Australia is burning and I feel utterly useless sitting up here in FNQ. What can we do beyond donations and thoughts? And then I realised that I have a bucket load of knowledge that might actually benefit someone suffering from smoke inhalation, grief, exhaustion, emotions…so I did a facebook live which you can see below. And now I’m backing it up with a blog. Easy reference and you don’t have to listen to me haha!
This is going to be of more benefit to those already familiar with homeopathy but my offer stands of free consults and remedies to those in the fire affected areas or fighting fires. I’ve also started a FB group and have about 10 other homeopaths with the same offer!  Head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/457092981885348/ if you need some help or just want to support us!
All the remedies here I’d give in a 30c 3-4 times daily. Just one pillule straight from the cap to under your tongue to dissolve. This is very basic acute prescribing. You give it until the symptoms start to get better and then stop. That’s it. Nothing too tricky there.
Rescue remedy- every home needs this to take the edge off their anxiety and fear and heightened emotions generally. You can give either 2 drops under the tongue or 4 drops in a bottle of water that you sip at all day. This is my preferred method for chronic anxiety. No limit to how much to use other than it’s preserved in alcohol.  I see it in most chemists and definitely health food stores.

​Ignatia- our best known grief remedy! We need this collectively as a nation right now. Teariness, sleepless with grief, reactions that aren’t appropriate like laughing at something sad or crying at something funny and yawning which can be a sign of needing more oxygen- definitely if you have fires burning nearby. There can also be a hoarseness and loss of voice with the grief. Again, this is likely with all the smoke.
Aconite- this is traditionally used as a shock remedy particularly when the person has suffered a near death experience or felt like they were going to die. I’m sure there are plenty of you! Also great for that croupy cough kids (and adults) get which come on in the middle of the night.
Euphrasia- perfect for too much smoke! Traditionally used for a collection of symptoms including watery burning eyes, runny nose worse in the morning and a cough. Sound like too much smoke? I think so too.
Arsenicum album- burning is the thing to remember here. There will be things like a burning throat and/or burning eyes. The throat will fee constricted with a dry cough that will be better for small sips of water and warm drinks. And restlessness! It’s a very restless remedy. It’s a bit similar to aconite as it also has that fear of death in its picture.  

​And some tissue salts that might help:
Ferrum phos- perfect for any kind of inflammation. It’s also great for iron and therefore getting more oxygen around the body.
Nat mur- lovely to help dry mucous membranes and redistribute that water in the body.
Kali phos- for the utterly depleted and defeated. An excellent, traditional nerve tonic.
These are really easy to get from the chemist. Ask for Scheussleur salts.
 
A few other really simple things are:

• Saline sprays for the nose to lubricate mucous membranes
• Nourishing soups and stews that feed the soul as well as the body
• Lots of fresh, colourful veg that’s chocka with antioxidants
• Pineapple that is full of bromelain a huge anti-inflammatory enzyme
• Water, water, water for rehydration. At least 35ml per kg of body weight but if it’s hot or you drink tea or coffee drink more. You’ll need to add a pinch of salt if you are drinking a lot and start to feel a bit foggy and off.
• Magnesium baths! Epsom salts will do the trick. If you can’t get to a bath soak your feet in it. Great to detox and also for sore muscles and stress…add some lavender oil too.
• Rub lavender oil into your temples before bed to help get some snooze.

 
I don’t know if this is helpful. I really feel totally ineffectual right now so if someone gets even a tiny amount of help from this then wonderful! I’ve helped someone.
Much love to everyone!

​This is such a personal topic for me! I’m forever shocked when someone says ‘oh wow! I didn’t pick that’. I think I wear it on my sleeve but like so many other anxiety sufferers I have learnt to hide it and hide it well! 

​In clinic I see a lot of anxiety suffers. There’s the life-long sufferers who have a low level of anxiety generally which kicks off into acute anxiety when things get a bit out of control. It’s then the regular anxiety attacks and sleepless nights hit. On an average day they use the anxiety to keep going, just that one step ahead. Very often they seem successful and totally in control- don’t judge a book by it’s cover. One loose shingle and we’re gone!

​And then there are those who are normally chill but life has dealt them some really nasty blows and here they are! Anxiety attacks, sleepless nights and so one. The acute phase is the same either way just the life-long suffers take less time to get there as they operate in that elevated state anyway. 

​What to do! I look at three main areas but there is way more that can be done but it’s really individual!

​Food is a huge area we use to help anxiety. These are some super simple ideas.

• Eat regularly. Yes, intermittent fasting works for a lot of people and it has it’s bonuses but it’s not necessarily the best in the acute phase of anxiety or even for life-long anxiety sufferers. It can make the body feel like it’s in survival mode meaning cortisol levels go up and that’s not great for anxiety as it’s already high with anxiety. Cortisol can also cause weight gain....anyone else gain weight when they're stressed? 
• Eat more good fats. Good fats re really soothing for the nervous system and also keep us full for longer meaning we don’t get the highs and lows that something like sugar does. Good fats include oily fish, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds.
• Oats for breakfast works really well as oats have tryptophan that converts to serotonin the feel good hormone! Start the day with oats.
• Ditch the sugar and the caffeine! Anxiety sufferers have enough energy surges with out the stimulants. Aim to keep energy levels even with meals packed with protein and good fats. 

And last, how could I leave you without a homeopathic?!
Aconite is the best known of the traditionally used anxiety remedies. It’s in every homeopathic first aid kit I’ve ever seen. It’s an acute remedy for an anxiety type attack with a hard and fast beating heart, fear, lots of fear and you may feel like you are dying (super important to seek help with these kind of attacks as it’s too easy to mistake a more serious condition for anxiety). It will come on suddenly and likely leave suddenly. 

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. 
Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Information is generally in nature and nothing said on this website is intended as a diagnosis and should not be taken as such.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​

      My last blog was all about my story with ASD but I think what you really want to know is how I can help your child. That's what I would want to know! Straight up, I don't believe ASD is something to be fixed or altered. I do believe it's a gift but gifts can come with all kinds of baggage and conditions. This is no different. It's the baggage I'm interested in shifting.
     My practice uses homeopathy and nutrition to support adults and children through a myriad of issues. You don't need a diagnosis to see me. I work on the big picture regardless of what diagnosis people come with. A diagnosis might help by leading  my questions, giving me an idea of what symptoms to ask about or even give me a little insight into what you're going through but it doesn't enter my prescribing. I prescribe on the person, on the bigger picture and the presenting symptoms. 
     For ASD it works like this. I know ASD kids may have sensory issues, anxiety, stimming, difficulty communicating and making eye contact. They may feel better for having a heavy weight on them, they might prefer certain foods or textures. Sometimes they are fixated on certain things. Most likely there is gut issues. But because every single ASD child or adult presents so differently (just like neurotypical people) I treat them like an individual and look for the patterns indicating certain remedies. 
     The aim is to make life easier, calmer and improve quality of life. Isn't that what we all want? 
           
​             In short, I treat clients with ASD exactly the same as all my others- as individuals! 

Lets look at the most common questions I get asked! 
Q. Can homeopathy cure ASD? 

• No. This is not a condition that requires a 'cure' nor are they curable.

Q. Can homeopathy help my ASD child? 

• Homeopathy is used traditionally to treat the whole person. Those with ASD are absolutely no different. Remedies prescribed take into account fears, anxiety, sensations, food desires and a whole host of things you can tell me about your child.  For example, if your ASD child is especially fearful or anxious homeopathy has many remedies that are traditionally used for these things. 

Q. How soon before I can see results? 

• Some things take time to shift but you may notice some changes very quickly. We're all different and respond differently to different remedies. 

Q. Will homeopathy get my child talking, walking etc? 

• Honestly, I don't know. These are very, very big ticket items. I just don't know.  

Q. Can homeopathy help with heavy metals?  

• We can do a hair test to identify which metals are an issue.  We certainly have remedies traditionally used in homeopathy for the symptoms of heavy metal toxicity. 

Q. Do I need to test? 

• I usually recommend we do some testing if possible. Some base levels are really useful and it's very useful to see if children have any genetic variations that might alter the way they absorb certain nutrients. Some children can't be tested (sensory issues etc) and that makes no difference to homeopathic treatment. 

Q. Can you detox substances from my child?

• If we can pinpoint a time that you saw profound changes in your child we can look at traditionally used homeopathics to address the particular symptoms you are seeing taking into account what was happening at the time. 

This blog is probably a little less warm and fuzzy than my normal stuff. I'm still warm and fuzzy (promise) but this demanded a different tone. 
Know that I am here, ready to work with you and your family when the time is right. It would be an honour and a privileged to be part of the team you choose to support your child. 

With love in my heart and a mind wide open I wish you peace. 

The all elusive good night's sleep! It's not a one trick wonder but often something we need to work at. Sleep hygeine is such a weird term but basically like a clean house it's a constant effort. You can't clean it once and it stays that way (at least not in my house). It is, however, essential to sleep initiation aka getting to sleep!

How to clean it up! 

• Go to bed when you are sleepy. Pushing past sleepiness kicks your body into thinking you wan to stay awake so it throws out the cortisol (one of our stress hormones) to ensure that happens!
• Cut out tea/coffee/caffeinated drinks after 12pm. This may seem obvious but how many of us resort to an afternoon cuppa to get through the afternoon slump?
• Turn off the screens at least 30min before bed or at the very least put a blue light filter on. We’re very basic creatures. Our bodies respond to daylight by waking up.  The blue light emitted from our screens mimics daylight. Put a filter on it!
• Wake up at the same time everyday! Research shows that it’s not just the time we go to bed that is important but when we wake up to ensure we finish our last 90min sleep cycle. Waking before the last sleep cycle has finished can leave us feeling even more exhausted. Check out https://sleepcalculator.com/ to see when to get to bed! 
• Bed is for sleeping and sex not necessarily in that order! Ban the screens and get some snooze! 
• Bedtime routine is an oldie but a goody. It still applies. What's your bedtime routine? A little like Pavlov's dogs if we keep it consistent our body will start to get sleepy just starting the nightly routine- cup of chamomile, warm shower, teeth and zzzzzz.....
• Exercise is too often ignored in the sleep equation but if we exercise we wear out our body and mind so sleep comes more easily. If we exercise outdoors even better as we're getting plenty of daylight so darkness leads to zzzzz....
• Before bed eat lots of tryptophan rich foods. This makes sure we have enough serotonin to help us relax and also to make melatonin which helps us sleep. Chicken, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, pumpkin, fish and seasame seeds are all loaded with typtophan goodness! 
• Eat a light meal in the evening. This means your body isn’t desperately trying to digest fatty or rich foods as well as get to sleep. You might find your liver getting jiggy with it about 3am trying to sort out all the fatty goodness or sugary fun you had before bed. All you’ll know is that you’re awake while the liver works overtime. 
• Skip the alcohol. Anyone else get ‘the red wines’? It’s waking at about 3am after a glass or 3 of alcohol. This is your liver getting extra active trying to process the alcohol. It also results in a much lighter, more disturbed sleep.

I wouldn't be doing my job is I didn't mention at least one homeopathic!
For trouble getting to sleep Coffea has been traditionally used. If you think of the buzz coffee gives you this is the kind of sleepless you are. More used for sleep initiation than waking in the middle of the night it is the constant thoughts of the day turning round, the slightly energised feel that something else needs to be done, an inability to settle...coffee is a social drug after all! 

So much to be done but remember that even with all these things in place there may be other reasons why sleep is still elusive. Hormones, thyroid, stress, anxiety and/or depression can all cause sleep disturbance amongst other things so please get it checked out!

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. 
Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Information is generally in nature and nothing said on this website is intended as a diagnosis and should not be taken as such.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​

Pain in the head, pain in the joints, pain from injury, pain in the ar**...maybe we need to talk about the last one in a separate blog! 

It's not just annoying or inconvenient.  Pain is our bodies way of bringing awareness to certain areas so we can nurture them and protect them. Pain is important but our response to it can either help or hinder it.  

15yrs ago I was unglamourously knocked off my bike (the pedal type) by a great big bus in London. Sadly not a double decker! The pain was intense and my understanding very low. A friend of my mother's suggested I 'embrace the pain and enjoy it'! Back then it was all a little to 50 Shades for me but I get it now! 

I'm not suggesting that excruciating pain is 'OK' or that we should all 'shut up and put up'. Not at all! There are ways of dealing with pain in a physical and mental level that don't involve conventional pain killers. Conventional pain killers have a place but right alongside other modalities that allow us to cope with the pain. The less conventional pain killers we need to take the better! Seminars on chronic pain management often refer to meditation and mental strategies to cope with the pain as it is well understood that pain killers come with a host of unwanted side effects and can seriously effect other organs (usually liver and kidneys). 

While the ultimate goal may seemingly be to alleviate the pain maybe we need to re-think that  and consider 'How can we better cope with the pain as we heal?'. 

Pain is a massive area in Homeopathy. There are literally thousands of remedies indicated for all types of pain in all types of places...chronic pain must be dealt with by a trained Homeopath. If you want results with chronic pain make an appointment!

Homeopathy may help with the physical pain as well as your ability to cope with it. Once the mind is settled we can cope with pain a lot better. 

Here's a few acute remedies I ALWAYS have in the house! This is a taste of what is available. There are so many more...
Arnica: for bumps and bruises this is my go to. It may also address the shock of the fall. Often these injuries lead the victim to pushing help away saying 'I'm fine, there's nothing wrong.'
Chamomilla: the bomb for teething pain! Grumpy kids that can't be pleased (or grumpy pre-menstrual women). 
Cantharis: for the pain of minor burns (including sunburn) this may be just what you need. 
Rhus tox: may be what that rolled ankle needs if you find they are stiff in the morning and better for a bit of gentle movement. Another cranky remedy. Pain makes us crotchety! 
Belladonna: had a day at the beach and now have a thumping headache? Belladonna to the rescue! And a big glass of water! You won't be up for company and you'll be a little glassy eyed. Any movement of the bed will have you snapping at the person responsible and yelling for the blinds to be closed. 

The remedies listed above are traditionally used in Homeopathic medicine to support the body to move through the symptoms listed next to them. Please see your doctor if the pain persists or becomes worse. 

,As with Homeopathy this is a modality that works on both the body and mind. Physical relief combined with the action on your nervous system means relief! 

The small but meaningful movements over the muscle, fascia, tendons and ligaments bring the mind's awareness to those areas. In turn, it is able to set about working on that area to bring it as close as possible to its factory setting.  

As the Bowen brings the body down out of 'fight or flight' and into 'rest and repair' mode the body benefits physically and mentally. The mind quiets and true healing begins. 

Bowen...beautiful...restful...painless

Ahhhhh...you didn't see that coming did you?
Good nutrition is the corner stone of everything! Pop as many pills as you like but if you aren't feeding your body the right foods you are working against it. 
​
Awesome foods to eat:
oily fish: Excellent anti-inflammatory food! Wonderful for the joints as well. Full of Omega 3. You can't go wrong.
pepitas and linseeds: great source of plant based omega 3 which are anti-inflammatory
walnuts: more omega 3's
avocado: packed full of good fats to keep inflammation at bay.
lots of fresh veg: load up on fresh fruit and veg. Fantastic anti-oxidants that means less inflammation meaning less pain.

The basic inflammatory foods are:
Sugar: get rid of sugar and watch the pain ebb. This is a big one so pay attention! Sugar contributes to systemic inflammation in the body. Get rid of it and see what happens. 
Coffee:Sorry, This needs to go. Yes I get it...it's your only vice...you only have 1 or 2 cups a day but that is enough to contribute to the pain. 
Alcohol: Yes, yes. As for coffee. Not much is too much. Skip it and you may not need the coffee. Also contains sugar. 
Gluten: Who'd I lose? Bread, pasta, sauce thickeners etc are all contributing to inflammation which = pain so ditch it and feel the benefits. Combined with sugar this stuff is addictive.
Dairy: You can do this! No coffee means no milk in it. Pop some seeds in your salad instead of cheese. The decrease in pain is worth it!

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​

I've been un-characteristically physically active the last few months! And I'm loving it! What started as a walk has progressed to a 3km run a couple of times a week, at least one 2km swim, a couple of rounds of the red arrow (Cairns locals will feel my pain) and now...drum roll...please I'm also following Betty Rocker's 15min a day for 30day challenge. 

I was doing pretty well on my own I have to say but thought I had plateaued.  The same routine day in day out...so when someone says that I could make a big change in 15min a day I bought in hook line and sinker! I know this is sounding like a big plug for Betty but very seriously she rocks! I'm a week down and I can already feel the difference. Boy can I feel the difference.  I had no idea my core was completely (and utterly) unused and ignored...It's making up for lost time let me tell you.

After day 2 I was in so much pain I couldn't roll over in bed. Oh my aching abdominals! Not a good thing.  So my wonderful partner says 'Have you taken a homeopathic for it?'. Cue hysterical laughter from me 'taken a homeopathic....what do you think? I'm a homeopath of course I haven't taken anything!' Oh healer heal thyself! So I hauled my painful muscles out of bed to find what I needed.

Generally speaking if your muscles are a bit achy after a workout or heavy manual work ARNICA will do just fine but in this case I had a deep (oh so very  deep) ache right through my core muscles. I'd also treated myself to a stint under the fan to cool down right after.  Not my finest decision! Deep muscle damage especially combined with a cool breeze is an indication to use BELLIS PERENNIS. Homeopathically prepared from the common daisy it is also known as the gardeners remedy. When you think of a gardener and all the digging and heavy lifting then just as they start to down tools a lovely cool breeze hits and voila the perfect ingredients for a Bellis Perennis muscle ache. 

Ten minutes later I went to roll over again...no crys of pain this time just a twinge that passed quickly and I slept the rest of the night in peace. Thanks little daisy!

To all the others that find their physical limits by bashing up hard against them look at Arnica but if it is deeper muscle damage that was created from a cool breeze (also think fan or air con) then Bellis could be your remedy!

If you're looking to purchase either of these remedies or book an appointment please contact me

Let the sun shine on your day! 
Sarah

**Homeopathy is a traditional medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines.  For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined but your healthcare professional or specialist.  Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​

Jeepers it's hot up here right now! Rain is a distant memory but the kids sporting activities do..not..stop! My eldest gets off the Futsal field and I could seriously ring his shirt out...his face is red and blotchy and the sweat is running down his legs..eeeeewwwww.  My little gymnasts fair no better and it it weren't for the happy grins I'd keep them home!

We know that water is the best hydrator there is but on the occassions that you are in an excessively hot climate, doing unusally high amounts of sports, gardening or other activity or have even had a gastro bug you might want to consider something a bit more heavy duty to replace the electrolytes you've lost.

Check out the labels on the sports drinks next time you see them.  The second ingredient is almost always sugar followed by a dazzling (and scary) array of artificial colourings and flavourings. When you break it down they contain precious little of anything that may be of benefit like for instance...electrolytes!  

Make your own and skip the sugar and make sure it has in it what you need ie magnesium, sodium and potassium! Add some real fruit for natural sugars and vitamins and away you go!

They are the ions in salts that are necessary for many body functions including the movement of water across cells and muscle movement. The ones I'm targeting with this drink are potassium, magnesium and sodium as they are most commonly lost through sweat!

I'm adding in tissue salts for an extra boost! Mag Phos is brilliant for muscle and muscle recovery after sports.  It can help the cramping associated with dehydration too.  And Nat mur which is awesome for making sure the water in the body goes where it is needed- the fluid balancer!

This is so easy! The recipe makes 1L but I often make up a quarter if it's just for one person. Use any fruit you wish and any ratio of water to coconut water (or just water if you wish however coconut water has potassium in it so it is a good addition). I usually use half/half.

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
OR replace the orange/lemon with a cup of raspberries, pinapple etc and whizz it up in the blender!
​1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coconut water
OR any ratio of water/coconut water you like. Even just water will be fine.
4 doses of Nat Mur tissue salt (4 Scheussleur tablets or 12 pillules if your Homeopath made them up)
4 doses Mag Phos tissue salt (4 Scheussleur tablets or 12 pillules if your Homeopath made them up)
1/4 tsp himalayan salt/celtic sea salt/ murray rive sea salt

Crush the tablets with a mortar and pestle or similar. Add all the ingredients to a bottle and shake til it's all dissolved. Enjoy!

One cup is a serving.  Keep drinking water as well! 

PS I think it tastes like old fashioned Staminade that you made up from powder!

Ciao, ciao! Til next time!

references
http://dontmesswithmama.com/homemade-citrus-electrolyte-drink/#
http://wellnessmama.com/2575/natural-sports-drink/
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/electrolytes/article_em.htm
​http://foodwatch.com.au/blog/healthy-eating-for-wellness/item/how-healthy-is-coconut-water-really.html

I have just returned from the 10th National Homeopathic Conference in Brisbane! I met some very special people in the field.  Some that are amazing practitioners, some that are doing the most spectacular research, some are making the most profound difference to children and their families...I am so inspired!  It was an utterly magical weekend!

,Magical.  Did I just say that word in relation to Homeopathy?  Really? Something that was drummed home to me this weekend is there is nothing magical about Homeopathy. Truly nothing. Ok so when you take a couple of pillules and moments later your headache is gone or the next day the rash you had for 20yrs is just a shadow it most certainly seems that this is the case.  After this weekend I can most certainly assure you this is not the case.

What the critics are unlikely to admit or the media unlikely to mention is that there is a large and still growing body of scientific Homeopathic research. I've used it and was aware of it but over the course of the last 2 days I had it strung before me like a set of dazzling Christmas lights. Individually they shine a small pinprick of light in the dark but strung together they illuminate the whole damn building!

We have the Randomised Controlled Trials that are internationally renowned, there are scientist doing research into nanoparticles, the memory of water, clathrates are becoming part of our vocabulary thanks to research that shows their relevance to the science of Homeopathy and there is now a work using solvatochromatic dyes that makes it possible to SEE high dilutions (as we use in Homeopathy) in water.

These things are being carried out, written about and published all over the world! Homeopathy is far bigger internationally yet again leaving Australia behind as our Government seek to discredit us despite our international support. The international Homeopathic community is incredulous about the Australian situation...they keep throwing about the numerous studies that have been done and published and are accepted all over the world...except in Australia. There was a definite political edge to the weekend. Homeopaths are not politicians but we are quickly becoming very savvy about it! 

It's taken us 200 years plus to get here and by jingo we are here to stay!  Myself, my colleagues and my profession at large are here to stay! We are immovable from the landscape of medicine and it is time that was realised.

If you've ever seen a Homeopath you will know there is nothing 'magical' about being grilled for 2 hours about everything from your Mother's constipation to how you sleep...it's hard work and also just the beginning. The Homeopath then seeks to make sense of the information as every scientist does. Where does it fit, how does it work? We use computers, refer to books that contain thousands of symptoms, we cross reference the information, we check, double check and finally come up with a remedy...magic? Really? Hard bloody work and determination more likely! 

The next time one of my clients rings me to let me know that the remedy I prescribed worked like 'magic' I will say with utter confidence that they can be sure magic had nothing to do with it!  

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
​

Hello hello!  I feel like I'm just re-surging and joining life again!  Not that I was gone long...just a short few days to get over a cold and recharge.  Getting sick is not something I do very well. I either ignore it or act like I have 'man flu'. Yeah... I kinda suck at it.  

I thought I'd just do a quick blog on 2 remedies that are traditionally used in Homeopathy for the common cold!  We don't hear much about that sneezy little watery eyed monster.  Usually we hear about the flu or other nastier viruses but the common cold is a very common (cue laughter) problem!

Gavin came down with a cold too but his wasn't as bad as mine (haha sorry honey!)!  On the surface we had the same virus.  Both started with a mild sore throat and a bit of sneezing then a progressively stuffier nose.  However he had burning eyes.  It was such a marked symptom that I suggested Allium Cepa for him.  This is another note worthy remedy for the common cold.  Very similar to Euphrasia with copious amounts of clear snot but the eyes will burn and the nose will smart because the discharge burns (the term is acrid in the books).  I find this a nice easy distinction between the 2.  Oh and allium cepa is onion...remember how horrid cutting an onion can be?  Yep Gavin had an onion cold! (Allium cepa is a Homeopathic medicine traditionally used to help support the body with the symptoms of the common cold).

These aren't the only 2 remedies by a long shot but they are 2 that I use frequently for common colds.

Here's to a healthy end of winter!  Stay well!

Sarah

Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
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The story starts on a Saturday.  I see clients on a Saturday and was running (as usual) out the door when my very active, but unusually skilled, middle son comes toward me, tears in his eyes…’Mum mum, my graze..it’s ooooooozing, it’s….’. Yes indeed it was oozing…oozing pus.  He’d grazed his arm skateboarding Wednesday and for the first time ever I had grabbed the conventional first aid kit and done a very normal thing.  I’d used the wound cleansing wipe instead of my usual tea-tree or calendula tincture.  I may have given him some homeopathic Calendula (traditionally used in Homeopathy to aid the healing of cuts and grazes)… then promptly forgotten about it!  Sooooooo…..I stopped running out the door.  I cleaned the wound with tea-tree, slathered it with Weleda calendula nappy ointment (yes that's right- nappy ointment!  This is the best stuff going for minor cuts and grazes even bites and stings) and then ran out the door giving strict instructions to take Ant. Crud. 4 times that day straight from my kit (In Homepathic medicine Ant.Crud is traditionally used for may things including honey crusted wounds). Problem solved. Maybe.​

​On Thursday night came the altercation with our neighbour over their continuously barking dog.  These things are never much fun and this episode was less fun than usual. Enough said.  A few doses of Nux Vomica were downed (Nux vomica is traditionally used in Homeopathy to reduce irritability and/or anger in some circumstances). We dished out rescue remedy like our lives depended on it!

Friday night came the news that my mum’s very old and much loved dog had been put down under traumatic circumstances.  I’d only seen my mum that day and offered her Ignatia for grief when she mentioned the dog was sick. I think we both knew he was dying. Plenty of Ignatia was handed around that night.  Good bye Bart!  You were awesome!

(Ignatia is a homeopathic remedy that is traditionally used to support people through a time of grief). 
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And the grand finale?  That was exactly one week after the discovery of the infection.  Gavin took all the kids down to my eldest son’s soccer game as usual so I could go to work.  About 6pm they came to get me straight from soccer.  ‘Ummmm…you might want to look at him.  He got injured.’  Yes indeed.  The poor kid was utterly ghost white and hadn’t even been able to get his boots off.  I bundled him into the clinic, painfully got his top off to see a slightly swollen collarbone with the right shoulder hanging substantially lower than the left. He climbed onto the table and I gave him a very brief and specific Bowen treatment. I would have put money on his collarbone being broken at that point. 
Poor kid!  His dad had been throwing Arnica (traditionally this remedy is used to support and/or reduce the swelling from blunt force trauma) down his throat so his pain was under control and the swelling obvious but not too bad.  But yes it was broken. Snapped like a twig but in an excellent position with no complications.  ​ A trip to the hospital and an x-ray confirmed it.​

​We made it clear that if he was in pain or if he couldn’t sleep because of it we had conventional painkillers he could take.  Otherwise we stuck with the Arnica.  And that was all he needed! Not only did he have a good sleep he said he forgot he had injured his shoulder until he rolled over. Excellent. We’re now using Symphytum and Calc Phos to help with the healing and a Bowen session weekly.
​(Symphytum is traditionally used in Homeopathy to support the healing of fractured and broken bones and Calc phos tissue salts is used traditionally to support the bones in general. Broken bones are a serious issue so please see your GP or head to the emergency department of the nearest hospital)

I will survive!  Good bye week from hell!  I won’t miss you.  Don’t come again!
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​Disclaimer: Homeopathy is a traditional medicine.The TGA considers Homeopathy a low risk medicine. It may be used in conjunction with other medicines. For any ongoing chronic condition, it is important to be assessed or examined by your healthcare professional or specialist. Information given here is in no way intended to take the place of advice from your chosen healthcare professional or specialist. Any examples given from the authors life do not indicate that the remedy in question will work for everyone in every instance. They are used solely to illustrate the use the medicine in a practical situation.
Always seek medical advice in emergencies.
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