Family Homeopathy

I became interested in homeopathic medicine because I didn't like the toxic nature of the medicines that were the norm for use by children and adults too. Usually these are petroleum-based medicines. The same petroleum that we use to make gasoline! This type of medicine covers up the symptoms,but does not heal the root problem. And in the case of antibiotics, kills all bacteria good and bad alike.

Herbs are a wonderful and safe alternative but I found them difficult to use, measure and prescribe. They are very difficult to give to infants and small children.

Homeopathy answered all our needs. It is an older method of treatment than the current method called allopathy, and was well-respected back when it was more widely practiced. Homeopathic remedies are totally non-toxic. A baby could take a whole handful and have no deadly effect. They are easy to use, store and take. I can use remedies on the tiniest infant with no problem. We use the remedies in the form of a tiny tablet that dissolves almost instantly under your tongue. Homeopathy's method is to jump-start your own immune system in the place it is weak, so your body heals itself.

The key to finding the right remedy is looking for symptoms. Everyone in your family could have a cold, but need a different remedy if the symptoms were different.

My family homeopathy page will deal with a limited few remedies that families might need the most. The things we mom's have to take care of the most are fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, tummy ache, cuts, falls, and bruises. I will provide my experience with the most-used remedies for these problems.

Other problems besides these that our family has treated successfully with homeopathy: chicken pox, bed-wetting, warts, morning sickness, car sickness, sinus headache, and pink eye.

You can find tablet form or drops. We like the tablets. They disolve almost instantly and the drops are usually alcohol-based and taste terrible. Its best to use a spoon or the only person to touch the tablets should be the person taking it. Never put tablets back into the bottle. This contaminates the rest. Store in a cool, dark, dry place. Putting the tablets under the tongue is the most effective. Don't have anything to eat for 15 minutes before and after taking. Don't be taking other over-the-counter medicines during the same period. These neutralize the homeopathic remedies.

I have purchased remedies both mail order and at a health food store and been happy with both ways. I use both the single remedy and combinations. Sometimes the combination is nice if you aren't sure which single rememdy you need.

Aconite

Sudden earache or cough that comes after being out in the cold wind. Other symptoms would be sneezing, burning throat, fever, dry croupy cough, bursting throbbing headache. Use this at the beginning of the problem. Also this is the remedy for injuries to the eye.

Allium Cepa

We use this one alot. If you wake up and your nose starts streaming and you go through a box of tissues in a few minutes, this is what will work. Other symptoms are: streaming eyes and nose. Wiping nose makes it very sore. Nose could be stuffy or one nostril dripping. Hoarseness, sore throat, coughing from inhaling cold air. This is made from red onions. So think about how you look after cutting an onion, and this is the picture.

Arnica Montana

We take this on car trips, camping trips and have a few extra bottles around the house. I think this must be the most important remedy to have. Any cut, fall, bruise, concussion, accident , black eye, surgery, shock, tooth extraction, snake bite,and childbirth, can be helped to heal if you take Arnica. Give it first and soon. Give it every 15 minutes if the pain is very bad. It is also great if you are sore after trying a new sport or spring cleaning, gardening or moving.

Belladona

If a family member has a very sudden fever and his face is red and eyes are bright and glassy and he is very restless, this is the picture for Belladona. Other symptoms along with the "red" look are: throbbing headache, eyes and ears sensitive, sore throat, cough, earache, sleepy but can't sleep. For a baby with a fever, I give Belladona, then if/when the fever comes back, just give another dose.

Chamomilla

With a baby or toddler in the house, I would never be without this remedy. Here is the picture: Your normal happy baby turns into a whiny, irritable monster. She asks for something then throws it at you when you give it to her. She only want to be carried around. She will not let you put her down. Also you could see greenish diarrhea. We can set our clock by this remedy. It takes exactly 15 minutes to take effect, and then our happy baby has returned! We used this almost everyday for months for one of our children and I asked our doctor about it (using it everyday for so long a time) and he said if that is what her body needs, then give the remedy every day.

Ferrum Phos

This is a general all around remedy during the beginning stages of all inflammatory problems: colds, earache, cough. It doesn't have a strong picture like others, but helps in almost anything in the beginning stages.

Lobelia tincture

This is the one herbal tincture that I would always have around my house. It has been a sleep-saver many times. I don't believe you should suppress a cough when it is during the day. But when coughing keeps everyone awake at night, Lobelia always works. Shake the bottle, 7-10 drops in a small glass of water or juice and within half an hour everyone is peacefully sleeping again.

Mercurius

The picture for this one is a white or yellow- coated tongue. The other symptoms would be : raw, sore throat, tonsillitis, swollen neck glands, hoarse, burning urination. I have found that when we let a sore throat go too long, it is this remedy that is needed. We just used this successfully for a very painful sore throat. We had tried Vit C and Phytolacca on this child but after 4 days it hurt to open his mouth and swallow. His tongue was normal, tho, not white, like I would have expected with this remedy. Swollen neck glands and most painful on right side were other symptoms.

Nux Vomica

The best way to prescribe this one is ask this question: Is the problem occurring at 3 or 4 in the morning? This is our upset tummy remedy. Family member may feel nausea, vomit, dizziness, stuffy nose at night. What usually happens is that we give the remedy then 10 minutes later he throws up. But throwing up usually makes him feel better. I just found this remedy very helpful with some flu symptoms. I had a headache right in my forehead and it was worse when bending over. I did get the chills too. No nausea or anything else.

Oscillococcinum

This is a new one for our family. Don't ask me how to say it, but its the one for flu. One winter about half of us in our family had a terrible flu, and we used this remedy.

Phytolacca

I hate to have a sore throat, so I have lots of choices for sore throats. This is for a sore throat that you feel only when you swallow.

Pullsatilla

I have seen this work for two different pictures. First is when the cold has progressed so that you have green-yellow discharge. Could be coming from a runny nose or from eyes or ears. The other occasion was a baby who had a somewhat runny nose but she was whiny, sensitive and cried and was sad and wanted to be with mom. Other symptoms could include a loose, rattling cough that is worse at night. This is one of the choices for chicken pox, if the child fits the weepy, sad picture.

Resources

This is the book I own in order look up symptoms and remedies. It gives an explanation of homeopathy and then helps you indentify what remedy you need for what problem. It has a sections on babies, women and children.

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