Homeopathic Remedies for Tooth/Teeth Problems
Below you will find a comprehensive list of homeopathic remedies that are most useful for problems with teeth and are most often used by holistic dentists. I can personally attest to the use of many of these remedies due my years of personal use. As for the dental part, I have found hypericum and arnica to be my go to remedies along with silicea. These were the main 3 that I used during my experience with the cracked teeth. The beauty of homeopathic remedies is that are inexpensive, never go ‘bad’ if kept properly and you will KNOW if you are using the correct one within several minutes as symptoms will begin to ease quickly. Also, homeopathic remedies can be used for many other physical problems, injuries, etc. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions you may have. And as always, see a dentist as soon as possible, when possible.
ABSCESS
Belladonna – Best used for early dental abscess accompanied by redness and throbbing.
Bryonia – Use for acute inflammation or if pricking pain is relieved by firm pressure.
Hepar Sulphuris – Use for abscess accompanied by pus formation.
Myristica – Use when swelling is accompanied by numbness of the area.
Pulsatilla – Use when the pain is accentuated by heat and relieved by cold water.
Pyrogenium – Use when pus is present without drainage.
Silicea – Use to hasten the discharge when pus is draining.This remedy suits especially abscesses about the roots of the teeth and dental fistulae; the pains are worse from eating warm food or or when cold air gets into the mouth; they are worse at night and the teeth feel loose.
APPREHENSION
Aconite – Use for panic, fright, and general mental and physical restlessness, or sudden violent attacks.
Calcerea carbonica – Use for the fearful, weary, and hopeless person who worries toward evening.
Coffea cruda (potentized coffee) – Works well as a tranquilizer.
Chamomilla – as a tranquilizing action for restful sleep. Also raises low pain threshold.
Gelsemium sempervirens- works well for panic attack worry/fear
Nux vomica – Works well in many high strung, nervous, irritable people with stomach problems.
Pulsatilla – Use for states of anxiety.
BRUXISM-TEETH GRINDING
Belladonna – Use for grinding problem that causes painful teeth.
Podophyllum – Use for night grinding when experiencing a burning sensation of the tongue.
Tuberculinum – Use for children who grind their teeth.
Zlncum metallicum – Use for teeth gritting during difficult times/stress and associated with loose teeth and bleeding gums.
GINGIVITIS PERIODONTITIS AND ALVEOLITIS
Arsenicum album – Use for unhealthy, bleeding gums.
China – Use for gum tissue that is bleeding.
Ferrum phosphoricum – Use for poor gum tone or gums that bleed after brushing.
Hypericum – Use for tender gum tissue and to promote healing.
Kali chloricum – Use for acute ulcerative tissue.
Mercurius- more often indicated in toothache than any other remedy. Its special indications are a pulsating toothache, due to inflamed dentine or to periostitis of the sockets; it is worse at night and in damp weather. The teeth feel elongated and sore, and this soreness affects the whole of the jaw and face, and is worse from warmth, somewhat relieved by gentle rubbing of the face. It is the chief remedy in painful ulcerations at the roots of the teeth and for pain in the hollow teeth, the gums are swollen, ulcerated and retracted from the teeth, and there is usually an offensive odor from the mouth.
Naturium muriaticum – Tissue integrity.
Hepar sulphuris – Tissue with suppuration, chronic abcesses.
Silicea – Periodontal abscess with swollen glands.
Staphysagria – Loose teeth, pain increased by pressure.With this remedy the gums are unhealthy and retracted, and there is a tendency to decay of the teeth. They turn black and crumble as soon as they appear, a condition found in sycotic children. It is a splendid remedy for gnawing in the roots of decayed teeth, affecting a whole row, and is especially adapted to old women who have a mouthful of painful stumps.
Symphytum – Injuries to periosteum. Stimulates growth of epithelium on ulcerated surfaces.
Mercurius solubilis – Use for acute ulcerative tissue with a coated tongue and metallic taste in the mouth.
Nux vomica – Use for swollen painful gums when the back of the tongue has a whitish coating and when the patient consumes a lot of stimulants such as coffee and tea.
Phosphorus – Use on swollen gums that bleed easily, and when there’s an overproduction of saliva.
Ruta graveolens – Use for injured bone and alveolitis (“dry socket”).
HEMORRHAGE
Arnica – Use for bleeding accompanied by bruised soreness.
Ferrum phosphoricum – Use when there is bright red bleeding.
Phosphorus – Use for persistent bleeding.
NEURALGIA
Arnica- use for feeling of being bruised/broken with dull throbbing especially when it hurts to talk.
Aconite – Trigeminal neuralgia
Aranea diadema – Use for radiating pain in the right side of the face that is aggravated by cold. Also use for sudden, severe pain in the teeth at night after lying down.
Cuprum metallicum – Use for cramping of muscles.
Gelsemium sempervirens – Use to relieve headache and pain of the upper back and neck, which extends over the head and for dizziness and numbness.
Hypericum- use for sharp nerve like pain.
Ignacia – Use for headache as if a nail were driven through the side of the head.
Lachesis – Left-sided complaints
Lycopodium – Right-sided complaints
Magnesia phosphorus – Use for spasmodic pains made worse by cold water and made better by heat and rubbing.
Sanguinaria – Right-sided neuralgia-facial migraine.
Spigelia – Use for pain involving the eye, cheek, and left temple areas.
Zincum phosphoricum – Sharp pains on right side of head.
Zincum valerian – Sharp pains on left side of head.
POST OPERATIVE DISCOMFORT
Apis mellifica – Good for post-injection soreness after dental work.
Chamomilla – Give one hour prior to dental appointrnent for patients with a low pain threshold. It also expedites the wearing off of the numbness following the dental appointment.
Hypericum – Use where there is an injured nerve.
Ledum – Use for puncture wounds and soreness resulting from a dental injection.
Magnesia phosphorica – Use for stiff, sore jaws following prolonged dental work when the muscles are cramped and feel better with warmth.
Staphysagria – Use for incision-type wounds after soft tissue surgery.
Symphytum – Use for trauma of bone and periosteum and damaged teeth
SALIVATION
Baryta carbonica – Use when there is excessive saliva during sleep.
Bryonia alba – Use for an extremely dry mouth, with dryness of mucous membranes and great thirst.
Phosphorus – Use for hypersalivation and when gums are swollen and bleed easily.
Pulsatilla – Use for diminished saliva with no thirst.
TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT (TMJ)
Arum triphyllum – Use for pain in joint on swallowing.
Calcarea flourica – Use for hypermobile joints
Calcarea phosphorica – Use when mouth cannot be opened without pain.
Carbo vegetabilis – Use for vertigo with nausea and tinnitus.
Chamomilla – Use for low pain threshold. Unbearable spasms of pain radiating into the ear.
Cuprum metallicum – Use for trismus of muscles.
Granatum – Use for painful cracking of the joint.
Magnesium phosphorica – Use for muscle spasms.
Phytolacca decanda – Use for earaches with pain extending into teeth, jaw, and throat.
Rhus toxicodendron – Use for joint stiffness that improves with movement and for popping” of TMJ.
TOOTHACHE
Arnica-Use for cracked tooth that hurts with pressure applied, low throbbing pain…think bruised tooth
Antimonium crudum – Use for a toothache that is worse at night and is aggravated by heat.
Aranea diadema – Use for sudden, severe pain in the teeth after lying down.
Belladonna – Use for throbbing tooth that’s worse when pressure is applied. Has toothache from inflammation of dental pulp. The pains are burning and throbbing, worse at night, worse on contact, as in chewing and in the open air. There is a red hot face and great nervous excitability.
Calcarea carbonica – Use for a toothache that worsens when exposed to hot or cold air.
Chamomilla – Use for a toothache with intolerable pain that’s worse from warmth and not better with cold. Excellent remedy in unbearable toothache affecting a whole row of teeth occurring in paroxysms, with pains radiating to the ears. The special features are the intolerance of pain, aggravation, from warmth. It is worse during and after eating warm food, and especially from drinking coffee.
Coffea cruda – Use for toothache that worsens with heat and is relieved by ice. This remedy will often remove the most severe pains of toothache which almost drive the patient frantic. It is a stinging, jerking, intermittent pain, worse while chewing, worse from warm drink, and entirely relieved for a time by holding cold water in the mouth, returning when the water becomes warm. It suits especially hypersensitive, nervous persons.
Ferrum metallicum – Use for a toothache that is relieved by ice water.
Magnesia carbonica – Use for a toothache that is worse at night, Patient must get up and walk about for relief.
Magnesia phosphorica – Use for a toothache that is worse from cold and better from warmth.
Mercurius
Taken all in all, Mercurius is probably more often indicated in toothache than any other remedy. Its special indications are a pulsating toothache, due to inflamed dentine or to periostitis of the sockets; it is worse at night and in damp weather. The teeth feel elongated and sore, and this soreness affects the whole of the jaw and face, and is worse from warmth, somewhat relieved by gentle rubbing of the face. It is the chief remedy in painful ulcerations at the roots of the teeth and for pain in the hollow teeth, the gums are swollen, ulcerated and retracted from the teeth, and there is usually an offensive odor from the mouth.
Plantago major – Use for a toothache that is better with pressure and worse without cold air.
Pulsatilla – Use for a toothache that is relieved by holding cold water in the mouth.
Staphysagria – Use for pain from major decay of a number of teeth.
TOOTH ERUPTION
Calcarea carbonica – Use for a delayed eruption.
Chamomilla – Use for difficult teething.
Zlncum metallicum – Use for teeth gritting during difficult eruption and associated with loose teeth and bleeding gums.
ULCERATIONS
Mercurius
Taken all in all, Mercurius is probably more often indicated in toothache than any other remedy. Its special indications are a pulsating toothache, due to inflamed dentine or to periostitis of the sockets; it is worse at night and in damp weather. The teeth feel elongated and sore, and this soreness affects the whole of the jaw and face, and is worse from warmth, somewhat relieved by gentle rubbing of the face. It is the chief remedy in painful ulcerations at the roots of the teeth and for pain in the hollow teeth, the gums are swollen, ulcerated and retracted from the teeth, and there is usually an offensive odor from the mouth.
Natrum muriaticum – Use for cold sores and fever blisters. Lips and corners of mouth dry and cracked lips.
Nitricum acidum – Use for ulcers with irregular edges and a raw appearance with a tendency to bleed easily.
Dosage Guidelines for Remedies 200 X and Under
Choice of Potency
When the treatment is prescribed on the basis of local signs and symptoms, prescribe low potencies, under 12X.
When the treatment is prescribed on the basis of a mixture of local, general, mental and emotional signs and symtoms, prescribe higher potencies, 30X – 200X.
Times Remedies Should Be Taken
Low potency remedies (under 12X)
first aid every 5-30 minutes
acute conditions every 30 minutes to hourly, decreasing to 3-4 times a day
Medium potency remedies (12X – 30X)
one to three times a day
High potency remedies (30X – 200X)
once a day.
REDUCE FREQUENCY WITH IMPROVEMENT.
Potency Vs. Duration of Action The lower the potency, the shorter its duration of action (acute conditions). The higher the potency, the longer its duration of action (chronic conditions). As opposed to pathologic or specific symptom prescribing, constitutional prescribing does not treat the disease entity, but rather the symptom complex of the individual who has the disease. The purpose of constitutional prescribing is not to seek to change a patient’s character, but by modifying it’s tone balances it, thereby giving systematic, systemic support to the self-healing effort of the organism. By encompassing the sum total of the individual’s physical, emotional, and mental picture constitutional analysis and prescribing performs psychotherapy while also working on the physical level.
Of note, do not worry if you only have ONE ‘potency’. It will still work, just follow the instructions above for what you DO HAVE
Stay safe and be prepared
Survivingshtfmom
http://www.drwolfe.com/dentistry/homeopathic_remedies
http://treatment.hpathy.com/homeo-medicine/homeopathy-teeth-affections-toothache-dental-caries-tooth-abscess/
Four Ways to Kill the Ebola Virus and Other Viruses Too!
Its germ season and with the growing concerns over Ebola spreading within the United States I thought it might be wise to discuss PREVENTION verses what to do ‘if’ as prevention is obviously our first line of defense.
Soap and hot water are our obvious first bet as always. Several times a day. But I know and understand that this isn’t always possible so alternatives to keeping our hands as germ free as possible are next in line. I will speak directly to viruses (and this includes Ebola) as not all alternatives are good for bacterial disinfection.
According to the MSDS and The Canadian Centers for Disease Control there are basically 4 ways to kill ‘enveloped’ viruses such as the flu, ebola and many ‘stomach bugs’ that are emerging right now.
Phenolic compounds which are found in many of our everyday items we use such as: They can be toxic at certain levels, though hospitals still use phenolic compounds to clean floors, bed railings and tables. You will know you have a sanitizing phenolic compound if you see the ‘phenol’ in any part of the ingredients. A few that I found were: ortho-phenylphenol, ortho-benzyl-para-chlorophenol, ortho-phenylphenol, para-tertiary-amylpheno.
Typically phenolic sanitizers will need to be left to dry for at least 10 minutes (typical time to work to ‘inactive’ a virus) Do NOT get on the skin or inhale the vapors (such as in air ‘sanitizers’). You should also not use these products containing phenolic compounds around babies or young children nor on surfaces where food may touch.
Ethyl or Isopropal alcohols. These are found in hand sanitizers and common rubbing alcohol…but here is the catch. NOT ALL hand sanitizers have their main ingredient as ethyl alcohol. Remember the big scare about children eating hand sanitizer and getting sick? Some of the more popular brands changed their formulations and do NOT have ethyl alcohol as its active ingredient. So be sure you look at the ingredient list on the hand sanitizer you buy and make SURE it says Ethyl alcohol. And it must be at least 62% but no more than 70%.
As for rubbing alcohol, you can use this on surfaces, your hands or body. But here is the catch: it has to be 60 to 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. If any higher it will not as effective. Science has shown that to kill enveloped viruses such as Ebola, MRSA, and Influenza you must have water to penetrate the virus. They love water! So, the more water the rubbing alcohol is diluted in the better the kill rate. Optimal is 60-70 percent of isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Do NOT ingest any of type of ethyl or rubbing alcohol.
Next, and most prolific in disinfectants and used in hospitals are the Ammonium Chlorides. Look for cleaning, disinfecting/sanitizing products with the words ammonium chloride in the ingredients as these will kill any enveloped virus…ebola, flu, HIV, etc. It can be found in sanitizing wipes, many surface cleaners and in fact, is the main chemical used by hair stylists for disinfecting there clippers and scissors. Goes by the brand name Hydrocide which is readily available to the public. Clorox wipes contain ammonium chloride. NOTE OF CAUTION. If you are going to use a product with ammonium chloride you allow to air dry. Do not wipe dry. Also, if you will be using on surfaces where you cook, after allowing to air dry it is advised to use plain water to wipe afterwards (10 to 15 minutes after using product) so that you do not eat this as it can build up in the body and cause a toxic reaction. Same goes for the aerosolized versions you find in disinfectant sprays…don’t breath it in.
Bleach is next on killing all sorts of viruses and bacteria and is a traditional stand by. However, I would not use on the skin as allergic reactions can occur and contact dermatitis can occur over repeated exposure to bleach. A 10% solution will work for hard, non-porous surfaces. Do NOT use on rubber as over time it will break it down.
Finally, we come to good old fashioned vinegar. According to the MSDS vinegar even at 3% dilution will kill ebola, influenza and many other enveloped viruses. Yes, that is SCIENCE. Often times you will see vinegar in homemade cleaning solutions. But personally I would just use it straight and it is safe for SKIN too!
As a note: you may also use a 50/50 combination of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar for cleaning hard surfaces as a disinfectant. This also has been shown to kill many viruses including ebola.
Stay safe, be prepared and get the knowledge to be panic free!
Survivingshtfmom
http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/disinfection_sterilization/9_0pceticacidhydropoxide.html#a1
http://www.msdsonline.com/resources/msds-resources/free-safety-data-sheet-index/ebola-virus.aspx
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/ebola-eng.php
Click to access InfectionControl_GF_DisinfectntSelectnGuidelines_nov0503.pdf
Food and Herbs To Strengthen The Immune System During Ebola Crisis or Anytime
Our immune system is what keeps us from getting sick and it is our own personal defense weapon (so to speak). Keeping the immune system in top shape, especially during viral season or during a time of crisis is actually pretty easy and can be done through a variety of methods. Our diet, being touched (yes touched in a positive way) stress reduction, getting enough sleep, and two specific herbs for the immune system plus herbs and foods that fight stress called adaptogens. An article on stress and the immune system can be found here.
Research has constantly noted that the healthier the immune system, the less likely you are to be infected and if infected, the less severe the infection will be. This has been proven time and time again amongst those living with HIV/AIDS, Lyme disease and even people who ‘catch’ the flu.
Our dietary habits become job #1 when we start talking about strengthening our immune system. Sugar, especially processed sugar actually depresses our immune system. And this includes all those artificial ones. Alcohol, drug use, processed foods also are of concern limit these as much as possible.
From top down lets talk about some of THE best supportive foods for the immune system.
Yogurt. People who consume REAL yogurt or Kefir without all the artificial ingredients (and no, not the low fat stuff either!) on a regular basis report few sick days. How? The body’s white blood cell count increases greatly and the GI tract (where many infections take hold of first) remains very healthy due to its bacterial community being strong. Suggested 2wo 6-ounce servings a day.
Oats and barley. Studies have shown that animals (and we are animals ehmm) that eat a mix of oats and barley regularly have fewer infections, including influenza. Suggested at least one in your three daily servings of whole grains.
Garlic. Regular intake of garlic boost the immune functioning. Studies have shown that people eating or taking garlic had a much higher rate of staying healthy than those who didn’t. Suggested two raw cloves a day and add crushed garlic to your cooking several times a week.
Selenium-rich foods. These foods help to clear infections FROM the body. In descending order of how much is found, highest to lower.
Brazil nuts
Fish: Suggested at least two servings a week.
Tuna
Cod
Halibut
Sardines
Flounder
Salmon
Poultry:
Chicken
Turkey
Sunflower Seeds
Shellfish:
Oysters
Mussels
Shrimp
Clams
Scallops
Meat: Suggested a 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc. That’s often enough to make the difference between deficient and sufficient. Not a beef person? Try zinc-rich oysters, fortified cereals, pork, poultry, yogurt, or milk.
Liver
Beef
Lamb
Pork
Eggs
Mushrooms
Whole grains
Wheat germ
Onions
Garlic
Asparagus
Broccoli
Tomatoes.
Remember how mom used to make Chicken Soup when you got sick? Well, it does work.
Black tea increases interferon levels which is what the immune system needs. Suggested several cups daily. To get up to five times more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while you brew.
Zinc-containing foods…zinc plays an important role in the immune system. Zinc enhances many actions of the immune system including T cells. Higher amounts can be found in these foods:
Oysters
Wheat germ
Liver
Seeds
Sesame
Pumpkin
Squash
Watermelon
Roast beef
Dark chocolate
Cocoa
Lamb
Peanuts
Garlic
Chickpeas
Mushrooms
Ginger
Broccoli (and other braccea’s)
Red bell pepper
Oregano
So you can see that indeed you are what you eat. Simple dietary changes can make a big difference in your immune system and how well your body can fight off invaders.
And there are two specific herbs that very specifically reduce the cytokine cascade (known as an immune system response storm which can in and of itself be harmful) that many viruses cause and also just happen to cause the right immune system response to reduce viral invasion within the body.
#1 Astragalus
You can eat this root as food, take as a tincture, water extract, tea, or powder. Best way to use this herb is to cook with it or using as a tea as heat releases the best immune system boosters/viral fighters.
To make an tincture/water extract:
5 ounces of astragalus root (powder or shredded root)
12.5 ounces of water
Place the astragalus and water into a pot…bring to a boil. As soon as it boils put a lid on the pot and get off the heat, setting it aside to steep overnight. The next day put ALL of this into a jar and place the lid on the jar. Put aside for the next two weeks and if you remember, shake it once in a while. After two weeks, strain the powder or root out and then add 12.5 ounces of pure grain alcohol to the steeped water so it stays good for up to one year in a cool dark place. Shake well before using.
You can then pour this tincture/extract into smaller bottles for ease of use. Per Stephen Bhuner:
30-60 drops up to 4 times daily as a tonic
In chronic illness conditions take 1 tsp 4 times daily
As a preventative from viral infections 1 tsp 4-6 times daily
IF SICK take 1 tsp about every 3 hrs
To make a tea to drink through out the day put about 3 ounces of astragalus into 1 quart of hot water and allow to steep for approximately 3 hours, strain and drink. Any leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.
Powder form: (which can be mixed into food, water or capsules)
Chronic conditions: 1 tablespoon 3 times per day
If sick, 2 tablespoons 3 times per day
From the book Herbal Defense you can make this broth using astragalus:
Ingredients:
3 cups water or vegetable broth
1 ounce astragalus
1 bulb (5-10 cloves) garlic
Salt/pepper to taste
Combine water/broth, astragalus, garlic and simmer for several hours until garlic is soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Consume all the broth if you feel something coming on or take a cup or two through out the week to prevent infection. Consume the cooked garlic separately or leave in the broth.
You can even use the powder when making barley, rice or anything else, the point is that you can use this herb in your cooking to kick up the immune system a notch.
Please note: those with auto-immune diseases may be sensitive to this herb. Those with late stage Lyme disease should avoid as it may make it worse.
Cordyceps is an herb that is used as a food. It is indicated that one should consume 3 to 9 grams per day. For preventative measures/strengthening 6 grams a day. If actively sick then 12 grams per day. Please keep in mind that most OTC capsules are 500 to 1,000 mg measurements. So if you get 500mg you will need to take 12 capsules to get 6 grams. 1000 mg capsules you will need to take 6 to get 6 grams.
So, eat healthy and reduce your stress. Food and herbs for your immune system are readily available to you, some directly help and others support. A few simple changes now might just keep you healthy!
As always, please keep in mind that I am not a professional healthcare provider, I am just very passionate about helping others help themselves and all information is taken directly from professional resources.
Stay safe and be prepared.
Survivingshtfmom
References:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/flu-resource-center/how-to-boost-your-immune-system.htm
http://www.organicgardening.com/living/9-foods-boost-immune-system
Herbal Antivirals by Stephen Harrod Buhner
Entero Virus 68…has Polio Mutated?
Note: this is for informational purposes only. Always seek qualified professional medical care in the event of serious illnesses.
Our country is in fact in the midst of an epidemic called Entero Virus 68 and there are a few children who are dying, becoming very sick and experiencing varying degrees of paralysis. Mostly those with already weakened immune systems or with pre-existing conditions.
I want you to stop and think about something…the children who are getting very sick look remarkably like polio patients. Since the first noticeable out break in California last year (following a campaign to vaccinate everyone against whooping cough) the CDC and doctors have been acting like this is no big deal. But I would say it is. I would suggest that polio has mutated. Can’t prove it, but the duck is sure quacking. And given the population that this ‘entero virus 68’ is hitting I would also further suggest that vaccination of our children could very well be a precluder to this mutation. I am not suggesting not vaccinating, that is between you and your doctor, I am just making note of this.
Per Dr. Dorothy Shepherd:
“Are the inoculations against the various infectious diseases 100 per cent foolproof? Do they not in some cases lead to serum or vaccine disease? Is it not a fact that they often produce severe reactions? Indeed, they have been known to lead to fatal consequences. Have I been more unfortunate than the average homeopathic physician in seeing the negative or disease-producing effects of orthodox prophylaxis? Indeed I was not biased either in the beginning. I was extremely interested in prevention of such diseases as diphtheria and measles and the rest. It was a great disappointment to me to observe the frequent severe reactions in the wake of immunization against diphtheria, and later on the uncertain effects of inoculations against measles, whooping cough, and scarlet fever.
“Now some of my fears of the dangers inherent in the modern methods of inoculations have been proved to be well rounded and correct. Some impartial medical observers in Australia have found that the incidence of poliomyelitis, the modern infantile paralysis, has vastly increased since whooping cough and diphtheria inoculations have become more popular, and that the incubation period of infantile paralysis corresponds closely to, and follows exactly on the correct day after the inoculation has been made (my emphasis) It might have been coincidence, if it had only happened in one or two cases, but unfortunately it has happened in more than 5 per cent of the cases.
It was noticed hereafter that an enormous amount of sickness followed immediately after the immunization. It temporarily reduced resistance to any infection, and they went down with influenza, German measles, whooping cough, and the sickness rate among the nurses was higher during the six months following diphtheria immunization than in any period in the history of the hospital.
On Poliomyelitis
Infantile paralysis is one of the modern varieties of a disease which has come to the forefront during the last fifty to sixty years; gradually it has become more frequent and more virulent.
You can see the entire article here.
A direct quote from Dr. Humphries’ presentation, taken from the Centre for Disease Control website:
“CDC estimation of morbidity and mortality after infection of polio virus…95% infected have no symptoms…4-8% have minor symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nauseas, headache, flu-like symptoms, stiffness of neck and back, pain in the limbs which resolves completely…fewer than 1%(of the 4-8 %) result in permanent paralysis of the limbs, usually the legs and only 5-10% of that 1% die when it affects the respiratory muscles…what other vaccine targeted illness do you know of that is 95% -98 % asymptomatic. (taken directly from here)
With this said, homeopathy offers a way to help the body help itself against various diseases that we now vaccinate against. It is cheap and proven very effective. While homeopathic prophylaxis is now widely accepted in the veterinary community, we in the US are still eating up ‘professional conventional wisdom’ on the necessary need for vaccinations. Yes, they have saved lives, but mother nature has nothing better to do than figure out how to live. We are seeing this with antibiotics right now.
History of the Idea of Homeopathic Prophylaxis
The idea of using a medicine, prescribed homeopathically, for the prevention of disease was present from the very beginning of homeopathy. To my knowledge, the first presentation of this concept was by Samuel Hahnemann in an article, entitled Cause and Prevention of the Asiatic Cholera, which was published in 1831.(1) In this article, Hahnemann suggested a list of remedies (camphora, veratrum, bryonia, rhus toxicodendron, cuprum) that would be of most use in the cholera outbreak that was raging at that time. He was able, from an understanding of the principles of homeopathy and a knowledge of the medicines, to give this guidance even though he, himself, had little experience with the current outbreak of the disease. His followers quickly put these suggestions to the test with remarkable results. In no little way, this predictive ability of Hahnemann’s, in a time of great uncertainty in the use of medicines, was tremendously effective in convincing doctors of the efficacy of homeopathic medicine. To be able to have effective treatment in the face of an epidemic puts aside, at one stroke, the idea of indefinite, imaginary, or placebo effects from use of the medicine.
Later, Boenninghausen, one of Hahnemann’s most able and early students, describes his discovery of the similarity between smallpox (in people) and malanders (in horses).(2) He noticed that when smallpox would appear in an area, the horses would also show the disease of malanders — that these two diseases appeared together. So, because Thuya was considered to be the specific remedy for this problem in horses, Boenninghausen tried it in smallpox in people and found it to be very effective in treatment. He carried this one step further, giving the remedy to members of the same household of the patient ill with smallpox and found it prevented the disease with every person it was used.(3)
It is with this in mind that I would suggest and offer the homeopathic remedy Lathyrus sativa as a prophylaxis (preventative) for this epidemic of ‘entero virus 68’ as it fits the presentation of what we are being told is ‘entero virus 68’. See more information here.
How to do use this homeopathic remedy to help yourself in the middle of this growing epidemic?
According to Miranda Castro (a trained homeopath):
OK, in brief here are my thoughts about using homeopathic remedies as preventatives.
1. The beauty of homeopathy is that less Is more. More is not more. In fact, more can be a bad, bad thing.
2. If you take too much of a remedy – whether you need it or not – and, if you are sensitive in general and/or if you are sensitive to the remedy in particular – you can get symptoms you never had before. They don’t usually last long but they can be a pain. Literally. It’s how we test our medicines.
3. Don’t give the children unnecessary medications. Including homeopathic medicines.
4. Use homeopathic preventatives only in an epidemic. And only if the epidemic is really and truly in your area.
5. The safest preventatives are the ones with a proven track record. Some are nosodes (Pertussin for Whooping Cough, Morbillinum for Measles and so on). Some are not – the genus epidemics is the very best preventative of all (homeopathically) – the remedy that is helping the most in any epidemic. Lathyrus sativus is the one that has a proven track record in polio.
6. Stick with a 30C potency (unless you are under the guidance of a homeopathic practitioner who has made other recommendations). 30C is strong but gentle and has a proven track record. No need to go higher.
7. You only need to give a single dose every 3-4 weeks – that’s how long the effects of a preventative typically last.
8. Give an additional single dose if in direct contact with someone with the disease.
9. The beauty of homeopathy is that less is more
So basically, you will ONLY use lathyrus sativus IF your community has confirmed cases of ‘entero virus 68’.
ONE DOSE (consisting of 3-5 pellets) every 3 weeks. NO MORE THAN THAT
Take an extra dose IF you come into direct contact with a KNOWN/CONFIRMED case.
Stop taking once the threat is gone.
It is that simple.
If you would like more information on how to support yourself in this time of infectious diseases please visit survivalmedicineblog. I have listed 2 great articles on how to support the immune system and what to do to take care of yourself.
Entero Virus 68
Coughs, Colds and Flues
And of course, always use traditional means of prevention: hand washing, keeping your immune system strong, not touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
AS ALWAYS: SEEK PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CARE WHEN INDICATED. MY ARTICLES ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE USED AS TREATMENTS OR CURES, BUT ARE FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. I REFERENCE EXCELLENT PROFESSIONAL ADVICE GIVEN BY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
Be safe and be prepared.
survivingshtfmom
Enterovirus 68 ED-V68 Alternative Prevention Essential Oils, Herbs and Homeopathy
Enterovirus 68. It is here in the US and although considered ‘rare’, it would seem that it is currently reaching epidemic proportions if reports are true of hundreds of children across the country being admitted to hospitals for severe respiratory complications. According to the CDC, only Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Missouri having confirmed cases. However, it is of such concern, that yesterday, September the 11th, 2014 that the New Kent County Public Schools in Virginia where I live (which is a rural area outside of Richmond, Virginia) felt the need to call all school age parents and issue a statement regarding enterovirus 68. The message was to let parents know that ‘they’ were monitoring the situation, to teach children not to touch their eyes, nose or mouth, wash hands repeatedly, do not share cups or toys or clothing and to keep home any child who was sick. The school system also referred parents to the CDC website for more information on the enterovirus 68.
About EV-D68
Typically, EV-D68 causes upper respiratory illness, such as low-grade fever, cough, runny nose, sneezing and body/muscle aches. Infected individuals generally recover on their own without incident by treating symptoms. However, some individuals, especially those with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, may experience severe complications and require hospitalization with supportive therapy. This is what the CDC says about EV-D68. Although one documented case in Indiana the child had no such underlying medical conditions and yet was hospitalized.
However, many parents with children infected with EV-D68 report severe upper respiratory distress within hours of coming down with what seems to be a cold/flu. Including high grade fevers uncontrollable with Tylenol/ibuprophen, extreme headaches, neck pain, rashes and vomiting, blisters in the mouth, limpness of limbs and ultimately the inability to breath (shortness of breath, wheezing).
How do you contract enterovirus 68?
According to the CDC: Since EV-D68 causes respiratory illness, the virus can be found in an infected person’s respiratory secretions, such as saliva, nasal mucus, or sputum. EV-D68 likely spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or touches contaminated surfaces.
Prevention according to the CDC includes:
Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially after changing diapers.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick.
Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
According to the CDC there is no treatment, vaccine or ‘cure’ for enterovirus 68 (which is in the same category of viruses that cause polio and hand/foot/mouth disease) only ‘palliative’ care, ie, managing the symptoms and keeping people comfortable.
Okay, so we now have that out of the way…as a mom of several school age children and an alternative health care advocate/practioner and prepper, I have some thoughts on ‘prevention’ and ultimately managing this ‘rare’ virus that seems to be sweeping across this country so quickly.
The basic question is what can YOU do to keep you and yours safe without going overboard and setting up a clean room to enter and leave through. We are NOT talking about a biohazard level 4 after all. However, getting sick is not fun and the following is what I will doing to hopefully prevent my children and myself from getting this virus:
First and foremost, goldenseal tincture used once a day, daily for the duration of the cold and flu season. I personally make my own goldenseal tincture and use it regularly whenever someone gets a cough, cold or the flu given that this herbs nature is to work on viruses first and foremost in the mucus member body systems (eyes, mouth, sinuses, stomach, intestinal tract). There is no danger in using this herb preventively and maybe used in children 6 months and up. The tincture works best and the best part is that a small amount, when properly prepared will go a long way! Goldenseal is safe for pregnant and nursing women also.
Another herb worth noting is Devils Club (Oplopanax horridum or Fatsia horrida) though I would tend to reserve this herb for the first sign of cough or cold and not so much as a preventative.
Please be sure that when you buy any herb in tincture form you buy from a reputable source. The best would be to buy from an herbalist who makes their own tinctures (ie a private person). Next best a nationally known company. An herbalist who makes their own tinctures will have the strongest available tinctures. Unfortunately, due to FDA regulations and other national and state ‘authorities’ large companies engaged in herbal products often are required to dilute their tinctures down to the point that in many cases you have to use twice the amount of tincture recommended below to get the desired results.
How much to use and how?
The BEST way to use a tincture is to place the desired amount directly under the tongue and hold it in the mouth for as long as possible without swallowing!! Yes, it tastes nasty, but no one said medicine tasted great. If necessary, it is fine to dilute the tincture in a small amount of water or juice and sip very slowly, again, not swallowing immediately.
As a general rule of thumb for tinctures:
Adults: 60 drops
Children:
Younger than 3 months — 2 drops
3 to 6 months — 3 drops
6 to 9 months — 4 drops
9 to 12 months — 5 drops
12 to 18 months — 7 drops
18 to 24 months — 8 drops
2 to 3 years — 10 drops
3 to 4 years — 12 drops
4 to 6 years — 15 drops
6 to 9 years — 24 drops
9 to 12 years — 30 drops
In some cases if you do not want alcohol in your tincture or cannot tolerate it you may be able to make your own glycerin tincture at home or, to rid the tincture of alcohol, boil water, place the tincture in the bottom of the cup and pour boiling water over it. It is up to you, personally I just use as is as I have found it more potent this way.
There are herbs that are great for the respiratory system that you can buy bulk and put into a large pot of simmering water that will also help to disinfect the whole house without you going crazy cleaning.
They include:
Inula (not recommended if anyone in the house has asthma or other medical conditions involving the lungs)
Mullein
Thyme
Ginger
At the very least your house will smell great!
Next up, homeopathic prevention. In past cold/flu season I have always had a homeopathic for the flu at hand to take one dose weekly when no known exposure has occurred or if know/likely once a day. Boiron Oscillococcinum is the traditional remedy for the flu. I am not sure how much this may or may not help, but it is cheap and only 5 pellets need to be taken. At best, it may help at worst you might not get the seasonal flu.
I also found a homeopathic called LUNG LIQUESCENCE,RESPIRATORY DETOX FORMULA that supports the lungs in getting rid of viruses and mucus that I am incorporating into our routine. It should be taken the same way.
I would be remiss not to discuss essential oils under prevention. My favorite is the following:
A blend of specific essential oils including clove, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary and Eucalyptus Radiata. Frankly, just a few drops in honey (or on a piece of bread) will work at keeping you healthy. You may also put this blend into an ultrasonic diffuser to spread the germ fighting virus killing essential oil particles around you home or workplace. Word of note: do NOT put this blend into water and use to disinfect anything besides metal as many of these essentials oils will break down plastics and paint and may harm stone surfaces also.
Now lets talk FOOD! Yes, food…food as medicine! Onion and garlic are two of nature’s BEST anti-virals available to everyone! I use a lot of these two ‘herbs’ in my own cooking. However, you can make teas or tinctures out them. There are a million and one ways that can be found online to do this. I also include onions and garlic in my homemade anti-sick honey syrup (do not give honey to children under the age of 1).
Take a clean quart sized jar and thinly slice up the following into about ½ inch sized pieces:
2 fresh lemons (including the rind)
2 medium sized onions
Fresh ginger root (I typically get a piece about the size of my hand)
4 tablespoons of minced garlic.
I put all of this into the jar and then cover with honey to the top. Be sure you stir the honey down to the bottom. Typically it takes just over 1 pound of honey.
Next, grab that crock pot! Place the jar (with lid on) into the middle of it and add enough water to almost fill the crock pot. Place the lid on it (most likely will not close, but the idea is to retain as much of the heat as possible) and then turn onto to low and allow it steep/warm up this way at least 16 hours or up to two days. Stir occasionally. The food ‘material’ will separate from the honey…that is okay, that is why you stir it and once done, it will be A LOT easier to get the pieces of food out before use. To use your anti-sick honey infusion, I use 1 tablespoon of honey stirred into one cup of hot water and drink slowly.
This is all I have for prevention at this time. In my next article I will be talking about what do IF you get that dreaded cough/flu called enterovirus 68.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me at laura@iempoweredhealing.com
Per law I am required to tell you that I am not a medical professional and all information above is based upon my private experience and documented research by medical professionals online. Always seek professional medical assistance if you are unsure.
Infectious Disease…What is It? Pt.1
What are Infectious Diseases?
In a grid up situation or in otherwords when life is ‘normal’ many of take for granted modern sanitation and personal hygeine which is the best way to prevent infectious diseases. But even now, right in our own ‘normal’ world we see outbreaks of infectious disease due to improper handling of food, unsanitary conditions (and this will get worse as the economy deterriorates and more and more people are unable to afford food let alone wash hands and not have close contact with others) and lack of personal hygeine. So while the below information may seem to be a no brainer right now, I feel it is worth going over the basics before going into ‘alternatives’ to modern prevention techniques.
Below is taken directly from http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/hygiene.html
Diseases can be classified as genetic, metabolic, or infectious. Genetic diseases are caused by genetic defects inherited from the parents. Sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis are two examples of genetic diseases. Metabolic diseases are those that may develop from the failure of normal bodily functions, but may also be inherited. Diabetes mellitus, for example, is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood sugar level resulting from insufficient insulin secretion by the pancreas. Obesity is a major contributing factor to adult-onset diabetes. Infectious diseases or communicable diseases are caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites that use our body as a host for reproduction. Tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS are responsible for approximately half of all deaths caused by infectious diseases worldwide.
- Viruses are pieces of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein that replicate only within the cells of living hosts.
- Bacteria are one-cell microorganisms with a simple cellular organization whose nucleus lacks a membrane.
- Parasites may be protozoa, yeasts, or multicellular organisms such as fungi or worms that live in or on a host to obtain nourishment without providing any benefit to the host.
Viruses
Viruses penetrate the cell walls of body tissues bringing a payload of DNA or RNA that starts replicating the virus inside the infected cells. When the cell dies, multiple copies of the virus are released and continue to infect other cells. The human body sometimes is able to build antibodies that prevent the replication of the virus to stop the infection. Vaccines consist of weakened viruses that stimulate the body’s defenses to fight infection by the natural viruses. Here is a list of diseases caused by viruses:
- Common Cold is caused by a rhinovirus
- Influenza (Flu) –
- Dengue fever is transmitted by bites from mosquitoes mainly in Southeast Asia and South America
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is transmitted by sexual contact with an infected person or by sharing needles or syringes for drug injection.
- Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver, jaundice)
- Herpes (cold sores, and genital herpes)
- Rabies (transmitted by bites from infected bats, raccoons, dogs)
- Pertusis (whooping cough) causes fever and severe coughing, transmitted through droplets.
- Polio (may cause paralysis)
- Smallpox
- Mumps
- Yellow Fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever transmitted by infected mosquitoes.
- Measles or rubella
- Warts caused by a virus may be treated at home with solutions and patches containing salicylic acid over several weeks, or in the doctor’s office by freezing.
Bacteria
Bacteria are one-celled organisms that do not have membranes binding their nuclear material (prokaryotes). This feature distinguishes them from protozoa which have a more complex cellular structure and a distinct nucleus (eukaryotes). Not all bacteria cause diseases. Bacteria are present in some fermented foods. Yogurt, for example, has Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria. The human mouth and intestines harbor over 400 different types of bacteria that produce some vitamins and ferment fiber to produce short-chain fatty acids. Bacteria that cause diseases are called “pathogenic” bacteria.Antibiotics, like penicillin, are substances that are toxic to the bacteria, but relatively harmless to people. They have been very useful in combating disease, but their increased use has produced antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bacteria are classified by their shape and the color that they take when stained. A bacillus is elongated like a sausage, a coccus is round, and a spirochete is helical (spiral) in shape. Hans Christian Gram (1853-1938) developed a staining technique that colors some bacteria deep blue (Gram positive), whereas others take on a red color (Gram negative). Here is a list of common bacteria and some of their attributes:
- Staphylococcus – normally found on the skin, but can cause boils and pimples.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for many
serious infections that are sometimes fatal. - Escherichia coli – normal inhabitant of the colon, hence called “coliform” bacteria
E. coli O157:H7 is a virulent strain that produces toxins that
can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even kidney failure. - Chlamydia – a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
Over one million cases of chlamydia were reported in the United States in 2006. - Salmonella – frequent cause of food poisoning
- Vibrio cholerae – causes cholera, an infection of the small intestine characterized by watery diarrhea
- Treponema pallidum – a spiral-shaped (spirochete) bacteria that causes syphilis
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae – a Gram-negative coccus that causes gonorrhea, one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases
- Borrelia – a spirochete transmitted by ticks that causes Lyme disease (borreliosis).
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis – the cause of tuberculosis
- Yersinia pestis – causes bubonic plague, transferred by flea bites
- Bacillus anthracis – the organism that causes anthrax, characterized by black lesions.
- Rickettsia – a motile, Gram-negative bacterium that replicates only within the cytoplasm of cells and causes diseases such as typhus, rickettsialpox, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. It is transmitted by the bites of insects such as ticks, fleas, and lice.
Parasites
Parasites may be protozoa, fungi, or multi-cellular organisms. Many parasites have complex life cycles that insure their proliferation and survival.
Protozoa
As mentioned above, protozoa have a more complex organization than bacteria. Some protozoa form cysts that protect them from harsh conditions and enable them to live outside of a host for a long time. Some diseases caused by protozoans are:
- Malaria (transmitted by mosquitos) is most prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Leishmaniasis (transmitted by sandflies which are about one-third the size of mosquitoes)
- African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness transmitted by the tsetse fly)
- Amoebic dysentery – infection of the intestine caused by an ameba (Entamoeba histolytica), which causes severe diarrhea.
- Coccidiosis – intestinal infection that causes bloody diarrhea.
- Cryptosporidiosis – parasitic disease of the intestine caused by Cryptosporidium.
- Giardial enteritis – an infection of the small intestine caused by Giardia lamblia.
- Toxoplasmosis – a systemic parasitic infection transmitted by eating undercooked meat or contamination by cat feces.
Fungi
Fungi include one-celled yeasts slightly bigger than bacteria, and multi-celled mushrooms and molds. Fungi do not have chlorophyll to make their own food, so they get their nutrition as parasites or by breaking down remains of dead plants or animals. Some fungi are poisonous (e.g., Amanita mushrooms), but some have beneficial uses. For example,Penicillium notatum produces the antibiotic penicillin and Saccharomyces cerevisiaeis the yeast used to make bread rise and to brew beer. Fungal diseases are called mycoses and include:
- Aspergillosis – infection of sinuses and lungs
- Blastomycosis – skin and pulmonary infections
- Candidiasis – cutaneous and vaginal infections. Candida albicans is the most common cause of vaginal yeast infections.
- Coccidioidomycosis – may cause cough, chest pain, shortness of breath
- Cryptococcosis – may be transmitted in pigeon droppings
Multicellular parasites
Multicellular parasites include various kinds of worms and fungi that cause diseases such as:
- Ascariasis (roundworms)
- Hookworm
- Lymphatic filariasis or elephantiasis (transmitted by mosquitos)
- Pinworm
- Schistosomiasis (liver or blood flukes)
- Tapeworm
- Trichinosis – a disease caused by consumption of poorly cooked meat that contains cysts of Trichinella spiralis.
- Tinea corporis, tinea pedis (ringworm, athlete’s foot)
Intestinal parasites are commonly transmitted by eating food contaminated with feces or by eating raw or undercooked meat and seafood. In many parts of the world, manure or feces are used for fertilizing crops, and this is how vegetables and drinking water can become contaminated with the eggs or larvae of parasitic organisms. It is estimated that the human pinworm affects approximately 50% of the children in the United States. Pinworms lay their eggs around the anus and cause itching. The natural instinct to scratch, in combination with habits like thumb sucking and poor hand-washing, spreads the parasites. Tapeworms and roundworms can infect the body when their eggs or larvae are swallowed by eating raw or undercooked meats (pork) or seafood (ceviche, salmon roe, sashimi, sushi, cold-smoked fish). Protozoan parasites are frequently present in raw oysters.
Hookworms (Necator and Ancylostoma) are generally contracted by walking barefoot on soil contaminated by feces from infected animals or persons, or by swimming or wading in contaminated water. Hookworm larvae are capable of penetrating the skin in a few seconds. Once inside the body, they migrate to the lungs via the capillaries, and then cross into the air sacs of the lungs. They are eventually coughed up and swallowed. In the intestines, they feed on blood and reproduce. The females lay eggs that are passed in the feces to repeat the cycle.
Fungi and molds cause a variety of skin diseases such as athlete’s foot, jock itch, and ringworm, but they can also cause pulmonary and internal infections such as aspergillosis, and candidiasis (yeast infection). The dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum is a fungus that frequently causes chronic infections of the skin and nails. Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the scalp that causes severe itching, dandruff, and bald patches.Tinea corporis, commonly known as ringworm, is an infection of the skin found on the body, such as the trunk and limbs. Tinea pedis is a superficial fungal infection affecting the feet, often called athlete’s foot. This type of fungal infection typically is found in the skin between the toes, and is characterized by itching, blisters, cracking, and scaling.Tinea cruris, also known as jock itch, is a fungal infection of the skin of the groin area. Fungal infections are aggravated by sweating, restrictive garments, not washing and drying the body carefully on a daily basis, and by not changing into clean clothing frequently enough.
Ringworm and other fungus skin infections can be treated with a variety of non-prescription antifungal ointments, powders, or sprays containing tolnaftate, clotrimazole, undecylenic acid, terbinafine hydrochloride, salicylic acid, etc. White vinegar (5% acetic acid) is a common home remedy for fungal skin infections such as ringworm and athlete’s foot; it is applied with a cotton ball in the morning and in the evening, but it produces a burning sensation on broken skin. To prevent re-infection, the fungi that cause skin infections should be eliminated from environmental surfaces like bathtubs and toilet seats by washing the surfaces with diluted household chlorine bleach, which is a solution containing typically 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Fungi on towels, sheets, socks, underwear, and other clothing can also be killed by adding bleach during the wash cycle, although this may fade some fabrics. In the case of athlete’s foot, shoes should also be treated with antifungal foot powder. For tinea capitis infections, pillows, pillow cases, combs, hats, and hair brushes must be disinfected. Chlorine bleach should not be used on the skin because it is extremely caustic and will cause chemical burns. Wear rubber gloves when handling bleach.
Basic Hygiene and safe food handling procedures will prevent or stop most if not all of these viruses, bacteria, parasites and protozoa. We are fortunate to currently live in a time when sanitation and personal hygiene are easy and affordable for many people. More will be discussed at a later time on hygiene and sanitation in undesirable or ‘unmodern’ situations.
Part 2 will discuss the typical ways to prevent or combat infectious diseases in the modern world.
Natural Ways to Combat Latent Radiation Damage
With an ongoing issue from the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami in the early part of 2011, there have been questions raised (yet again) about the contamination of the US food supply, especially from foods coming from the western part of the US including seafood from the Pacific Ocean. While we can most certainly take the precaution of knowing where the food we eat comes from, many times, we can’t find that information out or it maybe that we simply cannot avoid buying or eating foods that have been exposed to the fallout from Fukashima. But we can help ourselves by knowing what to do and what to eat to protect ourselves.
First line of defense is to….
Stay CALM!
You don’t freak out over getting a CAT scan, MRI, X-Ray nor do you even begin to think about the food on store shelves that have been irradiated to extend shelf life or kill bacteria. Life saving medical treatments also introduce radiation into the body. Cell phones and many other everyday ‘things’ also put out radiation, so we are already dealing with radiation ‘contamination’ within our bodies and we don’t think twice about any of this. Certainly the contamination coming from Fukashima is something to be concerned about, but knowledge is power and gives us peace of mind. We will NOT be able to avoid radiation in our environment nor in our food system, but we can counter-act the damage that it may cause.
There are very simple ways to help the body remove radiation from the body. The ‘biggies’ (by the way) that we are most concerned about are Iodine-131, Cesium-137, Uranium-234 and Strontium. I have avoided mentioning kelp and seaweed because most of the ones available commercially come from areas that are heavily contaminated with the very isotopes we trying to avoid and/or protect ourselves against. But if you can find a good source that can be verified as clean, then by all means have at it.
ACE- vitamins A, C, E. These are antioxidant vitamins that protect your bodys cells from environmental damage. You may get these through supplements or through the food you eat. If you choose to use a supplement to get these vitamins, make sure that you use a natural form of vitamin E…the synthetic version is not as effective as the natural form of vitamin E.
B vitamins are essential also to helping us ‘detox’ and feel great.
Garlic – Garlic’s high sulfur content supports natural antioxidant systems like glutathione. Garlic extracts protect red blood cells from radiation damage by a glutathione-related mechanism. In mice, garlic extracts prevented radiation damage to chromosomes in vulnerable bone marrow cells.
Onions – Cysteine, present in onions, binds with and deactivates both the radioactive isotopes and toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury. The sulfur in cysteine helps the kidneys and liver detoxify the body.
Pectin which is present in many fruits and vegetables such as apples, carrots, citrus fruits and beans, binds to and helps eliminate from the body different radioactive isotopes.
Potassium – Cesium-137, cesium-134, potassium-40, and potassium-42 are radioactive, competitive sister elements of natural potassium, all of which are in the same chemical family. These radionuclides are absorbed by the body when there is a deficiency of natural potassium. They concentrate primarily in the reproductive organs and the muscles. Cesium-137 is common in nuclear fallout, and can often be detected in our food, soil, and water. The authors of one study described our biosphere as “contaminated with radiocesium.”
Researchers discovered that after the accident atChernobyl, iodine-131 and cesium-137 were the most prevalent radionuclides in samples of food from theUSSR and fromPoland, Hungary, and other parts ofEastern Europe. Cesium-137 is also already being used in some countries to irradiate foods as a means of extending their shelf life at the supermarket. Research by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates that natural potassium decreases the concentration of radiocesium. Potassium carries an electrical charge and is “wed” to sodium in many of the electrical/chemical balancing chores it performs in our bodies. Adequate intake of potassium is critically important when exposure to radiation is a threat because abundant potassium in the blood stream will block rapid absorption of Cesium-137.
Begin to add potassium rich foods such as potatoes, avocado, raisins, sardines, flounder, orange juice, winter squash, banana, apricots, cantaloupe, tomato, milk, salmon, beans, sweet potato, beef liver, peaches, steak, haddock, pork, lamb, turkey, tuna, and chicken.
Herbs with high levels of potassium include sage, catnip, hops, dulse, peppermint, skullcap, kelp, and red clover. You’ll also find it in horsetail, nettles, borage, and plantain. If a nuclear event escalates in which cesium is being released, then also adding supplemental potassium is recommended. Potassium regulation is affected by magnesium.
Magnesium rich foods are Whole wheat bread, Whole grain cereals, tofu, spinach, soy milk, pumpkin and squash seeds, scallops and rockfish, raw plantain, okra, oysters, peanuts, halibut, raw broccoli and black beans.
Spirulina – a single-celled freshwater algae and an incredible source of nutrients. It provides generous amounts of Beta Carotene, Vitamin B-12, Iron and Chlorophyll. Spirulina also provides RNA, DNA and important GLA fatty acids.
Chlorophyll – A Report by Scottist in 1986 and report fromJapanshowed that increase absorption of Cadmium by Chlorella and increased excretion of Cadmium by threefold after intake of Chlorella from animal testing. Chlorella can also detoxify Uranium, Lead, Copper, PCB. Source: ” A good Health Guide: Chlorella ” by William H Lee. R. Ph.D. and Michael Rosenbaum, M.D. Guinea pigs on a diet rich in chlorophyll showed increased resistance to lethal X-rays.
Both Spirulina and chlorophyll are consider ‘super foods’…meaning they are nutrient dense and highly detoxifying…great for the body no matter what.
One comment I must make about purchasing Spirulina and Chlorophyll…know where it is coming from! I would personally avoid any spirulina or chlorophyll that comes from areas already contaminated by radiation includingChina.Hawaiiwould be the safest bet for spirulina. Heck, you can ‘grow’ your own algae if you so desire!
Charcoal – Has the ability to absorb and neutralize radioactive substances and some toxic materials. Researchers report that 10 grams or 1 tablespoon of charcoal can absorb about 3 to 7 grams of materials. Taking finely powdered charcoal has been found to be one-and-a-half times as effective as the tablets. You may even put the charcoal into capsules if you so desire.
Zeolite – Zeolites have been used to decontaminate animals, particularly sheep and reindeer, which have ingested radiation following nuclear disasters such asChernobyl. Addition of zeolites to contaminated soils has shown to reduce up-take of radionuclides by plants, and hence, reduce the spreading of contamination through the food chain. (Introduction to Zeolite Science and Practice by Herman van Bekkum). Do not take any product containing zeolite if you are taking any prescription medication containing heavy metals, such as lithium, or containing platinum, which can be found in some cancer medications or Radiotherapy with chemotherapy check with your practitioner.
Medicinal mushrooms such as, Reishi, Turkey Tail, Matiake, Shitake and Chaga are all very important and well documented to enhance over-all immunity, protect against cellular changes and act as effective protectors against radiation poisoning as well as all manner of toxins that we ingest through out environment. Eatten raw (or in a yummy dish) or made into a tincture or syrup once or twice daily.
Rosemary –Rosmarinus officinalis – Rosmarinus has been revered for its protective qualities down through the ages. It’s now been found that two compounds in this wild Mediterranean plant, Carnosic and rosmarinic acids, naturally deter radiation poisoning.
In a study published this year in the British Journal of Radiology, February 2 edition, scientists inSpainreported finding that nothing fights radiation damage to micronuclei as well as rosemary. The fact that these compounds found in rosemary are fat soluble allows them to provide highly significant protective anti-mutagenic activity. Even the most powerful water-soluble antioxidants lack the capacity to protect against gamma ray induced damage.
In another study published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology, the generation of radiation induced cellular DNA damage to skin from free radicals was the focus. The researchers sought to demonstrate that rosmarinic acid from rosemary would act as a photo-protector both by acting as a scavenger of free radicals and as an inducer of the body’s own endogenous defense mechanisms. They found that formulation of toxic production was delayed by the use of rosmarinic acid, and the protection factor was 3.34 times greater than for other compounds studied, as measured in micronucleus testing.
Take 30 drops of rosemary tincture once to three times daily in a bit of water, depending on your level of exposure. For those primarily concerned about food exposure once a day will suffice. Rosemary infused oil, applied to the skin will also be effective. Use dried rosemary often in your cooking, and drink rosemary teas and infusions.
Liver nourishing roots such as American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock, (Arctium lappa) are loaded with mucilaginous properties and assist with the elimination of toxins out of the body…they act as a kind of magnet, pulling these radioactive elements to them and helping you excrete them through the eliminative organs.
Additionally American Ginseng, is proven to be radioprotective; it specifically protects human DNA from damage due to radiation particle ingestion, protects human peripheral lymphocytes from radiation induced stress, prevents radiation induced illness and protects against Cesium-137 exposure. 30 drops of tincture in water, once to three times daily should be an effective dose of any of these roots. Adding them to soups and stir fries and making water-based decoctions and/or syrups are all effective ways of using them.
I found an additional resource that is well thought out and lays it all out on radiation exposure, from the ‘biggie’ event down to environmental exposure. It is a download that would be well worth printing off for future reference.
http://meditationexpert.com/RadiationDetox/
As a last thought, while what happened in Japan last year is most certainly a human and environmental disaster that we have not yet fully come to appreciate nor seen the end of yet, we do have the power to help ourselves, protect ourselves and loved ones from the ‘fall out’ of radiation from environmental sources to man-made disasters. We can’t avoid eating…and Fukashima is not the only source of radiation contamination in our food chain. It occurs naturally too, but there are ways to counter-act it and they are simple and effective and most of us are probably already doing things that help to protect ourselves against radiation damage without even thinking about it. Even afterChernobylthose who ate ‘contaminated’ foods that were high in anti-oxidants, potassium and magnesium showed less of an effect from the radiation than those who did not. In other words, they couldn’t avoid eating contaminated crops, but they still ‘pulled through’ with less ill effects and many never developed any problems at all except for those closest to the disaster with direct exposure. Pick a couple of ‘new’ things to add to your diet and sleep well tonight knowing you are protecting yourself and loved ones from radiation danger.
Information resources:
http://www.radiationdetoxification.com/
http://starcreate.hubpages.com/hub/Natural-ways-to-detox-radiation
Cold? Flu? Pt. 5 Keepin’ It Simple with Herbs
ACHOO! Herbs for Colds and Flu!
© Kelli Armes, Herbalist
The best medicine is preventive medicine, but if/when you do come down with a cold or flu you may want to know about some herbs that could be helpful! These are herbs you may want to consider planting in your garden or allow to grow wild if they already grow near you! (Cold and Flu are different dis-eases, but since everyone lumps them in together, I will try to address both here)
Prevention:
2 ounces of sugar will suppress your immune system for 4 hours! Stay away from sugar(s) if you can.
Get plenty of rest! Sleep deprivation can weaken your immune system! Eat real food! (not food like substances).
Stress: Keep your stress levels down and add adaptogenic herbs if you are in a high stress lifestyle.
Cold Verses Flu:
It is important to remember that a cold is (in most cases) a benign harmless infection, but Influenza is a potential fatal disease! It is responsible for deaths in the US especially among those with compromised immune system. It is important to know the difference so you can deal with them properly (if a person is going downhill and has the flu you may need to get medical attention!) Common cold can be caused by several different viruses, while the flu is cause by the Influenza virus.
Treatments:
Hot Teas and Soups! It is not an ole wives tale, hot tea, and soups are good for you when you are feeling chilled! Inhale your hot tea fumes while you sip! Eat hot soups (chicken soup is the folk remedy for a cold or flu! )
During a fever it is best to have warm or room temperature liquids (avoid any sugary drinks like juices, pop, etc.) drink herbal teas, have soups, room temperature Filtered water avoid heavy foods. Fast on foods (continue with liquids) failure to fast will lengthen recovery time. Keep your ‘patient’ in bed and do not overmedicate them simply support the body in doing what it needs to do!
I recommend against taking cold medicine. Cold medicine can actually prolong the cold by suppressing the antibodies and can actually (according to studies) make your cold worse (it can drive it deeper into your system)
Steam inhalations are great at the onset of a cold or flu (or prevention) you can add a little rosemary essential oil, eucalyptus, Peppermint oil, Juniper essential oil or thyme essential oil (use small amounts of an essential oil and only those you know you tolerate). Vaporizer is a great item to have on hand.
Flu-Rest is essential (going back to work too soon if you feel better, can make you susceptible to worsening symptoms or even possibly getting pneumonia).
Neti pot- use a salt solution to rinse the nasal passages to kill microorganism (you can add a few drops of ethically wildcrafted Goldenseal to your neti pot). Breathing in a little vinegar in warm water can also help.
Wet sock therapy is great for colds or bronchitis (not recommended when you have a fever, diabetes, or poor circulation)
Peppermint (Mentha x Piperita) Very easy plant to grow (propagates by rhizomes) Used for fevers, colds, flu, digestive upset. Antibacterial, anti-tussive. Chop up stem and leaf and in a cup of water and use as a steam inhalation. A little peppermint essential oil in vinegar makes a great disinfectant. Generally Leaf is used.
Energetics: spicy, bitter, and slightly cool
Dosage: Infusion: pour a cup of boiling water on a heaped tsp of the dried herb and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Drink as desired.
Tincture: Take 1-2ml 3 times a day.
Boneset (Eupatorium Perfoliatum). The name comes from ‘break bone fever’ a mosquito borne illness. Also was used for malaria, cholera, typhoid (any illness that produced a fever). This herb was used during the 1918 Spanish Flu and was very effective. The flower is the part used. Great for viral infections (combines well with elder) colds, flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Great for lingering viral infections.
Energetics: Bitter, pungent, astringent, cold and dry
Dosage: For an infusion, use 1-2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep 10-20 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day. Add sugar or honey and lemon to improve taste.
For tinctures, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day. Should not be given to children under age 2. Use small doses in tea (1-3 ounces at a time every few hours until desired effect).
Elder (Sambucus Nigra): Berries and flowers are used. Some herbalists use the flowers and berries interchangeably, and some use the berry syrup for preventive (colds and flu) and other viral infections. Flowers are great for flu treatment, fevers lung and sinus issues. Studies have shown that elder has stopped mutating flu virus and show to kill the virus.
Energetics: bitter, drying, cool, slightly sweet
Dosages: For children (1-6 years of age) 1 teaspoon (5ml) per day and can be increased to 1.5-2 teaspoons (10ml) per day, for use during winter months. For adults the recommended dose is 2 teaspoons (10ml) per day. Other forms can be dosed as follows: Dried flowers can be used as an infusion for adults, 3 to 5 grams, three times daily. Liquid Extract, for adults, use 1:1 in 25% alcohol, (3 to 5 ml) three times daily
Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) A weed growing freely in this area, touted at the ‘smart blood herb’ because it knows when to stop bleeding, yet can also help break up blood like in bruises. it is also used to treat fevers and help them to be more productive, circulation issues, hypertension, diarrhea and female issues.
Energetics: bitter, spicy, neutral
Dosages: 1 teaspoon infused as a tea three times daily. Tincture: 1-2 ml three times daily
Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris). Antibacterial, antiviral, great for lung congestion, coughs, flu, COPD, bronchitis, and allergic rhinitis. Great to coughs especially in tea form where you can get the aromatics of the plant. Do not use the kind in your spice cabinet, they are generally very old. Get a supply from an herb store.
Energetics: Spicy and warm
Dosages: Infusion: Pour a cup of boiling water on 2 tsp of the dried herb and let infuse for 10 minutes. Drink 3 times a day. Tincture: take 2-4ml 3 times a day.
Flu remedy recipe: 1 part peppermint; 1 part yarrow; 1 part boneset; 1 part elder flower; Mix equal part tinctures and take 1-2 ml 3 times daily.
Note: I like to start with small dosages, and if they work I do not use the ‘recommended dosage’, it is your choice, use your judgment, but remember more is not always better, sometimes less is more! None of the information is designed to diagnose treat, or cure any disease. Always seek medical attention when needed!
Thanks to the people I have studied with (formally or informally) for this giving me the knowledge to write this article (for their wisdom, knowledge and kindness). They are (in no particular order): Demetria Clark, Paul Bergner, David Winston, Kiva Rose, Jim McDonald, Susun Weed and www.herbmentor.com ( Recipe and dosages from herbalpedia). There are a lot of herbs/Alternative things you can use, but these plants are the ones I chose because most of these plants grow wild in my area or are easily cultivated! The above information has been gleaned from listening to seminars, Audio courses, taking formal courses. conferences, Webinars, and my own personal research and experiences. Thanks!
Kelli Armes aka Maw-Maw Kelli! I can be contacted at kelliarmes@gmail.com or on Facebook Maw-Maw Kelli (Herb classes and More)!
Cold? Flu? Allergies? Pt.4 Help for the Flu Using Homeopathics
Homeopathics for the flu are very specific in their nature and require that you pay attention to signs and symptoms in order to select the BEST remedy for you or yours. In fact, you may select several remedies, and that is okay, select remedies based upon symptoms. Read the descriptions carefully and select the one(s) that most closely match the signs and symptoms. And again, follow these directions after selecting the remedy that most closely matches the symptoms:
Depending upon what symptoms you are displaying you may want either one of the single remedies or a combination remedy. Typically a homeopathic remedy is a pellet, liquid or soft tablet. Directions on ‘how much’ to take come on the package. What I will suggest however is disregarding the ‘how often’.
Acute/Active Symptoms: 3-5 pellets (2-3 tabs or 3-5 drops) every 15mins for the first hour or until symptoms begin to clear up. If after 4 doses in the first hour you aren’t noticing any benefit, reassess your symptoms and try something else.
Onset/Not Too Bad/Just Beginning: 2-3 pellets (1-2 tabs or 2-3 drops) every 20-30 minutes until you notice the symptoms are gone.
In both cases once you get your symptoms under control (in otherwords, symptom relief)
back off dosing to every ½ hour. If you symptoms begin to return within that half hour time frame continue to take the remedy every half hour. As time progresses you will notice a greater period of time between displaying of symptoms…you will have to pay attention to this. If at the half hour mark you still have no symptoms wait until the one hour mark before taking another dose and then pay attention as to when the symptoms begin to return so that you are gradually decreasing your dosing schedule to 2-3 times per day, increasing length of time between doses by a ½ hour each time. Once you have reached this 2-3 times per day for 1-2 days you can then stop taking the remedy and you are ‘cured’. With children I always recommend to stop after being symptom free for 1 day.
Infants dosing should be ½ of that of an adults dose, however, as I have learned, sometimes with a young child the adult dose is appropriate to initially relieve symptoms so do not be afraid to use more in a infant or young child.
AGAIN…the trick is watch for symptom reduction! If you aren’t seeing a reduction in symptoms with the first hour of use (2-4 doses) then move onto another homeopathic!! I have increased the amount taken in children in very stubborn or acute symptoms just to ‘tamp’ it down quickly and then reduce the amount taken once I have reduced symptoms.
I would first like to suggest the following for prevention of the flu OR to take as soon as you believe you might be coming down with the flu:
Oscillococcinum Flu Remedy
This can often be found in many drug stores and is well worth keeping on hand ‘just in case’ and should be used as a ‘first defense’.
With that said, you don’t have to take the whole vial at one time as they instruct. I truly believe that this is a marketing ploy to make money. Instead, I suggest the following which has worked for me over many years.
1) To prevent the common flu…take 3-5 pellets at one time, every other day for one week. The following week, take 3-5 pellets 2 times that week and finally, the following week and every week there after, take 3-5 pellets once a week. Do this for the duration of the ‘flu’ season. Actually, I would take starting in September and then end in March.
2) If you feel like you are getting the flu…follow the standard dosing instructions above. Now, with that said, if you don’t start feeling better within 2-3 hours (in otherwords the symptoms don’t go away) you are most likely NOT getting the flu, but a cold. Try a different remedy that can be found on the Cold Part 3 blog page.
Common Flu Remedies
The number one flu homeopathic remedy is GELSEMIUM . The flu has a slow onset and is associated with chills, tiredness and paralytic weakness. The chills begin in the hands and feet, and run up and down the spine.
These patients feel as if run over by a truck. Aching pain is felt in the muscles and they experience trembing of the limbs with lack of mucular co-ordination. Want to lie down and be left alone.
The patient is generally worse in the early morning and last thing at night. They feel better after urination and in fresh air. Please see below for more information on Gelsemium.
Aconite: Sudden onset of the flu with great anxiety and fear. She thinks she is about to die.
Better: in fresh air
Worse: in a warm room, in the evening or at night, lying on the left side, hearing music, when exposed to tobacco smoke.
Other uses: any situation where the person is scared, such if they just witnessed something horrible, were just involved in an accident, etc
Arnica: Flu with a feeling of soreness, as if bruised internally and externally.
Symptoms come on very suddenly, especially after exposure to a dry, cold wind or from an emotional shock or fright.
High fever, dry cough, sore throat and feeling of great worry and fear.
The individual is very restless.
Fear of death with anxiety, tossing and trembling.
Croupy cough, early stages of croup.
Pneumonia with sudden onset.
Coughing up of blood.
Other uses: This is the main initial remedy for acute trauma, injuries and accidents. Bumps, bruises, sprains, strains, cuts, etc. It is commonly given to patients before and after surgery to improve outcome, decrease bleeding and bruising and promote healing. You will find Arnica in all homeopathic emergency kits.
Aconitum napellus: This remedy is useful for a flu that comes on suddenly and intensely accompanied by fever, anxiety, constricted pupils, and strong thirst. The person may feel fearful or agitated, and the fever can alternate with chills. Symptoms are often worst around midnight. Exposure to cold wind or a shock of some kind often precedes the illness.
Apis mellifica: If a person has dry fever that alternates with sweating, facial flushing, and a very sore throat with swollen tonsils , then this homeopathic remedy may be prescribed. Pain may extend to the ears, and the eyelids may be swollen. Exposure to cool air and cold applications may bring relief. Despite the fever, thirst usually is low. The person can be very irritable, disliking interference.
Arsenicum Album: Influenza in children with sudden onset and much prostration.
Extremely restless, oversensitive, anxious and weak.
Fear of death.
Extreme prostration, out of proportion to the disease.
Very restless, can’t stay in one place.
Does not want to be left alone.
Chilly.
Pale face with an anxious expression.
Burning pains that are better with warm applications.
Thirsty, drinks in small sips often.
Worse between 1 and 2 a.m.
Vomiting and diarrhea are common.
Diarrhea with acrid, offensive, watery stools.
Too neat, upset by clutter.
Desires fatty and sour things, especially lemon.
Other uses: Food poisonings, stomach flues.
Baptisia: Looks drowsy and drunk. Flu with high fever and a feeling of being bruised all over.
Flu that comes on suddenly.
Sensation of being bruised and sore all over, the body and limbs feel as if they are scattered.
Profuse sweating with a high fever and an intense thirst.
Dull red face, looks dazed and sluggish as if they may fall asleep at any time.
The bed feels hard (Compare with Pyrogenium and Arnica)
Stupefying headache, with confusion.
Delirium with strange sensations, like as if there is somebody else in bed with him, parts of her body are separated, etc.
Patient smells bad.
Belladonna: Flu with a high fever, red face and dilated pupils. Dryness and burning heat. Everything is intense and concentrated in the head.
High fever that comes on suddenly, often as a result of a change in temperature (e.g. becoming chilled or overheated, washing the hair).
Flushed face, sore throat, eyes wide and staring, pupils dilated, bright red tongue, red throat with white spots on the tonsils.
Constriction on attempting to swallow
Ejection of food and drink through the nose and mouth from spasm.
There may be confusion, delirium or vivid hallucinations.
Twitching and starting.
Headache.
Symptoms tend to affect the right side of the body.
Craving for lemon or lemonade.
General aggravation at 3 p.m.
Better: standing, sitting upright, in a warm room.
Worse: any noise, bright light, movement, lying down, night.
Other uses: strep throat, meningitis, abdominal cramps, menstrual cramps, etc, when the overall picture fits.
Bryonia: Extremely irritable, talks about business. Bryonia is good if symptoms include a headache, cough, constipation, thirst, and irritability
Flu with a severe, throbbing headache, body pains. All symptoms are worse from any motion.
Slow onset.
Thirst for large amounts infrequently, preferably cold.
Pains (headache, body pains) better by pressure. Lies on the painful part.
Dryness everywhere, dry tongue, with generally a white coating
Nose bleed
Pneumonia, especially of the right side; pleurisy (pain on breathing and coughing).
Business: worries, talks and dreams about it.
Wants to go home. May be confused and not realize she is at home.
Better: pressure, rest
Worse: any excitement, noise, touch, movement, bright light, from eating and coughing and at around 3am and 9pm.Other uses: Pain in joints, sprains, strains, when symptoms are worse from movement.
Specific Symptoms for Bryonia:
Grumpy and feels miserable with the flu
Wanting only to lie still and be left alone
Headache, muscle aches, and cough or stomach pain
Everything feels worse from even the slightest motion.
Dry mouth, with a thirst for long cold drinks
Eupatorium – perfoliatum: Flu with body pains so severe, that the bones feel broken.
Feels as if run over by a truck, with pain deep in the bones.
Bursting headache and sore eyes.
Thirsty for ice cold water (opposite to Gelsemium, which is not thirsty).
Chills running up and down the back.
High fever preceded by chills, especially from 7 – 9am.
Worse: movement
Ferrum Phos: Flu without any localizing or characteristic symptoms.
High fever, usually 102 degrees or higher.
Right sided complaints – Pneumonia.
Flushes or redness or pallor.
Hemorrhage [Nose or Chest]
Specific symptoms for Eupatorium:
Deep ache in the bones and muscles
Eyeballs hurt
Exhaustion
Desires cold food and drinks, which are vomited as soon as they warm in the stomach
Painful cough
Yellow tongue
Tremendous aching, as if bones are broken
Fever preceded by chills, especially from 7:00 to 9:00 A.M.
Ferrum phosphoricum: This remedy may be helpful during flu associated with the following symptoms:
Fever
Headache
Rosy cheeks
A feeling of weariness
Sensitive eyes
A short hard cough
Strong thirst
Vomiting after eating
This remedy is also prescribed in early stages of flu or fever, even if symptoms are not especially clear.
Gelsemium: Flu with chills and paralytic weakness. They feel as if run over by a truck.
This tends to be the number 1 flu remedy. Take Gelsemium if you have heavy, droopy eyes; feel weak and tired, with aches and chills up and down your back; and want to be alone.
Slow onset
After worrying about a forthcoming task or event such as a public speaking engagement.
Sore throat.
Bursting headache beginning in the neck and which may extend over the head to the eyes and forehead; relieved by copious urination.
Double vision often before or during the headache. Eyelids are heavy and droopy, can’t keep them open.
Fatigue, heaviness and dullness. The legs feel weak and shaky and they just want to lie in bed.
Pain is felt in the muscles.
No thirst.
Aching muscles.
Chills begin in the hands and feet, and run up and down the spine.
Worse: early morning and last thing at night, in the sun, and when exposed to tobacco smoke.
Better: urination, fresh air
Comparisons:
Bryonia also has pains, but they are much worse from any movement. Gelsemium patient does not want to move due to fatigue and heaviness, not aggravation from movement.
Eupatorium perfoliatum patient also feels as if run over by a truck, but the pains are more severe, and they are felt in the bones. In addition, Eup-per patient is thirsty, and Gels patient is not.
Other uses: Anxiety anticipating an important engagement.
Specific symptoms for Gelsemium:
hot head and face, but with chills that go up and down the back; burning headache without any real sense of thirst, etc. are symptoms for which this remedy is often prescribed. Other symptoms:
Fatigue and achiness that come on gradually, increasing over several days
The face feels heavy, with droopy eyes and aching.
A headache may begin at the back of the neck and skull
Chills and heat running up and down the spine.
Anxiety
Dizziness
Moderate fever
Trembling
Perspiration
Kali sulphuricum: Yellow, slimy
Fever with easy sweating
Yellow slimy tongue, nasal discharge, ear discharge, diarrhea.
Cough with easily expelled yellow slimy sputum.
Thirsty. Averse to hot drinks.
Wants to lie down, but it makes her worse, so she must walk for relief.
Mercurius solubilis: Dirty, smelly, drooling.
Increased salivation, offensive breath, profuse offensive sweat.
Filthy tongue, large, flabby, tooth – notched
Thirsty
Craves bread and butter.
Worse: night, heat of bed
Nux Vomica: Flu with great irritability and over sensitivity. Easily offended, angry, cold.
Irritable, impatient, angry and easily offended.
Very chilly. Chilliness on the slightest movement. On the slightest exposure to the open air, shivering and chilliness for an hour; dreads to go out into the open air. By the slightest draught he gets chilled. He cannot get warm. Great coldness not removed by heat, or by bed coverings. Wants to be completely covered.
Very sensitive to light, noise and odors.
Shivering and chilliness immediately after drinking.
Fastidious. Wants everything just so.
Collapse and fatigue states from overwork.
Other uses: Ailments from overdoing: overeating, overwork, etc. Hangover.
Specific symptoms for Nux Vomica:
Nux Vomica is often prescribed for flu associated with thoroughly chilled feelings, cannot get warm at all, limbs and back are aching, stomach upset. Other indications are:
high fever
violent chills
strong nausea
cramping in the digestive tract (or a painful cough and constricted breathing if the flu is respiratory)
headache
oversensitivity to sound, bright light, and odors
often very irritable
feels worse from exertion
Feels worse from being cold in any way
Phosphorus: The flu quickly affects the lungs, especially the base of the right lung. Lots of cough. Bleeding.
Bloody sputum, bright red.
Craves cold drinks, which may be vomited when they become warm in the stomach.
Burning, ressure and constriction in the chest; worse lying on the left side; worse lying on the painful side (patient and the cough).
Nose bleed, bright red.
Cough, worse talking and laughing.
Specific symptoms for Phosphorus:
This remedy is indicated for flu when it is accompanied by:
fever with an easily-flushing face
feels very weak and dizzy
headache
hoarseness
sore throat
cough
stomach pain and nausea or vomiting
strong anxiety
wanting others to be around to offer company and reassurance
strong thirst, with a tendency to vomit when liquids warm up in the stomach
Pulsatilla: Clingy and weepy when sick.
Flitting chilliness; chills in spots. Chilly in a warm room.
One sided chilliness – heat – sweat. One cheek red, the other white.
Palpitations with anxiety: must throw off the clothes.
Dry cough at night, better sitting up, worse on lying down again.
Thick yellow-green discharge from nose. Yellow-green expectoration.
Craves butter, cream, pastries.
Thirstless.
Tearful, craves company and sympathy.
Worse: external warmth, closed room
Better: open air, outside, slow motionOther uses: This is one of the most commonly used remedies in children. Whatever the problem (ear infection, teething, cold, etc), when the child is weepy, wants the caregiver next to him all the time and gets better only when held. This is opposite to Chamomilla children, who are often angry and reject kindness.
Pyrogenium: Septic states.
Extremely restless. Has to keep on moving, rocking, wringing, for momentary relief.
The bed feels too hard, aching everywhere, feels beaten and bruised.
Everything is offensive: sweat, breath, discharges, stool, etc.
The pulse is abnormally rapid for the temperature. High temperature with slow pulse, or the reverse.
Creeping chills in the back, with a thumping heart.
Bursting headache.
Rapid bed sores.
Feels as if someone else is in his bed.
Consciousness of the heart beating.
Rhus toxicodendron: Stiff and restless, better with movement.
Restlessness. Wants to move all the time.
Aching and stiffness in the joints, worse on first starting to move and better with continued movement.
Red triangle on the tip of the tongue.
Intense fever: thirsty: great prostration: weeps without knowing why.
Severe aching in the bones.
Fear of poisoning. She may refuse taking medicine feeling it is poison.
Anxiety and fear which are worse at night.
Other uses: Sprains, strains, when the pain is better with movement (opposite of Bryonia).
Rhus toxicodendron: A person who needs this remedy during flu feels extremely restless and complain of achy, stiff muscles. Other indications:
fever is often accompanied by bone and muscle aches
teasing cough
sore throat
red tongue
nausea and bloating
soreness and stiffness may be felt all over,
feels better from hot showers or from getting up and pacing.
feels worse when waking up, after lying in bed, or from keeping still too long.
symptoms are often relieved by rubbing and stretching, but especially warmth and movement.
Sulphur
Hot, burning sensations. This is a well known remedy for skin irritation.
Partially recovers and then relapses.
Very sensitive to the open air and drafts (opposite to Pulsatilla); worse from washing and taking a bath.
The crown of the head is very hot but the feet are cold.
The soles of the feet burn at night; they must be put out of the bed.
Hungry and starving at 11am, but not before then.
Often left-sided
Specific symptoms for Sulphur:
This remedy is often prescribed if a flu is very long-lasting or has some lingering symptoms such as the case when people have neglected to take good care of themselves. The person may feel hot and sweaty, with low fever and reddish mucous membranes. Symptoms, either digestive or respiratory, will often have a hot or burning quality. Heat aggravates the symptoms, and the person often feels worse after bathing.
Other remedies that may be used but are often used in ‘worst case’ flu situations and, if at all possible, professional medical attention should be sought out.
Camphora: Flu with laborious, asthmatic breathing, accumultion of phlegm in the air tubes, cold, dry skin.
Profound prostration/collapse.
Coldness and shivering.
Cold to touch, yet cannot bear to be covered.
Very sensitive to cold air
Face is pale and blue, lips are livid.
Pulse is weak and scarcely perceptible.
Pneumonia or bronchitis with collapse. Irritability
Worse: Cold
Carbo –vegetalis: “Corpse reviver”
Desperate cases.
Cold; even the breath and tongue are cold; very pale, air – hunger, asks for the windows to be opened, to be fanned.
Shortness of breath. Must sit up in bed.
Bloating, indigestion, and tremendous amount of gas.
This is a frequent ICU remedy, when life seems to be draining away.
China (Cinchona officinalis): Ailment from loss of fluids: blood loss, vomiting, diarrhea.
Desperate cases.
Debility with chilliness.
Anemic; pallid; weak. Sensitive to touch: motion: to cold air.
Worse at regular period: alternate days, every third day, every seven days, etc.
Weariness of the limbs, with desire to stretch, move or change position.
Painless diarrhea with a lot of gas.
Other uses: A very common remedy for diarrhea
Other possible remedies that may help:
Antimonium tartaricum: pneumonia with rattling of mucus in the chest.
Profuse mucus in bronchi with drowsiness. Loose, coarse rattling but scanty expectoration. Suffocative shortness of breath; alternating with cough. Chest seems full, yet less and less is raised, followed by vomiting or sleep.
Nausea; in waves; with weakness and cold sweat.
Forcible vomiting, followed by exhaustion and sleep
Tongue coated thick white with reddened papillae and edges.
Vomiting better lying on right side.
Desire for acids, apples.
Anxiety, aversion to being looked at; wants to be left alone.
Sleepy, weak, sweaty.
Worse: heat; warm room.
Asclepias tuberosa
Influenza with marked weakness on walking.
Shooting pleuritic pains (pains with inspiration) during and lingering after influenza.
Bleeding from gums, coughing up blood, bleeding from nose.
Worse: Lying, especially on left side. Motion of arms. Deep inspiration.
Better: Bending forward.
Euphorbium resinifera: Flu with burning pains in the bones.
Intense burning pains as if a live coal were on, or in the part.
Pharyngitis with a sensation as if expired air was a burning flame.
Worse: Touch; rest; sitting; beginning of motion.
Better: Continued motion; cold applications (compare with Arsenicum, which has burning pains better from hot applications).
Euphrasia: Flu with eye symptoms.
Acrid tears and bland nasal discharge.
Burning, smarting eyes and aversion to light and constant winking.
Cough with large quantities of mucus.
Ipecacuanha: She coughs till she vomits.
Dry, spasmodic cough ending in choking, gagging and vomiting. Person stiffens and becomes pale or blue; gasps for breath.
Constant nausea not relieved by vomiting.
Clean tongue.
Profuse salivation with the nausea.
No thirst.
Worse: Heat.
Other uses: Any ailments or pains attended with constant nausea and clean tongue. Whooping cough.
Sanguinaria: Flu with burning in various parts and headache.
Right-sided remedy.
Burning in various parts: eyeballs, cheeks, tongue, throat, chest, stomach, palms and soles.
Headaches, especially right sided, spreading from shoulder over the head to the eye.
Spasmodic cough with expectoration of rust-colored sputum.
Runny or stopped-up nose, followed by diarrhea.
Dryness of mucous membranes.
Desire for spicy and pungent food.
Warm-blooded.
The following information was taken from an article in Homeopathy World Community and was written by Bente Ødegård. It may be found at: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity.com/profiles/blogs/influenza-pandemics-and-long
Influenza pandemics have for centuries posed the greatest threat of a worldwide calamity caused by infectious disease. Over the past 300 years, ten influenza pandemics have occurred among humans. According to recent analysis, the 1918-19 pandemic killed 50 to 100 million people globally. Today, even a “mild” pandemic could kill many millions of people.
Influenza manifests in the respiratory system and produces generalized aches and pain, especially in the limbs and back. It produces malaise; prostration; fever; coryza, headache; with photophobia and retrobulbar aching; and inflamed respiratory mucous membranes. The incubation period is around 48 hours.
The symptoms begin with sore throat with substernal burning; nonproductive cough; and coryza. Cough usually becomes severe and productive and causes pain in the chest. The soft palate, posterior hard palate, tonsils and throat become reddened and painful. The eyes water easily and the conjunctiva may be mildly inflamed. Sweating and weakness may continue for weeks. Complications include bronchitis; pneumonia; breathlessness; spitting of blood; pulmonary edema; encephalitis; and death.Old people; babies; those confined to bed; or with chronic pulmonary or heart disease are the most at risk.
During the 1918 influenza pandemic it was young people, 25 -34 years of age, which were most severely affected. They appeared to have no immunity and succumbed to a pneumonia that would kill within days. It was not uncommon for someone physically strong and in good health to get up feeling well in the morning and by bedtime they would be dead. During this flu pandemic large numbers of people sought homeopathic care and were restored to good health; in numerous cases their lives were saved
An article published in the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy in May 1921 states that Dean W.A.Pearson of Philadelphia collected 26,795 cases of influenza treated by homeopathic physicians with only a mortality rate of 1.05%, while the average conventional medical approach had a mortality rate of 30%.
During this time there were many Medical Doctors practicing homeopathic medicine throughout Europe and in America, much to the chagrin of non-homeopathic doctors and pharmacists. While conventional hospitals in the US had an 80-90% loss of life during the scarlet fever, Cholera and Flu epidemics around 1919, Homeopathic Hospitals had only a 2-5% loss.
There is however a possibility that some of these high numbers of positive effects of homeopathic treatment can be subscribed to the ill effects of the conventional treatment. Many homeopaths reported a decrease in chance of survival in those that had, previously to homeopathic treatment, been taking Aspirin. A.F. Stevens, M.D. in St.Louis said about the patients undergoing conventional treatment: “They died like flies around a plate of poison although ‘science’ did all that could be done to ‘save’ them”.
There has been at least three large scale double-blind placebo- controlled trials to treat people with flu or influenza – like syndrome. Each of these large scale studies were conducted by independent researchers, and a treatment is considered proven when at least three independent studies verify positive results.
Several studies have suggested that the homeopathic remedy oscillococcinum, which is prepared from a duck liver, is a very effective treatment for influenza. One study found that the remedy significantly increased the rate of cure within two days of diagnosis. This was a high- quality trial, published in an important, non- homeopathic journal and involving large numbers of patients (237 treated and 241 on placebo).
It is generally impossible in homeopathy to pinpoint a few remedies that would help in general against the flu. But, what is fascinating is that during an influenza epidemic, a remedy or two will work marvellously. This remedy is sometimes referred to as genus epidemicus. The homeopathic Materia Medica has well over 3,500 remedies. There is no one remedy that is specific to the flu because individuals will manifest symptoms in different ways that are unique to them. The most important point to remember about homeopathy is that it treats the individual.
If you are interested in more information or purchasing a homeopathic flu kit for yourself please visit:
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