Gastro-intestinal disorders can sometimes be relieved by simple kitchen cupboard methods.
Indigestion, for example, can be quickly eliminated with a teaspoon or more of baking soda in 4 ounces of water to which the juice of 1/2 lemon is added.
Often raw vinegar can be the catalyst for relief when a splash of it is added to 4 ounces of water.
When using homeopathics it is useful to know that the remedy doesn’t have to be digested to be effective; it just needs to be dissolved in the mouth.
Three Leading Remedies for Gastro-Intestinal Complaints
1.) Arsenicum album
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Exhausted by illness
- Restless, changing position
- Anxious about illness and being alone
- Fears illness could be fatal
- Very thirsty
- May be fever
- Often chilly and craves being under blankets
- Worse at night
- Drinking even a little causes vomiting
- Cramping in abdomen
- External warmth is soothing
- Burning in rectum from diarrhea
- Good for food poisoning
2.) Nux vomica
- Use when illness brought on by stress or over-indulgence
- Heartburn
- Nausea
- Dry retching
- Headache
- Irritability
- Worse in morning
- Bloating
- Gassiness
- Desires vomiting for relief
- Urge for bowel movement with little excretion
3.) Sulphur
- Complete loss of, or excessive, appetite
- Food tastes too salty
- Drinks much, eats little
- Desire for sweets
- Weak and faint about 11 AM
- Water fills patient
- Abdomen sensitive to pressure
- Internal feeling of rawness or soreness
- Abdominal movements as of something alive
- Morning diarrhea drives patient out of bed
Other Remedies to Learn and Consider for Further Study:
1.) Veratrum album
- Violent and voluminous diarrhea with vomiting, may be simultaneously
- Watery stools with greenish color
- Cramps in abdomen relieved by diarrhea
- Motion aggravates
- Chilly
- Very weak
- Very thirsty for cold water
2.) Aloe
- Aversion to meat
- Flatulence after eating
- Nausea with headache
- Pain around navel, worse with pressure
- Abdomen is full and heavy, hot and bloated
- Weak feeling as if diarrhea will come on
- Stool passes without effort
- Constipation pressure in lower abdomen
3.) China
- Vomiting of undigested food
- Slow digestion
- Hungry and longing for food which stays undigested
- Flatulence
- Belching of bitter fluid with no relief
- Worse eating fruit
- Internal coldness of stomach and abdomen
4.) Phosphorus
- Much vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Restlessness
- Thirsty for cold drinks
- Better to use Arsenicum first unless vomiting triggered by smallest amount of liquid
- Warm water immediately aggravates
- Weakness in abdomen
- Feels hungry
- Involuntary stools
5.) Pulsatilla
- Symptoms from poor diet or excess of rich foods
- Look also for general symptoms of remedy
- Symptoms not too severe
- Heartburn
- Heaviness after eating
- Coated tongue
- Cold drinks relieve
6.) Ipecac
- Extreme nausea possibly with no diarrhea
- After vomiting, still no relief
- Not that ill, but maybe a fever and weakness
- May be caused by excessive eating
- Vomiting can be almost nonstop
- Pains in abdomen
- Lots of gas
- Green stool
7.) Bryonia
- Digestive symptoms are aggravated by motion
- Small amounts of liquid may cause vomiting
- Pressure on abdomen helps
- Diarrhea worse after waking
- Desires to be still
8.) Podophyllum – this remedy is not commonly found in remedy kits and is of immeasurable value during a bout of severe diarrhea. It would be prudent to purchase it separately to keep in your stock.
- Common for diarrhea
- Frequent and voluminous diarrhea
- Completely liquid stools
- Sometimes with headache
- Vomiting seldom accompanies the diarrhea
Will you please respond in greater detail on dietary suggestions for chronic constipation. A female family member starts her day with oatmeal or whole grain cereal and flax seed meal, eats lots of raw vegetables, high fiber grains, 8-10 glasses of water daily and takes 550mg of Aloe. It has not been sufficient. She would like not to have to increase her dosage of Aloe and to become dependent upon the herbs to move her bowels. What else can she do from a dietary perspective?
Pls respond via email. thanks you
A stomach virus has been going around my kids’ school and my son seems to have just come down with it. I’m using arsenicum album, and am wondering if the rest of the family can/should take it to prevent getting sick?
Frozen shoulder is just a different word for the same as I described.
I wouldn’t give a remedy such as Arsenicum to someone else just in case, particularly since you didn’t tell me if Arsecnicum was effective.
Arsenicum was effective! We won’t use it preventatively but will be ready with it if anyone else in the family gets sick. Thank you!
Perfect!
when you give a list of remedies but don’t list potency is it just a know fact to be 30c or how do u figure it out
In my more recent posts (and courses) as of the last several years, I have been more specific as to the conditions so that I include potencies and frequencies. But if you’re using this particular post, for the most part, 30 x or c is an excellent place to start.
How often is best to repeat arsenicum for a stomach virus in a toddler (or any age I suppose)? ve given one dose and am planning on giving another in 2 hours. She has been vomiting off and on all night, so far no vomit since I gave this 20 min ago. Am having a hard time finding frequency times to give from a google search or search on your site. Thanks!
If its a lower potency, its given about every 4-6 hours, but it always depends on the ferocity of the illness. I teach posology (the study of potency and frequency) in my courses should you be interested in taking this up more fully.
What would you recommend for a stomach ulcer? Burning pain in stomach?
I’ve not written on the condition here because of its complexity, but have done so extensively in my on line course, Good Gut Bad Gut.
Is there a remedy that would be appropriate for chronic appendicitis?
I cover it is full detail in my course, Good Gut Bad Gut.
Joette,
We hear a lot about gut infections these day. I have one currently for which my symptoms seem to go with Arsenicum, which I’ll try. Are there standard remedies for treating gut infections in general?
Thank you.
Sincerely, Laura
Instead of calling it a gut infection, we use the way the infection presents to determine the remedy choice. That is, a gut infection can produce diarrhea, constipation, pain, bloating, gas, food intolerances, etc. We must use these symptoms to make our choice.
Thank you, Joette!
I had nausea with some vomiting though there was next to nothing in my stomach. and feelings that I was going to faint( lightheaded, clamy).Generalized abdominal pain causing me to moan.I couldn’t find a comfortable position to get in. Bowels we’re moving as if on a slow moving conveyer belt, leaving anal pressure the next day.
Most of this has resolved though I spent the day in bed yesterday and don’t yet feel quite normal. I’ve started taking Arsenicum Album 30c at 8:30 last night. I’ve had three doses. From what you wrote about it, it seemed right for what I was experiencing.
What about solid stools that have changed color? Consistently white/light green? Phosphorus has seemed to change then back to brown, but I have to dose in the am and pm. Is this consistent with banerji protocol style cure where you dose continuously (for months possibly?) to aid in slow healing?
When a remedy acts but needs to be repeated to show consistent results, we assume it means there’s a need for repetition.
Thank you Joette! In the Banerji Protocol for appendicitis, it’s Lyco 200 + Bella 3c. If I do not have Bella 3c, should I use Bella 30c til I get Bella 3c or just use lyco 200 on its own? Thanks!
Any time there’s an acute situation, we use the potency that we’ve got until the correct potency arrives. Then we replace the incorrect potency with the correct one.
Joette,
I have read in your materia medica that Sulphur is mainly a remedy for boys/men, so I was put off of it at first, but I do show some symptoms associated with it, especially the complete loss of appetite. I have GERD (which I’m currently on the BP for since October 10, 2019, I developed it out of the blue around September 17, 2019), but my esophagus and throat are burning because of the reflux. I have taken Ars 200 for burning ,but it didn’t seem to touch it. However, looking at the symptoms of Ars, especially exhausted and fear of the illness being fatal (barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer), I feel that Ars would still be a good fit. Would maybe bringing the Ars down to a 30c (or X?) and maybe # with Sulphur 30, possibly help. I just started taking Cheliodium 6 for loss of appetite/nausea 3 days ago, but maybe Sulphur would be a better fit? Thank you so much for all you do!
Did you ever get your gerd under control with homeopathy?
I’d like to take Sulphur for sugar cravings. What potency and frequency please?
Should we assume twice daily for all of these?
Hi there,
Thank you for all the wonderful information. I was wondering:
Can you use more than one of these at the same time? For instance if there are symptoms that go under China Nux Vomica and Arsenicum album, Can all three be used at once. Or rather do you try one by one to see where relief is found?
More than one medicine may be used under certain circumstances.
Thank you so much!
You’re welcome!
My son (3) had dry heaves one morning about a week ago. He then seemed fine for a day. The next two days he had loose stools (darker green in color). A day later, stools were normal and he seemed fine. The following night, he woke up from vomiting (only once with some undigested food particles). He dry heaved twice that morning. I had been giving vit c throughout this time and then I gave him 200ck nux vomica dissolved in a small cup of water early morning and again mid afternoon. He hasn’t had much of an appetite but has not had dry heaves or vomiting again and his stool is soft but not loose. Do you have thoughts on what to do today if symptoms return?
I’m sorry but I don’t offer personal advice on this forum. Study your course Good Gut Bad Gut and you’ll most certainly find the information you seek.
Hi Joette,
I have had crazy rumbling in my stomach for about a week with urges to poop but normally just have gas. When I do have bowel movements they are very soft. Other symptoms have been hunger but eating only small amounts or things like toast because if concern for making symptoms worse. Feelings of fullness in the head (like pressure without pain) and dizziness.
Hi Joette, Do you think it is possible through homeopathy to get your gut back to normal- or is it more of a diet change? I’ve become intolerant/ super sensitive to gluten, dairy, and sugar. Through your Good Gut Bad Gut course, once your gut is working properly – will i ever be able to eat pasta?! Thank you.
I can’t say that you personally will be able to eat pasta but I’ve seen it work out for many. HOWEVER, it takes time.
14 year old son started vomiting tonight, a good 5 hours after dinner. Dinner was a heavy gluten free pizza with veggies, we’ve had before. No nausea just suddenly. Said stomach felt like it was churning and vomit did appear undigested. Drank a lot of water after vomiting and lots of belching. Some relief right after vomit but no real nausea he said. No sweat or overheating. He did this a couple of times when less a d less came out. Vomit was pretty forceful and seemed deliberate like body definitely wanted to expel food. Same brand of frozen gluten free pizza we’ve had before and we added veggies. No temp, no chills. Remedy?
Also, we are a gluten free family for mom and a sibling. If there was cross contamination his gluten se sit I’ve so bling would have been sick. This teen however, hasn’t displayed illness from gluten ingestion in past or cross contamination. We are also in allergy ragweed season but he didn’t have any head discomfort or vertigo or sinus issues. Didn’t feel a heavy stomach after dinner,,it was only some hours later he felt a churning and an immediate vomit after the stomach churning.
Type this:
“JoetteCalabrese vomiting” and you’ll find the blogs on that topic that offer remedy solutions.
Veratrum album has saved the day on two occasions so far. Reach for it when you have a stomach bug that causes a “collapse” feeling (e.g. your symptoms have drained you to the point of collapse on the bathroom floor and you can’t get up.) Both times after taking in this condition, I could feel a tiny trickle of energy returning into my body. A must-have when your kids need you to take care of them at the same time!
Good Evening! I am ordering Lycopodium 200 and Arsenicum for GI bloating. You state Arsenicum 3 as the BP. Is that just Arsenicum Album? and at what potency please? Thank you.
Yes, it’s Arsenicum album.
I have stomach pain that starts high and travels down the GI system and ends in watery diarrhea. There is pain as the gas travels down. I don’t have nausea or headache. Which would be the best remedy. Most of the remedies above include vomiting.
just wanted to know your reccomendations for a patient with diverticulitis?
Hi, what’s best for h.pylori?Got prescription for double antibiotics and ppi(talicia) . Don’t want to take it because this will destroy my guts.Doc told me I will have to stop breastfeeding my child while I’m taking it. I suppose to take it for 2 week – will loose my supply for sure. Please help.
I can’t prescribe a homeopathic for you and I understand that you want to move this along but I’d most certainly consider a 2nd and 3rd opinion from someone such as a naturopath. THEN…you might be v. much interested in learning how to care for yourself and family utalizing one of my most popular online courses that covers this condition.
SHould you be interested, go to JoettesLearningCenter and scroll down to “Good GUt Bad Gut” and dig in.
Hi Joette, what would be the proper remedy for a child who started with sore throat, then moved to severe throwing up with absolutely no eating for 2 days, just drinking water.Finally the throwing IP stopped,but now she’s got a weird cough. And of course it happened right before leaving to our ski vacation.
I would love to know such cough remedy. Thank you.
I read that aloe can be used if there is mucous in the stool. If the problem is occasional, would you suggest a low potency (like 30) or to use a 200?
Thank you.
I generally use Aloe 200.