I’ve been thinking a lot about convalescence. I’ve been thinking about it partly because I’ve been doing it (Covid, round 2 for our house) and I’ve been thinking about it because I attended a webinar recently given by a naturopathic doctor. She said that when her patients tell her they are feeling better, that then begins their 3 day convalescence. She doesn’t clear them for returning to work or school until they have been 3 days past when they started to feel better.

What a concept!

I get it! It makes so much sense! Get back up to speed before returning to life at full speed! It’s a luxurious thought, though, I think. It shouldn’t be a luxury to recuperate, but I think in today’s day and age, it is. Bills need to be paid, houses need to be cleaned, school work needs to be completed… who has time to take 3 days to get back up to speed?

Maybe it’s time we return to this seemingly outdated idea.

What does it mean to “convalesce,” exactly?

Dictionary.com tells us “convalescence” means, “the gradual recovery of health and strength after an illness.” Victoria State Government recommends setting “recovery goals,” such as:

• Maintaining some level of activity, even if it means just sitting or standing up occasionally. Try getting dressed and move around the house, if possible.
• Gradually increasing your activity each day to ensure your muscles, heart and lungs are working efficiently.
• Get enough rest. Listen to your body and alternate periods of activity with periods of relaxation. Don’t over-do it.
• Maintain social activity.
• Eat healthily — lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. If your appetite is lacking, try eating small amounts regularly. Eating well is more important than eating more.
• As your strength improves, find time to do things you enjoy and aim to get out of the house regularly, even if for short outings.
• If there is any possibility of long-term ramifications following serious illness, make sure to get the appropriate counseling.
• Seek medical advice if there is confusion, dizziness on standing, depression, any new symptoms develop or if things just don’t seem right.

Homeopathy has some lovely remedies to assist with convalescence. For this article, we’ll look at some remedies for recovering from influenza, in particular. For recuperation, we’re not looking at symptoms of the disease so much as we’re looking at the weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite and even wonky sleep.

Homeopathic Gelsemium is the first to consider. Interestingly, Gelsemium is one of the first remedies to consider on the front side of the flu, too. The 4 Ds: droopy, drowsy, dull, dizzy. (Well, the dizzy part is hopefully behind you at this point….) The fatigue following influenza can be pronounced and Gelsemium is a fantastic remedy for fatigue, in general and chronic fatigue in particular.

Phosphoric acid is indicated when mental weakness is a bigger deal than the physical weakness following an acute disease, particularly when recovering from fevers. People who may benefit from Phos-ac may find they are worse from conversation, sensitive to light and sound and smells; worse from cold drafts, worse from sitting and worse from standing.

Sulphur is known to help “clean up” following respiratory illnesses. I liken it to mopping up the gunk — it just kind of clears stuff out. (How’s that for getting technical?!) Another remedy to consider here is Sulphuric iodatum. Sulph-iod has a connection to exertion: weakness from exertion as well as a fear of exertion.

If sleeplessness sets in, try some Avena sativa tincture. It is also excellent for nervous exhaustion and debility.

Calc phos 6x and Ferr phos 6x are two excellent cell salts to help build up what was broken down during the illness. Calc phos can help when there is a lack of energy as well as mental or physical weakness. It can also help with absorption and assimilation of nutrients. Ferrum phos is said to assist in oxygenating the blood and can help with inflammation and sore muscles. Take this cell salt combination 3-4 times a day.

And, don’t forget my favorite non-homeopathic recommendation of bone broth! So many nutrients!

Now, go forth and rest! A few extra days to get back to full strength has to outweigh jumping back in with both feet when you’re still half in the bag!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

Victoria State Government, n.d. Convalescence - Better Health Channel [online]. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au. 

​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:

• Cinchona officinales or China officinales would be my first consideration. Weakness, chilliness, feels better lying down or bending double; collapse or fainting. Confusion. Sunken eyes. Buzzing or ringing in the ears. China is a good remedy following the loss of any bodily fluids which sap your energy.

• Phosphoric acid is worn out, unable to answer in complete sentences; spacey or absent-minded. Craves fruit and juicy things. A crushing headache felt on the top of the head.

• Carbo vegetabilis craves air, wants to be fanned (the opposite of both China and Phosphoric acid). Headache with a sense of constriction (as if the head were in armor) and headache from being overheated. Excellent remedy for someone who is unresponsive.

• Veratrum album: a state of collapse with extreme coldness and sudden weakness. Chills and shakes. Muscle cramps. Craves sour and sour fruit, salt and/or ice. Mental confusion. Intensely thirsty but may vomit as soon as the water is swallowed.

• The cell salt Natrum muriaticum is a homeopathic remedy made from common table salt. In general, excessive moisture or in this case, exceptional dryness in any part of the body can be an indication that Nat Mur may be helpful. A craving for salt may also be present. Headache, as if from hammers. (Nat mur can be used as a cell salt (6x), as mentioned above, or in potency, 30c, for example.)

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.

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.