Indispensable for everyday complaints
Homeopathy
and it does work …
The 10 best remedies for your home remedy kit
Homeopathic medicine has been proven as a holistic method of treatment for over 200 years. Homeopathic remedies don’t act “against” a complaint. Rather, they strengthen the weakened vital force according to the Law of Similars.
Find out how to conquer everyday complaints – ranging from infection to muscle pains, to sleeplessness
Samuel Hahnemann (1755 – 1843), a chemist and pharmacist, developed the medical system of homeopathy, which is used successfully by many holistic practitioners. Upward trend. It is also increasingly popular for self-help: In spite of the ongoing discussion between experts of conventional medicine about the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines, approximately 60 per cent of the German population trusts in pellets and other homeopathic preparations. This is according to a 2014 Allensbach study. By comparison: In 1970, it was only 24 percent – slightly more than the percentage of Canadians using homeopathy today. A Canadian online study by Insights West in March of 2016 showed that 22 % of Canadians have tried homeopathic remedies, of which 60 % said that the treatment was very effective.
In all, homeopathy has more female than male fans: 73 per cent of women have taken a homeopathic remedy opposed to “only” 48 per cent of men. This warrants the question of why it is, that conventional medicine practitioners continue to see homeopathy as a “misleading doctrine”.
Surely, an explanation can be found in the fact that the corresponding intellectual edifices of conventional medicine and homeopathy are quite different. The latter does not treat one single sick organ. Rather, it is understood as an expression of a dysfunction affecting the whole person. As such, emotional troubles are not separated from the physical disease process, but rather perceived as an equal part of the whole.
New Energy for a vital force that’s “out of tune”
Homeopathy assumes an “out of tune”, weakened life force. As a result, we see individual symptoms that require individual treatment. This is why there is not – as in conventional medicine – the one antibiotic for everyone. Rather, a specific homeopathic medicine that suits the patient is chosen, somewhat like a key that fits into a specific lock. In doing so, the treatment is always aimed at bringing a patient’s functional ability back into balance.
As such, there is an energetic aspect in the foreground that encompasses the interaction between all organs, including the mental and emotional state, social environment as well as climate factors or environmental factors. This explains why it is so difficult to prove the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies.
It is about an empirical science that is more than two centuries old. You cannot really argue its effectiveness away in my opinion. Unless there is an interest in bringing more expensive medications, often causing side effects, to the market. Research into the effectiveness of prescription drugs is unfortunately steered by stakeholders of the pharmaceutical industry.
But there are many other cultures that know about the existing energy fields of the body which do not exist for modern science. For example, they talk about an ethereal body, the aura or chakras. In an increased electromagnetic field, a person’s energy – literally, their radiance – can even be shown in a photograph.
Just try it for yourself, best with the help of an experienced homeopath. Even when it comes to chronic complaints, I clearly see the advantages of homeopathic remedies, because they stimulate a person’s inner life force and can activate a self-healing process that is often more hampered than benefited by chemical drugs such as cortisone or anti-inflammatory drugs.
Hahnemann’s Law of Similars “Similia similibus curentur” (“Like cures like”) is the most important principle in homeopathic healing
Helpful medicine for humans and animals alike
If the problem is sleep disturbances, you get excited easily and tense up, then you will be prescribed “the similar” in homeopathy – in this case, the remedy Coffea, which is made from the Arabic coffee plant “Coffa arabica”.
Conventional medicine, by contrast, prescribes something “to relax”. Instead of healing with the similar, it practices a therapy with “opposite” agents. For example, with fever-reducing medicines for infectious diseases or a cortisone cream for skin problems. But if medicines are given specifically to counter symptoms, this also means: The actual cause of the disease is disregarded (!) This results in the genuine risk of developing a chronic condition. At the same time, the body is further weakened in its fight for maintaining health.
The homeopathic globules – the familiar sugar pellets – are sprayed with the homeopathic lotion
Samuel Hahnemann championed the homeopathic treatment of animals too. In one of his lectures he said that animals are healed just as safely and surely as humans using the homeopathic healing method.
The fact that animals are often remarkably improved and healed by homeopathic treatment, is actually proof of the fact that homeopathy does work. Just as therapy on children. In these cases, it is not so easy to use the explanation that it’s all just “imagination”, that is, a placebo effect, as cited by critics.
Classical homeopathic remedies in Veterinary Medicine
Animals can’t talk and describe their sensitivities or the location of a pain. But as an animal owner, you can develop observation skills as to when and how physical and mental changes show up.
Homeopathic remedies can be very helpful for our pets
Ignatia for grief
An eight-year-old poodle developed repeated epileptic seizures after the death of his companion. After a one-time dose of Ignatia, these attacks did not happen anymore. The key ingredient is the dried seeds of the Ignatius bean.
As the remedy first and foremost acts upon an oversensitive nervous system, it is used equally often for human grief or personal offences. It is also typical that a person’s emotional grief would manifest at the physical level in convulsions and cramps in the muscular system.
Homeopathic remedies can be a blessing when you are overburdened and lacking motivation
Dry, stress-induced eczema – accompanied emotionally by fears – can be treated with Arsenicum. A remedy that has been proven even for persistent cradle cap in babies
Phosphorus for coughing fits
A dog contracted kettle cough from a fellow member of his species when out walking in cold air. After that, he developed hefty, dry sounding attacks of cough and increased thirst. After a dose of the medicine Phosphorus in high potency the cough attacks eased off. The dog was completely healthy in due time.
The famous Law of Similars
The questions remains, of how the founder of homeopathic medicines, Samuel Hahnemann, got the idea of the Law of Similars. He was very versatile, knew six languages and translated many specialist books of his time.
He got a crucial impulse in the year 1790: At the age of 35, when he was translating the English pharmacology of the chemist, physicist and renowned physician William Cullen, he came across an entry on the Peruvian bark, which was used at the time successfully to treat malaria. Cullen assumed the effectiveness of this substance in treating malaria to be due to its astringency. Initially, Hahnemann was skeptical, taking himself small amounts of Peruvian bark several times. He was surprised to find that he ended up with malaria symptoms such as fever and shivering fits every time.
Additional trials reinforced his initial discovery: When healthy persons take a certain substance in a small dose, then it will cause symptoms that are typical of the substance. The second discovery: Substances that cause certain symptoms in healthy persons, can heal similar symptoms in a sick person.
To date, the Law of Similars is a key tenet in homeopathy: “Choose a medicine for a sick person that can trigger a smiliar (Greek: homoion) suffering (Greek: pathos) to that which it is to heal – Similia similibus curentur”.
Hahnemann assumed initially that the healing effect of the corresponding remedy – just like the toxic effect – would diminish with splitting and processing. But he was astonished to find out during his experiments that through potentization, as he later called it, the healing effect actually increased.
According to Hahnemann’s principles, it is the art of healing to establish order. As the human being is a healthy person when all is in harmony.
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“All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy” Paracelsus
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There are no traceable substances – yet the healing powers are striking
I feel that it is mostly the higher potencies that can act upon the body’s self-healing mechanisms with their energetic powers, and thus, you could speak of vibrational and information medicine.
You have few side effects and profound action – this makes homeopathy very attractive. If it were possible to win a nobel prize with respect to the mechanism of action of high potencies, then that would really call for an answer to the question of why dilutions beyond Avrogado’s number can be effective.
In other words: From a chemical perspective, substantive ingredients can no longer be quantified in the higher homeopathic potencies. This means that the medicine no longer contains any traceable substances after the step-by-step preparation of the primary substance by means of dynamic succussion or trituration. But still, it unfolds healing powers out of, literally, nothing.
For better understanding, simply imagine a quiet lake: Similar to a drop of water falling on a smooth lake surface that draws seemingly endless circles, compelling the water into oscillation, so too does the remedy’s medicinal information magnify in the body.
Just like a single drop compels the water surface into oscillation, the remedies stimulate our self-healing powers
Homeopathy for kids
What parent would want to risk the chances of the side effects of chemical medicine for their offspring? And surely you wouldn’t want to suppress any self-regulating forces. This is why for me, homeopathic remedies as gentle vibrational medicine, are the first choice especially for children.
Many children get recurrent ear infections that keep coming back despite antibiotic treatment. Often, remedies like Belladonna or Hepar Sulphuris – made on the basis of calcium carbonicum and Sulphur derived from oyster shells – make the susceptibility to ear infections disappear.
Another impressive experience with the remedy Belladonna was that of a one-year-old boy struck with a high fever. He was literally burning up. His head was red. After a few questions, the remedy Belladonna was given. One minute after taking a dose of 3 pellets in the potency 30 CH, the extreme heat disappeared and his fever came down more quickly than you would expect from an acetaminophen suppository.
From primary substance to high potency
Starting substances for homeopathy are plants, mineral and animal products, but also whole animals, such as the honey bee. The remedy Apis, for example, is made from the whole bee. This remedy too, belongs in every home remedy kit in the potency 30 CH, for acute infections and swelling for example. But regardless of whether the source material is a bee or a plant like chamomilla, i.e. the “primary substance”. It is always only after the described potentization that the substance ends up being a medicinal remedy.
The homeopathic pellets are made from cane sugar. They are sprayed with the diluted mother tincture – that is, the respective agent – and then air dried.
But homeopathic remedies are also available in the form of tablets or drops. They all contain the information, vibrations and impulses needed to set in motion the trigger to self-recovery in a sick person.
In particular the gentle, easy to administer, lower potencies up to 12 CH are suitable for the home remedy kit. Furthermore, first aid remedies like Belladonna, Apis or Arnica have proven to be effective in the higher potency of 30 CH. You’d usually take one dose only of 3 pellets in an acute case or after an injury resp. a fall. After this dose, improvement can be expected fairly soon.
Homeopathy does not only have great remedies for acute cases. A special field of expertise are particularly the chronic cases in which the weakened life force needs support so that the body can deal with the illness by its own efforts. If the symptoms are merely suppressed, then they may look for another form of expression. For example, when early childhood eczema turns into adolescent asthma or adult-onset rheumatic disease.
There was the case of a small boy who was born with eczema. He suffered quite a bit because the eczema was extremely itchy and he scratched until he bled. All creams, powder and later on also cortisone didn’t help much. It was always better for a short while, but then the attacks came back. Of course, this is very stressful for the parents too.
Finally, it turned out that the mother had several amalgam fillings removed during the pregnancy. A fact that doctors had not considered, but which was of significance in choosing the correct homeopathic remedy. By specific application of several remedies in higher potencies, the boy was symptom-free after about two years, improving progressively during the course of homeopathic treatment.
Limits to self-medication: Always consult a trained homeopath in cases of eczema
The importance of the constitution in treatment
In principle, each organism strives to keep healthy on its own, and to maintain a harmonious equilibrium of all life forces. For the most part, it is able to do this on its own or at least, for quite some time. Once this is no longer the case, homeopathic medicines can be helpful.
If for example, you have certain complaints that keep coming back, then a more comprehensive treatment is recommended. The fact that a person gets sick, and how they get sick, is established in their constitution too, which they are born with. Their constitution is inherited from their parents and ancestors.
A patient’s personality traits are just as important as physical symptoms. It happens all too often that a remedy is given based on physical symptoms alone, only to find out that it doesn’t work. That creates the impression that homeopathy is an unprecise and unreliable form of therapy.
Every now and then, it’s the genetic body plan which isn’t perfect in anyone, that can upset therapeutic success. After all, each person has hereditary constitutional weaknesses. And therefore, also the propensity to react with illness in a certain area. The one person may be particularly susceptible to ear, nose and throat complaints, while someone else is more prone to easily getting an upset stomach.
Homeopathy has constitutional remedies for these cases, to balance the physical, emotional and mental weaknesses as much as possible.
Let’s take the remedy Chamomilla for example, respectively the constitutional remedy Chamomilla. This person is irritable, upset and angry and – very sensitive to pain. The least pain can already be too much and unbearable when you have this predisposition. The plant helps as a general constitutional remedy when the nervous system is overexcited, the body needs calm. In pediatrics, it has proven helpful in colicky babies or diarrhea when teething.
In this context, the combination remedies should be mentioned too. These were developed in order to facilitate the difficult task of finding the suitable single remedy. However, practice has shown that homeopathic remedies work best when they are matched precisely to the presenting symptoms. And this is achieved only when one single remedy is used per treatment.
It is said that even Hahnemann was upset with the combination remedies. “In homeopathy, the real, simple and natural healing method, it is not allowed to treat a sick person with two different medicinal substances at once”. Yet he was unable to stop the further distribution of combination remedies.
“I can’t be without homeopathy. I actually don’t go anywhere without my homeopathic medicines.”
Paul McCartney
The 10 best remedies for your home remedy kit
Not every condition is equally serious. This is why homeopathy talks about hierarchization. Accordingly, the important symptoms – for example, a hot body accompanied by a beet red head – are identified as “keynote symptoms”. The more symptoms of high (e.g. fever) or medium (e.g. desire for lemonade but aversion to milk) similarity match with the respective remedy, the more suitable it is (for example, Belladonna).
For self-treatment, homeopathic remedies are particularly suitable in the case of acute infections, stomach, intestinal and bladder troubles, or rheumatic complaints. As well, for nervousness or sleeplessness, but also for falls and (sports) injuries.
Important: Always take only one remedy at a time, never several at once. As well, if you cannot really find a similarity between the remedy’s symptom picture and your symptoms, then it’s best not to take it.
Use your home remedy kit first and foremost in acute cases in day-to-day life. In the case of chronic complaints, these should be discussed with a homeopath so that a matching remedy can be found together, respectively, a completely individualized constitutional treatment be chosen.
The proper application: In general, a dose of the remedy in the potency 6 CH is to be dissolved under the tongue every hour. The remedy is discontinued once the symptoms have disappeared. If after 24 hours there is no improvement, then the nature of the remedy should be re-examined and perhaps a different one chosen that matches better with the complaints.
1 Allium Cepa, the common onion
The eyes are teary and the nose dripping, as in runny nose and hay fever for example. In that case, the common onion is particularly well suited. The mild flood of tears with concurrently acrid nasal discharge and burning, sharp pain, is typical.
Further symptoms are frequent, forceful sneezing, hoarseness or laryngeal pain and a “tickling cough”. The complaints are worse with heat, damp weather and wet feet. Improvement outside in the open and in cool air.
2 Apis, the honey bee
The honey bee is ideal for the homeopathic self-treatment as first measure (in the 30 CH potency in that case) for rapidly swelling insect bites, allergic swelling of the skin (with edema, bumps, burning, stinging) or sore throat. For tonsillitis and fever.
The affected areas are puffy, shiny and reddish. The symptoms develop fast. Sudden severe pains are possible. The patient is – according to the industrious activity of the bee – characterized by nervous restlessness. He or she is fidgety, and hard to please.
Complaints are worse in the heat and on touch as well as after hot drinks, and better by any kind of cooling.
3 Argentum Nitricum, nitric silver or silver nitrate
This remedy is also referred to as nitrate of silver and is especially suitable when someone’s nerves are shattered. For fears, memory lapses and stage fright. For nervous exhaustion, migraines, eye and gastrointestinal infections, as well as nervous heart complaints.
Typical symptoms are severe abdominal bloating with explosive burping. Furthermore: Diarrhea from emotional trauma. Desire for sweets, cramps and trembling.
The Argentum nitricum type of person is impulsive, hurried and easily thrown off balance mentally and emotionally. He or she wants cool air, cold drinks and cold food. They “suffocate” in warm rooms.
Accordingly, they are aggravated in closed rooms, also from sugar. Being outside does them good.
4 Arnica, the Leopard’s Bane
Arnica, the Leopard’s Bane – a classical remedy for injuries and wounds
The orange-yellow Leopard’s Bane that grows in the mountains is used for injuries – also after surgeries and dental treatments. For pain relief, stimulation of the blood flow, anti-inflammatory, wound healing. As well for muscle pains / sore muscles, complaints of the vessels and heart or for jetlag and the flu. In old age, Arnica can strengthen the heart and circulation. Worse: Motion and the slightest touch. Feeling exhausted, better from rest, warmth and being alone.
I highly appreciate this wonderful plant. Because apart from healing acute injuries after falls or bruising, after pulled muscles and contusions, it also helps with physical and emotional trauma which may be painfully burrowed at a deeper level. But I wouldn’t use Arnica as excessively as it is being used by now. A child doesn’t need a remedy after each bump. A hug and kiss from mommy and the child is totally fine.
A word of advice: Arnica montana is the accident remedy most often used. The harder the impact and the worse the (sports) injuries are, the higher a potency should be selected. Therefore, the travel remedy kit should have a 30 CH in addition to a 12 CH.
5 Belladonna, the Bane wort
It has become a renowned remedy particularly in pediatrics: for dentition, shiny red gums, feverish, restless children with beet red faces. For sudden colic or a middle ear infections. But also for nerve pain, cramping, grinding of the teeth and restless sleep.
Acute onset of symptoms is typical: hot head, cold feet. Intense heat of the whole body with blood congestion to the head. Extreme thirst. Swallowing is complicated by dryness. Intense pain comes and goes in repeated attacks.
The “Belladonna-Type” is over active, excited, loud and talks very fast. Worse on touch, motion, light, noise. Better from rest and light covers.
6 Cantharis, the Spanish Fly
For the homeopathic treatment of acute urinary tract infections, also for sunburn and burns with blistering.
A typical guiding symptom of a bladder infection is a strong desire to urinate with burning, stinging, cutting pains. Accordingly, worse on urination.
7 Cocculus, the Indian Cockle
Cocculus, the Indian Cockle, is particularly helpful for sensitive people
Exhausted, weak, a feeling of emptiness? This calls for the Indian Cockles, the fruit of an Asian tree species. They’ve been proven particularly for nervous irritation and exhaustion. Also, for vertigo and stomach cramps, travel sickness and sea sickness, jetlag and as a stress remedy.
Typical: worrisome, burdening thoughts. The patient needs lots of time for all activities. Anger about trifles, fear of the unknown. Drowsiness and lost in thought. Worse from lack of sleep. Rest is helpful.
8 Coffea, the Coffee Bean
Coffea, based on the caffeine of the coffee plant, helps with over excitement
The remedy coffea is made for the most part from the Arabic coffee plant Coffea arabica resp. its plant-based caffeine. Homeopathically, it is used for complaints due to mental excitement, but also (excessive) joy, for sleeplessness and restlessness. In short: For oversensitivity and overexcitement – all those symptoms that can be the result of excessive coffee consumption. As well, for migraines and nerve pain.
“Coffea types” are either very emotional or quick-tempered. Typical symptoms are complaining, crying and nervous sleeplessness, say because there are a thousand things on their mind. Worse from mental exertion, but also touching, (pleasant) surprises, too much coffee.
9 Echinacea, the narrow-leaved Lebanon squill
The plant also known as the purple coneflower from the Natural order of the compositae is native to North America. It is used for strengthening the immune defenses, for recurring infections of the respiratory system and urinary tract, for emerging cold symptoms, fever, skin infections and acne. Very suitable for children.
Typical symptoms are fatigue, muscle pains, nausea, chilliness and weakness. The mood is depressed, grumpy. Better from rest and lying down. Worse after eating fruit, from cold drinks, damp cold weather and after physical and mental exertion.
The narrow-leaved Lebanon squill, Echinacea, is an ideal remedy for strengthening the immune defenses in the case of frequent infections
10 Ledum palustre, the wild Rosemary
The wild rosemary is helpful for gout and rheumatic complaints. Also, after insect bites and animal bites.
Ledum palustre, the wild rosemary, can help in cases of accident injuries, bruising, joint pain and acne. Also, for gout and rheumatic complaints.
Frequent chilliness, cold body parts are typical. After injuries, discoloration of the tissue lasts for a long time. Rheumatic complaints start in the small joints and move from the bottom up. The soles of the feet are sensitive and painful. Worse from warm coverings and warm air, improvement from the cold, also cool baths.
Hint: Ledum is very helpful for squished fingers or toes, for wounds from impact injuries and blows, after tick bites or insect bites. In the latter case, it also helps to reduce the agonizing itching (also for pets and horses).
I hope that you found this information interesting and helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please give us a call, or book an appointment online to be seen.
Very best,
Irene Schwens Hom, DHMHS, C.Tran.
Owner / Homeopath Registration #15241
K-W HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINE
……………………….………AND WELLNESS CLINIC
751 King Street West, Suite 310
Kitchener, ON N2G 1E5
T (519) 603-0505
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“The physician’s highest and only calling
is to make the sick healthy, to cure, as it is called”
— Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, §1, Organon of the Medical Art —
