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 Let’s take a look at toots — you know, gas… bottom burps… farts… stink bombs… fluffer-doodles. While there certainly can be some instances which may indicate a serious medical problem for which medical treatment should be sought*, for the sake of this article, we’re going to just stick to common, everyday gas.
If you go to a conventional medical practitioner for your gas problem, they will most likely offer you one of the following:
*According to Mayo Clinic, if you have chronic or unusual abdominal pain, severe heartburn, persistent vomiting or nausea, chronic diarrhea, bloody or black stool, weight loss and loss of appetite, severe bloating, constipation or difficulty emptying your bowels, seek medical attention. All of these conventional treatments may help now and again and in the moment, but, to my knowledge, they don’t help get rid of the underlying problem. Homeopathy, on the other hand, has many remedies for many kinds of toots. When I enter “flatulence” into my homeopathic software, Dr. Robin Murphy’s repertory comes back with 849 “different” rubrics. (I put different in quotes because there are overlaps, to be sure, but it’s a clear indication of how homeopathy differs from conventional medicine.) Remedies for specific complaints stemming from gas. How cool is that? Tailored toot remedies, you might say! What kinds of flatus are there? Here are just a few descriptions from Dr. Murphy:
One of the most beautiful aspects of homeopathy is that it can not only help in the moment by relieving symptoms, it can help to lessen the problem altogether. When you are using homeopathy, you should be looking for overall improvement: the problem should be less intense and less frequent. In short, you should be looking for the problem to be getting better in general, not just in the moment. For instance, if you suffer severe gas and bloating every evening, once you are taking the “right” remedy (there are many remedies which can help with many given symptoms), the amount of gas should be less and the abdominal pressure should be less and the rumbling should quieten. Soon, it won’t be happening every night, it will be every other night and then every few nights and then only once in a while. That’s what we’re looking for -- overall improvement in the complaint. So, what are some go-to remedies for common gas? My first thought when somebody is suffering from gas and bloating is Lycopodium. Homeopathic Lycopodium is a very highly indicated remedy for gas and bloating, especially when said toots are a result of eating offending foods. Where else might Lycopodium be helpful in gaseous complaints? Abdominal pain; back pain stemming from gas; flatulence in the elderly; wind accompanying stool; evening flatus, and, rumbling guts which improve when you are able to release some air. How about that “incarcerated flatus”? Trapped wind causing cramping pain might be Lycopodium, but it might also be Carbo vegetablis (which is actually made from charcoal). If all that trapped gas makes your belly so full it can be difficult to breathe, Carbo veg is probably gonna' be your new favorite remedy. Gas during diarrhea; offensive gas; so much trapped gas that the abdomen feels hard and maybe even tender. Those poor little babies, scrunching up their legs trying to get some relief? Mag phos would be my first thought. Toots which smell like spoiled eggs? Sulphur, or, even Arnica. Another good gas remedy is Nux vomica for flatulence from anxiety; flatulence after eating or even while eating and toots which accompany coughing. If you have a potent, musical bottom, give some homeopathic remedies a try. Your loved ones will thank you! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits  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:
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.
 Did you know that October 18th is World Menopause Day? (Nor did I.)
The International Menopause Society says it is, so it must be true. The IMS have a goal “to work globally to promote and support access to best practice health care for women through their menopause transition.” A good goal, to be sure. I certainly hope they include homeopathy in their best practices! This year, IMS is focusing on Cognition and Mood associated with menopause. Their website provides a leaflet on Menopausal Brain Fog with some interesting data, if you’re curious. Brain Fog is a complaint I hear often from women of a certain age and I addressed it here where I shared the Banerji Protocol for menopausal brain fog — an excellent place to start for “Cognition and Mood” during menopause. Protocols don’t address every condition for every person, so if you try the protocol and don’t get any joy, work with a professional homeopath to relieve your specific condition. Homeopathic remedies can be very helpful in relieving the symptoms of menopause and peri-menopause in general. In addition to brain fog, hot flashes are right up there in common complaints. Homeopathic Ammonium carb may address some level of hot flashes, especially when there is heat in the face and/or sweaty feet. Becoming heated can cause aggravation or even result in a headache. Unlike some of the remedies that follow below, Am-carb women may have an aversion to open air. Lachesis is my “go-to” remedy for hot flashes as I have seen some pretty amazing things happen when women suffering from hot flashes use homeopathic Lachesis. Hot flashes may be more intense around the head and neck while their hands and feet remain cold. They have no tolerance for warm and stuffy rooms; craving cool, fresh air. There is also very little tolerance for tight or constricting clothing, especially around the neck or waist. All symptoms may be worse on waking. Because of this, falling asleep may be daunting. Sepia can be cold during the day and hot during the night resulting in drenching sweats only to end up chilly again. These sweats may also show up from minimal physical effort. Hot flashes may begin down low and move upward. Women benefitting from homeopathic Sepia often suffer from low energy but are energized through exercise. Pulsatilla hot flashes may be experienced when anxious or upset. Open windows with fresh air are are needed all the time…, they feel better outdoors. Constant fluctuation between being too hot and too cold. This changeability may be found elsewhere: mood swings, constantly changing bowel habits and wandering pains. Sulphur is kind of the “mother of all hot flashes.” They are warm all the time and rapidly overheat. These flashes can be very distressing and may be followed quickly by chilliness. In general, homeopathic sulphur has irregular heat distribution throughout the body. They may also find some parts are hot while other parts remain cool. They have a tendency to sweat excessively, especially around the head, feet and armpits and this sweat may be strongly odiferous. They are too hot for covers at night, especially the feet, and may also suffer from rashes, which are worse from heat. The experience surrounding menopause can last for many years — the perimenopause leading up to, the menopause itself as well as the years following the cessation of periods. That’s potentially a very long time to be suffering needlessly. Do yourself a favor and try some homeopathy. Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits   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 got hooked on watching videos about how things were made way back when … watching Sesame Street (Anon. 2022). (This video is on crayon making, but it’s a good one!) Then, for a while I enjoyed the Canadian show, “How it’s Made” — here’s a link to their firework segment. As you can imagine, I enjoyed learning about the firework making process for this article. What did I learn? Well, not surprisingly, the main ingredient in fireworks is … wait for it … Gunpowder. Gunpowder originated in China in the 9th century and is made up of three ingredients: saltpeter (potassium nitrate), sulfur and charcoal. All three of these ingredients are used in both conventional medicine and homeopathy. Saltpeter, known homeopathically as Kalium nitricum; Sulfur, aka Sulphur and charcoal, known as Carbo vegetabilis. Historically, saltpeter in its crude form (Kali nit) was used in the treatment of asthma (Brown and University of California Libraries 1917) and, today, this ingredient can be found in toothpastes formulated for sensitive teeth. Anecdotally, some people claim this kind of toothpaste has helped their asthma (Graedon and Graedon 2010). Sulfur, the third most abundant mineral in the human body (Science et al. 2020), is used conventionally in many areas, including: allergic rhinitis, shingles and interstitial cystitis (Mount Sinai 2022). Charcoal, primarily in the form of “activated charcoal” is used as “a safe, effective, and inexpensive alternative to more invasive treatments for poisoning” (Park 1986). (Note: Before finding homeopathy, I never traveled without activated charcoal and it has proven very useful on many occasions. I still keep it handy, but have not needed it since learning the homeopathic remedies.) John C. Clarke’s Gunpowder As a War Remedy: A Work of Homeopathy (2016) notes that saltpeter and sulfur both have antiseptic capabilities and that standard black powder (the original gunpowder) can be used on infections, boils, blood poisoning and "other maladies". Additionally, Gunpowder is listed in the homeopathic repertories primarily for: gunshot wounds, wounds that are slow to heal, and anal fistulae. Knowing the ingredients that make up gunpowder, I’m not surprised people decided to use Gunpowder as a medicine, both crudely and homeopathically. Gunpowder as a healing agent dates back in literature at least to 1865 with Culpeper’s Last Legacy, in which he wrote, “A little Gun-powder tyed up in a rag, and held in the mouth, that it may touch the aking tooth, instantly easeth the pains of the Teeth” [sic]. John C. Clarke (2016a) talks about soldiers using gunpowder: “taken crude in teaspoonful doses mixed in hot water” and shepherds sprinkling it “on bread and cheese, to cure and prevent wound-poisoning acquired in shearing and handling sheep” as well as using it on the sheep themselves for their ailments. After experimenting on himself, Clarke used homeopathic Gunpowder in a 3x trituration. The 3x potency* means some of the original substance remains in this version of the remedy but without the taste or smell “and to be in no sort of way explosive” and calls it a “most powerful and efficacious remedy.” Dr. T. Chatterjee claims Gunpowder in high potencies can cure “obstinate psoriasis” and, in low potency is “an excellent blood purifier” and can be helpful after the extraction of an abscessed tooth. Gunpowder remains a useful homeopathic remedy today for abscesses, boils and carbuncles and in bold-type, Robin Murphy mentions blood poisoning, also known as sepsis. (Sepsis is a life-threatening condition and needs to be treated immediately by a medical professional.) Interestingly, historically speaking, the advent of gunpowder on the battlefields was cause for amputations as a result of gunshot wounds and the ensuing sepsis (Stansbury et al. 2007). It appears that gunpowder caused the wounds which, in turn, caused sepsis which, in turn, caused the need for amputation, which, ironically could have been avoided by treating the wound with Gunpowder in the first place and thus avoiding the amputation. A crazy version of not quite “like cures like,” but as "same cures same," which in homeopathy is termed Isopathy. If you have a pet who has a hard time with the fireworks, try Aconite (rhymes with “fright”) or, put a few drops of Bach Rescue Remedy in their water bowl. Happy 4th of July and be careful of all those things that go BOOM! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits * Potency article Reference list Anon., 2022. Sesame Street - How Crayons Are Made [online]. www.youtube.com. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia, 2003. Gunpowder summary [online]. Brown, O. H. and University of California Libraries, 1917. Asthma, presenting an exposition of the nonpassive expiration theory [online]. Internet Archive. St. Louis: C. V. Mosby company. Chatterjee, T., n.d. My Random Notes on some Homeopathic Remedies Reprint. accessed through Radar Opus software. Clarke, J. C., 2016a. Gunpowder As a War Remedy: A Work of Homeopathy. USA. Compound Interest, 2015. The Chemistry of Fireworks | Compound Interest [online]. Compound Interest. Culpeper, N., 1685. Culpeper’s Last Legacy [online]. openlibrary.org. Graedon, J. and Graedon, T., 2010. ‘Sensitive’ toothpaste may help asthma. Chicago Tribune [online], 15 May 2010. Mount Sinai, 2022. Sulfur Information | Mount Sinai - New York [online]. Mount Sinai Health System. Murphy, R., n.d. Repertory, version 3. Accessed through Radar Opus software. Park, G. D., 1986. Expanded Role of Charcoal Therapy in the Poisoned and Overdosed Patient. Archives of Internal Medicine [online], 146 (5), 969. Pray, T. J. W., 1849. The Medicinal Properties of Sulphur. The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal [online], 40 (26), 521–523. Schroyens, F., n.d. Synthesis Adonis. accessed through Radar Opus software. Science, U. of H. at M. F., Program, H. N. and Program, H. N., 2020. Sulfur. pressbooks.oer.hawaii.edu [online]. Science Channel, 2020. How It’s Made: Fireworks. YouTube [online]. YouTube Video. Stansbury, L. G., Branstetter, J. G. and Lalliss, S. J., 2007. Amputation in Military Trauma Surgery. The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care [online], 63 (4), 940–944. Further references — Homeopathy & Medicine Casey, S., 2011. Gunpowder! Little-Known Remedy Packs a Wallop Against Wounds - Shirley Casey [online]. Hpathy. Clarke, J. H., 2016b. Gunpowder. from Materia Medica by John Henry Clarke. Homeopathy. [online]. www.materiamedica.info. Rxlist.com, 2021. Sulfur: Health Benefits, Uses, Side Effects, Dosage & Interactions [online]. RxList. The Center for Homeopathy, n.d. The Discovery of the Therapeutic Uses of Gunpowder [online]. Center for Homeopathy. Further reference list — Fireworks & Gunpowder
Foxhall, K., 2017. gunpowder – The Recipes Project [online]. Hypotheses.com. Jennifer, 2017. Jennifer Evans [online]. Early Modern Medicine. ** This is a fun subscription service of science experiments for kids. Mel Science, n.d. Magnesium fireworks [online]. MEL Science. Science Made Fun, n.d. Fireworks and their Colors [online]. Sciencemadefun.net. United States Geological Survey, 2020. What minerals produce the colors in fireworks? [online]. www.usgs.gov.  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.  I mentioned last time that our children always seemed to have made some emotional growth spurts following a big, acute illness and I wondered if that could be the case for me. Here’s what happened…
I could not budge my low-grade fever. No remedy made a dent. Period. I eventually contacted one of my previous instructors asking for help. Her response: “something is stuck inside. Your symptoms are being too shy.” Hmmm. She recommended some Sulphur 30c. Sulphur is an interesting remedy. It is often used to clear up/clean out the remnants of an acute illness. I had considered the idea, but given I was not at the end, I didn’t think it was time for me yet. The Father of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, used to begin every case with Sulphur because it was going to illicit some sort of a response in everybody. Sulphur definitely pulled a little somethin’ somethin’ out of me. Immediately upon taking it (I mean immediately), I became so weak I had to abandon the shower I had just turned on. Within 5 minutes, I began weeping and the tears simply wouldn’t stop. For the first time since my illness began, I couldn’t get out of bed. The tears eventually stopped and I was able to get out of bed again, but the fever remained. I wondered and pondered at what could be "stuck." December was a fraught month for me — it could have been any number of emotions that got stuck. Anger was stuck. I raged in my mind for hours one morning and I could literally feel the crud breaking up. My temperature dropped a bit but it soon went back up again. So, I wrote and I wrote and I wrote. I raged and I raged again and I began to understand what was stuck inside of me. Again, I felt the crud breaking up. By the next morning, the fever was gone, for the first time in nearly 2 weeks. Coincidence? Perhaps. But I had also worked through serious amounts of stagnant emotion and that can only be a good thing. Was Sulphur the only remedy I needed? Nope. Sulphur got things going. Once I recognized anger as the culprit, Nux vomica was suggested and it made good sense, homeopathically speaking. Nux vomica is a major liver remedy and the liver, of course, is where that anger gets processed. But, Nux didn’t do much for me this time around. Natrum muriaticum was suggested. Nat Mur is a well indicated remedy for ailments from anger. I only took 1 dose and it was abandoned in order to keep chasing the current symptoms. Chamomilla was suggested and Chamomilla definitely did something. It was as if the Chamomilla opened the door to usher the anger through. Then, it was suggested to take Bryonia alba in 3 ascending potencies. I took the first dose and the fever continued to improve, so I left it at that. The next morning was when the fever was gone. So, what’s left? Fatigue is what’s left and a little dizziness. Turns out a low-level fever for 2 weeks and very little appetite takes its toll on a person’s energy. So, was there emotional growth that happened for me? Why, yes! There was some growth that happened! Some emotional growth and some good homeopathic education, too! Julia Coyte, CHom Classically Practical homeopath #wellnessawaits |
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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