Muscle weakness. It’s not a new topic. If you’ve been around for a few decades (okay, maybe more than just a few), you may remember Charles Atlas. His ubiquitous ads appeared in the back of all kinds of magazines, promising to teach a “97-pound weakling” how to achieve a “body that men respect and women admire” — all with just 15 minutes a day of exercise.
Sound too good to be true?
Yes, it does. But I suppose 15 minutes a day was better than nothing.
Muscle weakness: Many causes, many potential homeopathic medicines
Muscle weakness can stem from aging, insufficient exercise, a low-protein diet, lack of movement during a brief illness, or even more serious disease.
Believe it or not, there are at least 15 main remedies in the repertory for muscle weakness and atrophy. So, there are a lot of choices. I conducted a Monday Night Live on October 27, 2025, on muscle weakness. In it, I discuss several considerations for muscle weakness in specific situations.
However, today we’re not talking about muscle weakness that stems from a specific disease. To address muscle weakness due to a specific, serious disease, such as myasthenia gravis or some such, one would benefit from consulting a Practical Homeopath™.
Or, if maintaining complete autonomy in one’s health care is a priority, then pursuing the in-depth education offered by The Academy of Practical Homeopathy® should be a strong consideration.
(Our Class of 2027 is starting in less than two weeks. If you don’t want the opportunity to pass you by this year, then join my Founders’ List now to learn more about what The Academy offers, and I will invite you to my upcoming live Q&A over Zoom.)
Indeed, today, we’re talking about garden-variety muscle weakness that ensues during or after an extended illness or injury. You know what I’m talking about.
Muscle weakness: A homeopathic approach
If the weakness results from a temporary condition, such as being bedridden from a cold, flu or a bout with mononucleosis, homeopathy can nudge the body in the right direction. If one is feeling grand fatigue, muscle deficiency and just all-over “droopiness,” then Gelsemium sempervirens 30C, twice daily, for a few days until very much better, would be a primary consideration.
However, as you know, we don’t use homeopathic medicines as supplements. They’re not vitamins or food additives that we go on — and stay on — willy-nilly. Oh, nay, nay.
My friends, I can’t say this enough: Homeopathy is medicine. We use it only when experiencing a pathology. When the pathology is very much better or resolves completely, we halt the medicine. The body can take over from there.
Of course, if the pathology recurs, we can restart the medicine until such time that the condition is no longer uppermost in our minds.
So, just a few days to a week of Gelsemium 30, twice daily, has often been shown to right the ship.
Muscle weakness: Part 2 of the 2-tiered approach
As beneficial as homeopathy is in most situations, I want to be careful not to give the impression that a remedy will outplay a lifestyle that is not focused on staying active or a lifestyle where animal protein is minimal.
We must remember that we are also responsible for living a life in which we don't allow our bodies to slow us down.
Some people say that if your legs start getting weak, that’s when you know you’re really aging because once you lose the muscular strength in your legs, you’ve lost independence. That's how people end up with broken hips or in wheelchairs, and the cascade of decline begins.
And don’t tell me you’re young and don’t need to worry about this. There are plenty — alarmingly plenty — of young people who are leading sedentary lifestyles. They’ll face this unnecessary milestone even sooner than they think.
Consequently, let me emphasize: This is often a lifestyle choice. Gelsemium isn't going to outweigh a poor lifestyle choice.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the farthest parking spot in the lot instead of right by the door.
Do what my lovingly over-protective sons have suggested that I do: I now have two one-gallon jugs at the top of my stairs. Every time I go down, I lift them up and carry them down the stairs. I don't let them hang. I carry them firmly so that I'm building some arm muscles, too. Then, I come back up the stairs with them.
(Never satisfied, my sons advised me to do this twice, even though I'm only going downstairs once. I should come back up again once and then do it a second time to build muscle.)
Meanwhile, especially when faced with fatigue and weakness from illness, Gelsemium will support the body as you work to help it rebuild physically. After all, our bodies were built to heal and return to homeostasis.
I’ll share a personal example of an unexpected muscle issue and another remedy to consider in this week’s upcoming Memo to Mighty Members, where I can speak a little more candidly.
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Pass on the good news of Practical Homeopathy®!
Warmly,
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Homeopathy has been a great way to heal naturally. No side effects! I have learned so much and suggest the remedies to people I know, family and clients. Very thankful for sharing such valable information. Together to stand divided we fall…this was a saying my friend back in 1955 bonded with…
With my personal experience and I trust Homoeopathic treatment, I live happily and healthy at the age of 84. For me age is just the number but Homoeopathic remedies keep me as healthy and as young of 18 or 20.
Thank you, Joette 🫶🏻
Love 💕 Narendra.
You go, Narendra!
Hi Joette, Thank you for this 2-tiered approach. I love it! I am so often amazed at how people miss so many terrific opportunities to get exercise without the hassle of gyms or other special effort. Taking the stairs, keeping a clean and tidy home, etc. I suffered a fall a couple of years ago, shattered my elbow and had to have surgery to replace my radial head. All went well and I got full range of motion and use after some PT. But lately it seems arthritis has set into my forearm. I’ve tried Rhus Tox but it’s not seeming to get to it. The arm feels weak which I wish I could overcome b/c I love to play tennis. Any other thoughts?
There are of course many other rems we can consider for arthritis. Search Joette Calabrese Weak muscles and you’ll likely find what you’re looking for.