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Ouch! I Got Stung!

What to do when confronted with a bee sting?

Turn to Ledum  & Apis*-these are premier bee sting remedies. If there’s coldness to the site, but ironically, the stung area feels better with cold, look to Ledum 30. The protocol is to give one dose, every 1-2 hours, until improvement or for up to 3 days.

Apis, on the other hand, is perfect for stung areas that are warm to the touch, burning, red and swollen.  The swelling might also be edematous and remote.  That is, if the sing is on the foot, the ears may swell. Try 1 dose every 1-2 hours, until improvement or for up to 3 days.

You may also administer two cell salts: Ferr phos 6x and Kali mur 6x, every 1- 2 hours, until improvement. Use these on alternating hours from Ledum or Apis.

Remember, if the reaction is severe or if there is anaphylaxis, seek medical care immediately. Along the way, administer the appropriate remedy.  Generally, Apis in a high potency is best suited for allergic reactions.

*Pregnant women in the first trimester should not take Apis repeatedly.


Natural Treatment of Burns with Homeopathy

Homeopathy can be of good aid when burns are at hand.  The best way is to have a homeopathy kit on hand so that instant assistance can be achieved. External sprays, gels or drips, as well as internal methods, will be useful and will all work in tandem. Take the oral remedy every 2-4 hours and stop whenever there is improvement. External application should be reapplied as needed to keep the area moist and protected.

On a nutritional note, the daily intake of cod liver oil that supports the skin with vitamins A, D and E is very helpful.  Instead of buying synthetic forms of these vitamins, it is more valuable and economical to take this time-tested supplement.  Begin taking cod liver oil internally after any burn and continue as a daily fare.

For first-degree burns, including sunburn, Calendula salve or lotion will be useful in reducing pain and swelling.  For this kind of burn, Urtica urens 30, taken internally, will aid in the pain and aid in the overall countenance of the sufferer. Take it every 3-4 hours or until relief is obtained, then stop.

Second-degree burns should be met with the same as above, but if there is not enough relief, then consider taking Cantharis 30.  It, too, should be taken every few hours and stopped when relief ensues.

Third-degree burns should not be addressed with anything topical until after the healing process has been well underway for some time.   It would be prudent to leave the sprays and ointments until after your healthcare provider has given the OK.  Internally, the best choice for pain and the “shocky” feeling is Cantharis 30.  It should be used every three hours or so or until relief is at hand.  If there is no improvement, consider working with a homeopathic consultant. Meanwhile, medical care is paramount.

Electrical burns can be greatly aided by the use of Phosphorus 30 taken internally in the same fashion as above.

All homeopathic remedies are gentle and have been regulated by the FDA since its inception in the 1940s.  Unlike modern drugs, never has a homeopathic medication been removed from the market by the FDA. What methods of medicine can boast such a record? Homeopathy has the ability to grant us more personal empowerment and responsibility via an elegantly simple method of healthcare.  It has been practiced for nearly two centuries and has withstood the relentless test of time and the vicissitudes of many attacks because it works.  There is a timeless quality to real truths.

Homeopathy is the medicine for busy lives. There is nothing like the ability to take care of ourselves and our family with confidence and information that we can rely on. Homeopathy delivers that. It is inexpensive, gentle and most importantly, it works. Make it the mainstay of your first aid kit.

“Health is not random,” says homeopath, author and mother, Joette Calabrese HMC, CCH. Her book Cure Yourself and Family With Homeopathy and her CDs “Perform in the Storm, a Homeopathy First Aid” and “Secret Spoonfuls; How to get Healthy Foods into Kids Without Getting Caught” are collections of experiences as a skilled homeopathic consultant and mother. Her lively, entertaining examples and solutions of what to use for the most common ailments a homeopath is confronted with, have graced national journals such as Homeopathy Today and Wise Traditions. The author, practitioner, and mother splits her time between working with clients throughout the U.S. and abroad and speaking in arenas such as Chautauqua Institute, national radio shows and college campuses. Join her at  www.homeopathyworks.net for events, forums and consultations.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice.  The reader is encouraged to make independent inquiries and to seek the advice of a licensed healthcare provider.


Thanksgiving Relief

If you eat or drink too much… and feel unwell from it….here are my top 3 picks for quick comfort:

• Nux vomica 30 from your homeopathy kit, every 2 hours up to 4 doses

OR

• Nat phos 6x from your cell salt kit, every 30 minutes or so until improved
OR

• If you don’t own a homeopathy kit, then 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda plus lemon juice of ¼ lemon in 4 ounces of cool water. Drink it down as the mixture fizzes.

Mangia!

May you have a happy, restful and meaningful Thanksgiving, Joette


Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz

After the extravagances of past decades, we’re finally seeing a shift in thinking with regard to the use of medications. Yes, I know, every other commercial is a company pushing their newest drug. Yet, in spite of this, there is a ground swelling of those who remember life without drugs and recall a healthier world.

Take antacids for example. If we followed the TV ads we see, the magazine and newspaper ads we read, we'd be ingesting these nostrums daily. If indeed they must be ingested day after day, isn’t that cause for questioning the value of these products in the first place?

I say, it is time we consider another method. One of intelligence, efficacy, of time-tested value and purity … that is, of course, homeopathy. Why? Because it doesn’t cover up the problem, it squarely addresses it.

Homeopathy is founded on a firm rock. Its laws and principles are irrefutable, being proven in tests and clinically in hospitals, clinics, nurseries and veterinary offices throughout the world for over 200 years.

So, does homeopathy offer an antacid for the relief of overeating and drinking? You bet! Let’s examine some of homeopathy’s two best-known remedies and how to use them for a little too much at Thanksgiving or an excess of holiday cheer.

Natrum phos 6X is homeopathy’s king of antacids. Tuck a small bottle of it in your purse, diaper bag or glove compartment. Then, any time indigestion hits, toss 3-4 pills directly in the mouth. If no relief is afforded within 15 minutes or so, continue taking in the same manner. In most cases, the indigestion will be resolved within short order. Curiously and as a welcome old friend, the next episode of indigestion will often not be as severe, not last as long and will be fended off for a longer period of time. Further, the cost of these little pills is under $20 and they pack neither side effects nor additives.

Nux vomica 30X is also a remedy one can count on to be efficient and powerful, yet gentle for the relief of reflux. It is used when we have overdone a good thing…too much dip, too many drinks on New Year's Day, too much candy on Halloween. It will antidote the symptoms of heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even irritability, as long as this cluster of symptoms matches.

Even a hangover is a thing of the past with the correct use of Nux vomica. Taken every few hours, it will offer not only relief but do so without side effects. Often the person suffering from indigestion who will benefit from Nux vomica 30X also complains of wakefulness, usually around 3:00 a.m., with the thoughts of the day dancing around in his or her head.

The materia medica of homeopathy has thousands of remedies that have been used since the late 1700s. They are as consistent today as they were when the homeopathic doctors used them then. Homeopathy is not capricious; it doesn’t declare that the latest drug is “the” solution only to have it pushed to the back of the pharmacy shelf within months or years in lieu of the newest hottest catholicon. Better yet; no homeopathic remedy has ever been withdrawn from the market due to subsequent illness that it has caused.

So when you’ve eaten too much turkey or had more than your share of wine consider homeopathy. It may not only relieve your heartburn, but also the irritability that comes from having to withstand the parade of irksome drug commercials during the football game!

I have written more in my latest Ezine. Take a look here is the link to my website where you will find my latest Ezine as well an archive of past ones. Enjoy! http://homeopathyworks.net/newsletters.cfm


Gingivitis Treat it Naturally With Homeopathy

I love those “itis” diseases. You know, the ones that place “itis” after the noun that determines the location of the disease. Since itis means “inflammation of,” it's easy to determine the disease. Tendonitis = inflammation of the tendons. Tonsillitis = inflammation of the tonsils. Hence, gingivitis = inflammation of the gingiva. By breaking down the word into its components, it not only gives us information, but comfort in knowing that the disease is often not as serious as it sounds.

So it is with gingivitis. Generally, it is not a disease of severity in our world today. There are, however, varying degrees of severity. If it's a mild case, then herbs can be curative.

One of the easiest ways to treat gingivitis is with Myrrh. Yes, the gift given by the king at Jesus' birth. That in itself has value in my book. Another important ingredient is Propolis, which is found in honey. Both are available in high-quality toothpaste purchased from a reputable health food store. Having said this, in my estimation, it's always better to make whatever you can at home. (No hidden ingredients for the sake of shelf life or economy.) If you choose this path, both of these herbs can be purchased in tincture form, again from a health food store. Place 10 drops of each in a glass of water, then swish in the mouth 2-3 times per day, more often if the problem is severe.

So, local measures of treatment are important. However, if the gingivitis is of an ulcerative nature with severe erosion and halitosis, the problem needs to be approached with a greater degree of person-specific treatment. Homeopathic remedies have repeated success in treating this bacterial infection without antibiotics. Let's see what is available.

The key homeopathic remedy for gingivitis is Mercurius sol 30. This is of particular value when the tongue is heavily coated. It should be taken thrice daily for one week. Then one week off and then resumed again the following week. Alternate weeks on and off until results are complete, but no longer than over a period of 2 months. If the tongue isn't coated, then use Nitricum acidum 30 thrice daily in the same fashion.

If improvement is noted but is not complete, it is best to contact a homeopath for an in-person or phone appointment. Homeopathy has the ability to address even the most severe cases of mouth disease. It is safe, gentle, effective and carries no side effects. The next time your mouth speaks of illness, consider homeopathy; the world-accepted medicine worth spreading the word about.

“Health is not random,” says homeopath, Joette Calabrese HMC, CCH. Her book Cure Yourself and Family With Homeopathy and her CDs Perform in the Storm, a Homeopathy First Aid and Secret Spoonfuls; How to get Healthy Foods into Kids Without Getting Caught are collections of experiences as a skilled homeopathic consultant to hundreds.

Her lively, entertaining examples and solutions of what to use for the most common ailments a homeopath is confronted with, have graced national journals such as Homeopathy Today and Wise Traditions. The author, practitioner, and mother splits her time between working with clients throughout the U.S. and abroad and speaking in arenas such as Chautauqua Institute, national radio shows and college campuses. Join her at Homeopathy Works for events, forums and consultations.

‘WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEBSITE? Feel free, as long as you include this entire blurb with it: “Classical homeopathic practitioner and mother, Joette Calabrese HMC, CCH, teaches women around the world how to take care of their families’ health so that the business of wellness is in their hands. Get her FREE monthly articles and advice at Homeopathyworks.net and click on “newsletter” and download the most recent.

 


Psychiatric Skin

Marley MacAfee has doe eyes and a temperament to be reckoned with. Some might politely say she’s spirited. But may I be frank? Marley has been known to have violent tantrums and can be a destructive drama queen. We’re not talking about little anger fits, we’re referring to slash-and-burn behavior—the kind of rage that would be grounds for neighbors to call the police. And Marley’s only twelve!

But as her parents hasten to say, she wasn’t always this way. Her mom can’t help but turn this over and over in her mind as to what happened to her little girl. Indeed, she always had a temper, but the rage had lately become pathological. And, as if that weren’t enough, Marley began experiencing despair during which she would hole up in her room for days.

Let’s examine the timeline in Marley’s life that led to her emotional illness. One clue is that around the time Marley became ardently aware of her appearance, things shifted in her conduct. She was embarrassed by her skin because she had always been plagued with eczema. Her mom thought that perhaps Marley was the target of ridicule at school because of her often disfigured skin. Yet, even that hypothesis didn’t fit snugly because Marley seemed to have a lot of friends… up until she started her enraged hysterics. No one seemed safe from Marley’s venomous temper.

And so because of all this, in spite of Mrs. MacAfee’s natural health standards, she took Marley to a dermatologist. Predictably, he prescribed steroid cream. The MacAfees had avoided such resorts because they knew of the reputed long term effects. But within short order after consenting to the cream, Marley’s skin was clear for the first time in her short life. A temporary sense of relief visited the MacAfee household.

However, instead of being satisfied with this improvement, shortly after the skin fix Marley began to exhibit fierce fits of anger. Her parents chalked it up to her burgeoning hormones yet it didn’t matter what time of the month it was. . . Marley was increasingly more demanding, fractious and recalcitrant.

One afternoon Marley’s aunt witnessed a disturbing incident at school. There to take her niece shopping for new shoes, she found Marley screaming at the top of her lungs while biting, kicking and spitting at a small group of younger children. She hated to report what she saw but knew it was important for Marley’s mom to know. And then she hung her head and sadly added, “She’s not right; she ought to see a psychiatrist.” Humiliated and troubled, Marley’s mom had to agree with the assessment but hesitated, since, “All they do is hand out more drugs.”

So, it was only out of desperation and her persevering temperament that Mrs. MacAfee began to read the medical books that her grandfather, a homeopathic physician from England, had left in his library. The revered old books presented a kind of reasoning that no one else offered. One elegant, leather-bound tome contained a chapter on behavior in which two sentences rang like heralding bells of truth. The first read: “Removal of local symptoms results in a heightening of the whole disease.” The second: “Almost all mental and emotional diseases are one-sided diseases in which the somatic symptoms have diminished and the mental and emotional symptoms have heightened.”

What?! She scrutinized the passages again and again, pulling each word apart. The dermatologist had said Marley’s skin was cured; in other words, the skin appeared improved, but according to this medical text, the illness was driven to a deeper state. Were Marley’s skin eruptions removed only to be replaced by a deepening of this vile conduct? Could that be the reason for the behavioral problems? Mrs. MacAfee’s next thought was, “My God! What have we done?”

She had known that all drugs carry side effects, but to think that this could happen to her daughter and, as Dr. Hahnemann stated in his books, that it was predictable, was an astounding epiphany. If indeed the drug had driven the illness to a deeper state, then it would make sense to halt its use immediately. As she read on, Hahnemann elaborated, “Homeopathic treatments can produce rapid and striking results in cases of mental and emotional disease.” “That’s it!” she declared, “I’m going to contact that homeopath mom uses on the East Coast.”

The phone appointment went just as Marley’s mom had hoped. Since Marley was already off the steroids by this time, they had a clean slate to work with. The homeopath reiterated what Dr. Hahnemann had written in his ground-breaking treatise on homeopathic medicine and quoted another statement that also rang true. “Violent allopathic means produce other maladies.” Violent? The homeopath explained that anything that forces pathology to change direction by tinkering with the symptoms is considered violent because, “All medicines alter the mental and emotional state, each in a different way.”

The homeopath assured Mrs. MacAfee that if the remedy she chose specifically for Marley was indeed well selected, she could expect changes within a few weeks, but the eczema would likely return. That would be cause for celebration, for as the eruptions returned, the behavior would subside and the old Marley would resurface. Then, and only then, could homeopathy offer the correct stimulus that would allow the skin eruptions to disband.

The first remedy the homeopath chose was Nux vomica. She explained that another remedy would need to follow it within a few weeks to continue the work after Nux vomica’s action was complete.

Just as expected, Marley’s skin did indeed worsen. In fact, it become more prominent than ever, with pustules that enveloped her jaw line. It wasn’t easy to witness this development, but Mrs. MacAfee held steadfast, even with Marley’s protests. Yet the child seemed to comprehend the importance of this crucial step. In the scheme of things it was certainly better than emotional illness. And as much as they wanted to put soothing emollients on Marley’s skin, the old book and homeopath concurred: “Put nothing on it and allow it to liberate the pathology.”

In the meantime Marley’s complaints became mere whispers in comparison to her earlier outrages. It took about five weeks before her former behavior moderated.

On one occasion only, after the family had returned home from church, Marley threw a spitting fit on the front lawn that was quite embarrassing. Her father took her firmly to her room while her mother made feeble apologies to the neighbors. But this outburst was the last time Marley MacAfee acted like an out-of-control, frenzied, inept child.

After the second consultation with their homeopath, Causticum was chosen. A month later, the last vestiges of Marley’s eczema disappeared. Like a choreographed pas de deux of the intellect and the corporeal, the human body displayed its harmonious response to intelligent prescribing.

Now Marley is free of skin ailments, liberated from the burdens of emotional illness, and her family is able to proudly attend any event.

And too, Mrs. MacAfee is a more learned mom. She recognizes firsthand that it’s not the side effects of drugs that are the scoundrels, but the fact that the drugs drive illness to a deepened state, and this is the seed of chronic physical and even mental illness. Marley and her family are more convinced than ever that they will remain drug free.


Mother’s Intuition meets Homeopathy

It is powerful, usually right on the mark and if we deny its existence, we're always sorry later. Yes, mother's intuition is real.

Today, many have lost the confidence our strong ancestors had built into them. Drugs are handed out like candy. In fact, if refused, we are often met with angry words and condescension. There is a better way that many mothers instinctively understand; a way that is safer, non invasive and yields stronger and often better adjusted children. It is the way of nature, of homeopathy, of intelligent mothering.

There was a time when mother's instincts were accepted and respected as the norm. My Sicilian grandmothers birthed their babies at home, treated colds and infectious diseases with a good dose of sweat, sleep and garlic and nursed their big families through many ills without the aid of doctors, clinics and hospitals. Were they better off? I believe they were, for their offspring were free of the scourge of modern society such as allergies, autism, depression, ADD, sterility and a host of modern illness that only this generation is plagued with.

Homeopaths and other natural health care providers regard the use of drugs to be not only detrimental to our children's health, but also the cause of many, if not most, of the ills of today's society. Each of the above illness can be attributed to the use of drugs and their kin.

Yet, we can hold on to the old ways. The ways of knowing deeply how to care for our children and to trust our children's bodies to be able to do what is intended. That is, to grow up without a medicament for every little ill.

Women throughout history have relied on homeopathy for everything from ear infections to head injuries. I urge families to own a few choice homeopathy books and a homeopathy kit. Once this little system is in place, everything a family needs is readily available.

It can be difficult to resist the temptation to give our children drugs. After all, we only want what is best for them. And we certainly don't want them to suffer the pain of an ear infection or a sore throat. But, if we understand that the medications of commerce will often cause further suffering in the future, the choice becomes an easy one.

Homeopathy forces us to really know and observe our children to make the correct remedy choice and keeps us focused on what matters…our family. In a world that encourages moms to leave the home early in lieu of careerism, homeopathy, instead, celebrates the home, the cuddle and the right dose of discipline. Instead of dragging our children from specialist to specialist, moms can treat children in the kitchen while making an old fashioned meal. Isn't that what we were meant to do?

We need to trust our innate ability to treat our children without interference. To make choices that are based on what is best for our family as a whole. Homeopathy is rational medicine that supports mother's intuition and family to the fullest. Time honored traditions, time honored care. It just feels right.

‘WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? Feel free, as long as you include this entire blurb with it: “Classical homeopathic practitioner and mother, Joette Calabrese, CCH,RSHom teaches women around the world how to take care of their families’ health  so that the business of wellness is in their hands. Get her FREE monthly articles and advice at Homeopathyworks.net and click on “Newsletter”.


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Books & CDs

Joette’s Materia Medica

I designed it especially to provide a framework to guide you through your remedy choices. It is perfect for busy mothers and others who love curing their families themselves.

Protect Yourself from the Flu

Deal with the flu without drugs and expensive commercial products.

Combo Pack: Top 7 Products

Go from clueless to clued-in…in the fastest way possible.

Cell Salts: Learn Homeopathy at Home

The easiest, safest and most inexpensive way to treat your whole family.

Homeopathy in First Aid

Learn to choose the correct homeopathic remedy to give on the way to the emergency room or better yet,
avoid the trip altogether.

Cure Yourself and Your Family with Homeopathy

Homeopathy is inexpensive, non-invasive and profoundly curative.

Secret Spoonfuls: Confessions of a Sneaky Mom with Kid Pleasing Recipes – CD & Booklet

Boost and maintain optimum health with simple foods, instead of vitamin pills.

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