 Twice this week I have watched Calendula tea do some lovely things.
The first person had a literal scratch on their throat which was very painful. The second person had a very sore throat due to days of coughing. Both of these people drank some Calendula tea and both of them were very pleased they did. As I mentioned in A Calendula Quickie… for inner bits… (and, bites!), I have used Calendula when I have had a sore in my mouth but I had never tried it for a sore throat. Dr. Robin Murphy mentions it in his complaints following throat surgery rubrics and when there is a “lacerating” sensation to the throat. Knerr shows it in a few throat rubrics beyond injuries: swallowing painful, and, bitter mucus (a one remedy rubric); Luke Norland’s Synoptic Guide shows Calendula has an affinity to the mouth and throat (along with 366 other remedies). Schroyens mentions it as one of 117 remedies for a “tickling” cough, but it also shows up in 52 other throat rubrics. I now get it. It now makes sense to me why I hadn’t considered it until just the other day for a sore throat — one person had an actual injury to their throat; a couple days later, another person had sort of an injury to their throat — it was “injured” and sore from coughing. Those two cases back-to-back enabled me to make this a-ha connection. Here are a few links of how to use Calendula tea: a nice list*; Get Well Soon book* mentions using it in tincture form mixed into a gargle concoction for sore throats; this place offers a recipe for an herbal tea recipe* and this tea company* has a nice write up on the herb itself; and, this site* tells you how to make your own Calendula tea from the marigolds in your garden. So, ahem — (clearing my throat a little bit to cover my slight embarrassment for not making this connection earlier), if a sore throat comes your way, try either a little herbal calendula tea or some homeopathic Calendula, either in it’s pellet form directly, or a few pellets or as a tincture dropped into some water or into your own tea of choice. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits *I have no affiliation with this or any other company — I’m just sharing interesting information as I find it.
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 On the 4th day of cell salts… Ferrum phosphoricum. Ferr phos is what Dr. Schüssler called the “true form of iron phosphate that occurs naturally in the human system” (McCabe 2009). It is the cell salt most concerned with blood because it is part of hemoglobin, the substance that takes up oxygen from the inhaled air and carries it through the bloodstream to all parts of the body. Because of Ferr phos’s important role in carrying oxygen, it is recommended in nearly all conditions (Weintraub 1999). Ferr phos is considered an important remedy for acute conditions, especially fever and inflammations. When taken at the first sign of illness, it all might be nipped in the bud! Conditions which may benefit from Ferr phos:
Mentally and emotionally, Ferr phos may be helpful for those who just want to be taken care of. They may seem indifferent to their illness. 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.  On the third day of cells salts, Dr. Schüssler gave to us… Calcarea sulphurica. Calc sulph is highly useful for infections and any discharges from mucous membranes, ulcers or abscesses. It is known as a blood cleanser and is an excellent skin cell salt. Calc sulph can be especially helpful in the early stages of an illness and any skin issues with pus (boils, ulcers and abscesses). Conditions which may benefit from Calc sulph:
Mentally and emotionally, Calc sulph may be irritable or have a fluctuating mood. 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.  On the second day of cells salts, Dr. Schüssler gave to us… Calcarea phosphorica. Calc phos is essential for proper growth and nutrition of the body: supplying the first basis for new tissues. Calc phos strengthens teeth and bones, especially during dentition (in young, rapidly growing children as well as old age). Very helpful after acute diseases. Calc phos is an important element of gastric juice and of all bone and teeth. Conditions which may benefit from Calc phos:
Mentally and emotionally, Calc phos may be helpful for impaired memory or following grief or disappointment; anxiety about the future, and exhaustion. 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. Available from: . 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.  Hepar sulph has been touted as the homeopathic antibiotic. Taken literally, those two words don’t go together because hom (meaning “same”) is the opposite of anti (meaning “against”). (For more information, see Hom, not Home.) With that in mind, let’s talk a little bit about why homeopathic Hepar sulph has acquired this incongruous reputation. Hepar sulph is reputed to combat infections and reduce pain. If we take a look at the Banerji Protocols book (Banerji and Banerji 2013), we will find Hepar sulph listed 40 times. Beginning with acne vulgaris and venturing through such ailments as impetigo, pharyngitis (sore throat) and tonsillitis — all conditions which the internet tells me are generally, or at least often, treated with antibiotics*. Dr. Manuel Mateu Ratera, in his excellent book First Aid with Homeopathy, recommends Hepar for “serious and destructive situations: tendency to suppuration and an exaggerated sensitivity to pain.” Technically, the full name of this homeopathic remedy is Hepar sulphuris calcareum. When I ask my Brave search engine, it tells me that “in the past, ‘hepar’ referred to the liver or a preparation made from it. Although this term is no longer commonly used today, it is a direct borrowing from the Greek word ‘hepar’, meaning liver.” Interesting. Dr. Robin Murphy (2006) tells us that “Liver of Sulphur” is the name given “by the old alchemists to several sulphur compounds whose color was supposed to resemble that of liver.” SIDE NOTE: With all this talk of liver, I took a peek in the repertory to see how Hepar sizes up for liver symptoms and yes, there it is. The second part of the name comes from the “pure flowers of sulphur.” Nope, not that kind of flower. Webster’s Dictionary clears this up as: “sublimed sulfur in the form of a fine yellow powder used especially in agriculture and in medicine” (2024). Back to Murphy (this time accessed via Radar Opus 2.2.16) for the final installment of the understanding of how this remedy comes about: “an impure Sulphide of Calcium prepared by burning in a crucible the white interior of oyster shells with pure flowers of sulphur” bringing the calcareum into the picture. As you may know, our beloved homeopathic remedy Calc carb (aka Calcarea carbonica) is made from the extract from the middle layer of the oyster shell, so all that goodness is part of the Hepar sulph calc picture, too. In fact, Samuel Hahnemann prepared this mineral compound because he was trying to combine the effects of two of homeopathy’s biggest remedies (AKA polycrests) Sulphur and Calc carb. Ok, after a brief side journey to learn how we get this remedy, let’s get back to understanding how Hepar sulph can be applied. Hepar is known physically for exquisite pain and sensitivity: think of ingrown toenails, hang nails, those tender zits that can pop up which cause unbearable pain at the slightest touch. Mentally: anger; being contrary; irritable; extremely sensitive in general as well as to pain; sensitive to air and cold … Put the physical and mental pain and sensitivity together and that pretty much describes a Hepar sulph moment. What general conditions may be helped by Hepar? In no particular order:
Cold may worsen any condition which may be helped by Hepar. For instance, think of the cough or discomfort that may come on after breathing in cold air when unwell or the throat pain that is worse after swallowing a cold drink or a toothache that really zings when you breathe in cold air or swallow a cold drink. And, on top of that, the person may be chilly in general. What unusual symptoms might Hepar sulph tackle?
Cheese? Yes, cheese. Stools which smell like cheese. Cheesy discharges from any part of the body. Conditions which smell like cheese. Breath which smells cheesy. Experiencing the odors of cheese (or old cheese) — be they imaginary odors or real odors. Cheesy smelling sweat. Coughing up “cheesy lumps.” Homeopathy is so effective in so many conditions and Hepar sulph is an excellent remedy to have in your kit, especially if you are adventuring where modern medicine is limited. A well-timed early dose of Hepar sulph could help to avoid bigger problems down the road. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * Given the fact that many of these conditions are treated via antibiotics in conventional medicine, please make sure to work with a physician alongside a certified homeopath. RESOURCES
Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji. Merriam-Webster, 2024. Merriam-Webster Dictionary [online]. Merriam-webster.com. Morrison, R., 1993. Desktop guide to keynotes and confirmatory symptoms. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Pub. Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus 2.2.16. Murphy, R., 2006. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November. Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy. Germany: Narayana Verlag.  Tis the season for… Sore Throats. Sore throat complaints are keeping me busy this month! Some have the dreaded Covid, some have the flu, some may have strep throat and some people just have a sore throat. What to do about this pharyngitis? (Pharynx is the part of the throat behind the mouth and nasal cavity and “itis” for inflammation.) Well, at the first sign of feeling unwell, I like the Banerji protocol of Aconite 200c mixed with Bryonia 30c. Taking this right away can often nip things in the bud and send the yucks away before they can settle in. Another option for those who are quick on the draw is Ferrum phos 6x. This, too, can often turn things around in short order. Once the yucks have made themselves at home and one is definitively feeling unwell, let’s look at a few homeopathic remedies which may help. (Note: There are many remedies which can be helpful for sore throats, these are just a few of my favorites.) See also: Calming the Cold; Some Flu Remedies to Consider and Tis the season for the crud. Baptisia Extremely painful, dark red throat, where swallowing liquids is the only option and even that is very difficult, despite being thirsty; tiny bites of food gags them. They may have swollen glands and/or bad breath. Belladonna The sore throat appears suddenly and generally hurts more on the right side with burning or throbbing pain. The throat and the tip of the tongue may be red. Pain is worse from turning the head, touching the throat and swallowing, especially liquids. Face will often be red and hot but the hands and feet tend to be cold. Gelsemium Burning and rough sore throat with pain that extends from the throat to the ear. May feel like there’s a painful lump in the throat that cannot be swallowed. Pain in the sternocleidomastoid — the long muscles on either side of your neck. Paralysis of the vocal cords. Swallowing solid foods is difficult. Hepar sulph Homeopathic Hepar is known for a sticking sensation in the throat, like a splinter or a bone. Pain extends to the ear on yawning and swallowing. May hawk up thick, yellow, sticky mucus. Wrapping up the external throat feels good. Cold drinks or becoming cold makes them feel worse but warmth in general and warm drinks can help. There may be a pulsation felt in the throat and they may feel worse in the evening and at night. Very sensitive to the pain and sensitive to everything else, too, actually and they may be irritable and impatient. Lachesis A purple throat, often on the left side (or starts on the left and moves to the right) and feels worse when swallowing liquids — even saliva is difficult — empty swallowing makes the throat hurt even worse (though they may have a constant desire to swallow). Swallowing solids may be easier. May have a disturbing constricting sensation, causing them to loosen clothes around the throat. Ear pain with sore throat. There may be a sensation of breadcrumbs or a painful sensation of a lump or plug which is not relieved by swallowing. They may choke easily, especially on falling to sleep and may have a suffocative feeling. Often feel worse on waking. Lycopodium Often on the right side with a dryness in the throat and they may not be very thirsty. A stitching pain on swallowing which is better with warm drinks and worse with cold drinks. Choking on swallowing. They may feel like there is a lump or a plug in the throat. They are chilly but they also want fresh air but are worse becoming cold or eating/drinking cold things. May have digestive issues at the same time as the sore throat. Mercurius sol Lots of saliva and a raw, rough and burning feeling in the throat. Lots of slime gets stuck in the throat and there may be drooling while sleeping. Swollen glands. A bad or metallic taste in the mouth and may have bad breath. The throat may be copper colored. Throat pain on coughing. The throat may be worse at night and they may also experience night sweats. Finding the right temperature is often difficult. Rhus tox Body aches and restlessness may accompany the sore throat. The tip of the tongue may be red. The throat becomes irritated and the voice becomes hoarse and is often worse from talking. The pain is worse from swallowing at first, but improves with more swallowing. Warmth is helpful and moving around may help, too — feeling worse when they are resting. Like the swallowing, they may feel worse when first moving around but better as they keep moving. When to see a doctor? According to the Mayo Clinic, see a doctor if:
TONSILLITIS A few quick notes relating to tonsillitis. (Note on type: Most highly indicated, highly indicated and indicated.) Again, there are many homeopathic remedies for tonsillitis and I am just focusing on the throat remedies already mentioned. Tonsillitis, in general — in order of importance: Belladonna, Ferrum phos and Mercurius. Hepar & Lachesis. Baptisia and Lycopodium. Tonsillitis with pus: Hepar, Mercurius. Belladonna, Lycopodium, Lachesis Hardness of hearing with tonsillitis: Hepar, Lycopodium and Mercurius Chronic, recurring tonsillitis: Hepar, Lachesis and Lycopodium Painless tonsillitis: Baptisia Burning pain in tonsils: Belladonna and Mercurius Purple tonsils: Hepar and Lachesis Bright red tonsils: Belladonna and Ferrum phos Dark red tonsils: Baptisia and Lachesis Tonsillitis in children: Ferr-phos, Lachesis, Lycopodium and Mercury Sharp pain in tonsils: Belladonna, Lachesis, Lycopodium and Mercury Tearing pain in tonsils: Belladonna Throbbing pain in tonsils: Belladonna STREP THROAT Strep throat is another possibility and can lead to long term problems in rare cases. Unlike most sore throats, strep is caused by bacteria. Strep A is big in the news this year, especially in the UK, but there are other strains of strep which can cause throat problems, too (A, C & G are the primary throat culprits). I never messed around with strep throats when my kids were little because I know two people who suffered terribly as a result of untreated strep. “Untreated strep throat can cause an autoimmune reaction in which the body attacks its own tissues and may lead to rheumatic fever, chorea and kidney damage” (Berkow et al. 1995). How can you tell the difference between a sore throat and Strep throat? Ultimately, for a full diagnosis of strep throat, you need to see a doctor and get a throat culture. According the the Merck Manual and the Mayo Clinic, strep throat symptoms typically appear suddenly and include:
In very young children (under 4), the only symptom may be a runny nose. (When my kids were little, I learned that strep infections in littles may present with only stomach problems, so keep that in mind.) “People with strep throat generally get better in 2 weeks, even without treatment. … antibiotics can shorten the duration of symptoms in young children and prevent serious complications such as rheumatic fever” (Berkow et al. 1995). (Note: There are homeopathic remedies which can be helpful in strep throat, but that is beyond the scope of this article.) If you are suffering from a sore throat, try one of these homeopathic remedies so you can get back to some painless Fa La La-ing before the festive season is behind us. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits Reference list
Berkow, R., Beers, M. and Fletcher, A., 1995. The Merck Manual Home Edition. Merck Research Laboratories. Mayo Clinic, 2018. Strep throat - symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic.  Early on in my homeopathic training, a friend’s son was scheduled for surgery to remove his tonsils. I had my tonsils out as a kid and as an adult, I realize having tonsils would be a useful thing. They are not as expendable as mainstream thought might otherwise have you believe.
What are tonsils? According to Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, tonsils are “a mass of lymphoid tissue in the mucus membranes of the pharynx and base of the tongue.” Let’s break that down further, again using Taber. Lymphoid: "Pertaining to lymphocytes." Lymphocyte: "A white blood cell responsible for much of the body’s immune protection." It sounds to me like tonsils are an important part of your immune system and may best be left intact. In fact, according to What are the Organs of the Immune System, “Because of their location at the throat and palate, they can stop germs entering the body through the mouth or the nose. The tonsils also contain a lot of white blood cells, which are responsible for killing germs.” Yep. Tonsils sound useful to me. Back to my friend’s son who was scheduled to have these useful things removed. The reason he was scheduled for surgery was recurring tonsillitis and the presence of tonsil stones. At that time, I had never even heard of tonsil stones. Turns out a tonsillolith is “a calculus in a tonsil.” There’s no difficult math equation hiding in the tonsil (I crack myself up sometimes! 😂), a calculus is “a stone, usually composed of mineral salts” (Taber). A quick search of the Internet shows they can either be asymptomatic or be a cause of sore throats. As I said, I was brand new to homeopathy, and I had just learned about the cell salt Silicea (or Silica). Silicea is known to push things out. And push things out, this Silicea 6x did indeed do for this young man. He not only spit out a bunch of tonsil stones, an old splinter that had been lodged in his leg for years popped out! (And, they cancelled the surgery because his recurring tonsillitis stopped. Yay!) I knew homeopathy was good, but hearing a report like this, just as I was getting underway with my studies certainly propelled me along. If you (or your child) is suffering from recurrent sore throats, homeopathy may be able to help, whether from tonsil stones, strep throat or a hoarse voice/sore throat from over use. Contact me at classicallypractical.com.  A few weeks ago, I had a nagging sore throat for days. The sore throat wasn’t enough to interfere with my life, but it was annoying. I didn’t feel ill in any other way. I had no other symptoms pointing to allergies. I tried a few remedies and had no success. I was stumped. Then, I bit my tongue and that was the ticket! One of the beautiful aspects of homeopathy is taking all the symptoms into consideration at one time to find the best remedy. Mercurius sol is one of many remedies for sore throats, and I didn’t think of it right off the bat. But, when I kept biting my already bitten tongue, the penny finally dropped. Merc sol is also well known for aphthae (small ulcers in the mouth or on the tongue) and aphthous stomatitis, a.k.a. canker sores. Aha! The niggling pain in my throat was lessened significantly in very short order and the tender little lump on the tip of my tongue was gone. By the next day, the re-injuring of my tongue was a thing of the past and my sore throat was just a ghost of itself. When looking for the best remedy, remember to include all the relevant information in the case. My generic, not terribly painful sore throat didn’t give me enough information to quickly find the remedy needed. In this case, I had to bite my tongue to fix my throat! Photo by Merch HÜSEY on Unsplash |
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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