Under “Clinical Tips” it shows three remedies for “Abscess” and provides some more specifics when you click on it. It also offers potency and dosing and again lists the contributing authors.
Homeopathy Materia Medica is an app that lives on my phone and I do refer to it fairly often and I believe it is free. This is a straightforward materia medica. Choose a letter, find your remedy and read up on it. It has a button where you can add your own notes. I have never used this feature but it also has videos of well known homeopaths discussing remedies. It is not a complete materia medica, but that would be asking a lot.
MyHomeopath allows you to use a reduced version of the app for free, or, you can choose to subscribe for a low annual fee. The free version only offers “general,” “fever” and “head.” To use this app, choose your condition and then on the right hand side of the screen it has a check list where you can click the symptoms you are experiencing. Once you make your selections and click “remedies,” it provides a ranked choice of possible remedies. It also provides instructions for making a water dose.
Bach Flower Remedies is another app that lives on my phone… providing a nice overview of each of the Bach Flower Essences. It also offers the “Quick Prescriber” where you can search by symptom. Click your symptom and the app provides the one or two essences appropriate for each symptom.
Lotus Smart Charts is a neat little app from Robin Murphy and Judith Toscano. Choose from Kids and Babies, First Aid, Furry Friends and Digestion. Once you choose your main category, you then choose the issue. For example, under First Aid, you can choose: Bleeding, Black Eye, Puncture wounds, etc. and when you click on your issue a couple of remedies pop up with a few differentiating features.
Homeopathic Prescriber teaches how to take a case as well as an A-Z of symptoms. I was randomly clicking around and stumbled on the entry for “screaming children” with further differentiation of symptoms, like: night screaming; piteous crying; before urine passes — followed by the suggested remedy. They have a button for Video News which says the videos will change periodically. Today it showed only one video for Homeopathy for Depression and Anxiety.
There you have my 2 cents on a handful of available homeopathy technology offerings. As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of apps out there and I just took a quick look at a few that were not prohibitively expensive. (I understand there are actually a few phone apps that are essentially complete repertories but I have not tried any of those.) As for my current cold? My friend used Homeopathic Housecall, walked me through the questions and came up with a remedy that definitely brought me to a better place. I am now able to function. My appetite has returned. My headache has significantly lessened and my burning throat has dissipated. I was able to enjoy being with my family tonight as well as to get a little work done, and, most importantly, I am now ready for bed and I am looking forward to a good night’s sleep with her suggested remedy in a glass of water sitting next to my bedside in case I wake in the night. Remember, this is the year to dig into homeopathy! Let technology be your friend on your learning journey. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits As summer winds down, the cicadas seem to be winding up. Boy, they have been noisy this year! When they take a break, the silence makes me realize that living with something like tinnitus must be very trying, indeed! Tinnitus (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 2018), the perception of outside noise when no actual external stimulus is causing the sound, affects 15-20% of people of all ages but it is especially common in older adults. Sometimes there is an underlying cause that can be addressed to fix the tinnitus, but usually, treatments to make the tinnitus less noticeable are used (things like hearing aids, sound generators). Common causes are hearing loss, ear infection or ear canal blockage, head or neck injuries and medications (Mayo Clinic 2018). Like so many chronic conditions, we are told there is no cure. Half the people who experience tinnitus do not have measurable hearing loss. A small percentage of people suffering from tinnitus experience serious debility in their daily lives (Prutsman 2023). Homeopathically speaking, there are some remedies that can help though it’s not usually a quick fix, so be prepared to be patient. There are a lot of rubrics and remedies associated with hearing noises in the ears — some of them quite specific as to the sound (for example, hearing bagpipes in the distance — Nat carb) or, specific circumstances or specific times of day when the noises occur. A few remedies pop up more often than others: Petroleum, Lycopodium, and China officinalis, in particular. There is a theme amongst these remedies of sensitive hearing, hyperacusis, which is a common complaint of tinnitus sufferers (Hebert et al. 2013). It never ceases to amaze me how homeopathy figured this stuff out a hundred plus years before the research was done! Petroleum is associated with chronic eustachian catarrh, (mucus or gunk in laymen’s terms). Conversely, there may be a dryness or a disagreeable feeling of dryness in the ears. There may be itching deep inside the ear or, diminished hearing in general. There could be an over-sensitiveness of not only hearing, but also of touch and smell, too. Impaired hearing with noises in the ears; impaired hearing in old people or, progressive hearing impairment. The sounds which may be heard for which Petroleum may be of benefit: bells; humming; constant roaring or rushing water; cracking; whizzing or the sound of wind. Lycopodium may help when there is a swelling of the ear with discharge. Perhaps, a sensation as if hot blood has rushed into the ears. Impaired hearing with discharge from the ear. Sensitive to noises and sounds, particularly music. The noises which may be helped with Lycopodium are: roaring, humming, whizzing and rushing. China officinalis is for a great over-sensitiveness of the nervous system — all sights, smells, hearing and taste are too strong. The external ear may be sensitive to touch. Impaired hearing with constant noises in the ears, possibly with a headache. The noises which may be helped by China officinalis are humming; ringing, especially with an accompanying headache; roaring; ticking as of a distant watch; buzzing; noises as if hearing singing. Back to the bagpipes of Natrum carbonicum… this remedy isn’t as prominent as the remedies listed above, but there are some interesting things associated with it. There may be a stopped sensation with diminished hearing. Sensitive hearing, particularly to music - they can’t bear it or, the rumpling of paper. Bubbling noises or as if a bubble is bursting; sounds seem to come from the left side when they really come from the right; and, the illusion of hearing singing. And, though they can’t stand hearing music, they have the delusion they are hearing music — that must be frustratingly awful! A list of a few noise rubrics and some corresponding remedies:
Book a focused consultation and see if we can take the focus off those noises for you. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Tinnitus: Causes, Treatment & Prevention [online]. Cleveland Clinic. Hebert, S., Fournier, P. and Norena, A., 2013. The Auditory Sensitivity is Increased in Tinnitus Ears. Journal of Neuroscience [online], 33 (6), 2356–2364. Mayo Clinic, 2018. Tinnitus - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2018. Tinnitus [online]. NIDCD. Prutsman, Dr. J., 2023. Tinnitus [online]. Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center. 
Reference list
Delagran, L., 2012. Impact of Fear and Anxiety | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing [online]. Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. Jeffers, S., 2023. Feel the Fear... and Do It Anyway. Harvest. LeDoux, J., 1998. Fear and the brain: where have we been, and wwww.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(98)00282-0/fulltexthere are we going? Biological Psychiatry [online], 44 (12), 1229–1238. Mcintyre, A., 1996. Flower power : flower remedies for healing body and soul through herbalism, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and flower essences. Holt. Schroyens, F., n.d. Synthesis Adonis. (accessed through Radar Opus software). Steimer, T., 2002. The biology of fear- and anxiety-related behaviors. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience [online], 4 (3), 231–49.
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Julia Coyte, CHomI am passionate about homeopathy and I love sharing this passion. Having a working knowledge of homeopathy shouldn't be kept a secret. If people have the ability to help themselves, their children and their friends when they have minor ailments, life just gets better for everyone. That is the purpose behind Ruminating on Remedies. Archives
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