It’s Coming! Meet Cold and Flu Season Head-On With Practical Homeopathy®

Death, taxes, and cold and flu season — those are the “inevitables,” right?

My friends, you may find this hard to believe, but I don’t fear cold and flu season. If I feel a respiratory condition coming on (especially if it comes on hard and fast), I turn to the Banerji Protocol® of Aconitum napellus 200 mixed with Bryonia alba 30. That usually stops the illness in its tracks. (I’ve written about this previously in The Alphabet Soup of Viruses. Now, It’s RSV.)

If it becomes apparent that the malady is a developing flu, many people have achieved a shorter downtime by utilizing Oscillococcinum® from Boiron.

When A respiratory condition becomes more serious

However, if a respiratory condition moves past mere congestion and into a respiratory infection, such as pneumonia or bronchitis, then there are other homeopathic medicines to consider.

When I rebooted my podcasts back in March of this year with Podcast 117 — Let’s Catch Up and Learn About Quebracho, my first discussion was on one such medicine. Since then, I’ve received notes from my Mighty Members requesting that I teach other medicines that may fit the bill.

Today, I have two more homeopathic medicines to add to your cold and flu arsenal, along with Aconite/Bryonia, Oscillo and Quebracho.

Lachesis mutus

My first go-to would be Lachesis mutus 30, as often as every four hours on the first day and tapering off of that frequency to about twice a day until improvement is observed.

Let's look Lachesis up in a materia medica (a reference book containing all of the homeopathic medicines along with their keynotes and the symptoms they have historically addressed). We find that it is one of the premier remedies for dyspnea (shortness of breath), asthma (especially when worse during sleep or upon awakening), bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema.

The individual who may benefit from Lachesis feels a sense of suffocation … like they can’t breathe.

It's also particularly useful for women in menopause or who have been hormonally burdened by birth control or have difficult menses. However, that does not mean it can’t be used for men and children. It’s a viable choice for them as well.

Lachesis is also associated with folks who may have strong, intense emotions. They may lash out, be mean-spirited or loquacious.

Another keynote of Lachesis is being worse on the left side … perhaps worse from lying on the left side or feeling more discomfort in the left lung. There can also be angina or palpitations.

Naja tripudians

But as you know, with homeopathy, there is often more than one way to knit a sweater. Let’s look at a second consideration: Naja tripudians 30. This medicine would also generally be employed every four hours on the first day, tapering off to about twice a day until improvement is observed.

Naja is similar to Lachesis in that it shares many of the same keynotes and conditions. One difference is that individuals who might benefit from Naja are not overly emotional. However, as with Lachesis, they may experience that same sense of suffocation.
 

So, how does one choose?

Perhaps these two medicines have such similarities because they are both homeopathically manufactured from different snakes (Lachesis from the bushmaster pit viper and Naja from the cobra). But not to worry! I wrote about this extensively in Ooooh, I Love Toxic Substances! (When They’re So Diluted They Become Medicines).

These two medicines seem to be utilized cyclically. In my practice, I have used Lachesis for years with excellent, reproducible results. Yet, during the global health issue of 2020 (you know what I mean), Naja performed much better. Some years, it’s Lachesis, and some years, it’s Naja.

Generally — and this is a big generalization — I often start with the remedy that is more commonly utilized (in this case, Lachesis). If I observe no shift within a day or so, then I consider pivoting. I might turn to Naja, or I might pivot to something that is indicated by fresh symptoms that have come to the surface since beginning the medicine.

When no protocol exists, there is no substitute for reading up on each medicine in your materia medica. Keep in mind, however, that not ALL symptoms or keynotes listed must appear in one sufferer before choosing the medicine.

For example, even though both of these medicines are considered “left-sided,” that does not mean that if the right side is affected, these medicines should not be considered. A left-sided involvement would simply serve as a confirmatory symptom but not an exclusionary one.

Another example: An asthmatic individual may not present with intense emotions, yet Lachesis could still be their remedy.

This distinction is a real teaching moment. So, I will elaborate more fully on this important concept in my next Memo to Mighty Members.

Meanwhile, arm your well-curated homeopathy kit with both of these medicines for the upcoming cold and flu season. It's better to have them and not need them than to desperately need them and have to wait for an order to arrive in the mail.

Preparation is key!

Pass on the good news of Practical Homeopathy®!

Warmly,

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*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.