I used to think I wanted to live forever. My then-young son told me that wasn’t a good idea. He couldn’t really explain to me at the time what he was thinking, but he was adamant. Later, we read one of his school assigned-reading books together, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, and the penny finally dropped for me. (Forget the fact this is a children’s book and pick up a copy — it’s excellent.)

I was recently speaking with a man in his early 90s, who said, “My mom is dead. My dad is dead. My brother is dead. My sister is dead. My wife is dead. I’ve outlived them all.”

For some, this could be touted as a victorious feat and worn with a badge of honor; for others, it could be a desolate situation.

If one is not feeling triumphant in this position, that is a heavy place to sit. This particular gentleman still has his best friend (same age), and he has lots of younger people around him all the time, including some good friends who are a decade or so behind him. But, it seems to me after talking to him that there is a different level of loneliness when you’re the last of your ilk.

There is a tendency, I think, to assume one who is lonely is also sad. Though this may not always be the case, Julia Métraux in Everyday Health says depression and loneliness appear to reinforce each other. From that same article, Drew Maygren, DO, a psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California says, “Among a cohort of older adults in the UK, there was a 29% increase in depressive scores of those that reported loneliness compared with those who did not report loneliness.”

For other reasons, loneliness is also increasing among young people with 1 in every 3 young adults reporting feeling lonely. Gone are the days of mandatory human interaction, replaced, instead by technological interfacing which some say can make loneliness “more like virtual isolation.”

In some respects, you can’t fix normal. This is simply a sad situation. I think, though, homeopathy can help one cope with this heavy, lonely burden.

Let’s look at some possible MIND rubrics, using various repertories (Mangialavore*; Murphy (both Homeopathic Remedy Guide and Meta*); Saine; Schroyens), followed by the number of remedies listed in each, including the remedies I have chosen to highlight (note: when rubrics were available in multiple repertories, I chose to use the one with the largest number of remedies listed):

• abandoned, forsaken feelings; elderly, people in (5: ars; aur; nat-m; puls)
• abandoned, forsaken feelings; friendless, feels lonely (6: ars; nat-m; phos; puls)
• age - old people - forsaken feeling (25: aur; bell-p)
• ailments from - death of loved ones (134: arg-n; ars; bell-p; puls)
• alone, ailments from being (43: ars; nat-m; phos; puls)
• anxiety, alone, when (25: arg-n; ars; phos)
• delusions**; alone; world, in the (24: none of my chosen remedies are in this rubric)
• delusions, imaginations; alone; always (3: nat-m; puls)
• depression, sadness, alone, when (28: ars; aur; nat-m; phos; puls)
• fear, alone of being (16: none of my chosen remedies are in this rubric)
• fear, death, of - alone, when - evening in bed (5: ars; phos)
• fears, phobias, general; alone, of being (82: arg-n; ars; nat-m; phos; puls)
• fears, phobias, general, alone, of, being, die, lest he (7: ars; phos)
• forsaken feeling - isolation, sensation of (38: arg-n; puls)
• homesickness, nostalgia, general (60: aur; nat-m; phos; puls)
• loneliness, feelings (75: arg-n; ars; aur; nat-m; phos; puls)
• sadness, despondency, depression, melancholy - company - desire for (3: arg-n)

There are other, smaller, more specific rubrics which I will not throw into the mix, such as: “being a castaway” or “imaginations, alone, graveyard, in a” — but it’s useful to know these rubrics exist.

**Continuing the theme from the Language of Rubrics earlier this month:
Delusion: in modern parlance, we may equate this with someone who is “delusional,” implying someone with a mental illness. That is not necessarily the case in the language of rubrics.

Delusion = a false judgement of objective things.

Dr. Muhammed Rafeeque’s Reverse Repertory of the Mind explains further:

• Delusion — False belief or idea.
• Hallucination — Perception of something that is not present.
• Illusion — Wrong interpretation of an existing thing.

“In repertory, all are given together as each one of them is a different grade of wrong perception.”
“Wrong perception” sums it up nicely, I think.

Now, let’s see what remedies are indicated for these thoughts…

Rafeeque lists some of the important drugs for delusions/hallucinations and illusions (The bold remedies in this list are also represented in our rubrics listed above): Argentum nitricum; Belladonna; Coccinum; Hyoscyamus; Ignatia; Lachesis; Petroleum; Phosphoric acid; Sabadilla; Stramonium; Sulphur (which is found only in the large “loneliness” rubric). 

It’s important when choosing a remedy to consider the following differentiation: is this a rubric to lift the delusion or idea, or, is this a rubric addressing the loneliness? What are we trying to achieve?

There are many, many homeopathic remedies which may be relevant here, but I have chosen just a couple of commonly available remedies to compare.

Natrum muriaticum, Aurum metallicum, Phosphorus, Pulsatilla, Argentum nitricum and Arsenicum album are all well indicated; in fact, all of them are also in Murphy’s “elderly constitutions” rubric (90). For each head to head comparison, both remedies are indicated, but one may be a little more indicated than the other and I tried to simply give a flavor of each remedy in regard to how they may relate to loneliness.

Nat mur and Aurum are both excellent sadness/depression remedies.

• Nat mur often likes to be alone — or, another way to say it is they are aggravated while in company; they may have a desire for solitude. That doesn’t mean there may not be sadness or depression when they are alone, but they may feel better when they are by themselves, despite the loneliness. Or, they may be able to cry when alone but buck themselves up when with others. Nat mur may be a little more angry, specifically they may have anger with silent grief. They may hide their true feelings more.
• Aurum metallicum is indicated in all the Nat mur symptoms, too, but perhaps not so prominently. They may have an aversion to being spoken to. A fear of people may develop. Aurum may have a violent anger. There may be a sense of doom and despair and apathy or joylessness. Difficulty sleeping. Weakness.

Phosphorus and Pulsatilla both hate to be alone. In very broad terms, Phosphorus is more fearful and Pulsatilla is sadder.

• Pulsatilla may have more of a feeling of abandonment and may have some level of anthropophobia (fear of people). Clinging behavior and they may be worse in crowds. There may be weeping and they feel better for doing so. Feelings of helplessness and isolation and they may demonstrate jealousy. Moodiness/ changeable moods.
• Phosphorus has a lot of fear and anxiety. They may be distracted and are better by being occupied by mental diversions. Phosphorus may be reserved and weary of life. Difficulty sleeping. Weakness.

Arsenicum album and Argentum nitricum are two more "fearful/anxious” remedies (both are level 4 in Murphy in the anxiety rubric). Again, both of these remedies are in all of these rubrics; I have just highlighted the higher ranked remedies.

• Arsenicum album… anxiety: with anger; when alone; about their health; on waking. Losing the desire to eat. Desires company. May have a presentiment of death. Depression. Filled with despair, particularly about their salvation. Fastidious/obsessive compulsive. Fearful: of death; impending disease or of being incurable; of robbers. They may feel helpless. Desires to talk to others.
• Argentum nitricum… anxiety: anticipatory; compelled to do something when (“fruitlessly busy”); about the future (anticipatory, essentially). Mental confusion. Disagreeable/irritable. Worse in crowds. Not very talkative. Exhaustion from mental exertion. Fearful: of losing control; in crowds; of evil; something bad will happen; imaginary things; insanity. Impulsive behavior. Stubborn. Panic attacks. Overly sensitive. Persistent and/or tormenting thoughts.

Bellis perennis showed up very strongly in Massimo Mangialavore’s*** rubric: Age - old people - mind - forsaken feeling… so I went looking a little further and I was surprised to see it in the ailments from death of loved ones rubric. Most people know Bellis as a “deeper” Arnica — something to try when Arnica doesn’t quite do what it is needed to do on a physical level.

Let’s take a little look at some prominent mental symptoms of Bellis perennis (Schroyens & Murphy’s Meta*):

Anxiety about their or their or loved one’s health. Indifference: to pain; to loved ones; stoical to what happens. (The word “stoical” is in this rubric so I am going to assume this is different than “apathy.” note: Mangialavori has this remedy in both “heroic” and “stoic.”) Too much sense of duty. Dictatorial/domineering. Aversion to being touched. Aggravated by consolation. Abandoned/forsaken feelings. Ailments from agony/anguish; ailments from grief. Anger alternating with indifference. Fastidious. Fearful of impending danger and heart disease. Panic attacks. Feels friendless; forsaken feeling. Silent grief; cannot cry. They feel better from physical exercise. Aggravated by company. Oversensitive to criticism/reprimands.

All of these, ultimately overlapping, remedies may help regardless of age, or reason for the loneliness. Look a little beyond the surface of loneliness and see what lies underneath to find the most well-suited remedy.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits


*Both Mangialavore’s and Murphy’s Meta repertory are (will be?) available in Similia.io†.

**This note is beneath the list of rubrics, within the text.

***I recently listened to a webinar with Massimo Mangialavore and he was talking about the idea that perhaps we don’t need more homeopathic remedies but that maybe we should work on the quality of the information we have on our existing remedies rather than keep adding more. He also says he doesn’t “consider a good case something where the follow-up is not at least four, five years.” With that, I put a little more stock in the remedies in his repertory because they generally come with a lot of reflection.

†I have no affiliation with this company other than they have been kind enough to open up the full software for me to play around with it. I have to say, I really like Similia and I enjoy using it.



Reference list
Métraux, J. and Vann, M. R., 2012. Dealing With Depression and Loneliness [online]. EverydayHealth.com.

MUHAMMED., D. and Salini, J. P., 2021. Reverse Repertory of the Mind. B. Jain Publishers (P.) Ltd.

Newport Institute, 2022. Loneliness and Depression in Young Adults [online]. Newport Institute. 

No matter what you want to call it … (if you’re squeamish, just know we’re talking about diarrhea and skip forward to the next paragraph). If toilet humor is your thing, here we go: Number 3, Chocolate Thunder, Poo Stew, Rectum Rapids, Turd Tea, Emergency Evacuation, The Squirts, Brown Bomb, Liquid Lunch, Poop Soup … I’ll stop now. (If you would like a few more unseemly names, see Travelers’ Diarrhea.)

Don’t worry, I won’t continue with the graphic descriptions. What follows is a long list of situations where one might experience diarrhea and the most highly indicated remedies for each.

Once again, if you are experiencing diarrhea beyond an acute bout, please seek professional medical advice.

Before embarking on my long list of unfortunate bottom-related circumstances, let me share one of my first amazing homeopathic "wowee!" moments. We were traveling and my then young teenage son was very sick in the night with suspected food poisoning. I was hemming and hawing, trying to remember what I had learned about remedies. I went with Veratrum album and within minutes everything stopped. I mean, everything completely stopped. He slept the rest of the night and woke up fine and dandy. “Better out than in” is what we say around here! As a result of this experience, I keep a little vial of Veratrum album in my little travel kit that accompanies me every time I leave the house with my suitcase.

Veratrum album is my go-to homeopathic remedy for if things are coming out of both ends. What else may point to the use of this remedy? The diarrhea (or vomiting) may be violent, voluminous and relentless. Collapse following diarrhea (not the only well indicated remedy in this rubric, but a good place to start). The person may be cold: cold limbs, generally chilly, and/or clammy. Diarrhea with perspiration. Diarrhea after eating fruit; diarrhea after eating cucumbers (technically a fruit, after all). Diarrhea during menses. Diarrhea which is made worse by movement/motion (Bryonia is another one to think of for this symptom). And, here’s one more unusual concomitant symptom for Veratrum album: hiccups during diarrhea. Isn’t that just what you need in that situation?!

Children & Diarrhea:
If you have an infant with diarrhea, administer Podophyllum on the way to see the doctor — dehydration can set in quickly.

Diarrhea while cutting teeth: Chamomilla. Chamomilla is such an excellent remedy for children, in general, and it doesn’t let us down in this situation, either (but these symptoms are not confined to children. With everything homeopathy, if the symptoms match, the remedy would be effective for man, woman, child or animal. Diarrhea with abdominal pain. Diarrhea: following anger; after taking a cold; after eating and, specifically after eating rhubarb. Emotional diarrhea or from excitement. During hot weather. Painless diarrhea. And, here is a rubric unique to Chamomilla (but hopefully you wouldn’t find this in a child!): diarrhea after smoking.

The Elderly & Diarrhea:
Like children, the elderly, too, have some remedies with great affinity to their age. In this particular situation, I would lean toward China officinalis.

China is so good for enfeebled people, as can often be found in the later years. In particular, China is useful for weak digestion; dyspepsia/indigestion; flatulence; chronic belching.

Dysentery, in simple terms, involves frequent bowel movements with blood and mucus in the stool, often accompanied by cramps and pain. Give some China while on the way to see a doctor. Please seek medical assistance if you are experiencing these symptoms.

If diarrhea and constipation alternate in older individuals, consider Antimonium crud.

On to the general list…

If experiencing abdominal pain, and it feels like diarrhea is imminent, Aloe would be my first recommendation. There may be accompanying weakness. Diarrhea after eating and in particular, diarrhea following the slightest dietary indiscretion. Walking makes it worse. Lots of toots during the diarrhea.

There are a few rubrics where Aloe and Sulphur “tie” when it comes to diarrhea: burning pain in the rectum; being driven out of bed in the morning, needing the toilet desperately (Sulphur has the specific times of 5-6 am); painless diarrhea; standing makes it worse.

Where Sulphur “wins out” over Aloe: diarrhea after beer and nighttime diarrhea, especially after midnight.

If the diarrhea alternates with another symptom, such as:

• rheumatism: Kali bich
• a heat sensation in the head: Belladonna
• headaches: Podophyllum
• asthma, especially at night: Kali carb
• diarrhea every other day: China

Diarrhea and emotions:

• after anger: Colocynthis
• after anticipation/anxiety: Argentum nitricum or Gelsemium. If nausea is part of this picture, also consider Nux vomica.
• feeling cheerful despite chronic diarrhea: Calc carb, which is a little unusual when it comes to elimination — they don’t mind being constipated and apparently chronic diarrhea doesn’t bother them, either!
• irritability: Bryonia
• with mental restlessness: Arsenicum album

Feeling wiped out after all that wiping? China is a good place to start. If the weakness is particularly pronounced, also consider Phosphoric acid. If the act of wiping actually causes pain: Graphites.

Diarrhea during pregnancy: Phosphorus

Diarrhea during menopause: Lachesis

Diarrhea following an injury: Arnica

If it’s coming out as from a hydrant: Podophyllum

If it has a really noxious smell: ​Baptisia

Diarrhea following the consumption of:

• after a debauch: Nux vomica
• ice cream: Arsenicum album or Pulsatilla
  • if ice cream after diarrhea makes you feel better: Phosphorus
• chocolate, sugar or sweets: Argentum nitricum
• pastries: Pulsatilla

If you find your appetite increases with diarrhea: Petroleum.

Cold hands with diarrhea: Phosphorus
Cold feet: Lycopodium
Cold limbs: Arsenicum album, Camphora and Veratrum album

Positionally speaking:
If lying down make it worse: Dioscorea
If lying down makes it better: Bryonia (though it may be worse lying on your side)
Sitting upright makes it worse: Bryonia

Time of day:
If it starts after you have risen from bed and moving around: Bryonia or Nat sulph
After midnight: Arsenicum album or Sulphur
If the diarrhea causes sleeplessness: Phosphorus

I changed my mind. I will use one more dysphemism: the sharts, also commonly referred to as “gambled and lost” (Flanagan 2010). If you are having diarrhea during rectal flatus, there are a number of well indicated remedies, but I would start with Aloe — the remedy for an insecure rectum (click that link to read the previous article with the same name.)

What would cause an “insecure rectum?” Let’s go back to Giulia Enders’ Gut for this explanation. Apparently we have a pair of “sophisticated” sphincters which Enders takes a few pages to explain and I am going to try and shrink it down to the bare essentials using her words, (but her full explanation is certainly worth a read). “The outer muscle is a faithful servant of our consciousness. When our brain deems it an unsuitable time to go to the toilet, the external sphincter obeys and stays closed with all its might. … Our internal sphincter is a no-nonsense little guy. His motto is, ‘If it’s gotta come out, it’s gotta come out!’ … The external sphincter, on the other hand, has to deal with the vagaries of the outside world and its many options.” Suffice it to say, we need these two sphincters to communicate well.

A few more remedies for involuntary stool (not necessarily diarrhea):

• on bending over/stooping: Ruta
• during coughing or sneezing: Phosphorus or Sulphur
• on laughing: Sulphur
• on moving: Phosphorus or Phosphoric acid
• on beginning to move: Rhus tox
• during sleep: Podophyllum
• on walking: Aloe

As you can see, homeopathy can be invaluable when it comes to diarrhea — there is a homeopathic remedy for almost any situation!

​
Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

References:

Enders, G., 2015. Gut : the Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. Greystone Books.

​Flanagan, D., 2010. Everybody poops 410 pounds a year : an illustrated bathroom companion for grown-ups. Berkeley, Ca: Ulysses Press.

Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus software.

Anybody out there getting stressed out watching the news?

I suppose this post could have been written at any point in history, but 2024 seems to be gearing up for a new level of stressful watching/listening/reading.

If you find yourself getting upset by the news, have a think about a few of these homeopathic remedies:

Ignatia is a good place to start. (SEE: Homeopathy Can Make a Heavy World a Little Lighter)
Homeopathic Ignatia can be found in the following rubrics:

• Ailments from bad news
• Anger about bad news
• Shock from bad news
• Sleeplessness after sad news.
• Mental/emotional excitement after bad news

Now, a short list of a few other remedies which may be applicable (as found in a quick look of Robin Murphy's Repertory):

Obsessive compulsive disorder (as may be acutely exhibited through an irrepressible need to keep checking the updated news feeds): Nux vomica or Argentum nitricum

Trembling with anger: Staphysagria or Gelsemium

Trembling from anxiety: Gelsemium or Argentum nitricum

Trembling as if frightened: start with Gelsemium but also Aconite, Coffea, Ignatia

Headaches following depressing or sad news: Gelsemium or Ignatia

Shock from hearing bad news: Gelsemium, Ignatia or Calc carb

Vertigo from bad news: Calc carb

Obsessed with justice: Causticum

If all these thoughts are creating anxiety: Argentum nitricum

If all of these stories and images and thoughts keep you from sleeping: Coffea

If all these thoughts are keeping you from concentrating: Nux vomica

If your mind is preoccupied with thoughts of the future: Argentum nitricum.

Persistent thoughts: Argentum nitricum is the place to start, but also: Calc carb or Nat mur.

Witnessing traumatic events: Aconite

Rapid thoughts: Coffea

Repetition of thoughts: Argentum nitricum

Shock from bad news: Calc carb, Gelsemium and Ignatia

One more thing to do, as seen on many on-line posts…

unclench your jaw.
soften your forehead.
relax your shoulders.
breathe.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

Pooping is under appreciated. We all do it. Some of us appreciate it. Some of us find it a nuisance. Some of us struggle with it daily. Some of us find it funny. Some of us find it disgusting (there may be some scientific evidence for this one (Curtis et al. 2011). Some of us find it embarrassing. Some of us find it unseemly and certainly not a topic for polite discussion.

If you find yourself in that last category, I hope to change your mind starting today and continuing over the next couple of weeks because poop is so amazingly important!

Don’t believe me? Try not having a poop for a few days and see how you feel!

Not surprisingly, finding a good homeopathic remedy for an individual can be helped along with some fecal details. It’s one of those little tidbits that really can relay a lot of useful information. Also not surprising, lots of people have poop issues but they never bring it up until after the fact. (After the fact: "My constipation is better after that remedy" after never having mentioned the problem.) Even if a homeopath asks directly about pooping, it is not uncommon for the answer to be along the lines of, “all good there” — implying "move on". (If you find yourself in a homeopathic consult, put whatever squeamish embarrassed-ness you may have aside and fling those poop facts out there!)

If you’re not in the habit of taking a peek after you poop, I suggest you re-evaluate that decision. If you don’t look, who else is going to … until it’s too late and you find yourself at the doctor’s office leaving a stool sample to find out what is going wrong? Keeping an eye on your deposits can help you keep an eye on your health.

Back to how important poop is…

Poop takes waste from our bodies — preventing the build up of toxins and maintaining a healthy gut.

Poop can have an effect on our psychological wellbeing.

Poop reflects our physical health. The color, consistency and frequency of poop can indicate an underlying health issue such as digestive problems, infections, or nutrient deficiencies. Stool samples are used to diagnose infections, detect bacteria, viruses or parasites and also to screen for medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.

So, that’s a lot of poopy talk, but what is this poop we are actually talking about, anyway?

According to Taber’s Medical Dictionary, feces is bodily waste such as food residue, bacteria, epithelium, and mucus, discharged from the bowels.

People poop generally once or twice daily (1.2 times a day on average), totaling about 1.8 oz to a whopping 28 oz for the average adult and between 2.6 oz and 13 oz per day for children (Rose et al. 2015). For reference: a tennis ball weighs about 2 oz. A can of soda weighs about 12 ounces. On the high end of this scale, 28 oz equates to 1.75 pounds which is approaching the weight of a typical pineapple sold in grocery stores (Measuring Stuff 2022). 😳

Where does all this stuff come from?

Poop is (generally) made up of 75% water and 25% solid matter. 30% of that solid matter consists of dead bacteria; about 30% indigestible food matter such as cellulose; 10-20% is cholesterol and other fats; 10-20% is inorganic substances such as calcium phosphate and iron phosphate; and 2-3% is protein (Britannica 2019). (Short hand: 10 parts water, 1 part bacteria (dead and alive), 1 part indigestible fiber and 1 part mixture of fat, protein, dead cells, mucus (Richman and Sheth 2007).

With all the basics out of the way, let’s get back to homeopathy.

In preparing for this mini-series on poop, I was browsing through my little assortment of poop books. (What? Don’t you have one of those?!) Judging by my quick look on the internet, my poop book collection is woefully slim … there are poop log books which claim to help you improve your gut health; poop coloring books; books about how to poop in the woods; an absolute ton of books for kids about pooping; and, a surprisingly large number of bathroom guest books 😳. (I guess that’s one way to encourage people to talk about this heretofore forbidden topic.)

To get us in the poop mood, however, I am going to be relying on What’s your Poo Telling You? By John Richmond and Anish Sheth, M.D.

The very first page of the introduction talks about “the feeling of unbridled elation that results from unleashing the perfect poo. Although difficult to achieve, this Poo-phoria lends a feeling of ecstasy, even invincibility, that some have likened to the perfect buzz.”

Cheerfulness after a stool is a symptom in a few homeopathic remedies, but Natrum sulphuricum is the most highly indicated. (Paradoxically, anxiety, confusion or weakness following a stool may also indicate Nat sulph. Men who may benefit from Nat sulph also may have an increased desire for sex during stool. In short, if there are residual emotions following a stool, Nat sulph may be worth considering.)

* If you experience ANY of these physical symptoms, or, if you have recently had a change in bowel habits, be sure to seek professional medical advice. In particular, pain, blood, excessive mucus, especially if they are ongoing, should be evaluated professionally.

What other intestinal indicators may lead you to Nat sulph?

• Cramping abdominal or intestinal pain which is better following a stool.
• Loud flatus during a stool or sputtering flatus.
• Urging for stool but only flatus is passed.
• Clay-colored, green, or yellow-colored stools.
• Copious stools.
• Thin, liquid, watery stools.
• Rumbling, gurgling, rolling noises before stool.

What if having a poop leaves you little irritated instead of cheerful?

In that case, I would look to Nitric acid.

What other intestinal indicators may lead you to Nitric acid?

• Abdominal pain during and after a poop.*
• Constipation.
• Pain in the rectum following evacuation. This pain may be cutting, burning, sharp, sticking, stinging or tearing.
• Stools like balls; like sheep dung.
• Bloody streaks in the stool*. (This may be from hemorrhoids but any blood in the stool should be evaluated by a medical professional.)

If you find yourself in a state of tranquil serenity following a stool, that may lead you to Borax. Borax is a smaller stool-related remedy, but other indications may be:

• Light-colored stool
• Stools with a transparent or white slimy mucus.
• Painless diarrhea.

Borax can be an excellent remedy for babies, so if you have a little one who has some other issues which may need addressing but who blisses out after filling their nappy, take a look at Borax.

Note: A small amount of mucus on the stool is usually not a cause for concern. Mucus lines your intestines to keep your colon running smoothly, among other tasks. However, if there is excessive mucus in or on the stool it may be a sign of an underlying condition such as: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, food poisoning, bowel obstruction or blockage, cancer of the rectum or colon. If you have excessive mucus or even a small amount of mucus which is on-going, seek professional medical advice, especially if it is accompanied by abdominal pain, bloody stools, fever or weight loss (Mayo Clinic). Check out this article for more information.

It’s important to remember in these situations that cheerfulness, irritation or tranquility after a stool is not something pathologic — it’s not a problem and it doesn’t need to be addressed. These symptoms may just be useful in leading you to an overall remedy for an individual (or, an animal). However, some other stool related symptoms may be calling for attention and the post-evacuation mood might help you get to the best remedy.

Back to our book to round out this opening article on emotions and poop…

Number 3… AKA diarrhea. I will be writing a longer article on diarrhea shortly, but today, going with the emotions involved with pooping, I will just mention a few remedies where mental/emotional symptoms are the leading indicator of a remedy for diarrhea.

When diarrhea is triggered by emotions, the first remedies to consider are Argentum nitricum and Gelsemium.

I have written about Argentum nitricum a few times before (see: What Goes Up; Feel the Fear; My Little Bag of Wellness).

Gelsemium is an absolute go-to remedy for anticipatory anxiety (see: Back to School; The Big Goodbye). Gelsemium is bold type and underlined for ailments from anxiety. Nervous tummy sending you running to the toilet? Gelsemium. Another emotional diarrhea symptom for Gelsemium is diarrhea from bad news.

Arsenicum album could be considered here, too, especially if there is any burning pain associated with it. (I see a new article in the making, comparing Arg-nit, Gels and Ars. Sit tight. I’ll get to it one day.)

If it is diarrhea after anger, Colocynthis is the remedy to grab for ailments from anger. Homeopathic Colocynthis pains are almost always better by pressure and by warmth -- bending double or a hot water bottle helps the abdominal pains associated with the diarrhea. (I see where you're going with that thought and yes, it can be very helpful for menstrual cramps.)

Diarrhea following chagrin or humiliation: Staphysagria.

Diarrhea following grief? Phosphoric acid is another remedy for diarrhea after anticipation, but it is an even bigger grief remedy… weakness and sorrow and depression, mental exhaustion.

Diarrhea after mental exertion? There’s a 3 way tie between Arg-nit, Nux vomica and Picric acid (see: Taxing Remedies for more info on Pic ac).

How about the other side of things, like excitement? Aconite, Argentum nit, Arsenicum album or Gelsemium. If that excitement is coupled with fear, then stick with Aconite.

Sudden diarrhea following joy? Coffea cruda (see: Silence, Please!)

One last emotion to talk about in regard to poop and that is fear. Touched on a couple of lines above, Aconite is the place to start for all things fear. There can certainly be a bit of crossover with anxiety, but fear, to me, is a result of a threat or impending danger and anxiety is a response to an anticipated or expected danger.

However, a fear of losing control of one's bowels is a genuine fear, especially if one is already experiencing some goings-on in that area. Homeopathic Aloe is the remedy for an insecure rectum. Involuntary stool, with or without flatus. Involuntary stool following urination. 

Tune in next week for the second installment of the Doo-Doo Documents: The Bristol Stool Scale.

​
Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

​#wellnessawaits

Reference list and poop-related books:

Britannica, 2019. Feces | biology | Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica [online].

Choi, B., 2024. Fun Poop Facts Kids Should Know • Human Body Learning [online].
Human Body Learning. 

Cohen, M., 2023. Mucus in Stool: Is It Normal & What Does It Mean? [online]. The IBS & Gut Health Clinic. 

Curtis, V., de Barra, M. and Aunger, R., 2011. Disgust as an adaptive system for disease avoidance behaviour. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences [online], 366 (1563), 389–401. 

Enders, G., 2015. Gut : the Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ. Greystone Books.

Holzwarth, W. and Erlbruch, W., 2007. The story of the little mole who knew it was none of his business. London: Pavilion.

Mayo Clinic, n.d. Mucus in stool: A concern? [online]. Mayo Clinic.

Measuring Stuff, 2022. Things Around The House That Weigh 2 Pounds – Measuring Stuff [online]. Measuringstuff.com. 

Richman, J. and Sheth, A., 2007. What’s your poo telling you? San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books.

Rose, C., Parker, A., Jefferson, B. and Cartmell, E., 2015. The Characterization of Feces and Urine: A Review of the Literature to Inform Advanced Treatment Technology. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology [online], 45 (17), 1827–1879.

Tarō Gomi, 2020. Everyone poops. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

The Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, n.d. The Scoop on Poop [online]. Gastrointestinal Society. 

Venes, D. and Clarence Wilbur Taber, 2013. Taber’s cyclopedic medical dictionary. [22nd ed., ISBN: 9780803629776]. Philadelphia, Pa.: F.A. Davis.

Chocolate. 😍 Sigh. 

Such a marvelous thing, chocolate. I don’t think I will ever stop being surprised when someone tells me they don’t like chocolate.

When my youngest was turning 3, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner. “Chocolate. Just chocolate,” he said in his little sing-songy voice.

I happen to agree with him. Chocolate, (100% cacao is my preference), any time of day. (Click here for a link to my current favorite.) 

Just before flying to England last year I read about a study in a Mark Sisson email: “Chocolate for breakfast prevents circadian desynchrony in experimental models of jet-lag and shift-work.” I didn’t even check to see if there is good science behind this study because I am more than happy to do some self-experimentation when it comes to chocolate! Did it help? It seemed to. However, when we crossed the pond again a few months later, I forgot to bring the chocolate and I still did as well as last year on the jet lag front. NOTE: I did use homeopathic remedies on both flights, so I’m going to go out on a limb and say that was the more important factor. But, next time I make that physically painful trip, I shall do both — just in case!😉

As you may (or, may not) know, classical homeopathy loves basic information about a person — their preferred weather; if the person runs hot or cold; if they are aggravated by damp places; early bird or night owl; sensations they may experience and food likes and dislikes as well as how certain foods affect them.

This homeopathic fact-gathering point brings us to chocolate and homeopathy.

There are two main remedies associated with the desire for chocolate: Argentum nitricum and Phosphorus. Today, I shall focus on Argentum nitricum.

Arg-nit, as it is known, is a homeopathic remedy made from silver nitrate. One of Arg-nit’s keynote symptoms is a desire for sugar, which at the same time makes the person feel worse. I have written a few times about Arg-nit: Hoarseness; What goes up; Feel the Fear; Back to School.

Anxiety is a big part of Arg-nit as a homeopathic remedy picture: anxiety for health; anticipatory anxiety; anxiety when alone; anxiety in the morning on waking; anxiety about the future; anxiety when hungry; diarrhea from anxiety. So, I went looking for links to chocolate and anxiety. Turns out there are some interesting studies out there.

• A tiny little study out of France found that “self-labeled ‘chocoholics’ do not seem to suffer from eating disorders, but may represent a population of psychologically vulnerable and depression—or anxiety—prone people. They seem to use chocolate as a light psychotropic drug able to relieve some of their distress” (Dallard et al. 2001).
• Jackson (et al. 2019) found that those who consumed chocolate, “particularly dark chocolate, may be associated with reduced odds of clinically relevant depressive symptoms.” 
• Martin (et al. 2012) found eating a piece of chocolate after a meal decreased anxiety. Note: Arg-nit is also in the rubric for Anxiety while or after eating.
• Take the chocolate away for 2 weeks, say Moreno-Dominguez (et al. 2012) and the anxiety increased for “high-cravers.” 
• In rats, Yamada (et al. 2009) concluded that chronic consumption of cacao mass did not show an anxiolytic effect. (See below for further random studies on chocolate.)

Maybe we chocoholics are just self medicating? 🧐

Back to Arg-nit and chocolate…

Homeopathic Argentum nitricum may be helpful for people who suffer abdominal pain or diarrhea after eating chocolate. Additionally, if a pet gets into chocolate, I have been told that giving them some Arg-nit ASAP can be very important!

Those who experience acne as a result of eating chocolate may also benefit from Arg-nit. Note: the chocolate/acne connection is disputed in conventional science. See (Daszkiewicz 2021), (Goh et al. 2011), (Vongraviopap and Asawanonda 2015). Regardless of the scientific controversy, Argentum nitricum may benefit those who suffer ill-effects after eating chocolate, regardless of what those effects are.  

For those who have chocolate cravings, that tendency could be addressed through a number of remedies, but Arg-nit and Phosphorus are particularly well indicated*.

If there is a tendency to become addicted to chocolate, homeopathic Chocolate may be the remedy to turn to.

Chocolate as a homeopathic remedy was proven** by Jeremy Sherr after seeing frequent complaints from patients resulting in adverse effects after eating chocolate as well as “the impressive” number of his patients who were seriously addicted to chocolate.

There’s not a lot in this remedy that stands out in terms of symptoms, actually. In my never-to-be-humble opinion, it’s because they didn’t actually do the proving on the important part of the chocolate. For the proving, Sherr used the “purest form of processed chocolate” (Sherr 2015). That, to me, is like doing a proving on a Starbucks Caffeè Mocha instead of doing a proving on the important ingredient which, in this case would be the coffee bean. (Note: we have good information on Coffea cruda, the raw coffee bean, which was originally proved by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann and again in modern times.)

Similar to Arg-nit, anxiety is also part of the Chocolate remedy picture: anticipatory anxiety as well as anxiety about health and money and anxiety in the morning.

Frans Vermeulen in his Synoptic Reference (2011) notes that homeopathic chocolate has an affinity for the reproductive system, the central nervous system and hormones.

I’ve never used homeopathic Chocolate with a client. Maybe I will have to try it out on myself one day to get a better feel for it. But, I eagerly anticipate reading a full proving on Cacao one day. I have no doubt it would be a much more impressive remedy than Chocolate. (Cacao does appear in "Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica" by T. Allen but all that is stated is about the separating out of theobromine from the butter of cocoa and no actual symptoms are listed.)

So, the good news on chocolate is, according to the above listed studies, it appears we chocoholics have nothing to fear with a daily indulgence of our favored treat. Phew!

Reference list:

Chocolate Class, 2016. Understanding The Chemical Compound that Confirmed Chocolate was Consumed by the Maya [online]. Chocolate Class. 

Dallard, I., Cathebras, P., Sauron, C. and Massoubre, C., 2001. [Is cocoa a psychotropic drug? Psychopathologic study of a population of subjects self-identified as chocolate addicts]. L’Encephale [online], 27 (2), 181–186.

Daszkiewicz, M., 2021. Associations between diet and acne lesions. Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny [online], 137–143. 

Fusar-Poli, L., Gabbiadini, A., Ciancio, A., Vozza, L., Signorelli, M. S. and Aguglia, E., 2021. The effect of cocoa-rich products on depression, anxiety, and mood: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 62 (28), 1–13.

Goh, W., Kallianpur, K. J., Chow, D., Almeida, P. G., Brown, A. C., Pager, S. and Sil, P., 2011. Chocolate and acne: How valid was the original study? Clinics in Dermatology [online], 29 (4), 459–460. 

Jackson, S. E., Smith, L., Firth, J., Grabovac, I., Soysal, P., Koyanagi, A., Hu, L., Stubbs, B., Demurtas, J., Veronese, N., Zhu, X. and Yang, L., 2019. Is there a relationship between chocolate consumption and symptoms of depression? A cross‐sectional survey of 13,626 US adults. Depression and Anxiety [online], 36 (10), 987–995. 

Martin, F.-P. J., Antille, N., Rezzi, S. and Kochhar, S., 2012. Everyday Eating Experiences of Chocolate and Non-Chocolate Snacks Impact Postprandial Anxiety, Energy and Emotional States. Nutrients [online], 4 (6), 554–567. 

Martin, F.-P. J., Rezzi, S., Peré-Trepat, E., Kamlage, B., Collino, S., Leibold, E., Kastler, J., Rein, D., Fay, L. B. and Kochhar, S., 2009. Metabolic Effects of Dark Chocolate Consumption on Energy, Gut Microbiota, and Stress-Related Metabolism in Free-Living Subjects. Journal of Proteome Research [online], 8 (12), 5568–5579. 

Martinez-Pinilla, E., Oñatibia-Astibia, A. and Franco, R., 2015. The relevance of theobromine for the beneficial effects of cocoa consumption. Frontiers in Pharmacology [online], 6. 

Moreno-Dominguez, S., Rodríguez-Ruiz, S., Martín, M. and Warren, C. S., 2012. Experimental effects of chocolate deprivation on cravings, mood, and consumption in high and low chocolate-cravers. Appetite [online], 58 (1), 111–116.

Sathyapalan, T., Beckett, S., Rigby, A. S., Mellor, D. D. and Atkin, S. L., 2010. High cocoa polyphenol rich chocolate may reduce the burden of the symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Nutrition Journal [online], 9 (1). 

Sherr, J., 2015. Homoeopathic Proving of Chocolate. B Jain Pub Pvt Limited.

Vermeulen, F., 2011. Synoptic reference. B Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd.

Vongraviopap, S. and Asawanonda, P., 2015. Dark chocolate exacerbates acne. International Journal of Dermatology [online], 55 (5), 587–591.

Yamada, T., Yamada, Y., Okano, Y., Terashima, T. and Hidehiko Yokogoshi, 2009. Anxiolytic effects of short- and long-term administration of cacao mass on rat elevated T-maze test. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry [online], 20 (12), 948–955. 

As summer winds down, the cicadas seem to be winding up. Boy, they have been noisy this year! When they take a break, the silence makes me realize that living with something like tinnitus must be very trying, indeed!

Tinnitus (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders 2018), the perception of outside noise when no actual external stimulus is causing the sound, affects 15-20% of people of all ages but it is especially common in older adults. Sometimes there is an underlying cause that can be addressed to fix the tinnitus, but usually, treatments to make the tinnitus less noticeable are used (things like hearing aids, sound generators). Common causes are hearing loss, ear infection or ear canal blockage, head or neck injuries and medications (Mayo Clinic 2018).

Like so many chronic conditions, we are told there is no cure. Half the people who experience tinnitus do not have measurable hearing loss. A small percentage of people suffering from tinnitus experience serious debility in their daily lives (Prutsman 2023).

Homeopathically speaking, there are some remedies that can help though it’s not usually a quick fix, so be prepared to be patient. 

There are a lot of rubrics and remedies associated with hearing noises in the ears — some of them quite specific as to the sound (for example, hearing bagpipes in the distance — Nat carb) or, specific circumstances or specific times of day when the noises occur.

A few remedies pop up more often than others: Petroleum, Lycopodium, and China officinalis, in particular. There is a theme amongst these remedies of sensitive hearing, hyperacusis, which is a common complaint of tinnitus sufferers (Hebert et al. 2013). It never ceases to amaze me how homeopathy figured this stuff out a hundred plus years before the research was done! 

Petroleum is associated with chronic eustachian catarrh, (mucus or gunk in laymen’s terms). Conversely, there may be a dryness or a disagreeable feeling of dryness in the ears. There may be itching deep inside the ear or, diminished hearing in general. There could be an over-sensitiveness of not only hearing, but also of touch and smell, too.

Impaired hearing with noises in the ears; impaired hearing in old people or, progressive hearing impairment.

The sounds which may be heard for which Petroleum may be of benefit: bells; humming; constant roaring or rushing water; cracking; whizzing or the sound of wind.

Lycopodium may help when there is a swelling of the ear with discharge. Perhaps, a sensation as if hot blood has rushed into the ears.

Impaired hearing with discharge from the ear. Sensitive to noises and sounds, particularly music.

The noises which may be helped with Lycopodium are: roaring, humming, whizzing and rushing.

China officinalis is for a great over-sensitiveness of the nervous system — all sights, smells, hearing and taste are too strong. The external ear may be sensitive to touch.

Impaired hearing with constant noises in the ears, possibly with a headache.

The noises which may be helped by China officinalis are humming; ringing, especially with an accompanying headache; roaring; ticking as of a distant watch; buzzing; noises as if hearing singing.

Back to the bagpipes of Natrum carbonicum… this remedy isn’t as prominent as the remedies listed above, but there are some interesting things associated with it.

There may be a stopped sensation with diminished hearing. Sensitive hearing, particularly to music - they can’t bear it or, the rumpling of paper.

Bubbling noises or as if a bubble is bursting; sounds seem to come from the left side when they really come from the right; and, the illusion of hearing singing. And, though they can’t stand hearing music, they have the delusion they are hearing music — that must be frustratingly awful!

A list of a few noise rubrics and some corresponding remedies:

• If you hear noises in your ears when blowing your nose: Calc carb or Hepar sulph.
• Buzzing is a big one with a lot of possibly indicated remedies, but some good places to start would be Argentum nitricum, China off, Lycopodium, or Nux-vomica.
• If the noises occur only at night, try Dulcamera or Graphites.
• Cracking sound: Kali carb or Petroleum.
• In bed, or, lying down makes it worse: Sulphur
• Hearing noises during a headache: China off.
• Humming: China off, Lycopodium, Phosphorus or Sepia
• Difficulty hearing with the noises: Causticum or Lycopodium
• Rushing water: Chamomilla
• Boiling water: Lycopodium
• As of wind: Petroleum
• If it is synchronous with the pulse, it’s an easy one to remember: Pulsatilla, or, Puls for short.

Book a focused consultation and see if we can take the focus off those noises for you.

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

Reference list
Cleveland Clinic, n.d. Tinnitus: Causes, Treatment & Prevention [online]. Cleveland Clinic. 

Hebert, S., Fournier, P. and Norena, A., 2013. The Auditory Sensitivity is Increased in Tinnitus Ears. Journal of Neuroscience [online], 33 (6), 2356–2364. 

Mayo Clinic, 2018. Tinnitus - Symptoms and causes [online]. Mayo Clinic.

​National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2018. Tinnitus [online]. NIDCD. 

Prutsman, Dr. J., 2023. Tinnitus [online]. Sound Relief Tinnitus & Hearing Center. 

​We are in Jolly Old for Christmas and we have been having mixed success in attending some carol services. (We have yet to get lucky for the famous churches, but the two smaller churches that we whisked ourselves into did a commendable job.)

All this fa-la-la-ing got me thinking about hoarse voices.

The Banerjis recommend Hepar sulph 200c, twice daily for a hoarse voice.

If the high notes in particular cause problems, especially a cough, try some Argentum nitricum. Actually, Arg-nit is an excellent remedy for lost voices in general, especially in singers.

If you have lost your voice but using it actually makes things feel a little better, Rhus tox may be what you’re looking for.

If it’s painful, try some Belladonna or Phosphorus.

If it’s painless, try some Calc carb or Carbo veg.

Right, I just came back to the hotel for a little sit-down and am now heading back out again to enjoy some more bustling, festively lit streets.

Wishing you the happiest of Christmases… and, may you find a couple of little tubes of homeopathic loveliness in your stockings!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

Resources used in this article:
Morrison, M.D., R., 1998. Desktop companion to physical pathology. Nevada City, Calif.: Hahnemann Clinic Publ.
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Pareek, R. S. and Pareek, A., 2012. Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies. Kandern, Germany: Narayana Publishers.