Relaxing Through the Holidays

The winter holidays should offer excitement, wonder, joy, and time to share the warmth of the season with family and friends. However, their true meaning can be obscured by the hurry and worry that also comes with this time of year. Added stress often leads to frazzled nerves and short tempers. Homeopathy offers natural remedies that can help offset stress and restore the pleasure of the season. Here are a few home care tips and simple reminders that can be used by any member of the family, young or old.

Take a Breather

Take time out and breath. Breathing exercises help balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems that control many of the processes in your body. If you stay calm, your children and the rest of the family will follow your example.

Here's one to try: for a minute or so, just be aware of your breathing. Notice the feel of the air as it passes into and through you. You can also pay attention to your ribcage expanding, or any other aspect of breathing that occurs to you. Just notice it without trying to modify it. Develop a habit of doing this whenever you're waiting for something. Once you've mastered it, you can teach your children ...

Flower Essences to the Rescue

When you're feeling overly anxious, perhaps about the prospect of visits from far-away relatives, a little Rescue Remedy can go a long way. Rescue Remedy is a flower essence product that naturally relaxes the body and can be used safely by the entire family. Just put a few drops in a glass of water and sip.

If you're feeling exhausted, or have expectation and dread of an upcoming event, try the homeopathic remedy Gelsemium. Gelsemium was used successfully in WWI to address soldiers' anticipatory anxiety.

Stomach Soothers

Over indulgence is a favorite pastime during the holidays. If you've eaten too much rich food or drink and become irritable, with symptoms of constipation and nausea, the homeopathic remedy Nux Vomica can help.

If food poisoning is suspected, and vomiting and diarrhea are accompanied by a burning tummy with a thirst for sips of cold water, try the homeopathic remedy Arsenicum Album.

Ouch!

Calendula ointment or lotion applied topically can go a long way toward soothing minor cuts or burns. If a burn is more serious, the homeopathic remedy Cantharis given orally can help. Reach for the homeopathic remedy Arnica for bumps and bruises.

For homeopathic remedies use any potency from 6C to 30C. One dose--one pellet under the tongue--should be enough. Remedies can be repeated in two hours, but should be repeated only as necessary. If there is relief, the remedy has done its job.

Homeopathic remedies may be found at your local health food store. Contact Margo or Myra for more information.

Resources*

Breathing: The Master Key to Self Healing, by Andrew Weil, MD

Homeopathic Self-Care: The Quick & Easy Guide for the Whole Family, by Robert Ullman, ND & Judith Reichenberg-Ullman, ND

This article is informational and not meant to treat or diagnose. This information or the use of Homeopathy should not take the place of professional medical care. If you or your child has a serious medical condition, seek immediate medical attention from a professional.

© 2008 Margo Adams, Homeopathic Consultant & Myra Nissen, Certified Homeopath

*Resources listed in this article are available from http://myranissen. corn/resources _ books.html

4 Ways to Save on Homeopathic Care

I am now a practitioner of Healthways WholeHealth Networks. If your health insurance company is a member you can be referred to my practice and receive a discounted rate. A number of common insurance companies contract with Healthways. Here are just a few of the companies who were members as of August 1, 2009: Aetna, Anthem (CA, CO, MO, NV), Coverdell (National), Kaiser (CO), Microsoft, Principal, and Wellpoint In-Tune. Ask your insurance provider if they are a member of Healthways WholeHealth Networks or offer a CAM (Complimentary & Alternative Medicine) program today.

I offer a generous referral program for existing clients. Refer a friend or family member and receive your next follow-up visit for free. This a $95 value.

Ask your doctor if he/she supports homeopathy. I work with many doctors who are supportive of homeopathy. Occasionally they have referred their clients to my practice for homeopathic care.

Another way to save, some employers offer a Flexible Spending Account, for health services not covered by insurance plans. Often this benefit can be used for the reimbursement of Homeopathic services. Ask your employer. Find out more about Flexible Spending Accounts here.

Homeopathic Home Care for Insect Bites

Warm summer weather beckons us to bare our skin to the sun. However, our quest for a glowing tan can lead to bites from hungry mosquitoes, yellow jackets, spiders and other annoying insects. Fortunately, there are several homeopathic remedies that can help take the sting and itch out of summer.

Two remedies I recommend highly are Ledum palustre and Apis mellifica. Topical use of Calendula officinalis can also be helpful in many cases.

Ledum palustre, also known as wild rosemary or marsh tea, is especially useful for tick and spider bites. One way to tell if a bite or sting will benefit from Ledum is to try a cold application, like an ice pack, first. If the pain lessens after exposure to cold, the bite will usually improve even more if Ledum is taken. Ledum is also helpful in healing puncture wounds. The remedy should be taken at a potency of 30C every half-hour until you feel relief.

If you experience swelling, heat, and burning after a bug bite, Apis mellifica is a good remedy to try. Apis is made from the venom of a honey bee. Again, look for 30C potency and take every thirty minutes until symptoms are reduced.

Many homeopathic preparations to soothe bites, including ointments with Ledum, can be used topically. However, it's best to use topical preparations with caution. Alcohol and petroleum products found in many tinctures and lotions can irritate the skin. Look for lotions made with Calendula officinalis, or marigold, especially if they contain no alcohol or petroleum products.

You can also easily make your own Calendula rinse. Fill an 8-oz bottle half full with water, and add one pellet of Calendula in the potency 30X, 6C, or 12C. After making the rinse, you can use one capful in a basin of water and carefully apply it to the affected area. If you have been bitten all over, make a stronger rinse by dissolving five pellets in bath water.

A valuable home resource guide for first aid that I recommend to my clients is Homeopathic Self Care: The Quick & Easy Guide for the Whole Family by Robert Ullman, ND, and Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, ND. It's a great resource for identifying common first aid remedies and treatments for every-day ailments. You can find more information about the book on my website.

Homeopathic remedies, used as directed, are safe for everyone, from infants to elders. If none of the ones mentioned above work for you, consult a professional Homeopath who can guide you to thousands of other remedies. If you are already under the care of a Homeopath, please consult your practitioner before trying any remedy on your own.

Hering's Law of Cure*

Constantine Hering, M.D. (1800-1880) observed that healing occurs in a consistent pattern. He described this pattern in the form of three basic laws which Homeopaths can use to recognize that healing is occurring. This pattern has been recognized by acupuncturists for hundreds of years, and is also used by practitioners of herbalism and other healing disciplines.

• According to the first of Hering's laws, healing progresses from the deepest part of the organism - the mental and emotional levels and the vital organs - to the external parts, such as skin and extremities.

• Hering's second law states that, as healing progresses, symptoms appear and disappear in the reverse of their original chronological order of appearance. Homeopaths have consistently observed that their patients re-experience symptoms from past conditions.

• According to Hering's third law, healing progresses from the upper to the lower parts of the body. For instance, a person is considered to be on the mend if the arthritic pain in his neck has decreased although he now has pain in his finger joints.

As the symptoms change in accordance with Herring's Law, it is common for individual symptoms to become worse than they had been before treatment. If healing is truly in progress, the patient feels stronger and generally better in spite of the aggravation. Before long, the symptoms of the aggravation pass, and leave the person healthier on all levels.

Back to blog post, How Will I know If I Am Getting Better with Homeopathy?, here.

*From Homeopathy International.

How Will I Know If I Am Getting Better with Homeopathy?

I have often been asked the question, "How will I know if I am getting better with Homeopathy?"

Homeopathy is a system of healing that addresses the whole person. In an initial interview, a Homeopath carefully takes into account any complaints or symptoms a person has about his or her present health and well-being. The client's health history and life history are also discussed in detail.

After the initial interview, an assessment and work-up is completed. A work-up is more or less a summary sheet that lists a person's complaints, diseases, symptoms, and conditions. This summary sheet serves as a wellness baseline, which provides the majority of the information used in determining the best homeopathic remedy.

From these evaluations, a homeopath can select the best remedy or series of remedies to address the person's health issues. Sometimes additional remedies, herbs, or other supplemental support are recommended along with the primary remedy.

Homeopathy addresses the individual, and each response is individual. No two people will respond the same way. A Homeopath assesses progress by making observations, keeping good notes, and asking the right questions. From one appointment to the next, a Homeopath can track a person's response by noting which symptoms improve, worsen or stay the same, and if anything new appears. Over time, the Homeopath can compare notes from all the visits and track the changes on a graph.

Often, when I'm working with clients I'll ask about a past illness or complaint. My client frequently responds, "I don't have that." I can go back to my chart and report the date the complaint was described, in the client's own words. My clients always laugh, and are surprised that they forgot about some longstanding symptom or distress once it's disappeared.

In Homeopathy, healing is viewed as starting from the inside out, and top down. This is a simplified explanation of what a Homeopath refers to as "Hering's Law of Cure." Each person will respond in his or her own individual way. Evidence of deep healing can be seen in many ways, from improved sleep to a calmer disposition.

Give Homeopathy a try and feel better, naturally!

BEYOND FLAT EARTH MEDICINE: A Free E-BOOK on Homeopathy

BEYOND FLAT EARTH MEDICINE

By Tom Dooley, ND, MD

An easy-to-read book and one of the best introductions to Homeopathy available.

BEYOND FLAT EARTH MEDICINE explains:

• What is Homeopathy?


• How Homeopathy Differs from Other Modalities


• When To Use Homeopathy


• What to Expect


• How to Get Results


• And More...Download PDF here.

Natural Relief for Discomfort from Poison Oak and Poison Ivy

A client recently asked me for help for her child who had come down with a poison oak rash after a picnic. The rash already covered most of her arms and legs, and was extremely itchy. After a brief conversation, I was able to determine the correct homeopathic remedy, which she picked up at the local natural food store. The next morning the rash was well on its way to resolving.

What remedies work well for poison oak? Several remedies may be indicated. It all depends on the particular symptoms the person experiences. The three most likely remedies are Anacardium orientale, Croton tiglium, and Rhus toxicodendron. Topical use of Calendula officinalis is also helpful. These remedies are derived from plants.

Anacardium orientale is indicated when the rash is intensly itchy but feels better from washing with quite hot water. The symptoms include blistering, especially on the face, hands and fingers. The blisters ooze yellow fluid that turns crusty when it dries. The itch can be so severe that the person may want to scratch to the point of bleeding.

Croton tiglium may be useful if the skin is dry and hard, but also feels tight, with extreme itching. The rash is prominent on the face and genitals. Scratching is painful. Gentle rubbing of the rash makes it feel better, and bathing makes it feel worse. The skin rash sometimes is accompanied with gushing diarrhea.

Poison oak rash responds well to Rhus toxicodendron if there are water-filled blisters accompanied by terrible itching. Often the person is extremely restless, can't settle in a comfortable position and has stiffness of the joints. Symptoms worsen with cold bathing and improve with hot bathing. The person may desire cold milk.

Topical applications are not always advised: they can irritate the skin. Calendula lotion is best, especially if it contains no alcohol or petroleum products. It's easy to make your own Calendula rinse. Fill an 8-oz bottle half-full with water, and add one pellet of Calendula officinalis in the potency 30X, 6C, or 12C. You can use one capful from the bottle in a basin of water to carefully rinse the rash, or dissolve 5 pellets in plain bath water.

A gemmotherapy preparation called Gray Alder is effective in alleviating itch and healing the rash. Apply the gemmo directly to the affected area as often as needed until the rash is gone. Gray Alder Gemmo is all-natural, made from the buds of the Gray Alder tree (Alnus incana). Gemmotherapy preparations are available through practitioners certified in the study of Gemmotherapy.

A home resource guide for first aid that I recommend to my clients is Homeopathic Self Care: The Quick & Easy Guide for the Whole Family by Robert Ullman, ND, and Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, ND. This book is laid out for easy assessment between common remedies for first aid and every-day ailments. It is available from my website here.

With more than 4,000 remedies available, it's difficult to have all the remedies one might need at home. A good starter kit is the Boiron HomeoTravel Kit with 20 common remedies in the 30C potency. Click here to learn more.

If you are a homeopathy enthusiast, you may want to invest in the HomeoFamily Kit, a larger remedy kit by Boiron containing 150 common remedies in 30C potency. Both kits can be ordered from Myra's Virtual Dispensary here. From this link you can also download a list of all available items.

If you are looking for Calendula officinalis in the lower potencies, Gray Alder Gemmo, or have any other questions or concerns, please contact us.

Swine Flu, H1N1, All Flu, Protect Yourself

CDC H1N1 Flu Updates Direct Link.

Update Nov. 16, 2009: FTC Warns Internet Peddlers that Marketing Unproven H1N1 Flu Products May Be Illegal. View here.

Update Oct. 6, 2009: Fox News interviews doctor who warns Swine Flu Vaccines are more deadly than the flu itself. View here.

Update Sept. 20, 2009: Is the Swine Flu Vaccine Safe? Interview with Dr. Russell Blalock, retired neurosurgeon surgeon speaks the truth about vaccinations. Online video in 4 parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

Update Sept. 3, 2009: Is the Swine Flu Vaccine Safe? A leak reveals concern of neurologists over 25 deaths in America. The vaccine may be linked to a rare nerve disease. Read more here. Major exposé on flu vaccine by 60 Minutes — watch video here.

Update Aug. 13, 2009:Flu Drugs ‘Unhelpful’ in Children. Research has cast doubt on the policy of giving antiviral drugs to children for swine flu. Read more from Health Freedom Alliance here.

Update July 12, 2009: Executive Order 13295 of April 4, 2003 provides for the "apprehension, detention, or conditional release of individuals to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of suspected communicable diseases." This could mean mandatory quarantine if the flu shot is refused. View the Executive order here.

Update July 10, 2009: Children and Pregnant Women Targeted in U.S. Swine Flu Mass Vaccination Program. Why is the swine flu vaccine targeting those least likely to need it? The answer, of course, is that swine flu vaccines have nothing to do with public health and everything to do with generating billions of dollars in profits for Big Pharma. Read More.

Update June 23, 2009: A video message from the NVIC, Swine Flu Vaccine: Will We Have a Choice? View Here.

Update June 15, 2009: Some are wondering if Swine Flu is a hoax by large drug companies to sell vaccines. Read More.

Update June 11, 2009: The World Health Organization has declared the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus) to be Pandemic Level 6. What does that mean? Read More.

It is now more important than ever to understand what you can do to boost your immune system, stay as healthy as possible and protect yourself and your family. Home care tips are given later in this blog post.

Update May 16, 2009: As of Today 8451 cases of Swine Flu have been reported - over half of the cases (4751) are in the US! There have been 76 deaths total. Massachusetts declared marshal law giving the governor power to require mandatory vaccinations. The Istanbul International Airport is scanning passengers for the H1N1 virus with a thermal camera. Read More.

Update May 8, 2009: "This really isn't swine flu. It's H1N1 virus. We want to say to consumers here and abroad that there is no risk to you, there is no scientific evidence whatsoever that there is any link between consuming pork, prepared pork products, and the H1N1 virus," says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Update May 2, 2009 4:27p.m. PST. Please read entire article for updates. The World Health Organization has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.

Article: Homeopathy has had a great track record for flu epidemics in the past. For example in the great flu epidemic of 1918 those treated by homeopathic physicians had a mortality rate of 1.05% while the mortality rate of people treated with traditional drugs was 30% to 60%. Of the fifteen hundred cases reported at the Homeopathic Medical Society of the District of Columbia there were only fifteen deaths. Recoveries in the National Homeopathic Hospital were 100%. Dr. T. A. McCann, MD, Dayton, Ohio reported that of 1,000 cases of influenza in Ohio there were no deaths. It is now thought that the deaths that did occur were from a secondary streptococcal pneumonia infection that was not recognized at the time and not the flu. It is suspected that the infection was treated with aspirin which caused Rye Syndrome.

"Influenza" refers to many strains of viral illness that are more intense than a common cold, and typically include fever, muscle aching, headache, and fatigue. Some kinds of flu have cold-like symptoms with sore throat or respiratory involvement; others focus on the digestive tract, with diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. If a strain of flu with a characteristic set of symptoms is “going around,” a homeopathic remedy that matches them can often be used preventatively. When a person is ill, a homeopathic remedy should be chosen to match the specific symptoms. Homeopaths across the world are working together to try to determine the best remedy or set of remedies that most closely matches the symptoms of the current Swine Flu outbreak. I will keep you posted on the results via my eNewsletter. Symptoms of Swine Flu include rapid onset of high fever, coughing, fatigue and headache. It is thought that the Swine Flu is more virulent because it is uncommon and our immune systems have not had a chance to develop resistance.

Staying calm and being prepared are the two most important things you can do. Know how to boost your immune system, reduce risk, and how to take care of yourself should you become ill. If you think you have the Swine Flu, call your doctor.

THE BEST WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Fruits & Dark Green Leafy Vegetables: Eat fruits & plenty of dark green leafy vegetables. They have anti-oxidents to boost the immune system. Include garlic and onions in your daily diet.

Vitamin C: The recommended dose for healthy adults is at least 1000mg. Speak to your doctor if you have kidney disease before taking Vitamin C. It is important to increase your water intake when taking Vitamin C.

Echinacea angustifolia: Put 5 drops of the tincture in water, 3 times daily during infection, or 1 time daily for up to 2 weeks to help boost immune system, followed by a 1-2 week break.

Astragalus: is a medicinal herb that helps strengthen the immune system.

Ferrum Phosphoricum 6X: (Homeopathic Cell Salt) is excellent when you first feel the signs you are getting sick. Take 4 pellets in warm water every hour for the first 12 hours.

Get Enough Rest and Sleep: Nothing affects the immune system's performance more than sleep deprivation. Most adults require between 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night.

Manage Stress: Make sure you're getting enough down time. Exercise is a great way to reduce your stress. Yoga and meditation have been proven to reduce stress levels.

Hygiene: Simple hygienic practices such as washing your hands with hot soapy water, especially before eating or after using the bathroom, have been shown to reduce the spreading of infections.

Avoid Crowded Areas: If you are immuno-compromised or have small children, it's best to avoid crowded places when possible. Airplanes are notorious for spreading airborne infections.

Influenzinum 9C: At the moment, there is a general consensus among Homeopaths that the remedy Influenzinum potency 9C might be a useful prophylactic to avoid getting the flu. Only try this method if you have NOT had a flu shot. If you want to try this, take 25 pellets once a week for a total of 8 weeks.

Face Mask: Use HEPA Face Mask rated N95. Find out more.

SOME HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES USEFUL TO HAVE ON HAND IN THE EVENT YOU DO GET THE FLU

Aconitum napellus: A flu that comes on suddenly and intensely—with fever, anxiety, constricted pupils, and strong thirst—is likely to respond to this remedy. 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.

Arsenicum Alba: A person who needs this remedy during flu feels chilly and exhausted, along with an anxious restlessness. The person may be thirsty, but often only takes small sips. If the digestive system is involved, nausea with burning pain, or vomiting and acrid diarrhea may occur. If the flu is respiratory, a watery, runny nose with sneezing paroxysms and a dry or wheezing cough are often seen. The person’s head usually feels hot, while the rest of the body is chilly.

Belladonna: Sudden, intense symptoms — including fever, red face, hot skin, and extreme sensitivity to light and jarring — suggest a need for this remedy. The person may have a very red sore throat, a pounding headache, a nagging cough, or other throbbing and inflammatory symptoms. Despite high fever, the person’s hands and feet may feel cold, or chills and heat may alternate.

Bryonia: When a person is very grumpy and feels miserable with the flu, wanting only to lie still and be left alone, this remedy is likely to be useful. Headache, muscle aches, and cough or stomach pain may be the major symptoms. Everything feels worse from even the slightest motion. The person’s mouth usually is dry, with a thirst for long cold drinks.

Eupatorium perforliatum: Flu with deep pain occurring in the legs or back (“as if the bones would break”) often responds to this remedy. Pain may be felt in the eyeballs, with a heavy sensation in the head. Illness often begins with chills and thirst, followed by high fever. Chills may be felt in the back and legs, and the aching in the bones is worse from motion. The person feels “wiped out” and miserable.

Ferrum phosphoricum: This remedy may be helpful during flu with fever that can come on suddenly, headache, rosy cheeks, and a feeling of weariness. Sensitive eyes, a short hard cough, strong thirst, and vomiting after eating are other indications. This remedy is often helpful in early stages of flu or fever, even if symptoms are not especially clear.

SUGGESTED DOSAGE

• If you are already under the care of a Homeopath, call your homeopath before self-prescribing.


• Look for the remedy that most matches the symptoms you are having.


• Take only one remedy at a time.


• Use 30C potency for acute ailments.


• Take one pellet under the tongue every 15 minutes in the first hour.


• Take every 30 minutes in the second hour, and once an hour after that as needed.
  


• If you feel better STOP; the remedy has started to work. If you feel worse at any point, STOP and allow the remedy to work.


• In Homeopathy less is best. If there is no change or you feel worse throughout the day, choose the next remedy that most matches your symptoms. Call a Homeopath.


• The use of aspirin is not recommended.

The HomeoTravel Kit by Boiron has twenty Homeopathic Remedies of potency 30C and is a wonderful resource to have on hand. Find out more.

A complete Homeopathic Flu Kit is available from Washington Homeopathics here. It's best to work with a Homeopath when using this kit.

If you are at all concerned about your health call your health care professional.

MORE INFORMATION

• Flu Solutions has some of the most up to date information


• Homeopathy and the Treatment of Epidemic , a slide presentation


• Winter Cold & Flu Care , an article by Myra Nissen, & Margo Adams, Homeopathic Consultants


• VACCINE GUIDE: RISKS AND BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS by Randalll Neustaedter, OMS, LAc, CCH is an important book to help you understand the pros and cons about vaccination is . Available Here.
  


• Vaccinations? You Have a Choice, an article by Myra Nissen, & Margo Adams, Homeopathic Consultants


• California Department of Public Health
  Hot Line for Questions about H1N1 (Swine Flu) 888.865.0564.
  Available M-F from 7a.m. - 6p.m. & S-S from 8a.m. - 4p.m.
  


• Access to Current Information on the Current Swine Flu Outbreak
  


• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  


• Myra's Cold and Flu Care Special
  


• Sign up for my enewsletter

Relay for Life Benicia

Every year, the American Cancer Society Relay For Life^® unites communities across the country to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that takes too much.

On Saturday, May 30, 2009, the City of Benicia hosted its first Relay for Life. The event was held at Benicia High School on 1101 Military West.

I have joined the "Dream Dinners Team," which raises awareness about the important role of nutrition and healthy lifestyle in fighting disease. The Benicia Relay raised more than $11,500 and the Dream Dinners Team raised over $2,330.

You can still support our efforts to fight back against cancer by making a donation.

LEARN MORE>>

How Homeopathy Changed My Life

Like most health care practitioners, I was drawn to the field because of health problems. From early childhood, I was plagued by allergies and chronic sinus infections. When I went away to college, I was dependent on several prescription medications, and I was told that I always would be.

I wanted to become a cultural anthropologist, and I knew that I couldn’t live the life I dreamed of if I remained dependent on pharmaceuticals. I began seeking out alternative forms of healing. It took me a while to find homeopathy, but once I did I was amazed by the results. Within weeks of seeing a practitioner, I was off of most of my medications and on the road to vastly improved health.

Homeopathy also helped prolong my mother's life. After my father passed away, she was in very poor health, and not expected to live more than a year. I took her to see my homeopath, and within six months she was off almost all of her medications. She lived for another five years, in good enough health to move from assisted to independent living.

I earned my CHom from the Pacific Academy of Homeopathy, San Francisco, one of the most established homeopathic training programs in North America.

Homeopathy works for me – and I look forward to watching it work for you, too!

Travel Well with Homeopathy

Vacations are meant to be restorative, fun and relaxing. Why waste time dealing with motion sickness, jet lag, injuries or illness? Consider packing a homeopathic first aid kit before you hit the road!

How do you know which remedies are most important to bring? Boiron, a company which sells homeopathic remedies, makes it easy with this compact kit designed for travel. The kit includes 20 useful remedies for emergency situations that may occur while traveling or at home.

For example, Arsenicum is useful if you think you may have developed food poisoning. Arsenicum could be indicated for extreme restlessness with fears, burning pains, and severe abdominal cramping with nausea and vomiting.

Cocculus and Ipecacuanha are great remedies for motion sickness. Ipecacuanha is indicated in nausea that seems to have no relief, while Cocculus alleviates vertigo.

Arnica is a remedy to have with you at all times. A little Arnica can help with any trauma, from a fall to a more serious accident. It may also relieve jet lag when you feel tired and achy all over.

I can help you find specialized remedies for specific travel illnesses such as giardia, malaria, yellow fever. Homeopathic remedies, used as directed, are safe for everyone from infants to elders, and even pets.

For your convenience, I have added the HomeoTravel Kit to the Client Corner Virtual Dispensary at a savings of 25%.* To access the virtual dispensary and open an account, use the passcode, "better." Begin here.

The Boiron HomeoTravel Kit includes the following remedies in 30C Potency and a quick reference guide: Apis Mellificia, Arnica Montana, Arsenicum album, Belladonna, Bryonia alba, China officionalis, Cocculus indicus, Drosera rotundiflia, Ferrum phosphoricum, Gelseminum sempervirens, Hepar sulphruis, Hypericum perforatum, Ipecacuanha, Kali bichromicum, Magnesia phosphorica, Mercurius solubilis, Nux Vomica, Pullsatilla, Rhus toxicodendron, Spongia tosta.

*Boiron HomeoTravel Kit is regularly $97.

Hygeia: Goddess of Good Health

Hygeia, pronounced Hi-je'-a, is the Greek goddess of health. The root of her name, hugies or hygies, meaning healthy, is the origin of the English word hygiene. In Greek mythology there are at least twelve gods or goddesses for healing alone. Asclepius is the Greek god of medicine.

As a Homeopath, I look for six basic signs to assess the health of an individual. These signs are known as the Hygeia of Good Health.

1. ADAPTABILITY: Are you able to easily change, adjust, and adapt to your situation?

2. ENERGY: Do you have adequate energy for your needs? Too much or too little can be a problem.

3. MENTAL CLARITY: Are you in charge of your brain, or do your thoughts rule?

4. PHYSICAL EASE: Are you free from pain? What are the limitations of your use of your body?

5. EMOTIONAL STABILITY: What access to emotions do you have? Is it appropriate; not too great or too small?

6. SLEEP: Do you experience sleep that is restful and refreshing?

Ask yourself, how is your health?

Source for the definition of Hygeia: www.hygeia.com/goddess.html