Dealing With Your Ailments From Festivities

and
Thought of The Week
The Cholesterol Myth

As we approach the silly season in the western world, I’d like to talk about three homeopathic medicines which may help you through the festivities in a more holistic way.

I’m assuming here that you will be using the 30c potency, the most common in home prescribing kits. If you have a 6c only, more frequent doses will be required.

‘Dose as required’ means that after the initial dosing to see if it’s the correct medicine for you, you only redose when the symptoms return or plateau.

First, the medicine Nux vomica is par excellence for preventing and for curing hangovers from too much alcohol. Hangovers show you that your liver is having a tough time. The typical symptoms of a hangover are:

• headache which is worse for noise and light
• irritable
• very cold, better for warmth
• wants to be quiet and dark

If you take a couple of doses prior to drinking, you are much less likely to have a bad hangover. Then when you return home, drink some water. Then put a couple of pillules in a glass of water and sip this continuously until you fall asleep.

You probably won’t need any more doses in the morning, unless it was a bad binge. Dose as required.

I’m not a big drinker, so can easily get a headache from a bit too much wine. I recently had lunch with a friend at a winery. Of course, we had to sample what was on offer. I think I had a few more samples than was good for me, as I only had a glass and a half with lunch. But I did need some Nux vomica later in the afternoon, for a headache that was developing.

A couple of doses and it disappeared.

Nux vomica works for many more problems than too much alcohol. It’s a great liver cleanser, especially when a lot of drugs have been taken. It can help a well indicated homeopathic medicine to work.

Next, the medicine Carbo veg is the best way to prevent problems from over eating. Symptoms may include:

• great distension of abdomen from gas causing discomfort or pain
• passing the gas brings relief (burping or flatus)
• craves fizzy drinks to encourage burping
• indigestion from over eating
• difficulty breathing after eating too much
• must loosen clothes
• can faint in a stuffy room - craves fresh or moving air

Some people don’t need to eat much more than their normal amount to  get digestive problems. Others can eat an enormous amount before they suffer.

Just remember the key for Carbo veg is the relief gained by passing the gas.

The third medicine is Pulsatilla. This medicine has problems digesting fat, which they crave. It’s odd that people often crave the things they can least tolerate. Maybe it’s showing us which medicine they need. The strong digestive keynotes of Pulsatilla are:

• desires or averse to fatty foods
• indigestion with spasms
• thirstless
• craves fresh air
• hot, better for cold

Both Carbo veg and Pulsatilla craves fresh air and have bloating with an intolerance to fat. The biggest difference is that Pulsatilla is worse for heat, whereas Carbo veg is cold, but averse to being covered. And Pulsatilla doesn’t have the burping to relieve the discomfort.

If you’re throwing a party, these three medicines may well stand you in good stead.

There is no difference in treating animals and people when using homeopathy. Apart from the fact that you can get subjective symptoms from people, but rely only on objective symptoms from animals, there is no difference. Because of this, many people tend to portray their feelings and fears onto their animals.

When looking at your animal’s symptoms, try to be objective, taking only the signs. Don’t try to interpret what they means. For instance, if your dog is bloated, just use the symptom bloating - he may need Carbo veg. Don’t try to hypothesise what it means.

If your cat is swearing and seems irritable after a trip to the vet, maybe she needs Nux vomica.

So the above medicines can be as useful on your animals as they are for you. Hopefully you won’t need to use Nux vomica for the the same reason, as you might after a party, but it is a great medicine for a struggling liver with the same symptoms.

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Thought of the Week

How many times it thundered before Franklin took the hint!
How many apples fell on Newton's head before he took the hint!
Nature is always hinting at us.
It hints over and over again.
And suddenly we take the hint.
Robert Frost

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The Cholesterol Myth

If you are taking, or know anyone who is taking statins, you might like to read this.