Everyone who is passionate about homeopathy endeavors to remember the keynotes of the most utilized homeopathic remedies for common conditions, so they are ready to leap into action when illness or injury strikes.
After all, emergencies don’t make reservations. No one needs to be leafing through a 2,600-page repertory when their child is sick and crying.
In Podcast 162 — Never Forget Remedies With Stories, I discussed how meaningful stories can help with remembering remedies. An impactful, successful story of healing — especially a personal one you’ve witnessed — can sear the medicine and its keynotes into your memory forever.
As another way to remember the remedies, my Mighties Plus members use flashcards that my team and I create for them each month. It’s the same technique that I used when I was learning homeopathy. Granted, I carried little cards around in my apron pocket, and now we’re using modern internet technology, but the principle remains the same. It works.
However, no matter how well you know your remedies or how many of them you have diligently collected for your home inventory, no homeopathic medicine will work unless you actually use it.
Yet, sometimes, in this busy world of ours, we can forget to take our homeopathic medicines. As powerful as these medicines are, merely walking by them on the counter won’t amount to a hill of beans in healing.
5 Ways to Remember to Take the Remedies
1. Duplicates: Own more than one tube of the medicine.
For example, if someone needs to take a remedy three times a day, it would behoove them to own three tubes of those remedies.
They might keep one tube of the remedy by the bed (for the first thing in the morning), one at their desk (because they're at their desk in the middle of the day), and another one right by the salt and pepper shakers on the dinner table (to remind them to take it after dinner).
(Of course, if they only need to take the remedy twice a day, they’d eliminate that midday tube.)
Visual cues help trigger memory. If one sees the medicine, one is more likely to take the medicine.
Ladies, keep your needed remedies in your purse. If there’s one thing we ladies always know, it’s where our purses are. Am I right?
If you’re in the middle of the grocery store and realize you forgot to take your morning dose of a homeopathic medicine, you can take immediate action. There it is, right in your purse. Pop it in your mouth and go on with your day.
Men, you’ve got pockets! These tiny remedy tubes hardly take up any room at all.
Alternatively, leave a tube of the required homeopathic in your car. That way, you’ll always have it nearby, should you forget.
There’s also a way to turn taking the remedy in the car into part of your routine. For instance, you know that first traffic light that always catches you on your drive to work? Okay, while you’re stopped, take the remedy.
It will become like muscle memory. Now, you won't have to worry about remembering to take it before you leave the house when you’re in a big hurry. You can accomplish that mission while you’re sitting in the car anyway.
Does heat harm homeopathic medicines?
Now, before you fill up the comment section with worries about excessive heat in the car, let me tell you this: I don’t hesitate to leave my medicines in the car. Yes, I learned differently decades ago in homeopathy school. I was taught that heat could adversely affect the efficacy of the medicines.
Then I went to India.
It’s hot everywhere in India, and fewer than 20% of households have air conditioning. Do their homeopathic medicines still work?
You betcha!
My experience in India taught me that these homeopathics are hardier in hot conditions than they are often given credit for.
I also proved it myself when my son’s tube of Arnica (a staple in his ski jacket pocket in case of on-slope injuries to himself or his brothers) accidentally went through both the washer and the hot dryer.
Silly me, I thought the ca-chunk I heard was just the jacket zipper clanking around, but no. It was a tube of Arnica that emerged, its label half-washed away. As an experiment, the next time we needed Arnica, we used that specific tube. Lo and behold, it was still active. The heat didn’t affect it at all.
Indeed, these are Mighty little pills! Even if it’s warm, keeping them in your car won’t be as great a disservice to your condition as not taking them at all because you don’t have them handy.
3. Schedule a smartphone reminder alarm.
For better or worse, our phones are a ubiquitous accessory. Many of my students report success in remembering to take their remedies by simply setting reminder alarms on their phones. You may feel like one of Pavlov's dogs, but it works.
4. Stack your tasks.
Another way to remember to take the remedies is to link them to other habitual tasks.
So, when I brush my hair, I take my remedy. When I do my leg exercises, I take my remedy. When I make the bed, I grab that remedy from my bedside table and pop it in my mouth. When I walk the dog, there's the remedy sitting right there next to his leash.
That’s “stacking.” It’s simply coordinating two activities to occur simultaneously. You can customize this approach with whatever you do as a matter of course in the morning or evening.
5. Assign the task of remembering to someone else.
The first year I was in India, I recall that Dr. Prasanta had a skin infection. Because his busy days were filled to the brim with caring for others, he assigned one of his employees to come to his chambers at a specific time to deliver the required homeopathic medicine.
If you don't have employees, consider your child. We want our children to be a part of this knowledge. Imagine saying to your preteen, “It’s your job to bring the medicine into daddy's library or office.” “Your job is to give the medicine to your little sister.”
Now you're teaching them responsibility, orderliness, commitment, and good habits. At the same time, they’ll develop a commitment to their family member.
I can hear them now, as they say with pride, “I take care of my family. I do. All by myself.” (Of course, you’ll be monitoring their performance.)
Another person who would be perfect in this role is the grandmother.
I recently met a grandmother who homeschools her three grandkids in her home every day. So, she would be a perfect candidate. Distributing homeopathic medicine according to a preset schedule would be a small way for Grandma to remain relevant in the family’s daily function. Additionally, it would help keep the grandmother's brain sharp. (And aren’t we always looking for a way to keep our brains active as we age?)
One caveat:
More often than not, when I begin forgetting to take my chosen remedies, it’s because my condition has resolved to the point that it’s no longer uppermost in my mind. That’s what we would call “very much better,” my friends.
If the condition isn’t raging enough to spur you to remember the medicine, perhaps the medicine has already done its good work.
But if you’re dealing with just garden-variety forgetfulness, then hopefully, one of the hacks will be just the ticket for staying with your schedule until you, too, are very much better.
If you enjoy this content, please share it. Also check out my podcasts, Monday Night Lives, and connect with me on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, and pass on the good news of Practical Homeopathy®!
Warmly,
P.S. New to homeopathy? Used it before with marginal results? Well, thousands of dedicated students have already taken advantage of my Gateway to Practical Homeopathy® I: A Guided Study Group Curriculum.
This study guide takes you by the hand, allowing you to learn my specific brand of Practical Homeopathy® in a supportive environment surrounded by other like-minded students.
If you’ve already studied Gateway I, don’t stop there. Continue your education! There is so much more to learn in the second part of the series, Gateway to Practical Homeopathy® II.
Continue with your previous study group or start a new one! Either way, you and your family will benefit from your increased competence and confidence.
Thank you so much for all that you do for spreading awareness of homeopathy.
Sadly, more than once, I have had the lids on the Boiron tubes come off AND spill pillules all over the pocket in my purse and it was more than one at the same time. Had to throw them all away. I started putting the tubes into a small ziplock bag, still had some come off and spill out. I do not understand how they escape their tubes. Makes me leery of carrying in my purse.
Try using the spilled remedy. They are often still capable.
I use an app called “MyTherapy” available in the App Store. You have to input the names of your remedies, but it has been invaluable for scheduling dosing. You can set alarms, various dosing schedules, even refills if necessary. Great tool.
I take my 1st remedy when my alarm comes on to wake me. I keep my daily remedies in hard zipper cases so after taking my first remedy I take my zippered cases in the bathroom and watch the clock to take the 2nd and 3rd remedies. Then when I go to our office room to pray with my husband I take my 4th remedy and my husband opens his hard zippered cases of his remedies and he takes his remedy. Wealth have our own daily remedy cases that we take with us wherever we go and when done we both put them on the end tables in the living room so they are ready for us to take in the evening . When we go to bed our cases go back to the bedroom so we have them on our nightstand for the next day.
I keep mine in 1 of 3 places: 1. On the shelf by my bed… each remedy is spaced a certain amount and placed a certain way (when I’m taking more than just a few). I know the order and can tell by feel which one to grab in the middle of the night. 2. On my table with my keyboard. 3. In my pockets.
Most of the time, by my bed and in my pockets are enough. Certain remedies on certain sides – i.e. the ones I HAVE to take are in one pocket, the ones I keep “just in case” are in the other pocket. I don’t carry a purse (just my wallet and phone in my back pockets) so this works perfectly for me.
I DO use alarms – sometimes – and I also have a couple of woman that I text daily for accountability (getting stuff done in my life) and any remedies that aren’t taken daily are on there to help me keep track.
Dear Joette, i am your fan!
What about radiation from mobiles, microwawes etc? Can se left our remedies anywhere without aluminum foil?
I don’t believe microwaves, etc interfere with the ability of our medicines.
I finally found a system that works great for me after a long time of not being able to stick with longer-term remedy schedules. I’m on several that are 2x day, every other day, every 3 days, and once a week. I leave them all on the bathroom counter and use one of those weekly pill containers that I just leave all the compartments open. The remedies that are 2x day, I leave out separate and take first thing when I’m in the bathroom in the morning and then when I see them in the evening. I don’t worry about the exact time. The other remedies that are less frequent than 2x day, I leave standing up in their respective “day of the week” compartment. I take those ones in the late afternoon or evening along with the others. As soon as I dose a remedy from the pill container, I then place it in the next day that it goes. Ex- If I take Pulsatilla on Monday, then I put it back in the space for Thursday because it’s e3D.
I just remember the frequency for each one, but they could also be labelled on the top with a sticker as “e3D, eoD, 1W” etc… The container I use has the days marked on the side, so I can see even with the compartments open, and there’s enough space in each day to hole about 3 vials, so it works even when they end up on the same days.
This keeps me from losing track when taking multiples for chronics…so easy!
I’m trying to picture what your containers look like, but I can’t! I need a picture, lol!
I’m a spreadsheet gal. I make a key and schedule with colors for each remedy. Fx if a remedy is 3d, there are three cells of that color. I check off as I take them, often writing the time I take them or a loved one takes them, and set my phone for several minutes later for the next remedy if that is the schedule. If I am going on errands and need to take remedies with me, I take those remedies in the car and email or text myself with the time I take them. The benefit I have found is I have a tangible record of that protocol for that person in their file to reference later if need be.
While AI often interferes in our lives, this is a time that it shines! I asked Chat GPT to make me a remedy calendar reminding me to take the ‘itchy skin’ protocol (Ant. Crude + Ars. Alb, 2D, Calc Carb, eOd, Bov, e3d etc… and it made me a calendar with check boxes for 13 weeks. Now, I just look at my calendar and I know exactly what to take!
While AI often interferes in our lives, this is a time that it shines! I asked Chat GPT to make me a remedy calendar reminding me to take the ‘itchy skin’ protocol (Ant. Crude + Ars. Alb, 2D, Calc Carb, eOd, Bov, e3d etc… and it made me a calendar with check boxes for 13 weeks. Now, I just look at my printed calendar and I know exactly what to take!
brilliant
I made a calendar and each day has what Rx to take.
I keep it by my bedside with a pen and cross off as I take.
Another thing I do if I am away or forget to take the paper is I have my tubes standing UP. Once I take the Rx I lay it down. Once all are laying down I stand them back up for the next day.
you are sure right about heat/hardiness of these little potions. i got very suspicious years ago when some homeopathic lab assistant told me that as the remedies were being used in australia (assuming it was hot here which half the country isn’t!) then it will need more alcohol. when becoming a raw foodie back in 2008 alcohol became a toxic word so i aint gonna put that stuff in my homeo! and i noticed some indian brands are 60% alc!! they must use it for christmas pudding flambe in the festive season ;D. anyways, i’m currently taking all my remedies (1500 of the little blighters) to indonesia with me (no one seems to know about homeopathy in these parts). even the ones i bought in 2017 from a local homeopath who made up her own, without alcohol. she told me years ago that they work just as well 5 years on. mine are still working just as well 9 years on. however, i’m very careful about hygiene and cleanliness and i’m imagining margaret, the remedy-maker also was. unsure about india!! ;D