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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 I live in a desert. I live in a desert for a reason. I like that nice, dry weather, usually with a big, blue sky filled with a sun that has meaning!
Soon, I’m headed to other climes and I must admit, even though I am really looking forward to the trip, I am not looking forward to the cold and damp. The last time I was in this weather in the winter, I would get so cold it took a long time soaking in a deep, hot bath to warm up. Literally. Chilled to the bone is a real thing. Back in the day, I didn’t even know about homeopathy, let alone use it. So, this time, I’m doing a little prep work of what remedies to have along with me. Previously, I wrote about frost bite and the remedies that can help with that. I’ll bring that remedy with me, but that’s very different to the deep-seated cold of damp weather. Three remedies stand out in my search: Dulcamara, Nux moschata, and Rhus tox. These are not the only remedies, just the 3 that keep popping up most clearly and therefore, a good place to start (and the 3 remedies I am going to be sure to bring with me!) Calc carb showed up quite often, but it didn’t really have any distinguishing features, but I’ll leave it in anyway, just cuz. Homeopathic Dulcamara has a strong keynote aggravation from damp weather. “Any condition which has this feature may find its remedy in Dulcamara” (Robin Murphy). Most Dulcamara complaints are related to the mucous membranes (mouth, nose, eyelids, lungs, stomach, intestines). Symptoms unique to Dulcamara in the cold and damp:
A few symptoms where Dulcamara is your best bet (though, Calc carb, Nux moschata and Rhus tox are still indicated, but not as clearly):
Homeopathic Nux moschata is what would be called a dry remedy. (It’s made from nutmeg, so that kind of makes sense to me.) A very dry remed actually; so, it’s no surprise that the person who could benefit from it would not fare well in the cold and damp. Three symptoms that appear in the cold and damp and are unique to Nux moschata:
If you experience any of these symptoms as a result of being in the cold and damp, Nux moschata is most likely the remedy for you. Homeopathic Rhus tox is a remedy that is known for feeling better from heat — generally, the hotter the better! So, it would make sense that a person needing Rhus tox would feel worse in the cold and damp. Specific to Rhus tox as a result of the cold & damp:
A few other rubrics to consider that don’t fit nicely into my (mostly) neatly segregated remedies:
Here’s to sitting by a blazing fire, sipping something hot and lovely! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits
 I got a text a few weeks ago, something to the effect of: “what do you take when you’ve eaten bad salami?” Apparently, the offending food was enjoyed by a young girl during a carnival and it did not settle well. Foodborne illnesses are the 6th leading cause for ER visits in the summer (Temple ReadyCare 2021). Why? According to Food Poison Journal, put out by Marler Clark: Food Safety Law Firm, “Most food borne bacteria grow fastest at temperatures from 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria also need moisture to flourish, and summer weather is often hot and humid.” Makes sense to me. Are carnivals to blame? Journal of Environmental Health (2015) says “group gatherings” resulted “in more hospitalizations than outbreaks associated with festivals.” I don't want to give fairs and festivals a bad wrap. Still, “carnival salami” just doesn’t sound like a good choice. How can homeoapthy help when you take your chances on the carnival food? Arsenicum album, that’s how. I have written previously about it’s helpful effects for traveler’s diarrhea. Homeopathic Arsenicum album is noted “mainly in cases of meat poisoning… which present with severe and violent symptoms” (Ratera 2016). Weakness and restlessness commonly accompany the bad stomach pains. What else can help? Activated charcoal “may be the single most effective treatment in many types of poisoning” (Derlet and Albertson 1986). Does that mean I don’t trust the Arsenicum album to do the job? Absolutely not. I have seen the wonderful (and fast!) effects of Arsenicum album on some pretty nasty food poisoning. Then why even mention it? Because I’m a big believer in using what works and what is safe, that’s why. Activated charcoal scurries around and gathers up the noxious substance and helps usher it out of your body (Zellner et al. 2019). Better out than in. Homeopathic Arsenicum album can help to keep the carnival fun to the Tilt-a-Whirl while avoiding the “I’m Gonna’ Hurl.” Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Derlet, R. W. and Albertson, T. E., 1986. Activated charcoal--past, present and future. The Western journal of medicine [online], 145 (4), 493–6. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag. Seattle, M. C. 1012 F. A. F. F. and Phone: 1-800-884-9840, W. 98104-1008, 2006. Foodborne illness peaks in summer - Why? [online]. Food Poison Journal. Temple ReadyCare, 2021. 6 Reasons for Summer ER Visits and How to Avoid Common Injuries and Illness [online]. Temple Health. Wilson, E., 2015. Foodborne illness and seasonality related to mobile food sources at festivals and group gatherings in the state of Georgia. Journal of Environmental Health [online], 77 (7), 8–11; quiz 54. Zellner, T., Prasa, D., Färber, E., Hoffmann-Walbeck, P., Genser, D. and Eyer, F., 2019. The use of activated charcoal to treat intoxications. Deutsches Aerzteblatt Online [online].   Whether a river, an ocean or a pool -- nothing is as inviting as a body of water on a hot, summer’s day. It’s cool and refreshing, but, after a shallow dive into the subject … I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it can be dangerous! Let’s start with a dip in the pool, which is most likely chlorinated. Some people are particularly sensitive to the chlorine and can develop what is known as SWIMMER'S EYE or, chlorine conjunctivitis. It is essentially eye irritation but it stings and it can be pretty miserable. Goggles can help, but that's not a sure thing to keep it at bay. Homeopathic Euphrasia or “Eyebright” for burning eyes and watery eyes. Pain as if something were in the eye. Puffy eyes. Red eyes. When “eye” is in the name of the remedy, you know it’s a good place to start. Arsenicum album for profuse, watery, burning discharge. There is often a level of restlessness. Or, Similisan’s Redness & Itchy Eye Relief* would be a good thing to keep in the cupboard if you or your child is prone to this. --------------------------------------------- Moving from the pool to a natural body of water can bring it’s own set of problems, namely, SWIMMER'S ITCH or Cercarial Dermatitis. Caused by a parasite that gets under the skin (Kolářová et al. 2012) and triggers an allergic reaction, swimmer’s itch is as the name suggests, an itchy rash. If the rash is blistery and oozy, look to Graphites. If the rash burns, stings and itches, try Sulphur. If the rash stings and is raised and fluid filled, try Apis. ------------------------------------------- SWIMMER’S EAR Regardless of what kind of water you’re swimming in, swimmer’s ear is basically an outer ear infection caused by trapped water in your ear that can lead to the growth of bacteria (Mayo Clinic). For sharp ear pain with a sudden onset, Belladonna. There may be redness and throbbing pain. An aching ear pain that feels like the ear is stopped up, Chamomilla. If there is discharge and itching, try Hepar sulph. Or, Similason has a new formula: Swimmer's Ear Relief*. ------------------------------------------- If you are lucky enough to be near the ocean, beware of JELLYFISH! Potentially harmful jellyfish are found in most oceans and can cause both dermatological problems as well as systemic issues (Mebs 2014). The venom of the 51 species of box jellyfish can kill a human in less than 2 minutes (Baldwin 2022). The Wilderness Medical Society has published “Jellyfish Stings: A Practical Approach” (Lakkis et al. 2015). If you left your stinger suit hanging in the closet and manage to get stung, conventional medicine doesn’t have a lot to offer. “The literature published on the treatment of jellyfish stings is limited, conflicting, and lacks consensus.” In short, help the person out of the water, keep them from rubbing the stung area and reassure them. Some say to apply cold, others heat. If it’s a life-threatening species, call an ambulance immediately. (Be careful when helping someone with a jellyfish sting as stinging cells may be spread on contact.) Once again, this is a situation where homeopathy can come in very handy. Homeopathy doesn’t care if the sting is a result of a jellyfish or a bee. If the symptoms match the remedy, there is a good chance relief will follow. First Aid with Homeopathy (Mateu 2020) says applying vinegar can decrease the effect of the toxins. For all these homeopathic jellyfish remedy recommendations, repeat every five minutes until significantly better and then begin to lengthen the time between doses. For most “run of the mill” jellyfish stings, try Apis mellifica. For intense burning and stinging followed by redness and swelling. The person needing Apis will generally be worse from warm applications. If the affected area feels cold and also feels better from cold, try Ledum. Urtica urens can be applied topically as well as ingesting the homeopathic remedy. The person needing Urtica will be experiencing great itchiness and burning, similar to experiencing stinging nettles (from which the remedy is made). If the pains are more neuralgic in nature and radiating out, try Hypericum. ------------------------------------------- HYPOTHERMIA It’s a warm, beautiful day with a little breeze and you think, “what could possibly go wrong?” Well, Hypothermia is one thing that can ruin your day. “That only happens in the cold, right?” Um. Nope. The only requirement for hypothermia to set in is anything that causes a severe drop in body temperature. It can happen in perfect conditions (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission 2022) and, actually, swimming doesn’t even need to be involved. It can happen from being in the water or from being caught in a rainstorm. When I was a kid, my brother went sailing on a too cold day and he returned way too cold. I remember being instructed to lie down on the kitchen floor next to him under a blanket to try and warm him up. I now know that is termed “external passive rewarming” and is the method of choice for mild hypothermia. A slow and gentle warming is what you’re after. For hypothermia to set in, the water doesn’t have to be cold, just cooler than your body temperature. Children, the elderly, injured or intoxicated people are more susceptible (Paal et al. 2022). Shivering, confusion, breathing issues, and muscle dysfunction are some of the symptoms which may be experienced with a significantly lowered body temperature. The Natural First Aid Handbook (Mars 2017) recommends hot water bottles to the groin and sides of the torso and warns against rubbing or massaging an individual with hypothermia. First Aid with Homeopathy (Ratera 2016) recommends hot liquids and moderate warmth to the abdomen via a hot water bottle and also talks about breath as a treatment for hypothermia. “The helper places his mouth against the spine, between the shoulder blades, and breathes out in long breaths, blowing directly against the clothing. Almost immediately, local heat is felt, and gradually this heat spreads through the body if the exercise is continued. This technique helps to warm, and also to calm the patient. It can therefore also be used in crises of asthma or panic, to calm the patient and restore natural breathing.” Fascinating! Other than warming the person, what can be done? Homeopathy, of course! If the person is conscious, give a dose of Aconite to help with the shock. Bellis perennis is useful in thermal shock (Ratera 2016). Thermal shock can happen from any sudden exposure to cold when the body is hot — even drinking cold drinks when the body is hot. Carbo vegetabilis can be useful for persons who are chilly, with cold perspiration and cold breath. Other symptoms may include coldness, numbness and weakness. Veratrum album is for internal coldness, as if ice-water is in the veins. Weakness and collapse with coldness. If the person is icy cold but wants to be uncovered, consider some homeopathic Camphor. Cramps, convulsions or shock may be present. ----------------------------------------- DROWNING Regardless of the size of the body of water, drowning is always something to watch out for and contrary to what we have seen in the movies, drowning is often completely silent (Redcross. CA 2013). See sidebar for "signs a swimmer is in trouble." According to Stop Drowning Now (2018), in the US, 10 people die every day from drowning. “Drowning is fast and silent and can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds.” When my son was little, I turned my back to get his floaties and the other mother with me (who I thought was watching all the kids!) said, “I didn’t know he could swim.” I turned around and I saw him standing on the bottom of the pool, completely underwater, eyes open, looking up at me. He couldn’t swim! He definitely did not belong there! That could have been a disaster. It was absolutely instantaneous — shockingly fast! Thankfully, he was completely fine. I will never be able to get that vision out of my mind. It was terrible. CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, followed by mouth-to-mouth is the standard recommendation. Venema (et al. 2010) claim that 30% of rescued drowning victims require CPR. Get medical help immediately. If the person is unconscious, administer homeopathic Carbo vegetabilis while waiting for help to arrive. Carbo veg is known as “the corpse reviver” and should be administered frequently. To avoid inhaling the remedy, place the pellet between the lips and the teeth and let it dissolve there. If the person is better when sitting up but is experiencing a rattling in the chest, try Antimonium tart. Lachesis is indicated when the person is suffering asphyxia and the pulse is very weak. If there is a “near miss” like I described with my son, it may not be over and done with when you have them out of the water and breathing on their own again. Jama Pediatrics (Stern and Thompson 2022) notes that “symptoms of drowning such as gasping or difficulty breathing most commonly occur immediately. In rare cases, symptoms may develop after a nonfatal drowning. If a child develops worsening cough, fast breathing rate, vomiting or change in mental status after nonfatal drowning, take them to the nearest emergency department for evaluation.” It may seem like it’s better (and safer!) to just dip your toes in the water to cool off, but no! Life is too short to sit out the swim! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their products.  REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING:
Baird, J. K. and Wear, D. J., 1987. 12 Cercarial dermatitis: The swimmer’s itch. Clinics in Dermatology, 5 (3), 88–91. Baldwin, E., 2022. Box Jellyfish: The Dangerous Jellyfish | Ocean Info [online]. oceaninfo.com. Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, 2022. Hypothermia [online]. Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gordy, M. A., Cobb, T. P. and Hanington, P. C., 2018. Swimmer’s itch in Canada: a look at the past and a survey of the present to plan for the future. Environmental Health, 17 (1). Hoeffler, D. F., 1977. ‘Swimmers’ itch’ (cercarial dermatitis). Cutis [online], 19 (4), 461–465, 467. Kolářová, L., Horák, P., Skírnisson, K., Marečková, H. and Doenhoff, M., 2012. Cercarial Dermatitis, a Neglected Allergic Disease. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology [online], 45 (1), 63–74. Lakkis, N. A., Maalouf, G. J. and Mahmassani, D. M., 2015. Jellyfish Stings: A Practical Approach. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine [online], 26 (3), 422–429. Lessell, C. B., 1999. The world travellers’ manual of homoeopathy. Saffron Walden: C.W. Daniel. Mateu, M., 2020. First aid with homeopathy. Kandern, Germany Narayana Verlag. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Swimmer’s ear - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Swimmer’s itch - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic. Mebs, D., 2014. Durch Quallen verursachte Verletzungen. Jelly Fish Sting Injuries Der Hautarzt [online], 65 (10), 873–878. Paal, P., Pasquier, M., Darocha, T., Lechner, R., Kosinski, S., Wallner, B., Zafren, K. and Brugger, H., 2022. Accidental Hypothermia: 2021 Update. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [online], 19 (1), 501. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Kander, Germany: Narayana Verlag. Redcross. CA, 2013. Drowning: A silent killer - Canadian Red Cross [online]. Red Cross Canada. Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. Smith, S., 2007. Medical homoeopathy. West Wickham England: Winter Press. Stern, A. M. and Thompson, L. A., 2022. What Parents Should Know About Drowning and Dry Drowning. JAMA Pediatrics [online]. Stop Drowning Now, 2018. Facts & Stats About Drowning - Stop Drowning Now [online]. www.stopdrowningnow.org. Szpilman, D., Bierens, J. J. L. M., Handley, A. J. and Orlowski, J. P., 2012. Drowning. New England Journal of Medicine [online], 366 (22), 2102–2110. Venema, A. M., Groothoff, J. W. and Bierens, J. J. L. M., 2010. The role of bystanders during rescue and resuscitation of drowning victims. Resuscitation [online], 81 (4), 434–439.  I learned this trick from Pinterest years ago. The crud has hit my house. It entered surreptitiously on New Years Day and didn’t let itself be known for a few days after that. I helped my son through it, homeopathically speaking, and then it was my turn. In general, it is much harder to help yourself, homeopathically speaking, than it is to help someone else. When you are helping someone else, you are logically interpreting symptoms. When you are trying to interpret your own symptoms when you’re not feeling your best, you’re lucky to have logic still involved in the process at all! Anyway, I am unofficially on day 8, though I didn't test positive until 2 days ago. I don’t feel terrible, but I don’t feel great. I certainly have felt much worse in my life. The low-grade fever doesn’t want to budge. I have a terrible smell/taste in my nose. (I didn’t lose my sense of smell/taste — in fact, they have become highly sensitized.) I do not love the lack of energy, mental or physical. I know people who currently have “it” or just had “it” and they took the Ivermectin or the HCQ and some felt better immediately and some are still struggling to feel better. It was this last piece of information that made me realize that I’m doing pretty well with my remedies. I have not had the “painful shivers” or the loss of smell; I have been sleeping like a baby. I don't have a painful, rib-breaking cough. Aches have been minimal and are now completely gone. I have a lot of snot but I don’t have that bursting headache that some people are getting. (My left eyeball was tender when I moved it for a couple of days, but it was annoying, not unbearable.) I am now coughing a bit, but it feels like a forward movement — clearing that stuff out. I can breathe just fine and my lungs aren’t involved. (I did turn into a mouth breather for a couple of days, but that’s gone now, too.) Everything has stayed from the neck up and I appreciate that fact! What remedies have I used? I’ll be completely honest — everything! If a symptom appeared, I tried a remedy. Sometimes the remedies felt futile (like for the fever that won’t budge) and sometimes they seemed to help pretty quickly. To keep this article brief — and so I can get back to the business of getting well and kicking this garbage to the curb! — I will list a few remedies that have been very helpful for me and for my son and friends. My son started out with extreme restlessness and low/mid back pain: Nux vomica. (In hindsight, Rhus tox could have been helpful here, too, but it wasn't presenting that way at first.) He had the painful shivers and very painful skin. Fortunately, his skin wasn’t so painful that he couldn’t have anything touch it (Krajewski et al. 2020), but it was uncomfortable for him. He found great relief from hot water: Rhus toxicodendron. He had some dizziness for a quick minute but an old bottle of Heel’s “Lightheadedness” quickly cleared that up. We used a few other remedies for him here and there, but these were the big movers for him. That’s the thing with acute diseases — you have to chase the symptoms. A symptom shows up, a remedy helps it and another symptom moves in to take its place. It’s not like clearing up a chronic condition where you want to stick with A remedy or a group of remedies for a while. You have to react quickly with the changing symptoms of an acute. My yucks started out with severe dizziness and nausea and vomiting: Ipecac. After 2 days, everything was very much improved and I thought I was good to go and then the new version of symptoms set in a few days later. Oscillococcinum — the Flu remedy. I literally have not yet figured out the low grade fever thing. (Very frustrating!) But, it’s not terrible and I guess I have to let my body do what it’s doing and trust that it knows what it’s doing. Generally speaking, though, Ferrum phos is an excellent remedy for low-grade fevers. I have also tried fever combination remedies, to no avail. Eyeball that hurts when moving it: Bryonia. Bryonia on its own wasn’t doing the trick, but mixing Aconite with the Bryonia did do the trick. [Aconite/Bryonia is a Banerji Protocol to ward off the yucks of any kind, but homeopathic legend has it that when you add Aconite to a remedy that should be working, but isn’t, it’s like a power boost and it certainly seemed to be for my painful eyeball.] That moment when the bed felt too hard to get comfortable: Arnica. This, too, can be Bryonia, but given that I wasn’t having the eyeball luck with that remedy, I moved on to Arnica. Last night, when the coughing started in the middle of the night: Boiron’s Chestal Cold and Cough. I haven’t had to repeat it yet, so that must have done the trick. [note: having combination remedies available are extremely helpful in the middle of the night when you can’t get your brain to figure it out!] Nux vomica helped with my stuffy nose and gas. Arsenicum album helped early on with a burning sensation deep in my nose. For the most part, however, I have now accepted that perfection really is the enemy of the good. I don’t feel great, but I am thankful that I have a lovely husband and sons who are keeping the home fires burning, literally and figuratively. On that note, my husband has yet to succumb. Hopefully, he is that rare breed that is not susceptible to this virus. Or, it could be that he has religiously stepped up his supplement routine — he said he feels better than he has in a while as a result! — and, at any little hint of anything, he turns to his tried and true: Boiron’s Cold Calm. Who knows? They say children experience positive growth after an illness — we certainly noticed that when our little fellows got sick — maybe that can be true for old homeopaths, too! I have come to the conclusion that my body just needs to experience this sickness for whatever reason. I’m not sick in bed. I can even still beat my husband in gin rummy, and he's no slouch at the game! I am tired and don’t feel great, but I am not down for the count and I believe it is homeopathy that is responsible for this small blessing. It just is what it is. I haven’t been sick in many years! I guess it was just my time! It was Voltaire who proclaimed, “Perfect is the enemy of good.” It has been so very many years now that I have avoided getting really sick. My remedies have always stepped in and fixed everything right up for me in very short order. I now expect perfection and that’s not a reasonable goal. I will keep on keeping on and I know one day soon, this will all be behind me and I can get back to the business of life! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Krajewski, P. K., Szepietowski, J. C., and Maj, J., 2020. Cutaneous hyperesthesia: A novel manifestation of COVID-19. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity [online], 87, 188.
 A graphic image, I know! But when you’re talking about: Montezuma’s Revenge Delhi Belly The Runs The Trots The Squirts The Aztec two-step … It all makes sense. “Travelers’ diarrhea (TD) is the most predictable travel-related illness. Attack rates range from 30% to 70% of travelers, depending on the destination and season of travel” (CDC 2013). TD is usually defined as 3 or more loose stools in 24 hours (Ashkenazi et al. 2016), sometimes with nausea/vomiting, cramps or fever. Bacterial and viral pathogens usually set in between 6 and 72 hours and protozoal pathogens rarely show up in the first few days, with a typical incubation period of 1-2 weeks (though there are exceptions to this) (CDC 2013). Untreated, the bacterial diarrhea can last 3-7 days. Viral diarrhea 2-3 days. Protozoal diarrhea can stick around for weeks or months (Connor 2016) Merson (et al. 1976) studied 73 physicians and 48 family members attending a medical conference in Mexico City in 1974, collecting fecal and blood samples before, during and after their trip. They found 49% developed traveler’s diarrhea, setting in about 6 days after arrival and lasting about 5 days. (There are a few things that jump out from this study that may skew the results. Did they all stay and eat in the same locations? Those who did not get sick, did they alter their behavior in any way from their traveling companions who did get sick? Of the 49% who got sick, how many were related to one another? These and other questions were not addressed in this study.) Mainstream advice on avoiding traveler's diarrhea “Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it” is one option. I once knew a man who traveled internationally frequently and he swore that if you added gin to your water, that would protect you from the dreaded traveler’s diarrhea. If these suggestions don’t work and something nasty manages to slip in to your system despite your best efforts, it’s very important to replenish the electrolytes (Ashkenazi et al. 2016). Ali (2019) found that in children with acute diarrhea, adding probiotics to the Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) considerably reduced stool frequency. In addition to ORS, the standard care for traveler’s diarrhea is antibiotics, sometimes prophylactically and sometimes after the fact, as well as anti-diarrheal medication. Antibiotics can certainly have side effects but, more importantly, “antibiotics used by travelers might result in significant changes in the host microbiome as well as the acquisition of multidrug-resistant bacteria” (Riddle and Connor 2019). For example, post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome may occur in 3-17% of patients following traveler’s diarrhea (Steffen et al. 2015). A popular anti-diarrheal is Loperamide, AKA Imodium. Drugs.com tells us it is a nonprescription opioid that primarily affects opiate receptors in the intestines to treat diarrhea, which commonly results in constipation, nausea, flatulence, dry mouth, abdominal cramp and vomiting. Loperamide is also known to result in cardiac arrest (Wu and Juurlink 2017) though it is considered “relatively safe at therapeutic doses.” How do we avoid this awful predicament? The worldwide lockdown of the last almost two years certainly is one answer, but staying home 24/7 is not a good option, in my opinion. There’s a whole big world out there with people and places to see! If you have read any of my articles before, you already know my answer to this problem… Homeopathy! Fortuoso (et al. 2019) used a homeopathic product (referred to only as Dia 100 in the study, a trademarked remedy with no further information provided), on newborn lambs. The E.coli counts were significantly lower in the stools of the lambs treated with homeopathy and those lambs were able to make “better use of their nutrients, contributing to their immune responses.” (Fortuoso (et al. 2018) completed a similar study with calves. Camerlink (et al. 2010) found similar results in piglets using Coli 30K.) Jacobs (et al. 1994) found a statistically significant shortening of duration and number of stools per day of diarrhea in children using individualized homeopathy as compared to placebo. Whether gut issues now exist because one suffered from TD or if gut issues exist following antibiotic use, Uchiyama-Tanaka (2018) found the use of homeopathic bowel nosodes to be effective in 69.6% of patients in a small study of dysbiotic* Japanese patients. Homeopathic Arsenicum album 200c, taken at the beginning of any diarrhea is very effective (Banerji and Banerji 2013, p. 66). The Banerjis also recommend a couple of cell salts to help with the dehydration that will most likely accompany TD or food poisoning or other causations of prolonged diarrhea: Natrum muriaticum 6x and Kali phos 6x, taken together, every three hours. Why Arsenicum album? In addition to the studies referenced above, homeopathic Arsenicum album is noted for its anxiety, restlessness, exhaustion and burning pains. Sudden weakness, sudden intense effects, and “even stupor is interrupted by fits of restlessness with anxious moaning” (Murphy n.d.). As for Arsenicum album’s connection to food poisoning, it is known to help ill effects from bad food and “injurious effects of fruits, especially more watery ones” (Murphy). On the mental and emotional plane, Arsenicum album is noted when there is a fear of death and disease and “fixed ideas, hallucinations of smell and sight” — when you can’t stand the sight or smell of food. Have you ever suffered food poisoning and you can’t get the image or the smell of what you ate out of your mind? Arsenicum album has been studied, homeopathically speaking, since the days of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. “He despairs and weeps, and imagines no one can help him, that he must die; he is cold and chilly, and afterwards generally weak” (Hughes et al. 2011, referencing Hahnemann’s findings). When you are in a hotel room, a hotel bathroom in particular, and experiencing these dreaded symptoms, homeopathic Arsenicum album might just be your new best friend. Arsenicum album, don’t leave home without it.** Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * Dysbiosis is an unhealthy change in the normal bacterial ecology of a part of body, e.g., of the intestines or oral cavity (Venes and Clarence Wilbur Taber 2013). ** There’s a well-known credit card company that begins with A and has the same number of syllables in their name. Their ad campaign back in the 1970s was “… don’t leave home without it.” Reference list
Ali, R., 2019. The Use of Probiotic with ORS and ORS Only in Children with Acute Diarrhea. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan [online], 29 (12), 1179–1182. Anon., 2012. Loperamide [online]. PubMed. Ashkenazi, S., Schwartz, E., and O’Ryan, M., 2016. Travelers’ Diarrhea in Children: What Have We Learnt? The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal [online], 35 (6), 698–700. Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji. Camerlink, I., Ellinger, L., Bakker, E. J., and Lantinga, E. A., 2010. Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy [online], 99 (1), 57–62. CDC, ed., 2013. Travelers’ Diarrhea | Travelers’ Health | CDC [online]. Cdc.gov. Connor, B. A., 2016. Travelers’ Diarrhea - Chapter 2 - 2020 Yellow Book | Travelers’ Health | CDC [online]. Cdc.gov. Drugs.com, ed., 2021. Imodium Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term [online]. Drugs.com. Fortuoso, B. F., Gebert, R. R., Griss, L. G., Glombovisky, P., Cazarotto, C. J., Rampazzo, L., Stefani, L. M., Ferreira, E. B., and da Silva, A. S., 2019. Reduction of stool bacterial counts and prevention of diarrhea using an oral homeopathic product in newborn lambs. Microbial Pathogenesis [online], 127, 347–351. Fortuoso, B. F., Volpato, A., Rampazzo, L., Glombowsky, P., Griss, L. G., Galli, G. M., Stefani, L. M., Baldissera, M. D., Ferreira, E. B., Machado, G., and da Silva, A. S., 2018. Homeopathic treatment as an alternative prophylactic to minimize bacterial infection and prevent neonatal diarrhea in calves. Microbial Pathogenesis [online], 114, 95–98. Hahnemann, S., 2015. Chronic diseases, their particular nature & their homoeopathic cure. Referenced through Radar Opus 2.2.16. New Delhi: B. Jain. Hughes, R., Timothy Field Allen, and Al, E., 2011. The encyclopedia of pure materia medica : a record of the positive effects of drugs upon the healthy human organism. Accessed via Radar Opus 2.2.16. New Delhi: B. Jain. Jacobs, J., Jiménez, L. M., Gloyd, S. S., Gale, J. L., and Crothers, D., 1994. Treatment of acute childhood diarrhea with homeopathic medicine: a randomized clinical trial in Nicaragua. Pediatrics [online], 93 (5), 719–725. Merson, M. H., Morris, G. K., Sack, D. A., Wells, J. G., Feeley, J. C., Sack, R. B., Creech, W. B., Kapikian, A. Z., and Gangarosa, E. J., 1976. Travelers’ Diarrhea in Mexico. New England Journal of Medicine [online], 294 (24), 1299–1305. Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus 2.2.16. Rafferty, A. and Kayne, S., 1994. The use of Arsenicum album 30c to complement conventional treatment of neonatal diarrhoea (“scours”) in calves. British Homeopathic Journal [online], 83 (04), 202–204. Riddle, M. S. and Connor, B. A., 2019. Perspectives: Antibiotics in Travelers’ Diarrhea - Balancing the Risks & Benefits - Chapter 2 - 2020 Yellow Book | Travelers’ Health | CDC [online]. wwwnc.cdc.gov. Riddle, M. S., Connor, B. A., Beeching, N. J., DuPont, H. L., Hamer, D. H., Kozarsky, P., Libman, M., Steffen, R., Taylor, D., Tribble, D. R., Vila, J., Zanger, P., and Ericsson, C. D., 2017. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of travelers’ diarrhea: a graded expert panel report. Journal of Travel Medicine [online], 24 (suppl_1), S63–S80. Steffen, R., Hill, D. R., and DuPont, H. L., 2015. Traveler’s Diarrhea. JAMA [online], 313 (1), 71. Uchiyama-Tanaka, Y., 2018. Case Study of Homeopathic Bowel Nosode Remedies for Dysbiotic Japanese Patients. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.) [online], 24 (2), 187–192. Venes, D. and Clarence Wilbur Taber, 2013. Taber’s cyclopedic medical dictionary. [22nd ed., ISBN: 9780803629776]. Philadelphia, Pa.: F.A. Davis. Wu, P. E. and Juurlink, D. N., 2017. Clinical Review: Loperamide Toxicity. Annals of Emergency Medicine [online], 70 (2), 245–252.  And, so it begins. The season of family, friends, food, festivities and, less desirably, the crud.
What follows is an account of one family suffering from the crud. I know this family well and often help them homeopathically through quick text exchanges. Knowing she has a good home kit of homeopathic remedies, I addressed her questions and their symptoms with common remedies. Note: sitting down and taking the full case is definitely a better way to approach any situation, but this is how things go sometimes. She didn’t request a “full” acute consultation, she just wanted to address her symptoms as they popped up. A friend called last week with her 1st grader suffering a nasty, yucky cough. She got over it pretty quickly, but she managed to share it with her little sisters. The littlest one wasn’t sleeping for a few nights and since little ones aren’t known for entertaining themselves quietly when they aren’t sleeping, her mom didn’t sleep either and she, too, succumbed to the crud. In an ideal world, the right remedy will take care of the whole enchilada all at once. But, with colds and flus you often have to chase the symptoms. One remedy takes care of the first problem and then the symptoms change and move and are looking for attention elsewhere. The mom texted with her symptoms: “What do I take for right sided nasal congestion that is also plugging my right ear? It’s a gross one. I tried to get on top of it before it fully took over and was unsuccessful.” My answer: homeopathic Sanguinaria canadensis. I knew from her oldest’s symptoms that an icky cough was part of this picture and Sanguinaria is a good cough remedy in general. It is highly indicated in a hacking cough, an irritable cough, a tickling cough and even whooping cough. Sanguinaria also is noted for ear pain and ear discharges and excessive mucus and/or tickling in the larynx, trachea or throat. The lungs may be filled with gunk and the discharges may be stringy or have an odor The headaches of Sanguinaria can be accompanied by nausea or have pain above the eyes and can be specifically associated with the right side. Gastric headaches, throbbing headaches and migraines can all be helped by homeopathic Sanguinaria. The Sanguinaria did its thing and she was feeling better than she had been earlier in the day, but her ear was still troubling her. It turns out her ear was hurting more than she mentioned at first and said that earlier in the day she found relief from resting her ear on a heating pad*. This made me think of Belladonna, another right-sided remedy that is indicated in ear pain that is better from warmth. Not long after, she texted that the crackling was much improved. * This is a very common occurrence, where what would be important symptoms are left off “the list” for one reason or another. Perhaps it is that another symptom is taking precedence or the symptom in question was worse and seemed to have disappeared and not worth mentioning, but then rears its head again. The next morning, the ear pain was gone but the congestion had shifted to her left nostril. Arsenicum album or Apis popped into my head and she texted that she had the Arsenicum album near by and “it seemed to do the trick.” I didn’t hear from her again and I just happened to text this afternoon to see how she was doing and she was not well. She now thought she had developed a sinus infection. In addition to that, her middle child was still sleeping poorly, coughing and “when she blows her nose it’s like she could blow it forever and never run out of snot.” Her daughter was also “fairly emotional” and “overly sensitive” about things that normally wouldn’t bother her. This was the first I had heard about this daughter and suggested Pulsatilla. Pulsatilla is well known for sadness, weeping easily and changeable moods. Children who can benefit from Pulsatilla are often in need of comforting and feel better for consolation. Pulsatilla is also known for discharges of all kinds from all over the body: ears, eyes, lungs, nose and more. A non-irritating, bland, discharge which may be thick or slimy or yellowish/greenish. Pulsatilla is not the only remedy that is known for a copious discharge, but when you add in the over-sensitivity, then Pulsatilla makes a lot of sense. Very soon after, another text arrived saying her daughter was already sounding less cruddy and was “snotting and coughing” less than before. As for the mom, she was suffering sinus pressure and a pretty bad headache. The mucus was no longer free flowing but it was sticking around causing the sinus pressure and the headache and causing pain at the base of her neck and down the shoulder blades. Kali bich is one of the best remedies for headaches from sinus pressure and also for sinus infections. Again, in very short order, another text arrived saying she was “feeling so much better.” A few minutes after that she phoned from her car (she felt well enough to go out and do what she needed to do!) and said she could “feel the tension leaving her body.” Her face pain was gone, her shoulders were relaxing and her voice continued to lighten as the conversation continued. Could all of the mom’s symptoms be addressed more cleanly straight off the bat? Perhaps. In hindsight, Kali bich may have been what she needed from the start, but as the symptoms presented themselves, it didn’t become clear until later. Homeopathy definitely isn’t an exact science and when the symptoms are being addressed in a piece-meal fashion via short, informal texts it’s easy to miss symptoms which could be more specifically targeted if more information had been available. Regardless, homeopathy was able to keep this busy mom going, despite her many and varied symptoms and is a good example of how symptoms can be addressed and responded to when you have a stash of common remedies at your disposal. At this point, the dad has not succumbed. He has been taking Cold Calm** as a preventative. So far, so good! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits ** I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their product.  Dystopian fiction used to be one of my favorite genres… until 2020 happened and we found ourselves living in an actual dystopia! A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to return to normal and re-visit this type of fiction. One Second After by William R. Forstchen came to me via an enthusiastic recommendation and it turned out to be a well-written, plausible scenario of the after effects of an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) being dropped on the United States. The result? All electronics ceased functioning: no phones, no running water, no refrigeration, no cars. Supply lines stopped. Stores looted and emptied in the first days. Medical help was dependent on the knowledge of the local doctors, nurses and veterinarians and whatever supplies they happened to have on hand. You know what was missing in this scenario? Somebody with some homeopathic knowledge! Homeopathy is an essential skill to have if you are living off the grid, whether by choice … or through a fictional EMP being dropped. The main character got a life-threatening infection after cutting his hand. A number of remedies come to mind for a really bad infection*: Calendula (Parente et al. 2012; Givol et al. 2019; Preethi and Kuttan 2009), Gunpowder (Casey 2011) or, the Banerji protocol of Hypericum 200c mixed with Arsenicum album 200c (Banerji and Banerji 2013). *This article is based on a fictional situation. If you find yourself in any of these situations in real life, seek medical attention immediately! His daughter had Type 1 diabetes (NOT a good thing to have when the supply lines are cut and there is no more insulin to be found) and though homeopathy may help control some of the symptoms, it isn’t going to do much to help that situation. There are certainly medical conditions for which pharmaceutical drugs are absolutely necessary to keep people alive. But, this dystopian novel made me think about all the people dependent on pharmaceutical meds for non-life-threatening conditions. You don’t want to be dependent on these things when this fictional EMP is dropped (or even if there is a breakdown of the supply chain)! The coming to grips with their new reality? Ignatia could certainly help with that. It is so good at addressing emotional shocks and for those suffering ill effects from hearing bad news or from fright and "disorders of the mind, particularly if actuated by grief, sadness, hopelessness, hysterical variableness, fantastic illusions" (Murphy 2006, p. 973). The diarrhea that spread through town? Arsenicum album (Rafferty and Kayne 1994), Veratrum album (Banerji and Banerji 2013) or Camphor (Banerji and Banerji 2013; Leary 1997; Perko 2005). [An interesting read on the use of homeopathy in cholera epidemics.] The psychiatric patients in town who no longer had their meds… Homeopathy has a good track record for helping mental and emotional conditions of all sorts and certainly could have helped to keep some of these conditions at bay, but these are better suited to an individualized classical homeopathic remedy. (Johannes 2010) Another beautiful aspect of homeopathy is it doesn’t require much of a supply chain. It is completely possible to make your own homeopathic remedies as long as you have either the raw materials or the homeopathic remedy itself. If you have blank pellets, you can create more pellets as needed, or, you can make essentially limitless liquid remedies from a couple of pellets and treat the whole town at once! What else could these people have used? A good First Aid Kit** and the knowledge of how to use it. When your local hospitals and clinics are no longer of any use to you, a medium-sized accident can leave you in a world of hurt. Remember, in this fictional account, there was no electricity, no internet, no phones to help you figure out how to use your first aid kit. It does you no good to have something downloaded on your now defunct tablet; you need to have good, old fashioned books to guide you, like US Army First Aid Manual or Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid. I know some people find these catastrophic topics disturbing. I like the problem solving that comes along with reading these kinds of books; to think about the worst case scenario and figure out ways to tackle the problems — being prepared (in my mind, at least) brings me a sense of calm. I’m happy to have this genre back in my life. I wonder what the next dystopian scenario coming my way will be? Regardless of what it is, I bet homeopathy would be a useful skill to have! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits ** I have no affiliation with this company or any products listed here, I just like their products. REFERENCES
Anon., 2020. Instructions For Turning Pills Into Liquid Remedies [online]. Homeopathy Plus. Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji. Camerlink, I., Ellinger, L., Bakker, E. J., and Lantinga, E. A., 2010. Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy [online], 99 (1), 57–62. Casey, S., 2011. Gunpowder! Little-Known Remedy Packs a Wallop Against Wounds - Shirley Casey [online]. Hpathy. Coyte, J., 2021. Homeopathic potency briefly explained [online]. CLASSICALLYPRACTICAL.COM. Givol, O., Kornhaber, R., Visentin, D., Cleary, M., Haik, J., and Harats, M., 2019. A systematic review of Calendula officinalis extract for wound healing. Wound Repair and Regeneration [online], 27 (5), 548–561. Jacobs, J., Jiménez, L. M., Gloyd, S. S., Gale, J. L., and Crothers, D., 1994. Treatment of acute childhood diarrhea with homeopathic medicine: a randomized clinical trial in Nicaragua. Pediatrics [online], 93 (5), 719–725. Johannes, C. K., 2010. Homeopathy and Mental Health Care. The Netherlands: Homeolinks Publishers. Leary, B., 1997. The homoepathic management of cholera in the nineteenty century with special reference to the epidemic in London, 1854. Medizin, Gesellschaft, Und Geschichte: Jahrbuch Des Instituts Fur Geschichte Der Medizin Der Robert Bosch Stiftung [online], 16, 125–144. Murphy, R., 2006. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November. Parente, L. M. L., Lino Júnior, R. de S., Tresvenzol, L. M. F., Vinaud, M. C., de Paula, J. R., and Paulo, N. M., 2012. Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalis L. Growing in Brazil [online]. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Perko, S. J., 2005. The homeopathic treatment of influenza : surviving influenza epidemics and pandemics past, present and future with homeopathy. San Antonio, Tx: Benchmark Homeopathic Publications. Preethi, K. C. and Kuttan, R., 2009. Wound healing activity of flower extract of Calendula offlcinalis. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology[online], 20 (1). Rafferty, A. and Kayne, S., 1994. The use of Arsenicum album 30c to complement conventional treatment of neonatal diarrhoea (“scours”) in calves. British Homeopathic Journal [online], 83 (04), 202–204. FIRST AID BOOKS Coffman, S., 2021. Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid. North Adams, Ma: Storey Publishing. Pareek, R. S. and Pareek, A., 2012. Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies. Kandern, Germany: Narayana Publishers. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. United States. Department Of The Army, 2009. U.S. Army first aid manual. New York: Skyhorse Pub. Wiseman, J. and Britain., G., 2014. SAS survival handbook : the ultimate guide to surviving anywhere. New York: William Morrow, An Imprint Of Harpercollins Publishers. |
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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