 I have a confession to make: I’m always amazed when somebody says they don’t experience headaches. As someone who has been known to experience headaches, it’s unfathomable to me that people exist who have never experienced such a thing. We headache sufferers assume everybody knows what we’re talking about. According to Stovner (et al. 2022), 52% of the world population experiences headaches. 14% experience migraines. Up to 1 adult in 20 has a headache every - or nearly every - day (World Health Organization 2014). Wow. Painful. Disabling. Disruptive. Exhausting. Boring. Troublesome. Worrisome. Irksome. Annoying. I don’t think there are any pleasant words to use for headaches because having a headache is a thoroughly unpleasant experience. I have written previously about headaches and homeopathy (see: “The Road Less Traveled” and now let’s take a look at how the cell salts may help. Headaches are well indicated in most cell salts with the exception of Calc fluor and Kali mur. But, as we have learned previously, my headache is not like your headache and your headache is not like your neighbor’s headache, and so on, and so on, and so on… (See “Garbage In, Garbage Out”.) So let’s break down the cell salt headaches, shall we? Location, causation, pain quality and concomitant (accompanying) symptoms all play an important role in landing on the “right” cell salt for headaches. Calc phos may be worse near the region of sutures (a seam-like immovable junction between two bones; where the skull bones meet). The pain may be burning or throbbing and may be brought on by over-study, watching television or after receiving sad or bad news. Gut issues may be involved, like: diarrhea, flatulence, and nausea. Musculoskeletally speaking, these headaches may accompany trembling hands or rheumatism. Calc sulph has pain around the whole head. It may be caused by injuries or blows or sinusitis and may be accompanied by vertigo and nausea. A Ferr phos headache may feel as if a nail has been driven into the head with throbbing in the temples or over the eyes. These headaches could be caused by weather (cold, sun or heat) or a rush of blood to the head and may be accompanied by fever; photophobia; red eyes and face; a tender scalp or vomiting. Motion and noise may make it worse. Kali phos headaches may be described as “nervous headaches” with what feels like a weight in the back part of the head. Students or others who are worn out and exhausted may need this and may find an empty feeling in the stomach or vomiting with weariness and yawning. These headaches might be worse in the evening or in a heated room and extraneous noise may be unwanted. Kali sulph may feel like the head has been placed in a vice or as if a metal band has been put around the head. These headaches often begin in the evening and may result from becoming heated. Accompanying chills, dizziness or nausea may be present. Mag phos headache pain may be described as darting or excruciating, pounding, shooting, sharp, stinging or spasmodic. These headache sufferers may be irritable with possible sparks in their vision before or during the headache. Nat mur is a big headache remedy — for hammering, throbbing, dull, or periodical headaches with a lot of mucus and/or lachrymation and profuse saliva. Vision may be disturbed. There may be chills or constipation or eye pain. These headaches may be before, during or after a fever. Becoming heated, over-exertion of the eyes, injuries, walking or running, sun exposure or sinusitis may bring this headache on. The person may feel depressed or dull; the headache may be worse in the mornings. Nat phos headaches may be felt on the top of the head, especially on waking in the morning. These headaches are felt as pressure, intense with heat and nausea; the skull feels too full and there is a tight feeling in the head. Drinking wine or milk, as well as eyestrain may bring on this headache which may also be accompanied by gastric issues or sour vomit. Nat sulph is well known for its use in head injuries. These headaches may be felt as a pulsation on the top of the head and may be described as a “sick” headache and be accompanied by nausea and a bitter taste in the mouth with salivation. Dizziness and the vomiting of bile may be worse in damp, warm weather. Silicea headaches may be chronic and experienced as coming up from the nape of the neck. These headaches may be brought on from heat, eyestrain, fasting, overdoing it physically (lifting/straining of muscles), study or sex. The person may be oversensitive. The pain may be accompanied by chills, fever, insomnia, vomiting or weakness. Vision may be disturbed or dim and they may experience noises in the ears, a roaring, as well as being sensitive to noises. Generally speaking, headaches in children respond well to Ferr phos or Calc phos; Calc phos especially if the headache occurs during dentition. Students may respond well to Nat mur, Calc phos or Silicea. Headaches are terrible. Chronic headaches are nearly unbearable. If you are a chronic headache sufferer, click here for a free introductory chat to see if homeopathy may be helpful to you. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Stovner, L. J., Hagen, K., Linde, M. and Steiner, T. J., 2022. The global prevalence of headache: an update, with analysis of the influences of methodological factors on prevalence estimates. The Journal of Headache and Pain [online], 23 (1). World Health Organization, 2014. Headache disorders: How common are headaches? [online]. www.who.int.
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 On the sixth day of cells salts, Dr. Schüssler gave to us… Kali phosporicum. Kali phos is concentrated in the brain and nerves. It is known for its bright yellow discharges, as well as putridity. Kali phos is the cell salt for nerves and nervous conditions. For oversensitivity: mental, physical, emotional. For fatigue. Kali phos is a nerve nutrient which can help calm the entire system. Conditions which may benefit from Kali phos:
Mentally and emotionally, Kali phos may be very helpful, especially in cases of depression and homesickness. It may be useful in cases of burnout and exhaustion as well as anxiety and grief. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Carey, G. W., 1996. The Biochemic System of Medicine. Health Research Books. Chapman, E., 1960. How to Use the Twelve Tissue Salts. Nutri Books. Dewey, W. A. and Boericke, W., 2022. The Twelve Tissue Remedies of Schüssler: Comprising the Theory, Therapeutic Application, Materia Medica, and a Complete Repertory of These Remedies. H. Legare Street Press. Hyland's, 2024. Cell Salt #1 Calc Fluor [online]. Hyland’s. McCabe, V., 2009. The Healing Echo. ReadHowYouWant.com. Schuesslertissuessalts.com.au, n.d. Schuessler Tissue Salts - 150 Years Of Natural Medicine In Australia [online]. Schuessler Tissue Salts. Schüssler, W. H., 2003. Schüssler’s twelve tissue remedies : comprising the theory, therapeutic applications, materia medica and a complete repertory of tissue remedies. Sittingbourne, Kent: Homæopathic Book Service. Strbac, L., 2024. Schuessler’s Tissue Salts Rediscovered. Weintraub, S., 1999. Natural healing with cell salts. Pleasant Grove, Ut: Woodland Pub.  Though my first few experiences with homeopathy were through using single remedies suggested by classical homeopaths, the big wowee moment about homeopathy for me came when I was first treated with the Banerji Protocols. That is when very big changes happened very quickly for me. Those changes were so impressive and occurred in such a short amount of time that I stopped everything I was doing and started studying homeopathy. Those first classes that followed were all about the Banerji Protocols and I was absolutely hooked on the wonders of homeopathy. Banerji Protocols remain near and dear to my heart and I use them every single day. (If you are interested in classes on Banerji Protocols, Joette Calabrese* is the way to go.)
I then went to Homeopathy School International* because at that time, I just wanted to learn more about homeopathy. I had no idea that I actually wanted to become an actual homeopath. Because the only way I could get more knowledge was to take the tests, I did just that and then without any real intention to become one, I was a CHom, a certified homeopath. When that finished, I was still hungry for more knowledge and I lucked in to a Bachelor of Science (BSc) program that was going to be offered one last time through Centre for Homeopathic Education* (a.k.a. CHE) in conjunction with Middlesex University in the UK. At this time, I still didn’t think I wanted to be a practicing homeopath, but if I thought I was hooked before — now I was really hooked and just a couple months into this one, I finally knew what I wanted to be when I grew up! This program focused on the science of homeopathy, learning advanced materia medica, anatomy and physiology as it relates to homeopathy and diving into the research of homeopathy. Don’t let anyone tell you that good research does not exist for the efficacy of homeopathy, because it does! I still can’t get enough homeopathic knowledge. I am constantly enrolled in deep dives into many different topics; some because they interest me and some because I have clients with specific issues and I do whatever I can to learn how to further help them. Last year I embarked on some classes looking into the Narayani Remedies. (If you are interested, Caroline Gaskin* does a good class.) On one hand, the Narayani remedies seem simple and straightforward, yet on the other hand, it’s like learning a whole new dialect of a previously familiar language. Like the Banerji Protocols (BPs), Narayani Remedies are combination homeopathic remedies but unlike the BPs, the Narayani combinations frequently intermingle. Often, many different Narayani combinations are used at one time resulting in a mind-boggling amount of many different remedies being given/taken all at once. Fully classical homeopaths must balk at these combos (all combos, really), but… I’m going to say that they shouldn’t knock ‘em before they try them! “The Narayani Remedies were created by Swami Narayani and Swami Ananda in 1968 to simplify their practice treating large numbers of patients in India and South Africa. These homeopathic remedies have been used around the world for over 50 years with great success. The combination remedies are used to manage people with a variety of conditions… a truly wonderful set of combinations” (Narayani Remedies*). Let me tell you about a particular favorite of mine: a delightful little combination called Narayani Calming Pills Mix 6. I have many clients who have referred to this combination as “a life saver” and I have found it to be very helpful for both clients and caregivers of clients with difficult conditions. From Davidson’s book, “The name speaks for itself. The pills do just that — they calm the entire system, mentally and physically. There are times when, after taking the first few doses, people want to sleep and sleep. This proves that the nervous system needs to rest — needs to stop for a while. For busy parents with naughty children. Tense business people. After a visit to the dentist. Any grieving family. Any condition of stress or apprehension.” What’s in it? Again, from Davidson (2005): Avena sativa for nervous exhaustion and tremors Coffea for nervous agitation and restlessness Humulus (Lupulus) for unstrung nervous conditions with nausea Ignatia for sobbing, sighing, depressed conditions Kali phos — a great nerve tonic Passiflora has a quietening effect on the nervous system Sumbul for hysterical and nervous symptoms Valeriana for hysterical, over-sensitive nervous affections When I first looked into these combination remedies, I thought — “but, my client isn’t ‘hysterical’ and isn’t nauseous — this is just too much stuff in here and is not applicable.” I was wrong. Not every remedy listed in a Narayani combination remedy needs to be “a good fit.” You see, the body is just amazingly intelligent and knows what it needs. And, when it comes to homeopathy, the body is somehow able to sort through what it needs and discards what it doesn’t; this seems particularly true when it comes to using homeopathic combination remedies. What prompted this article today was an ad in my inbox that got me a little excited… TapRoots* has announced their new Top 50 Narayani Remedies Kit 1. (That #1 gets me excited that there will be more to follow!) From the email: PRE-ORDER NOW & SAVE $30! This kit will begin shipping May 20, 2024. The Narayani Remedies are an incredibly powerful set of combination remedies that were put together by "classical homeopath", Swami Narayani, in 1968. These homeopathic remedies have been used around the world for over 50 years with great success and are now being used in 80 countries! SAVE $30 when you pre-order by April 30, 2024! No coupon needed! Should you decide to go ahead and make this purchase, I highly recommend purchasing a book to help you navigate your way through these simple but sometimes confusingly named remedies. Robert Davidson’s book (mentioned above) or, Nimisha Parekh’s Narayani Remedies, A Condensed Guide, or, (even better!) Helios Pharmacy has done an updated and revised handbook (2023) which is even a little clearer. As an example, “Calming Pills” is pretty straightforwardly named; CB 8 Mix 69, not so much. CB 8 Mix 69 is “akin to” a combination of “Calming” and “Shock” (another Narayani combo) but it is different — It is, however, for the nervous and emotional system. (I did mention this was a little like learning a different language!) “A single remedy is like a solo artist, unique and individual. The combination remedy is like a choir. Each has to be in harmony with all the others, working for a single outcome. Truly harmonious, effective combinations are quite rare and Narayani remedies — they just sweetly sing” (Davidson 2005). If you would like to learn more about how single or combination homeopathic remedies could help you, click here to book a free 30-minute consultation. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with this company (or any other, actually) — I just like their products!  When we don’t drink enough fluids to replace what we have lost… well, just imagine that shriveled up, thirsty plant on your windowsill… Similar things happen to us 2 and 4 legged creatures, too.
Too much sun, not enough shade. A game of beach volleyball, golf or tennis. A mountain hike on a beautiful summer's day. Hot days, in general. Sitting on the beach and your cooler is now empty (on that note, drinking alcohol in the sun). All of these activities can leave you parched. Don't think you're protected from dehydration because you are keeping yourself cool in the pool. I guess I never really thought about it, but sweating while swimming is a thing. Maughan (et al. 2009) and (Cox et al. 2002) show we do. Sengun (et al. 2012) found dehydration in professional underwater divers. The dehydration experienced in water athletes is less than those doing their thing on land, but it’s still there. Heat, exertion, fever, breastfeeding, high altitude, diarrhea and vomiting can all lead to dehydration, regardless of the time of year. There are plenty of recommendations out there for how much and how often to drink water and plenty of counter-recommendations, too. I leave that to you to figure out what is your necessary hydration requirements as there appears to be no “universal consensus” (Armstrong and Johnson 2018). Though far less common, just remember that over-hydration is also a thing (Hew-Butler et al. 2019). How to know if you’re getting enough liquid? Mayo Clinic (2020) says you should rarely feel thirsty and your urine should be light in color. For infants: sunken eyes or the soft spot on their heads is sunken; no tears when crying; dry mouth and not producing much urine (Raab 2021) can indicate they are dehydrated or on their way to being. Older children may complain of dizziness or headache, extreme thirst or they may be lethargic (The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne 2018). For more information on Pediatric Fluid Management, click here. I was under the impression that the skin pinch test was a way to determine hydration status, but according to (Goehring et al. 2022), it's not reliable. I'm not convinced, however. It's apparently a decent indicator in dogs (Goucher et al. 2019). I say it's one more easy step to take to keep an eye on things. For pets, rapid and heavy panting and dry gums are two signs (First Aid for Pets 2018). Dehydration can be a life threatening condition, especially in children. Do not hesitate to seek immediate medical attention. What to do about this? Prevention is key. For mild to moderate dehydration, drink up! Water, coconut water or even commercially available rehydration supplements — though, I would caution against the chemical concoctions (you know the brightly colored drinks); they come with their own set of yuckiness. Get Well Soon: A Guide to Homeopathic First Aid (Norland 2016) suggests using a mixture of 1/4 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp honey or sugar in a pint of water and taking a tablespoon every 15 minutes if you are worried about dehydration during sickness. Similarly, the Drs Banerji recommend: “salty water (1/2 teaspoonful of common salt in half a glass of cold water) to be given frequently — one tablespoonful at a time — and repeated whenever the patient feels very thirsty” (Banerji and Banerji 2013). Might homeopathy help ward off dehydration? Perhaps. The Banerjis also recommend Natrum muriaticum 6x and Kali phos 6x (2 tabs each together), taken every 3 hours to combat dehydration. Now what? I drank some water but I still feel crummy. For the after-effects of mild to moderate dehydration, consider these remedies:
Whichever remedy you choose, take every 15 minutes until feeling some improvement and then extend the time between doses. If, after a few doses there is zero change, choose another remedy. For more information on ailments from the sun, see: Summer Fun #1: Sun. Here's to staying cool, wearing a big hat, seeking the shade and sipping some lemonade (maybe even with a couple of cell salts added to it!) Or, if you want something a little more substantial, here are links to other homemade homeopathic anti-dehydration recipes: here and here. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits.com Reference list: Alton, J. and Alton, A., 2021. The survival medicine handbook : the essential guide for when help is NOT on the way : a Doom and Bloom guide. United States? Doom And Bloom Llc. Anon., 2022. Tea at the Treedome [online]. Encyclopedia SpongeBobia. Armstrong, L. and Johnson, E., 2018. Water Intake, Water Balance, and the Elusive Daily Water Requirement. Nutrients [online], 10 (12), 1928. Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji. Calabrese, J., 2015. Ditch the Gatorade and Make My Sons’ Homeopathic Electrolyte Drink [online]. joettecalabrese.com. Cox, G., Broad, E., Riley, M. and Burke, L., 2002. Body mass changes and voluntary fluid intakes of elite level water polo players and swimmers. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport [online], 5 (3), 183–193. danastore, 2018. USING HOMEOPATHIC CELL SALTS TO HELP PROMOTE FASTER RECOVERY FROM HARMFUL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN ANIMALS by Judy Hoy [online]. Homeopathic.com. First Aid for Pets, 2018. How to tell if your dog is dehydrated | First Aid for Pets [online]. firstaidforpets.net. Goehring, M. T., Farran, J., Ingles-Laughlin, C., Benedista-Seelman, S. and Williams, B., 2022. Measures of Skin Turgor in Humans: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Wound Management & Prevention [online], 68 (4), 14–24. Goucher, T. K., Hartzell, A. M., Seales, T. S., Anmuth, A. S., Zanghi, B. M. and Otto, C. M., 2019. Evaluation of skin turgor and capillary refill time as predictors of dehydration in exercising dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research [online], 80 (2), 123–128. Hew-Butler, T., Smith-Hale, V., Pollard-McGrandy, A. and VanSumeren, M., 2019. Of Mice and Men—The Physiology, Psychology, and Pathology of Overhydration. Nutrients [online], 11 (7), 1539. Kight, B. P. and Waseem, M., 2020. Pediatric Fluid Management [online]. PubMed. Ma, N., J, P., Ja, M., Jr, M. and M, V., 2006. Acute Mountain Sickness: Influence of Fluid Intake [online]. Wilderness & environmental medicine. Maughan, R. J., Dargavel, L. A., Hares, R. and Shirreffs, S. M., 2009. Water and Salt Balance of Well-Trained Swimmers in Training. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism [online], 19 (6), 598–606. Mayo Clinic, 2020. Water: How much should you drink every day? [online]. Mayo Clinic. Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Norland, M., 2016. Get Well Soon -- A Guide to Homeopathic First Aid. Yondercott Press. Raab, C. P., 2021. Dehydration in Children - Children’s Health Issues [online]. Merck Manuals Consumer Version. Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications. Sengun, S., Uslu, A. and Aydin, S., 2012. Application of multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis method for the detection of dehydration status in professional divers. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) [online], 48 (4), 203–210. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, 2018. Kids Health Information : Dehydration [online]. www.rch.org.au. Further Reading: Huey, R. B. and Eguskitza, X., 2001. Limits to human performance: elevated risks on high mountains. Journal of Experimental Biology [online], 204 (18), 3115–3119. Saat, M., Singh, R., Sirisinghe, R. G. and Nawawi, M., 2002. Rehydration after Exercise with Fresh Young Coconut Water, Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Beverage and Plain Water. Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY and Applied Human Science [online], 21 (2), 93–104. Smith, D., 2018. Homeopathy, Tissue Salts & Bach Flowers for Pregnancy, Labour & Post-partum. bubiroo books.  Our first houseguests in over 2 years have arrived. A lovely thing, I can assure you! After enduring this enforced time of not traveling, I (happily) forgot how horrible jet lag is, but I am reminded of its nastiness as I watch our over-seas visitors make the adjustment to the new time zone. Why do we feel so exhausted after getting off a plane? All we do is sit (and eat), watch movies and maybe snooze a little bit for all those hours. We should be refreshed, like we had a day of relaxation! Yet, when finally stepping off that smelly tube with wings, it’s not at all uncommon to feel like you’ve run a marathon and got hit by a truck when you crossed the finish line! The experts say it’s precisely because we’re sitting for long periods of time in dry air and become dehydrated, etc., etc., etc. Whatever the true pathophysiologic reasons are, jet lag is a miserable feeling. Mainstream medicine has nothing to offer, really. Melatonin (Cipolla-Neto and Gaspar do Amaral 2018) apparently can help, and you can see how it would work (Herxheimer and Petrie 2002). Though short-term melatonin use is generally regarded as safe, I must admit, I wouldn’t mess with my hormones in this way (because melatonin is indeed a hormone)… especially when homeopathy has some simple answers. For more information on possible side effects of melatonin: (Bauer 2017; American Sleep Association 2022; Drugs.com 2021). So, what did I do for our tired guests? In anticipation of their arrival, I left two remedies on the dresser in their room: JetZone: Jet Lag Prevention & Helios’ Jet Candy JETZONE, remedy information as listed on the packet: Arnica: Sleepless and restless when overtired Cocculus: Constant drowsiness after loss of sleep Kali phos: Weak and tired from overexertion. Headache from fatigue. Gelsemium: Insomnia from exhaustion Nux vomica: Heartburn, anxiety and restlessness Argentum nitricum: Mental anxiety Jet Candy, by Helios: JetCandy doesn’t list their reasonings for including the remedies, but I will fill in the blanks. Arnica Bellis perennis: Another trauma remedy. Some call it a “deeper” Arnica. Cocculus Gelsemium Petroleum: I wrote about Petroleum’s role in seasickness here. In short, Petroleum is particularly helpful for nausea. There are other homeopathic combination remedies for jet lag, these are just the two I happened to have lying around. No-Jet-Lag, by Miers Labs: No-Jet-Lag doesn’t list their reasonings for including the remedies, but I will fill in the blanks. Arnica Bellis perennis Chamomilla: Oversensitivity, anger and for when falling asleep is difficult. Ipecac: Nausea, headache Lycopodium: Gas and bloating; frequent waking and unrefreshing sleep Jet Lag Relief, by Boiron Arnica: Relieves muscle pain and stiffness Cocculus: Relieves nausea associated with jet lag Nux vomica: Relieves drowsiness and digestive problems associated with travel What do all of these jet lag combination remedies have in common? Arnica montana. Arnica is a well known homeopathic remedy for injury and trauma. Let’s face it — changing time zones is absolutely an assault on your person. It affects your body, your mind and your emotions. If you are unable to get your hands on one of these combo remedies prior to your trip, bring along a tube of Arnica and half your battle will be won. Jetlagreview.com (who knew such a thing existed?!), claims to be “the #1 source for helping people find effective ways to effectively combat jet lag.” I have no idea who is behind this site, but I was very intrigued to see 1/2 of the products they review are homeopathic (the others are vitamins and/or herbs). No-Jet-Lag is jetlagreview’s #2 Silver Award Winner, for whatever that’s worth. If you find yourself headed overseas, pick up one of these combination remedies and slip it in your carry-on. They’re all slightly different, but basically the same and any one of them will certainly be better than nothing. Or, take along just a tube of Arnica and see if one of these can’t put a little spring in your exhausted tourist step! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * I have no affiliation with any of these products. I have used Jetzone and No-Jet-Lag, to good effect. Follow the directions listed on the packet. Reference list
American Sleep Association, 2022. Melatonin Side Effects [online]. American Sleep Association. Bauer, B., 2017. Pros and cons of melatonin [online]. Mayo Clinic. Cipolla-Neto, J. and Gaspar do Amaral, F., 2018. Melatonin as a Hormone: New Physiological and Clinical Insights[online]. academic.oup.com. Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Jet Lag: What is it, Symptoms, How Long Does it Last & Treatment [online]. Cleveland Clinic. Drugs.com, 2021. Melatonin Side Effects, Uses, Dosage (Kids/Adults) [online]. Drugs.com. Herxheimer, A. and Petrie, K. J., 2002. Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Jet Lag Review, 2022. Top Products [online]. jetlagreport.com.  Here we go again. We’re springing forward. Whoo hoo! Enter your own favorite sarcastic noise or eye roll here.
Why do they insist on messing with our body clocks like this? Despite the books (Downing 2009; Prerau 2006) and articles I have read about Daylight Savings Time, I still can’t make heads nor tails of why we are still engaging in this ridiculousness. Alas. 25% of the human population (in more than 70 countries), (Folyovich et al. 2020) endures this nonsense twice a year — resulting in “negative health effects, with 150,000 incidences in the US, and 880,000 globally” (Zhang et al. 2020). Even the American Academy of Sleep Medicine agrees with me, stating, “It is, therefore, the position of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine that these seasonal time changes should be abolished in favor of a fixed, national, year-round standard time (Rishi et al. 2020). Manfredini (et al. 2019) did a meta-analysis of Acute Myocardial Infarctions (heart attacks) and Daylight Savings and found the risk “increased significantly” after the spring shift. For further sleep deprivation research, see my previous article. If you’re like me, it doesn’t matter if you attempt to mitigate these effects by going to bed early or sleeping in… it’s when your body tells you it’s one time and you look at your clock and it tells you it’s another time. Yuck. Well, tomorrow morning (or afternoon — whenever the painful effects of this clock tinkering kick in), I plan on taking a dose of Hyland’s Awaken*: “Natural relief of fatigue, drowsiness and irritability.” Awaken is a little bottle of relief. Relief after a lousy night’s sleep or after having to wake early for an appointment or after a fun late night out or even as a result of travel between small distances between time zones… as well as from being compliant with this silly clock changing thing. [Is it apparent that I find this a great annoyance?] What causes this relief? Let’s look at what is in Hyland's formulation and why they included these homeopathic remedies (all in X potencies): Kali Phosphoricum Known as “one of the greatest nerve remedies” (Murphy n.d.) and is one of the original 12 Schuessler Cell Salts. Cell Salts are composed from the basic minerals that cells require (Cell Salt Tissues 2022). Kali phos is helpful for drowsiness and yawning, forgetfulness and irritability. Mezereum link to photo Is a pretty little flower, aka Spurge Olive — this homeopathic remedy is made from a tincture of the fresh bark just before it flowers in the spring. Mezereum can help with mental dullness, irritability, laziness, yawning and sleepiness, in general. Natrum muriaticum Is simply common salt and is another of the original 12 cell salts. Nat Mur (as it’s known) is notable in terms of sleepiness in the late morning, mental dullness with sleepiness and weakness from loss of sleep. Nat Mur is also an excellent headache remedy — another possible symptom following not getting enough sleep. Phosphoricum acidum As a homeopathic remedy is amazingly helpful in “collapsed states” (Morrison 1993). Waking up is difficult and sleepy by day, gloomy, dull and weakness with the sleepiness. Sepia Great sleepiness during the day as results from an unrefreshing sleep (which is bound to be the case when the powers that be have goofed with our clocks!) Staphysagria Sleepiness with: difficulty opening your eyes, indigestion and an inclination to lying down. Murphy (n.d.) notes “violent yawning and stretching bring tears to the eye.” Sulphur Headaches, even migraines, from a loss of sleep and overpowering sleepiness (specifically while working). Thuja occidentalis Also addresses headaches and sleepiness as well as restlessness and tossing about during sleep. Here’s to sweet dreams. Maybe if we all concentrate really hard we can make this clock changing thing disappear! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits If you suffer regularly from poor sleep, contact me to see if homeopathy may be of help to you. * I have no affiliation with Hylands, I just like their product. I usually like to provide a link for remedies, but Hylands.com no longer shows it. I see it is still available on lots of other websites, though. Hmmm. I hope Hyland’s is not taking this remedy away! The good thing about homeopathy, though, is you can make your own mixture based on the remedies and even tailor it to your specific needs. Reference list Cell Salt Tissues, 2022. Buy Schuessler Salts | Cell Salts Tissue Salts World [online]. Downing, M., 2009. Spring forward : the annual madness of daylight saving. Berkeley: Counterpoint. Folyovich, A., Biczó, D., Jarecsny, T., Al-Muhanna, N., Jánoska, D., Béres-Molnár, K. A., Dudás, E., and Toldi, G., 2020. Daylight saving time and the incidence of thrombolysis to treat acute ischemic stroke. Revue Neurologique[online], 176 (5), 361–365. Manfredini, R., Fabbian, F., Cappadona, R., De Giorgi, A., Bravi, F., Carradori, T., Flacco, M., and Manzoli, L., 2019. Daylight Saving Time and Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine [online], 8 (3), 404. Morrison, R., 1993. Desktop guide to keynotes and confirmatory symptoms. Accessed through Radar Opus. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Pub. Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus. Prerau, D. S., 2006. Seize the daylight : the curious and contentious story of daylight saving time. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press. Rishi, M. A., Ahmed, O., Barrantes Perez, J. H., Berneking, M., Dombrowsky, J., Flynn-Evans, E. E., Santiago, V., Sullivan, S. S., Upender, R., Yuen, K., Abbasi-Feinberg, F., Aurora, R. N., Carden, K. A., Kirsch, D. B., Kristo, D. A., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Olson, E. J., Ramar, K., and Rosen, C. L., 2020. Daylight saving time: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine [online]. Zhang, H., Dahlén, T., Khan, A., Edgren, G., and Rzhetsky, A., 2020. Measurable health effects associated with the daylight saving time shift. PLOS Computational Biology [online], 16 (6), e1007927. |
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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