Even though we have been humid (for New Mexico), we have had no rain worth mentioning. Our trees are dying 😫. Rivers are just beds of stones. The monsoons never developed this year.
Despite this lingering heat, autumnal bugs are beginning their march into town. The internet tells me October is the month where things really get going. However, this morning I saw in my email that Stanford University-run WastewaterSCAN program indicates that SARS-CoV-2 is currently “high” nationwide, with a significant upward trend in the last 3 weeks. I checked the WastewaterSCAN Dashboard and New Mexico doesn’t appear. However, a Today show article claims it is increasing nationwide.
​
Cold, Flu, Covid, the Crud, the Suds** — whatever seasonal ailment is getting you, homeopathy is a good place to start. It’s important to remember that homeopathy doesn’t care the name of what ails you — homeopathy is (for the most part) only interested in your symptoms.
With that, let’s look at a few remedies to have handy. As Benjamin Franklin taught us, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure! All of these homeopathic remedies work really well when taken at the first sign of any symptoms. Repeat every few hours, or, follow the manufacturer’s direction.

• Aconite + Bryonia
  • This is my first stop. In fact, I saw this Banerji combination work it’s magic just today. This person was feeling really lousy: run down, cold-like symptoms — this person was fading fast, actually. One dose and about 20 minutes later, feeling much better. Fixed? Not quite, but on the way.
• Boiron’s Cold Calm* (see also, Calming the Cold)
  • If you get on this one with the first few sniffles, nastiness may be avoided!
• Narayani Flu Pack (see also, Pre-Winter Bugs)
• Ferrum phos 6x is a beautiful little thing. Don’t underestimate the power of a little cell salt to turn the bugs around as soon as they make themselves known. (see also, On the 4th day of cell salts… Ferr phos)
• Oscillococcinum*. A lot of people swear by this one to keep well. It can be used if the bugs have taken hold, or, for prevention if you believe you have simply been exposed. (See also, Ho Ho Ho (not, Ooooooh no!)

So far this month, I’m seeing a bunch of throat stuff and huge fatigue, in addition to milder cold-like symptoms and one person with some stomach issues thrown in for good measure. For what it’s worth, Gelsemium has been helpful for a couple of people I have encountered. Why Gelsemium?

Gelsemium symptoms (keynotes from Morrison are bolded):

• may creep up on you rather than appearing out of the blue
• a lot of weakness and fatigue; heavy limbs; may be some trembling; may feel too weak to move
  • Oddly, despite the overall weakness, symptoms may improve a little bit with continued movement or exertion.
    • Perhaps relatedly… Gelsemium is also in a one remedy rubric for: Heart - ANXIETY, heart region , in - fears, that unless constantly moving heart will cease to beat, fear of death: (1) GELS.
• a strong desire to lie down and sleep
  • heavy eyelids; can’t keep them open
• sore throat; difficulty swallowing
  • pain may extend to the ears
• stuffy nose with watery discharge; especially on the left side
• a dull and heavy headache; may start in the back of the head and move up to the forehead
  • keynotes of a Gelsemium headache:
    • feels like there is a band around the head
    • headaches improve when passing a fairly large quantity of urine
• vertigo with vision issues; sensation as if falling
• if there is a fever, there may be a lack of thirst
  • feels hot but no desire to drink water
  • sticky perspiration over the whole body
  • chills run up and down the spine; there may be shivering
• concentration is difficult; dullness; and, maybe even confusion

​
When the stomach plays a larger role, consider Arsenicum album.
A quick comparison between Gelsemium and Arsenicum for cold/flu symptoms:

​I touched on the idea of remedy repetition in my recent “broad and shallow sweep through homeopathic potency.” In that article, remedy repetition was more related to various homeopathic ideas that certain potencies (generally low) are more suited to repetition than others.

I understand there are plenty of “classical” homeopaths who work with multiple remedies at a time (for example: a weekly “constitutional” remedy and a daily cell salt and perhaps an occasional “lesional” remedy — all used in the same time frame), but for this article, I will use the term “classical” in regard to homeopaths who practice with one remedy at a time.

“Practical” homeopaths, in this article, are referring to those who use multiple remedies simultaneously or even combination remedies. (I am aware that there are plenty of “classical” homeopaths who apply homeopathy in a “practical” manner, but do not use polypharmacy, for instance.)
--
As we learned in the above mentioned Homeopathic Potency article, it’s important to remember, as always in homeopathy, the individual is the driving and deciding force.
--
Digging through my bookshelves, it’s clear that repetition of remedies during acute conditions is pretty universal and considered to be sometimes necessary even. Let’s take a look at a few different authors and see what they recommend. (All emphases are from original authors.)

Dr. Ratera (2020, p 19), writing about First Aid with Homeopathy (so ostensibly dealing only with acute situations) says:

"Use low potencies (from 6 to 30D and C or K) for milder cases, repeat several times in dry dose or diluted in mineral water…. In severe cases, the frequency of administration initially must be high (every 1-5 minutes in severe poisoning), progressively decreasing the frequency with improvement. In medium and mild cases, every 2-8 hours the first day, and reduce the frequency to 1-2 times daily for 1 or 2 days.… Stop or reduce remedy administration when the patient starts improving. Prolonged, unnecessary repetition of homeopathic remedies can produce proving symptoms in the patient."

Dr. Colin B. Lessell’s The World Travellers’ Manual of Homoeopathy (1999, p 5) in discussing remedies for a sun headache:

"… in an average case, one dose of Belladonna 30c should be given initially every two hours. The strength of the treatment may be varied, however, according to the severity of the case. A mild case may require dosage repetition every four hours, and a severe case every hour, or half hour. For the beginner, it is best to start with the directive of the text. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the frequency of repetition should be reduced as the patient improves, and in most instances the remedy should be discontinued once significant improvement has occurred.

Occasionally, after the administration of a remedy, the patient experiences what is termed homoeopathic aggravation (see below for further explanation). This is a transient worsening of the patient’s symptoms, and may be caused by the use of too high a potency, or by too rapid dose repetition. In fact, it signifies overstimulation of the bodily healing response. Should this occur, the remedy should be discontinued, whereupon the phase of aggravation will be followed by one of remission, often proceeding to cure. However, it sometimes happens that this phase of remission is short-lived, and is followed by a resumption of the previous symptoms, although they are often less severe. In this case, the remedy should be reapplied, but less aggressively. Reduce the frequency of dosage, or select a lesser potency."

Dr. Andrew Lockie’s The Family Guide to Homeopathy (1993, p 30):

"In acute conditions, doses should be taken every 1/2 or 1 hour to begin with, up to a maximum of 10 doses. But as soon as there is some improvement, the interval between doses should be increased to 8 or 12 hours for 2 or 3 days at most. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO POINT IN CONTINUING TO TAKE A REMEDY ONCE THE SYMPTOMS HAVE STARTED TO DISAPPEAR."

Drs. Jonas & Jacobs in their Healing with Homeopathy state:

"The cardinal rule of homeopathic treatment is that once a remedy begins to work, it should be tapered off and/or stopped. This is because the remedies stimulate the natural healing mechanisms of the body, and once that process begins it continues on its own.… Marked improvement can sometimes occur after only one dose, especially in a particularly intense situation… at other times several doses are necessary before the effects of the remedy are noticed. At the point where an effect is noticed, stop the medicine and wait."

Miranda Castro in The Complete Homeopathy Handbook (Castro 1991, p 26):

"Having selected the remedy for your patient, you will need to decide on the dose. This will depend upon the urgency of the case: frequent doses for an acute illness that has come on suddenly and strongly, and less frequent doses for a slowly developing illness. Some earaches with very severely distressed patients need their remedies repeating every five minutes; a head injury may need the remedy repeating every half hour; and a slowly developing flu may need a remedy every four hours or three times a day.

Once you see that a homeopathic remedy has started to work — once you notice a definite reaction or change resulting from the remedy — then continue with the same remedy but give it less often (that is, increase the gaps between the doses) as the patient continues to improve.

Once there is a marked improvement — once a strong positive reaction has occurred — it is essential to stop taking the remedy altogether. This is the absolute opposite of the instructions you receive when taking orthodox medicines (for example, antibiotics), where it is often necessary to finish the whole course of pills. A homeopathic remedy acts as a trigger, a catalyst — it stimulates the body to begin to heal itself, and once that has happened the body’s own healing process will take over. In some cases, taking another tablet after this reaction has occurred can actually stop the remedy working and even exaggerate the symptoms and consequently you can be persuaded into thinking it was a poor prescription."

With these, we see the theme of remedy repetition for acute situations from what I would term the more classical homeopaths and they are all pretty much in agreement, with just a little fine tuning here or there.

Let’s talk about the homeopathic aggravation a little bit.
Dr. Hahnemann in §158 says:
"A small homeopathic aggravation is a good indication in an acute disease.

This small homeopathic aggravation in the first hours is a very good portent that the acute disease will be mostly finished by the first dose. Such an aggravation is not infrequent, since the medicinal disease must naturally be somewhat stronger than the malady in order to over-tune and extinguish it…"

Translation:
Unlike conventional (allopathic) medicines, which treat disease with “anti” remedies — meaning “against” or “opposite,” as in antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, antipyretics (fever reducers), etc, homeopathy is based on similarities (Homoeo means “similar” or “same”). (See also, Hom, not home). A homeopathic remedy for a fever would match the totality of the patient’s symptoms, including the unique symptoms of the person’s fever (sudden onset, throbbing, causing restlessness, etc). This remedy would then gently stimulate (“over-tune”) the vital force* — the body’s self-regulating life principle — creating a similar but slightly stronger “medicinal disease” (the dynamic, artificial disturbance produced by the potentized homeopathic remedy). This “medicinal disease” gently nudges the vital force in a similar direction to the existing illness, enabling the body to kick in and extinguish the fever on its own. It’s important to mention here that it’s not literally about inducing a full-blown fever in an already sick person — it’s about matching the energetic signature of an illness to a potentized homeopathic remedy which would support the body’s own self-healing process.

“Similia similibus curentur” — Like cures like. If a remedy or substance can create or provoke a symptom in a healthy person, that same remedy or substance in homeopathic form can help relieve that symptom in an unwell person. (See also, The original drug testing… Homeopathic Provings.)

What about the Banerjis? What do they say to do for acutes?
Interestingly, their written instructions show that remedies are actually given a little less frequently than the traditional homeopaths. To be fair, their book isn’t really aimed at treating acutes.

For example, their first line remedies for influenza suggest:

• Rhus tox 30c and Bryonia 30c, one dose every 2 hours alternately.

Being the Banerjis, they also suggest other remedies to be taken in conjunction with the main remedy/ies.

• in case of temperature — Belladonna**, one dose every one hour (SOS***)
• for nausea and vomiting — Arsenicum album**, one dose every 30 minutes (SOS)

The Narayanis, on the other hand, address the full range of issues in their selection of remedies (see also, Quickie: Narayani Books). It’s important to note that potency selection has already been done for us with Narayanis — there’s nothing to do except purchase the ready-made combo and decide how often to take it.
​
Contrary to classical homeopathy, the Narayanis repeat remedies quite frequently, regardless of potency. Here are some examples:

• Throat, mix 30, (200c) repetition is suggested every 15 minutes for acute sore throat. Reduce on improvement.
• Cold, mix 11 is in a 6x and they suggest it every 15 minutes until eased, then reduce to three times a day (which is technically equivalent to every 8 hours but is more often used upon waking, in the afternoon and before bed).
• Flu Pack, mix 79 is a 10M combination and they say: “as soon as one feels flu is coming on, take this remedy every 15 minutes. Take 2 pills once a day as a preventative. Every 15 minutes in an attack.”
• Injury, mix 20, (200c): 6 times a day (which is equivalent to every 4 hours). Reduce as condition eases.

Let’s recap the general rules of thumb for acutes:

• Remedies are repeated, depending on the intensity and severity of the symptoms.
  • Very intense symptoms may warrant repetition every few minutes and once there is some level of improvement, then the remedies are spaced out further (e.g., severe injury).
  • Less intense symptoms would warrant repetition every hour or two (e.g., sore throat).
  • Milder symptoms would be repeated every 2-4 hours (e.g., feeling like you are beginning to come down with a bug).
• Use dry doses or pellets diluted in mineral water
• If there is an aggravation/worsening of symptoms, space the timing out further. (Note: sometimes this may be a result of an incorrect remedy. If there is no improvement, move to a different remedy.)
• If the symptoms return, repeat the remedy.
• The Banerjis standard repetition is twice daily, though they often mix in other remedies to address accompanying concerns making the actual dosing more frequent.
• Narayani remedies often begin with every 15 minutes and taper off with improvement.
  • A standard repetition for many of their acute remedies is 6 times a day, reducing on improvement.

We see, a good deal of common ground between classical and practical homeopaths in terms of remedy repetition when it comes to treating acute conditions.

When we get to chronic treatment next week, however, that’s where the waters start to part…


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits


*Vital Force is Hahnemann’s term for the dynamic, spirit-like power that maintains health and produces symptoms when it is “untuned.”
**Their book does include potencies but they are not readily available potencies so I left them off — 30c is a good alternative.
***SOS stands for, as needed. Translation: no fever = don’t repeat the remedy.

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

Castro, M., 1991. The complete homeopathy handbook : a guide to everyday health care. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

Hahnemann, S. and Brewster O’Reilly, W., 2001. Organon of the medical art. Kindle. Palo Alto, Ca: Birdcage Books.

Jonas, W. B. and Jacobs, J., 1998. Healing with homeopathy : the doctor’s guide. New York, Ny: Warner Books.

Lessell, C. B., 1999. The World Travellers’ Manual of Homoeopathy. Random House UK.

Lockie, A., 1993. The family guide to homeopathy : the safe form of medicine for the future. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Ratera, M. M., 2020. First aid with homeopathy. Kandern, Germany Narayana Verlag.

Here they are again, just like clockwork!

​My phone is abuzz with colds and headaches and snot. I guess it’s that time of year again and following close on the heels of the colds, you know what’s next… 

​The bugs tried to hit my house in the last week or so, too and, so far we have beaten them back. Historically, the go-to in our house is either Cold Calm (my husband’s favorite) or, the Banerji Protocol of Aconite + Bryonia. (See also, Ho Ho Ho; When you Have to Get Up; Digging Deeper into the Flu remedies #1 & #2 and Ahh-Choo!)

​I have recently added another remedy to my line-up of homeopathic considerations when things are going south… Narayani Flu Pack, mix 79.
Narayani Flu Pack pretty much leaves no stone unturned being a combination of 4 other Narayani combinations, plus a single remedy, too.

“That’s a lot of remedies,” you say?
“Yes, it is,” I answer.

“What are you thinking taking so many remedies?”
I think I am putting these nasty viruses back where they belong — outside my body!

You see, homeopathy is pretty intelligent stuff. If your body doesn’t need it — if your body doesn’t resonate with a remedy, it will just put it aside and not bother with it. To clarify, if one repeatedly keeps taking a remedy that one does not require, it can cause the symptoms it is otherwise supposed to quell, also known as a “proving”. (See also, The Original Drug Testing… Homeopathic Provings.)

“How would one know which remedy to try? You have listed an awful lot of choices!”
You are correct. There is hardly ever just one right answer when it comes to which homeopathic remedy to take. Many homeopathic remedies share overlapping symptoms with many other remedies. In an, ideal, classical homeopathic world, a professional homeopath could take your case and decide which single remedy would best serve. I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling crummy, I want answers ASAP. In short, in this case, the remedy that is nearest is most appropriate because time is of the essence — We want to nip this in the bud so it can’t take hold.

Here is how I would consider these remedies.

• If I felt pretty certain that my symptoms were just of the run of the mill cold variety, (other family members or close friends have cold symptoms and it didn’t progress from there) I would definitely begin with Cold Calm. It has rarely failed me.
• If I’m out and about and feel a little something coming on, I would reach in my purse and take a dose of Aconite & Bryonia because that is what would be handy.
• If I feel like maybe I didn’t get to addressing things fast enough, that is when I would consider Narayani Flu Pack.

“Alright then, I’ll bite — tell me more about this Flu Pack.”
Narayani remedies were created to address practical healthcare challenges in resource-limited settings, particularly in India and South Africa. As the story goes, they didn’t expect to be able to see their otherwise rural patients again too soon, so they loaded them up with remedies, particularly combination formulas for specific ailments. They’ve been in use for over 50 years, so there must be something worth looking into here. I know I have yet to be disappointed with any I have tried. (See also, The Narayani Kit.)

So, let’s break down the Flu Pack and see what is included…
Helios’ The Narayani Combination Remedies guide tells us the Flu Pack is “for fever, chest, lungs and muscles.”

Breakdown:
Chest, Cough & Asthma (mix 71) to “deal with the chest and lungs; whole body aching in bones and flesh.”

Eupatorium perfolatum: “chest sore, patient must support it; nausea; vomiting bile.” Eupatorium perfolatum is a personal favorite of mine. I love this stuff for when the aches and the fatigue are both really heavy.

Fever & Infection Balance (BR10) & General Fever (mix 18): “these deal with the fever by holding it (not lowering it), so that it may burn out the virus; it must be remembered that no virus can be killed by any drug; it can only be burnt out by the fever produced by the body.”

War (mix 35): “to hold the infection, preventing it from spreading through the body, and to deal with it.”

Take a dose as soon as one feels flu is coming on and see what you think.
I think you might just be pleasantly surprised.

Here’s to keeping the yucks at bay this year!

Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath

#wellnessawaits

​On the 12th day of cell salts, Dr. Schüssler gave to us… Silicea.

Silicea, aka Silica, is part of all connective tissue cells in the body — the hair, the nails, the skin.

Silicea is a building block and it provides strength and stability to every part of the body. “Silicea has the power to have an impact upon virtually all aspects of the human system, especially upon bones, joints, skin, mucous membranes, and glands” (McCabe 2009).

Conditions which may benefit from Silicea:

• Ailments that create pus formation
• Respiratory
  • sinusitis, especially chronic
  • colds, chronic
  • nasal catarrh with foul smelling discharge
  • nasal obstruction
• Perspiration
  • body odor
  • sweat on head and feet
    • especially smelly
• Bunions
• Exhaustion
  • chronic fatigue
• Tooth decay
• Gastro-intestinal
  • constipation, especially chronic
    • where stools recede
  • anal fissures
  • diarrhea, chronic
• Foreign objects in the body
  • splinters
  • shrapnel
• Head
  • hair loss
  • scalp sensitive and sore to touch
  • profuse sweating, especially in children
  • headaches
    • chronic
    • with vertigo
    • hunger headache
    • from over exertion
• Vertigo
• Eyes
  • styes
  • helps to remove foreign objects in eye
• Ear infections
  • glue ear
  • sensitive to noises
  • swelling of Eustachian tubes
• Injuries
• Skin
  • keloids/scar tissue
  • acne
    • scars from acne
  • carbuncles
  • abscesses
    • especially those filled with pus
  • boils
    • especially those filled with pus
  • cysts
  • ulcers
  • slow healing skin
• Musculo-skeletal
  • rheumatism, especially chronic
  • strains and sprains
  • fractures, especially those slow to heal
  • joint pain
    • hips
    • knees
  • connective tissue support

Mentally and emotionally, those who may benefit from Silicea may be shy; startles easily and a little peevish.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

On the 5th day of cell salts… Kali muriaticum

Kali mur is the clean up crew — good in the second stage of infections or illnesses with slowly developing symptoms. It usually follows well after other cell salts. (For example, use Ferr phos at the beginning of a fever and as the temperature comes down, follow up with Kali mur to help bring things to a close and shorten the recovery time.

Kali mur is useful in chronic catarrhal conditions (congestion) and helps with the production of saliva which in turn helps with digestion. The throat and the Eustachian tube are most influenced by Kali mur.

Conditions which may benefit from Kali mur:

• Respiratory
  • bronchitis
  • colds
  • congestion
  • coughs
  • sore throats
  • tonsillitis
  • catarrh and hawking of mucus
• Ear aches
  • especially when the Eustachian tube is involved (see also, “Her Ears Were Yuck”) 
• Slow recovery from any illness
• Sinusitis
• Pain, chronic
  • “Kali mur should be thought of as a good general pain remedy, especially when the onset of pain can be traced back to a specific injury or to an illness from which the patient never fully recovered” (McCabe 2009)
• Gastro-intestinal
  • diarrhea
    • with mucus in stool
  • constipation
  • vomiting and nausea
  • everything eaten turns to gas, ending in a bloated abdomen
• Skin
  • abscesses, boils, carbuncles, etc.
    • with swelling but no pus
  • acne
  • blisters
  • burns
  • eczema
  • helps to prevent adhesions and scar tissue formation
• Musculo-skeletal
  • joints
  • muscles
    • especially if it is wandering pain
  • arthritis
  • rheumatism with swollen joints
  • sciatica
  • sprains and strains that are slow to heal

Mentally and emotionally, Kali mur are hungry people (which also may mean they may suffer from an eating disorder).


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

On the 4th day of cell salts… Ferrum phosphoricum.

Ferr phos is what Dr. Schüssler called the “true form of iron phosphate that occurs naturally in the human system” (McCabe 2009). "It is the cell salt most concerned with blood because it is part of hemoglobin, the substance that takes up oxygen from the inhaled air and carries it through the bloodstream to all parts of the body. Because of Ferr phos’s important role in carrying oxygen, it is recommended in nearly all conditions" (Weintraub 1999).

Ferr phos is considered an important remedy for acute conditions, especially fever and inflammations. When taken at the first sign of illness, it all might be nipped in the bud!

Conditions which may benefit from Ferr phos:

• Anemia
• Hemorrhages
  • nose bleeds
• Circulatory disorders
• Neuralgic pain
• Diarrhea
• Ear infections
  • especially in children
  • with burning or throbbing pain
• Eyes
  • burning or sore
  • sensation of sand under eyelid
• Fevers
• Gastro-intestinal
  • diarrhea with watery stools
  • hemorrhoids
• Headaches
• Injuries
• Musculo-skeletal
  • arthritis
  • sciatica
  • sprains
• Respiratory system
  • colds
  • coughs
  • croup
  • flu
  • laryngitis
    • from sickness or after heavy use
  • sore throat
    • red and inflamed
  • whooping cough
    • with vomiting
• Cystitis

Mentally and emotionally, Ferr phos may be helpful for those who just want to be taken care of. They may seem indifferent to their illness.


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits

Reference list
Carey, G. W., 1996. The Biochemic System of Medicine. Health Research Books.

Chapman, E., 1960. How to Use the Twelve Tissue Salts. Nutri Books.

Dewey, W. A. and Boericke, W., 2022. The Twelve Tissue Remedies of Schüssler: Comprising the Theory, Therapeutic Application, Materia Medica, and a Complete Repertory of These Remedies. H. Legare Street Press.

Hyland's, 2024. Cell Salt #1 Calc Fluor [online]. Hyland’s.

McCabe, V., 2009. The Healing Echo. ReadHowYouWant.com.

Schuesslertissuessalts.com.au, n.d. Schuessler Tissue Salts - 150 Years Of Natural Medicine In Australia [online]. Schuessler Tissue Salts. 

Schüssler, W. H., 2003. Schüssler’s twelve tissue remedies : comprising the theory, therapeutic applications, materia medica and a complete repertory of tissue remedies. Sittingbourne, Kent: Homæopathic Book Service.

Strbac, L., 2024. Schuessler’s Tissue Salts Rediscovered.

Weintraub, S., 1999. Natural healing with cell salts. Pleasant Grove, Ut: Woodland Pub.

Flu season has returned. Well, colds, flu, Covid, influenza, whatever you want to call it — it’s back.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - homeopathy doesn’t give a hoot what you call it. Homeopathy only cares about the symptoms you are experiencing.

Here is a short and sweet list of remedies to keep handy - to take at the first sign of feeling unwell; whether that be cold symptoms or fatigue setting in or aches or sneezing. 

1. The Banerji Protocol of Aconite 200c mixed with Bryonia 30c is a marvelous place to start for when any kind of symptoms kick in. This combination remedy can be purchased from certain pharmacies and distributors, but there is no need for that… just put a dose (whatever the manufacturer suggests as a dose) of each remedy in your mouth at the same time.
2. Boiron’s Cold Calm is a marvelous little remedy. (For previous article with detailed information on this remedy, see Calming the Cold.) Boiron’s instructions say to take 2 tablets every 15 minutes for 1 hour and then back off to every 6 hours.
3. Ferrum phos, either in potency (30c, for example) or as a cell salt (6x, for example). I have seen this one turn around those early symptoms right before my eyes, especially sore throats.
4. Natrum muriaticum, Nat mur, is another cell salt/remedy which can nip things in the bud. If you have sneezing that comes out of the blue, this one might be for you.
5. Eupatorium is one of my favorites. If there is a lot of fatigue and aching that shows up out of nowhere, try some Eupatorium. (This one is a good one if the virus has already taken hold, too.)
6. Oscillocinum, also from Boiron. Their packaging says: “At the onset of symptoms, dissolve the entire contents of 1 tube in the mouth every 6 hours, up to 3 times a day.”

• This remedy can be used preventatively — if you have been exposed to the nasties, take 2-3 doses every 4-8 hours and cross your fingers.
• This remedy can also be used preventatively throughout the flu season… take one dose per week during the winter months, says homeopath Jacques Jouanny, MD.

Not homeopathic but pretty impressive… Last December while traveling in England, everyone around me was coming down with whatever it was everybody was coming down with. I was in Helios pharmacy picking up some remedies and I saw A. Vogel Echinaforce tablets on the shelf. I took these, as well as Ferrum phos 6x and never had so much as a sniffle. I would use that combination again in a heartbeat.

If you don’t get there in time with the above remedies and the yucks have made themselves at home, see Flu Remedies to Consider.

With all of these remedy suggestions (unless otherwise noted), take a dose at the first sign of feeling unwell. Repeat every 3-12 hours. When feeling better, stop the remedy. If the symptoms return, start the remedy again.

Now, go out there, make merry and celebrate the joyous season like you used to!


Julia Coyte, CHom
Classically Practical homeopath


#wellnessawaits