A graphic image, I know! But when you’re talking about:

Montezuma’s Revenge
Delhi Belly
The Runs
The Trots
The Squirts
The Aztec two-step … 

It all makes sense.

“Travelers’ diarrhea (TD) is the most predictable travel-related illness. Attack rates range from 30% to 70% of travelers, depending on the destination and season of travel” (CDC 2013). TD is usually defined as 3 or more loose stools in 24 hours (Ashkenazi et al. 2016), sometimes with nausea/vomiting, cramps or fever. Bacterial and viral pathogens usually set in between 6 and 72 hours and protozoal pathogens rarely show up in the first few days, with a typical incubation period of 1-2 weeks (though there are exceptions to this) (CDC 2013).

Untreated, the bacterial diarrhea can last 3-7 days. Viral diarrhea 2-3 days. Protozoal diarrhea can stick around for weeks or months (Connor 2016).

Merson (et al. 1976) studied 73 physicians and 48 family members attending a medical conference in Mexico City in 1974, collecting fecal and blood samples before, during and after their trip. They found 49% developed traveler’s diarrhea, setting in about 6 days after arrival and lasting about 5 days.
(There are a few things that jump out from this study that may skew the results. Did they all stay and eat in the same locations? Those who did not get sick, did they alter their behavior in any way from their traveling companions who did get sick? Of the 49% who got sick, how many were related to one another? These and other questions were not addressed in this study.)

Mainstream advice on avoiding traveler's diarrhea

“Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it” is one option. I once knew a man who traveled internationally frequently and he swore that if you added gin to your water, that would protect you from the dreaded traveler’s diarrhea. If these suggestions don’t work and something nasty manages to slip in to your system despite your best efforts, it’s very important to replenish the electrolytes (Ashkenazi et al. 2016). Ali (2019) found that in children with acute diarrhea, adding probiotics to the Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) considerably reduced stool frequency.

In addition to ORS, the standard care for traveler’s diarrhea is antibiotics, sometimes prophylactically and sometimes after the fact, as well as anti-diarrheal medication. Antibiotics can certainly have side effects but, more importantly, “antibiotics used by travelers might result in significant changes in the host microbiome as well as the acquisition of multidrug-resistant bacteria” (Riddle and Connor 2019). For example, post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome may occur in 3-17% of patients following traveler’s diarrhea (Steffen et al. 2015).

A popular anti-diarrheal is Loperamide, AKA Imodium. Drugs.com tells us it is a nonprescription opioid that primarily affects opiate receptors in the intestines to treat diarrhea, which commonly results in constipation, nausea, flatulence, dry mouth, abdominal cramp and vomiting. Loperamide is also known to result in cardiac arrest (Wu and Juurlink 2017) though it is considered “relatively safe at therapeutic doses.” 

How do we avoid this awful predicament?

The worldwide lockdown of the last almost two years certainly is one answer, but staying home 24/7 is not a good option, in my opinion. There’s a whole big world out there with people and places to see!

If you have read any of my articles before, you already know my answer to this problem… Homeopathy!

Fortuoso (et al. 2019) used a homeopathic product (referred to only as Dia 100 in the study, a trademarked remedy with no further information provided), on newborn lambs. The E.coli counts were significantly lower in the stools of the lambs treated with homeopathy and those lambs were able to make “better use of their nutrients, contributing to their immune responses.” (Fortuoso (et al. 2018) completed a similar study with calves. Camerlink (et al. 2010) found similar results in piglets using Coli 30K.)

Jacobs (et al. 1994) found a statistically significant shortening of duration and number of stools per day of diarrhea in children using individualized homeopathy as compared to placebo.

Whether gut issues now exist because one suffered from TD or if gut issues exist following antibiotic use, Uchiyama-Tanaka (2018) found the use of homeopathic bowel nosodes to be effective in 69.6% of patients in a small study of dysbiotic* Japanese patients. ​

Homeopathic Arsenicum album 200c, taken at the beginning of any diarrhea is very effective (Banerji and Banerji 2013, p. 66).

The Banerjis also recommend a couple of cell salts to help with the dehydration that will most likely accompany TD or food poisoning or other causations of prolonged diarrhea: Natrum muriaticum 6x and Kali phos 6x, taken together, every three hours.

Why Arsenicum album?

In addition to the studies referenced above, homeopathic Arsenicum album is noted for its anxiety, restlessness, exhaustion and burning pains. Sudden weakness, sudden intense effects, and “even stupor is interrupted by fits of restlessness with anxious moaning” (Murphy n.d.).

As for Arsenicum album’s connection to food poisoning, it is known to help ill effects from bad food and “injurious effects of fruits, especially more watery ones” (Murphy).

On the mental and emotional plane, Arsenicum album is noted when there is a fear of death and disease and “fixed ideas, hallucinations of smell and sight”  — when you can’t stand the sight or smell of food. Have you ever suffered food poisoning and you can’t get the image or the smell of what you ate out of your mind?

Arsenicum album has been studied, homeopathically speaking, since the days of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. “He despairs and weeps, and imagines no one can help him, that he must die; he is cold and chilly, and afterwards generally weak” (Hughes et al. 2011, referencing Hahnemann’s findings). When you are in a hotel room, a hotel bathroom in particular, and experiencing these dreaded symptoms, homeopathic Arsenicum album might just be your new best friend.

Arsenicum album, don’t leave home without it.**


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits



* Dysbiosis is an unhealthy change in the normal bacterial ecology of a part of body, e.g., of the intestines or oral cavity (Venes and Clarence Wilbur Taber 2013).

** There’s a well-known credit card company that begins with A and has the same number of syllables in their name. Their ad campaign back in the 1970s was “… don’t leave home without it.”

Reference list
Ali, R., 2019. The Use of Probiotic with ORS and ORS Only in Children with Acute Diarrhea. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan [online], 29 (12), 1179–1182. 

Anon., 2012. Loperamide [online]. PubMed. 

Ashkenazi, S., Schwartz, E., and O’Ryan, M., 2016. Travelers’ Diarrhea in Children: What Have We Learnt? The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal [online], 35 (6), 698–700. 

Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji.

Camerlink, I., Ellinger, L., Bakker, E. J., and Lantinga, E. A., 2010. Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy [online], 99 (1), 57–62. 

CDC, ed., 2013. Travelers’ Diarrhea | Travelers’ Health | CDC [online]. Cdc.gov. 

Connor, B. A., 2016. Travelers’ Diarrhea - Chapter 2 - 2020 Yellow Book | Travelers’ Health | CDC [online]. Cdc.gov. 

Drugs.com, ed., 2021. Imodium Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term [online]. Drugs.com. 

Fortuoso, B. F., Gebert, R. R., Griss, L. G., Glombovisky, P., Cazarotto, C. J., Rampazzo, L., Stefani, L. M., Ferreira, E. B., and da Silva, A. S., 2019. Reduction of stool bacterial counts and prevention of diarrhea using an oral homeopathic product in newborn lambs. Microbial Pathogenesis [online], 127, 347–351.

Fortuoso, B. F., Volpato, A., Rampazzo, L., Glombowsky, P., Griss, L. G., Galli, G. M., Stefani, L. M., Baldissera, M. D., Ferreira, E. B., Machado, G., and da Silva, A. S., 2018. Homeopathic treatment as an alternative prophylactic to minimize bacterial infection and prevent neonatal diarrhea in calves. Microbial Pathogenesis [online], 114, 95–98. 

Hahnemann, S., 2015. Chronic diseases, their particular nature & their homoeopathic cure. Referenced through Radar Opus 2.2.16. New Delhi: B. Jain.

Hughes, R., Timothy Field Allen, and Al, E., 2011. The encyclopedia of pure materia medica : a record of the positive effects of drugs upon the healthy human organism. Accessed via Radar Opus 2.2.16. New Delhi: B. Jain.

Jacobs, J., Jiménez, L. M., Gloyd, S. S., Gale, J. L., and Crothers, D., 1994. Treatment of acute childhood diarrhea with homeopathic medicine: a randomized clinical trial in Nicaragua. Pediatrics [online], 93 (5), 719–725. 

Merson, M. H., Morris, G. K., Sack, D. A., Wells, J. G., Feeley, J. C., Sack, R. B., Creech, W. B., Kapikian, A. Z., and Gangarosa, E. J., 1976. Travelers’ Diarrhea in Mexico. New England Journal of Medicine [online], 294 (24), 1299–1305.

Murphy, R., n.d. Homeopathic Remedy Guide. accessed through Radar Opus 2.2.16.

Rafferty, A. and Kayne, S., 1994. The use of Arsenicum album 30c to complement conventional treatment of neonatal diarrhoea (“scours”) in calves. British Homeopathic Journal [online], 83 (04), 202–204.

Riddle, M. S. and Connor, B. A., 2019. Perspectives: Antibiotics in Travelers’ Diarrhea - Balancing the Risks & Benefits - Chapter 2 - 2020 Yellow Book | Travelers’ Health | CDC [online]. wwwnc.cdc.gov.

Riddle, M. S., Connor, B. A., Beeching, N. J., DuPont, H. L., Hamer, D. H., Kozarsky, P., Libman, M., Steffen, R., Taylor, D., Tribble, D. R., Vila, J., Zanger, P., and Ericsson, C. D., 2017. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of travelers’ diarrhea: a graded expert panel report. Journal of Travel Medicine [online], 24 (suppl_1), S63–S80. 

Steffen, R., Hill, D. R., and DuPont, H. L., 2015. Traveler’s Diarrhea. JAMA [online], 313 (1), 71. 

Uchiyama-Tanaka, Y., 2018. Case Study of Homeopathic Bowel Nosode Remedies for Dysbiotic Japanese Patients. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.) [online], 24 (2), 187–192. 

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

Wu, P. E. and Juurlink, D. N., 2017. Clinical Review: Loperamide Toxicity. Annals of Emergency Medicine [online], 70 (2), 245–252. 
‌

And, so it begins. The season of family, friends, food, festivities and, less desirably, the crud.

What follows is an account of one family suffering from the crud. I know this family well and often help them homeopathically through quick text exchanges. Knowing she has a good home kit of homeopathic remedies, I addressed her questions and their symptoms with common remedies. 

Note: sitting down and taking the full case is definitely a better way to approach any situation, but this is how things go sometimes. She didn’t request a “full” acute consultation, she just wanted to address her symptoms as they popped up. 

A friend called last week with her 1st grader suffering a nasty, yucky cough. She got over it pretty quickly, but she managed to share it with her little sisters. The littlest one wasn’t sleeping for a few nights and since little ones aren’t known for entertaining themselves quietly when they aren’t sleeping, her mom didn’t sleep either and she, too, succumbed to the crud. 

In an ideal world, the right remedy will take care of the whole enchilada all at once. But, with colds and flus you often have to chase the symptoms. One remedy takes care of the first problem and then the symptoms change and move and are looking for attention elsewhere. 

The mom texted with her symptoms: “What do I take for right sided nasal congestion that is also plugging my right ear? It’s a gross one. I tried to get on top of it before it fully took over and was unsuccessful.”

My answer: homeopathic Sanguinaria canadensis.

I knew from her oldest’s symptoms that an icky cough was part of this picture and Sanguinaria is a good cough remedy in general. It is highly indicated in a hacking cough, an irritable cough, a tickling cough and even whooping cough. 

Sanguinaria also is noted for ear pain and ear discharges and excessive mucus and/or tickling in the larynx, trachea or throat. The lungs may be filled with gunk and the discharges may be stringy or have an odor.

The headaches of Sanguinaria can be accompanied by nausea or have pain above the eyes and can be specifically associated with the right side. Gastric headaches, throbbing headaches and migraines can all be helped by homeopathic Sanguinaria. 

The Sanguinaria did its thing and she was feeling better than she had been earlier in the day, but her ear was still troubling her. It turns out her ear was hurting more than she mentioned at first and said that earlier in the day she found relief from resting her ear on a heating pad*. This made me think of Belladonna, another right-sided remedy that is indicated in ear pain that is better from warmth. Not long after, she texted that the crackling was much improved.

* This is a very common occurrence, where what would be important symptoms are left off “the list” for one reason or another. Perhaps it is that another symptom is taking precedence or the symptom in question was worse and seemed to have disappeared and not worth mentioning, but then rears its head again. 

The next morning, the ear pain was gone but the congestion had shifted to her left nostril. Arsenicum album or Apis popped into my head and she texted that she had the Arsenicum album near by and “it seemed to do the trick.”

I didn’t hear from her again and I just happened to text this afternoon to see how she was doing and she was not well. She now thought she had developed a sinus infection. In addition to that, her middle child was still sleeping poorly, coughing and “when she blows her nose it’s like she could blow it forever and never run out of snot.” Her daughter was also “fairly emotional” and “overly sensitive” about things that normally wouldn’t bother her.

This was the first I had heard about this daughter and suggested Pulsatilla. Pulsatilla is well known for sadness, weeping easily and changeable moods. Children who can benefit from Pulsatilla are often in need of comforting and feel better for consolation. Pulsatilla is also known for discharges of all kinds from all over the body: ears, eyes, lungs, nose and more. A non-irritating, bland, discharge which may be thick or slimy or yellowish/greenish. Pulsatilla is not the only remedy that is known for a copious discharge, but when you add in the over-sensitivity, then Pulsatilla makes a lot of sense. Very soon after, another text arrived saying her daughter was already sounding less cruddy and was “snotting and coughing” less than before.

As for the mom, she was suffering sinus pressure and a pretty bad headache. The mucus was no longer free flowing but it was sticking around causing the sinus pressure and the headache and causing pain at the base of her neck and down the shoulder blades. 

Kali bich is one of the best remedies for headaches from sinus pressure and also for sinus infections. Again, in very short order, another text arrived saying she was “feeling so much better.” A few minutes after that she phoned from her car (she felt well enough to go out and do what she needed to do!) and said she could “feel the tension leaving her body.” Her face pain was gone, her shoulders were relaxing and her voice continued to lighten as the conversation continued.

Could all of the mom’s symptoms be addressed more cleanly straight off the bat? Perhaps. In hindsight, Kali bich may have been what she needed from the start, but as the symptoms presented themselves, it didn’t become clear until later. Homeopathy definitely isn’t an exact science and when the symptoms are being addressed in a piece-meal fashion via short, informal texts it’s easy to miss symptoms which could be more specifically targeted if more information had been available. 

Regardless, homeopathy was able to keep this busy mom going, despite her many and varied symptoms and is a good example of how symptoms can be addressed and responded to when you have a stash of common remedies at your disposal.

At this point, the dad has not succumbed. He has been taking Cold Calm** as a preventative. So far, so good!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits



** I have no affiliation with this company, I just like their product.

Dystopian fiction used to be one of my favorite genres… until 2020 happened and we found ourselves living in an actual dystopia! A few weeks ago, I decided it was time to return to normal and re-visit this type of fiction. 

One Second After by William R. Forstchen came to me via an enthusiastic recommendation and it turned out to be a well-written, plausible scenario of the after effects of an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) being dropped on the United States. The result? All electronics ceased functioning: no phones, no running water, no refrigeration, no cars. Supply lines stopped. Stores looted and emptied in the first days. Medical help was dependent on the knowledge of the local doctors, nurses and veterinarians and whatever supplies they happened to have on hand.

You know what was missing in this scenario? Somebody with some homeopathic knowledge! Homeopathy is an essential skill to have if you are living off the grid, whether by choice … or through a fictional EMP being dropped.

The main character got a life-threatening infection after cutting his hand.  A number of remedies come to mind for a really bad infection*: Calendula (Parente et al. 2012; Givol et al. 2019; Preethi and Kuttan 2009), Gunpowder (Casey 2011) or, the  Banerji protocol of Hypericum 200c mixed with Arsenicum album 200c (Banerji and Banerji 2013). 

*This article is based on a fictional situation. If you find yourself in any of these situations in real life, seek medical attention immediately!

His daughter had Type 1 diabetes (NOT a good thing to have when the supply lines are cut and there is no more insulin to be found) and though homeopathy may help control some of the symptoms, it isn’t going to do much to help that situation. There are certainly medical conditions for which pharmaceutical drugs are absolutely necessary to keep people alive. But, this dystopian novel made me think about all the people dependent on pharmaceutical meds for non-life-threatening conditions. You don’t want to be dependent on these things when this fictional EMP is dropped (or even if there is a breakdown of the supply chain)!

The coming to grips with their new reality? Ignatia could certainly help with that. It is so good at addressing emotional shocks and for those suffering ill effects from hearing bad news or from fright and "disorders of the mind, particularly if actuated by grief, sadness, hopelessness, hysterical variableness, fantastic illusions" (Murphy 2006, p. 973).

The diarrhea that spread through town? Arsenicum album (Rafferty and Kayne 1994), Veratrum album (Banerji and Banerji 2013) or Camphor ​(Banerji and Banerji 2013; Leary 1997; Perko 2005). [An interesting read on the use of homeopathy in cholera epidemics.]

The psychiatric patients in town who no longer had their meds… Homeopathy has a good track record for helping mental and emotional conditions of all sorts and certainly could have helped to keep some of these conditions at bay, but these are better suited to an individualized classical homeopathic remedy. (Check out Homeopathy and Mental Health Care by C. K. Johannes for a place to start.)

Another beautiful aspect of homeopathy is it doesn’t require much of a supply chain. It is completely possible to make your own homeopathic remedies as long as you have either the raw materials or the homeopathic remedy itself. If you have blank pellets, you can create more pellets as needed, or, you can make essentially limitless liquid remedies from a couple of pellets and treat the whole town at once!

What else could these people have used? A good First Aid Kit** and the knowledge of how to use it.  When your local hospitals and clinics are no longer of any use to you, a medium-sized accident can leave you in a world of hurt. Remember, in this fictional account, there was no electricity, no internet, no phones to help you figure out how to use your first aid kit. It does you no good to have something downloaded on your now defunct tablet; you need to have good, old-fashioned books to guide you, like US Army First Aid Manual or Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid.

I know some people find these catastrophic topics disturbing. I like the problem solving that comes along with reading these kinds of books; to think about the worst case scenario and figure out ways to tackle the problems — being prepared (in my mind, at least) brings me a sense of calm.

I’m happy to have this genre back in my life. I wonder what the next dystopian scenario coming my way will be? Regardless of what it is, I bet homeopathy would be a useful skill to have!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

** I have no affiliation with this company or any products listed here, I just like their products.

REFERENCES

Anon., 2020. Instructions For Turning Pills Into Liquid Remedies [online]. Homeopathy Plus. 

Banerji, P. and Banerji, P., 2013. The Banerji protocols : a new method of treatment with homeopathic medicines. India: Pratip Banerji.
‌
Camerlink, I., Ellinger, L., Bakker, E. J., and Lantinga, E. A., 2010. Homeopathy as replacement to antibiotics in the case of Escherichia coli diarrhoea in neonatal piglets. Homeopathy [online], 99 (1), 57–62.
‌
Casey, S., 2011. Gunpowder! Little-Known Remedy Packs a Wallop Against Wounds - Shirley Casey [online]. Hpathy. 

Coyte, J., 2021. Homeopathic potency briefly explained [online]. CLASSICALLYPRACTICAL.COM. 

Givol, O., Kornhaber, R., Visentin, D., Cleary, M., Haik, J., and Harats, M., 2019. A systematic review of Calendula officinalis extract for wound healing. Wound Repair and Regeneration [online], 27 (5), 548–561.

Jacobs, J., Jiménez, L. M., Gloyd, S. S., Gale, J. L., and Crothers, D., 1994. Treatment of acute childhood diarrhea with homeopathic medicine: a randomized clinical trial in Nicaragua. Pediatrics [online], 93 (5), 719–725.

Johannes, C. K., 2010. Homeopathy and Mental Health Care. The Netherlands: Homeolinks Publishers.

Leary, B., 1997. The homoepathic management of cholera in the nineteenty century with special reference to the epidemic in London, 1854. Medizin, Gesellschaft, Und Geschichte: Jahrbuch Des Instituts Fur Geschichte Der Medizin Der Robert Bosch Stiftung [online], 16, 125–144.
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Murphy, R., 2006. Nature’s materia medica : 1,400 homeopathic and herbal remedies. Blackburg, Va.: Lotus Health Institute, November.

Parente, L. M. L., Lino Júnior, R. de S., Tresvenzol, L. M. F., Vinaud, M. C., de Paula, J. R., and Paulo, N. M., 2012. Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalis L. Growing in Brazil [online]. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 

Perko, S. J., 2005. The homeopathic treatment of influenza : surviving influenza epidemics and pandemics past, present and future with homeopathy. San Antonio, Tx: Benchmark Homeopathic Publications.

Preethi, K. C. and Kuttan, R., 2009. Wound healing activity of flower extract of Calendula offlcinalis. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology[online], 20 (1).

Rafferty, A. and Kayne, S., 1994. The use of Arsenicum album 30c to complement conventional treatment of neonatal diarrhoea (“scours”) in calves. British Homeopathic Journal [online], 83 (04), 202–204.
‌

FIRST AID BOOKS

Coffman, S., 2021. Herbal medic : a green beret’s guide to emergency medical preparedness and natural first aid. North Adams, Ma: Storey Publishing.
‌
Pareek, R. S. and Pareek, A., 2012. Homeopathy for Acutes and Emergencies. Kandern, Germany: Narayana Publishers.

Ratera, Dr. M. M., 2016. First Aid with Homeopathy.

Schmukler, A. V., 2006. Homeopathy : an A to Z home handbook. Woodbury, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications.
​
United States. Department Of The Army, 2009. U.S. Army first aid manual. New York: Skyhorse Pub.

Wiseman, J. and Britain., G., 2014. SAS survival handbook : the ultimate guide to surviving anywhere. New York: William Morrow, An Imprint Of Harpercollins Publishers.
‌

I thought I was good to go with this wasp sting. I took a couple more doses of Ledum if any pain crept up and by the time I went to bed, I thought I was over it.

Nope. I guess this thing was a 1-2-3 punch!

I was awakened by a household noise about midnight. As I got out of bed, my foot pounded with pain. I took another dose of Ledum and tried to get back to sleep. Nope. I took a higher potency of Ledum and tried to get back to sleep. Nope. I tried some homeopathic Coffea cruda which is known to help sleep to come when there is pain. Nope. I was awake for about an hour trying to figure out what remedy to try next while I was trying to will the pain away and let sleep come. It really hurt badly.

I eventually decided on homeopathic Hypericum 200c. I slept the rest of the night. And, I did pretty well most of the next day.

I was sound asleep and awakened the next night at 3 am. This time with intense itching. Had someone offered to amputate it at that moment, I would have seriously entertained the idea. It was like the worst athlete's foot I have ever had, multiplied by a lot! It was miserable! Hypericum did nothing. Coffea did nothing. 

I then went to an excellent homeopathic "itchy" remedy, Arsenicum album 30c. (Arsenicum is part of the Banerji Protocol for eczema, that's how good it is for itchiness.) It worked. I slept the rest of the night. This time I awakened the next morning and the itching was still there, just not as acutely. Arsenicum only barely worked now. I ran out of the 30c and all I had left was 3c which was of no help in this situation. [REMINDER: if you don't have the right remedy on hand, it's not going to help you!] 

But, I did have the combination remedy of Hypericum 200c + Arsenicum album 200c. This is the Banerji's first line protocol for animal and human bites (Banerji and Banerji 2013). Animal and human bites are considered puncture wounds. Wasps leave puncture wounds and thus I decided it was worth a try. Relief came. But, again, only for a little while.

My toe, at this point was stiff and red and a little warm. It felt OK, and then it doesn't. There is no sign of a stinger left in there. It's localized only to that toe and it is not spreading up my foot.

At my husband's suggestion, I soaked it first in hot water with Epsom salts. Aaaahhh. That felt good. Then, I followed his next suggestion and soaked it in ice water. That, too, felt good. In short, it felt good as long as it was in the water. As soon as it came out out of the water, that's when it started to hurt. 

I reached out to a homeopath friend who recently had a bad reaction to a bee sting. She suggested Plantago Major mother tincture. Now, that is soothing stuff! I've read about it many times, but I have never tried it. (This little bottle is moving into my medicine cabinet and will now be one of the first things I grab.)

So, I have now soaked it in both hot and cold. I have doused it with Plantago major. Now, I will alternate between Arsenicum album 200c (for the itchiness) and Urtica urens 200c.

Homeopathic Urtica urens is potentized (homeopathic) stinging nettle. It is well known for allergic reaction, edema and itching. I think these three bold-type symptoms in Murphy's Repertory for Urtica urens covers what's going on in my toe. (Note: I don't know that I am having an allergic reaction, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility.)

About 15 minutes after the first dose of Urtica, my toe is a little less stiff, but the itching is worse … hence the decision to alternate these two remedies. The Arsenicum calmed the itching. The stiffness remains, though lessened.

I will alternate these two remedies, as needed, for the next few hours. If the stiffness goes away, I'll back off the Urtica. If the itching lessens, I'll back off on the Arsenicum album.

And, I'll cross my fingers because I have had good amelioration 2 days in a row after taking well indicated remedies and I have been surprised 2 nights in a row.

I'll keep you posted!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical Homeopath

​#wellnessawaits

I was sitting out on the patio this afternoon for what is most likely the last beautiful 80 degree day of the year, when a yellow thing with a stinger started nosing around my sandaled foot.

Long ago I learned to not hit a bee or a wasp with my negative waves, so I shooed it away gently and turned my chair the other direction and promptly forgot about it.

Until the little !?@*! swooped in the gap in my sandal and stung me under my second toe! Bam! Out of the blue! No provocation of any kind! I flew out of my seat. I dropped my computer to the ground and retreated inside, cursing and limping and wondering what the heck just happened!

Luckily for me, just inside that door is where I keep my stash of homeopathic remedies. I immediately grabbed Ledum palustre 30c and threw some pellets under my tongue. I took a dose, waited for the pain to subside (which it did quite quickly), and then I started writing this article. About 15-20 minutes later, my toe started to throb and ache again, so I repeated the remedy and will continue to do so if and when the pain returns.

Why 30c and not another potency? To be completely honest, the 30c is the first thing my hand touched and I didn’t want to take the time to think about it. I just wanted the pain gone. Had I given it any thought, I probably would have chosen 200c.

Homeopathic Ledum is the first remedy to think of for stings and bites and puncture wounds of any kind.

Other than sneaky wasp attacks, where else would we see the usefulness of a homeopathic remedy for puncture wounds? … … … (I’ll wait while you fill in the blank.) … … … Yes! You’ve got it. Not that I am trying to get noticed by the Internet censors, but Ledum is the first remedy to consider following a puncture wound that stems from the pointy end of a plastic vial filled with liquid. After all, an injection site is, in simple terms, a puncture wound. 

If one is suffering general ill effects following a puncture wound from the hands of a trained professional, Ledum should be the first thing you try. If other issues arise following that injectable fluid, a more specific homeopathic remedy should be given. For this, I suggest you work with a professional homeopath.

More pokey things that Ledum can help: bites from any kind of being (dogs, rodents, mosquitoes; ticks; bedbugs); goat’s head prickers (oh, these are nasty little things!); wounds from fixing a barbed wire fence or being poked by a branch. Ledum doesn’t care how the puncture wound got there, it just wants to help you feel better.

And, don’t forget your pets — they, too, can benefit from Ledum following a flea infestation.

Another time Ledum can come in handy is if a needle biopsy is in order. In this situation, take Ledum 200c just before the puncture and again as soon as possible afterward. 

Should you find you are suffering an allergic reaction from a bee sting and Ledum is not doing the job, try Apis mellifica for bites/stings that swell up, are hot and resemble hives.

If the Ledum fails to act after acting well, some remedies that might follow well and are worth a try: Hypericum, Apis ​and Staphysagria.

If itching is part of this experience, Arsenicum album may help.

Remember homeopathic Ledum for those sneaky wasp attacks and any other unexpected (or even expected) puncture wounds.


Julia Coyte, CHom
​classicallypractical.com
#wellnessawaits

Last year, I dropped Rufus off for boarding when we went out of town. I was informed he needed a bunch of immunizations to be there, even if only to get groomed. 

Ruf does not love riding in the car and at his size, he’s not easy to get into the car when he’s not a willing participant. The groomer/boarder is close enough that I walk him there. I opted to use their mobile vet to do what they needed to do.

He was perfectly healthy when I dropped him off. He was sick as a dog when I picked him up. Kennel cough (also known as Bordatella, the vaccine he was required to get so he didn’t catch Kennel cough) was the diagnosis.

What to do? Homeopathy of course!

I turned to my handy dandy Homeopathy to the Rescue for Dogs from Pet Remedy Charts.*

“Kennel Cough: Drosera 30c if the cough is dry, spasmodic and there is retching. Dose: 3-4 times daily for 5-7 days or until improved.”

Drosera and lots of bone broth was the ticket and after a few days I was happy to hear him out in the yard with enough energy to bark at the world. 

Back when we used to have chickens, I used their Homeopathy to the Rescue for Chickens. Fortunately, the chicken only had diarrhea and it was easily addressed by giving her some Arsenicum album (dissolved in some bone broth soaked rice). A few doses and everything firmed right up again. My chicken chart addresses 31 different ailments including Abscesses, Aggression, Bumblefoot, Animal Bites, Respiratory Infections/Allergies and also includes Dosing Guidelines.

These charts are concise and easy to use and nicely laminated, too so I expect them to be around for quite a while.

Since I first found this company, they have added a bunch of new charts, including anatomy and for some of the creatures they have included herbs, flower remedies and acupressure. Charts available for dogs, cats, birds, horses, chickens, pet rats and humans.

Always helpful to have a handy-dandy chart ready to go for whatever comes up.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical Homeopathy 


#wellnessawaits. #homeopathycanhelp

* I have no affiliation with this company. I just like their products.

Once upon a time when somebody sneezed or coughed we all assumed it was either a cold or allergies and we really didn’t think very much about it. Now, if you’re in public and you have to sneeze or (heaven forbid!) cough… hold it in — don’t even go there!

Allergy season has returned to our neck of the woods. Headaches. Sneezing. Runny noses. Blocked up sinuses. Tickling in the throat. Yuck.

Let’s look at a few homeopathic remedies that might be of assistance.

Allium cepa is a go-to remedy for runny noses which burn and eyes that water blandly and can present with a dull frontal headache.

Arsenicum album — for burning discharge from the nose and eyes and the eyelids may be puffy.
Here’s an important piece of the allergy puzzle with this remedy: Complaints return annually. (While this is more of a classical homeopathic approach to allergies, Arsenicum album can certainly be applied in a practical or therapeutic way, as well.)

Euphrasia focuses on the eyes. Opposite to Allium cepa listed above, Euphrasia has a bland runny nose and burning eyes. The eyelids may also itch and burn.

Natrum muriaticum can have a profuse watery discharge from the eyes and the nose and what comes out of the nose may have an egg white consistency. Tasting and smelling may be an issue as well as a tickling in the pit of the throat.

Nux vomica — obnoxious, relentless sneezing as well as irritation in the nose and eyes. Grumpiness might just be a part of this picture, too.

Sanguinaria can be very helpful for sinus issues and facial pain and headaches resulting from the blocked sinuses

Wyethia has the runny nose and sneezing but it also has the peculiar symptom of an itchy palate — requesting your tongue’s assistance in rubbing back and forth trying to scratch that itch on the roof of your mouth.

There are many, many homeopathic remedies to address the many, many allergic symptoms. If you need help deciding what remedies may best suit your symptoms, or if you are prone to allergies in general, homeopathy can help to strengthen your system and lessen this burden.

Contact classicallypractical.com to see if homeopathy can help relieve your seasonal allergies now and in the future. 

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classicallypractical.com

​#homeopathycanhelp #wellnessawaits