Here comes the crud

Fall must be approaching. It doesn’t feel like it here in the desert southwest; we are still seemingly in the throes of straight summer with temperatures remaining 10+ degrees above average. In fact, it almost feels like we have hit the breaks on moving toward fall and reversed into actual summer. You see, we had a relatively humid summer. (See "12 Angry Homeopathic Remedies” if you care to know a bit more about our summer this year.) And, today, September 10th, 2026 (and 11th, I didn’t quite get everything finished yesterday), we finally have our normal sky — cloudless and bright blue. Boy, have I missed seeing that!

​A New Mexico 9% humidity sky. 😍

---

Even though we have been humid (for New Mexico), we have had no rain worth mentioning. Our trees are dying 😫. Rivers are just beds of stones. The monsoons never developed this year.

Despite this lingering heat, autumnal bugs are beginning their march into town. The internet tells me October is the month where things really get going. However, this morning I saw in my email that Stanford University-run WastewaterSCAN program indicates that SARS-CoV-2 is currently “high” nationwide, with a significant upward trend in the last 3 weeks. I checked the WastewaterSCAN Dashboard and New Mexico doesn’t appear. However, a Today show article claims it is increasing nationwide.

Cold, Flu, Covid, the Crud, the Suds** — whatever seasonal ailment is getting you, homeopathy is a good place to start. It’s important to remember that homeopathy doesn’t care the name of what ails you — homeopathy is (for the most part) only interested in your symptoms.

With that, let’s look at a few remedies to have handy. As Benjamin Franklin taught us, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure! All of these homeopathic remedies work really well when taken at the first sign of any symptoms. Repeat every few hours, or, follow the manufacturer’s direction.

• Aconite + Bryonia
  • This is my first stop. In fact, I saw this Banerji combination work it’s magic just today. This person was feeling really lousy: run down, cold-like symptoms — this person was fading fast, actually. One dose and about 20 minutes later, feeling much better. Fixed? Not quite, but on the way.
• Boiron’s Cold Calm* (see also, Calming the Cold)
  • If you get on this one with the first few sniffles, nastiness may be avoided!
• Narayani Flu Pack (see also, Pre-Winter Bugs)
• Ferrum phos 6x is a beautiful little thing. Don’t underestimate the power of a little cell salt to turn the bugs around as soon as they make themselves known. (see also, On the 4th day of cell salts… Ferr phos)
• Oscillococcinum*. A lot of people swear by this one to keep well. It can be used if the bugs have taken hold, or, for prevention if you believe you have simply been exposed. (See also, Ho Ho Ho (not, Ooooooh no!)

​So far this month, I’m seeing a bunch of throat stuff and huge fatigue, in addition to milder cold-like symptoms and one person with some stomach issues thrown in for good measure. For what it’s worth, Gelsemium has been helpful for a couple of people I have encountered. Why Gelsemium?
​
Gelsemium symptoms (keynotes from Morrison are bolded):

• may creep up on you rather than appearing out of the blue
• a lot of weakness and fatigue; heavy limbs; may be some trembling; may feel too weak to move
  • Oddly, despite the overall weakness, symptoms may improve a little bit with continued movement or exertion.
    • Perhaps relatedly… Gelsemium is also in a one remedy rubric for: Heart - ANXIETY, heart region , in - fears, that unless constantly moving heart will cease to beat, fear of death: (1) GELS.
• a strong desire to lie down and sleep
  • heavy eyelids; can’t keep them open
• sore throat; difficulty swallowing
  • pain may extend to the ears
• stuffy nose with watery discharge; especially on the left side
• a dull and heavy headache; may start in the back of the head and move up to the forehead
  • keynotes of a Gelsemium headache:
    • feels like there is a band around the head
    • headaches improve when passing a fairly large quantity of urine
• vertigo with vision issues; sensation as if falling
• if there is a fever, there may be a lack of thirst
  • feels hot but no desire to drink water
  • sticky perspiration over the whole body
  • chills run up and down the spine; there may be shivering
• concentration is difficult; dullness; and, maybe even confusion

---

When the stomach plays a larger role, consider Arsenicum album.
A quick comparison between Gelsemium and Arsenicum for cold/flu symptoms:

These early days of flu/cold-like symptoms mark the beginning of what could be a long season of yuckiness. Homeopathy may just be able to set things right before they are able to take hold.

​Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits


*I have no affiliation with this or any other company — I just like their stuff!
**Spongebob Squarepants gets the suds — Good stuff!