Previously by Margaret Durst: DNA – Take Care of Yours – Naturally!
Homeopathics are very interesting natural supplements. They are extremely diluted substances from the plant, animal and mineral kingdoms that stimulate the body to heal itself. They are formulated on the basis of like curing with like.
For example, Apis is a homeopathic remedy from bee venom – it is used for swelling from insect bites or allergies. Things that respond well to Apis tend to be better with cold and worse with heat – kind of like a bee sting. Another remedy is Rhus tox which is made from poison ivy. It is used for joint pain that is better with movement and it will also help with a poison ivy outbreak.
Homeopathics have been used for many years. They are very popular in England – the Queen’s doctor is a homeopath. Homeopathics fell out of favor with the rise of allopathy – around the time penicillin was introduced. However, they are making a comeback because they are safe and effective. Another factor that makes homeopathics popular is that they work within minutes.
There is a homeopathic remedy for just about every condition known to man. If you pick the right one, you will be amazed at the results; however, if you pick the wrong one, it just will not work. Because choosing the actual remedy is a little complicated, there are some excellent formulas that combine several remedies that work on similar symptoms. Common formulas are for common problems such as allergies, asthma, stress, sinus pain, cold and flu, sore throats, arthritis, and so on.
I like to recommend homeopathics for babies and children because they do not have negative side effects. When my son was young, I loved the remedies for colic and teething. They seemed to work when nothing else would – and also almost instantly.
Homeopathic remedies that I usually have on hand include:
Arnica montana for trauma, bruises and sore muscles. This is one of the first things I use for first aid. It is also highly recommended by plastic surgeons because it helps reduce swelling and bruising while speeding recovery from the surgery.
Coffea cruda is another popular remedy – it is for sleeplessness with mental hyperactivity. I use this if I drink caffeine too late – it helps me go to sleep in about 5 minutes.
Spongia tosta is for a croupy cough that is better with hot drinks and worse around midnight. This will get a child back to sleep in minutes, but it needs to be the right kind of cough, or it will not work.
Antimonium is for a wet cough that is made worse by lying down and by getting too warm. It tends to work when Spongia tosta will not.
A best selling remedy is Cuprum Metallicum for muscle cramps and leg cramps.
The list of remedies goes on and on. All are latin names, so they are fairly unfamiliar and hard to pronounce – but there are easy cross references to help you match the symptom specifics to the right remedy. Best of all, the single remedies cost $6.99
Margaret Durst owns The Green House, a vitamin, herb and health food store in Mason, Texas.
