Super-Easy Homeopathy to Stop the Flu in Its Tracks

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

One of the trees in my front yard has already dropped all of its leaves. Others are still green. The burning bush shrubs are turning red. The nights are cool. The days are crisp. Autumn, my favorite season, has arrived.

For many people, autumn is also the start of cold and flu season. Already, I have heard of whole families affected by strep throat, vomiting, colds, and other malaise.

No one likes to be sick. When our autistic and neurodivergent children get sick, they may be particularly upset by the change in routine. They might fall behind in school work and miss therapy sessions. And mothers certainly don’t have time to be sick. Both parents and children want to be healthy and feel good.

Homeopathy for Stopping the Flu Before It Starts

Homeopathic remedies, taken at the first sign of the flu or sickness are extremely effective. The sooner you take them, the sooner you will feel well. Plan ahead and purchase the remedies you will need.

What to Buy

Aconite in the 200c potency.

Oscillococcinum 200.

Prevention is the Best Medicine

Common Sense for Staying Healthy

1. Wash hands with soap and water when coming home from school, work, or shopping.

Do not rely on sanitizers. Sanitizers kill germs – but then you rub the dead bacteria and viruses into your skin. The ethyl alcohol in the sanitizer enhances absorption. This means that anything mixed with it will move through the skin and into the bloodstream more easily. (Everyone say “Eewe!” and head to the sink.)

2. Drink plenty of water.

3. Eat nourishing foods such as home-made soups and stews.

4. Relax when stressed. Remember to take cell salts and to use EFT to keep stress levels low.

5. Sleep when tired.

Preventing Flu with Homeopathic Remedies

Before Exposure

Take one dose of oscillococcinum 200 per week during flu season.

Even though the vials say to take the whole vial, I do not find this necessary. One tube should yield at least four doses and could easily be many more. Simply pour a few pellets into the mouth without touching the vial to the mouth OR pour a few pellets into a teaspoon and then place them in the mouth

Take all remedies in a clean mouth. Do not eat, drink, smoke or brush teeth 15 minutes before or after taking remedies.

Known Exposure to Flu, No Symptoms

Take one dose of oscillococcinum 200 by pouring a few pellets into the mouth without touching the vial to the mouth.

First Sign of Feeling Ill

As soon as you feel the chill or scratchy throat that is your sign that you are getting sick, put a few aconite pellets in the cap and toss them in your mouth. Carry your vial of aconite 200 with you so that you can take it (or give it to your children) at the very first sign of sickness.

Repeat every 30 minutes for up to four doses. Stop taking the remedy as soon as symptoms improve.

If you still feel ill or as if you are becoming ill after four doses, take a dose of oscillococcinum and follow the suggestions below.

Supportive Remedies and Actions

1. If at all possible, go home and go to bed as soon as you start to feel sick. The remedies are very powerful but it is also important to listen to your body. When the body says, “Rest!” obey.

Mothers: This is the time to enlist the help of grandmothers, electronic babysitters, and whomever and whatever else can help. By resting early, you will heal more quickly and be able to return to full mommy-power quickly.

2. Keep children home from school. Teachers, classmates and parents will be grateful that you did not share your flu. Your child will enjoy some special attention. Most importantly, you will demonstrate the importance of listening to his or her own body and honoring its needs.

3. Drink water, herbal teas, and bone broths to stay hydrated and to nourish your body.

4. Swallow or eat raw garlic. Garlic has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Consuming raw garlic is very helpful when your throat feels raw and sore.

5. Take immune boosting herbs such as echinacea and astragulus. My favorite brand is Herbs for Kids. Their herbs are sweet and pleasant to take.

6. Support your body with cell salts. Take cell salts three times per day for a least one week after the first sign of flu or cold.

Wishing you a healthy winter.

In matters of health and healing, be fanatical about self-responsibility. Cell Salts and homeopathic remedies enable you to participate actively in your own healing. At the same time, you should continue to see your doctor for examinations, advice and treatment. Nothing on this site is intended as a substitute for medical advice.

Reference

Bill Cosby on Oscillococcinum

” .. A secret ingredient to his recovery is Oscillococcinum… his wife turned him on to alternative health when they moved to Los Angeles in the mid- 1960s… But he says he’s trying to spread the gospel on Oscillococcinum.

I’ve learned to pronounce Oscillococcinum because so many people don’t know anything about it,’…If you call people and they say, ‘Oh, man, I’m coming down with…,’ you tell them ‘Go to the drug store and get that box. It’s the only medicine with a lot of S’s and a lot of C;s in the first word….

They call back. ‘Did you get it?’ ‘No I haven’t gone yet.; They’re wheezing and sneezing and have a headache. ‘Here, hang up the phone and go.’ And they still don’t go. Why? ‘Because I don’t know how to pronounce it.’ So it becomes very, very funny and you get frustrated because you know it’s going to work.”

“Bill Cosby on colds: Not so funny; Comedian swears by French formula,” by Bruce Fessier, The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA, February 11, 2010

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Tips for Helping Yourself

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Super-Easy Homeopathy for Sore Throats

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

Ask and it is given. Alyssa wrote on the Blessed by (Autism) Uniquely Magnificent Children Facebook wall: “I love your stuff! Have you written anything on strep throat? Just wondering how to keep Maddy from getting it again.”

Cell Salts for Healthy Throats

If you have never heard of cell salts (also called biochemic cell salts and tissue salts) or need directions for how to use them, please read Cell Salts 101.

Calc Sulph

Cell salt practitioners have found that calc sulph is a powerful blood purifier. When a person is deficient in calc sulph, diseases of the body membranes, catarrh and skin are likely to result. If you have an insufficient amount of calc sulph, your liver may become overloaded with worn-out red blood cells. (Your liver and gall bladder do their best work between 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Be asleep.)

Calc sulph heals by building tissues. It supports rejuvenation by attracting other vital cell constituents.

When given at the first sign of sore throats and colds, it will support the body and may prevent these illnesses from developing.

Other Cell Salts for Sore Throat

If the throat is hot, red, inflamed, and painful, consider ferrum phos and nat mur.

If swallowing is very difficult, give kali mur and mag phos.

Calc phos is a common children’s remedy for sore throats.

Several other cell salts may be indicated for sore throats. Review the charts in Cell Salts 101 and Restoring Balance with cell salts to see if the mental and emotional symptoms indicated can help you choose the best cell salt for supporting healing. To learn much more, read the reference books suggested at the end of this article.

Prevention

Don’t wait for your child to get sick. If your child is prone to sore throats, note the cell salts discussed above and click the links to read more about them. If the picture matches your child, give the indicated cell salt three times per day for two weeks. Note any changes in behavior, digestions, and well-being.

Sickness is a sign that something in the body is out of balance. Notice symptoms and signs from your body to choose a cell salt and correct imbalances and maintain health.

Homeopathic Remedies for Sore Throats

There are scores of homeopathic remedies that may be indicated for your child’s sore throat. Homeopathic treatment requires that all signs and symptoms of the illness be considered. A homeopath will ask what hurts and where, what makes the symptoms better or worse, how is the patient acting, how the pain feels, and more.

To give you an idea of what this means, I will briefly describe the pictures of two remedies that may be used in supporting the healing of strep throat.

Arsenicum Album

People who need arsenicum look pale and anxious and feel cold to the touch. When sick, they are very weak and exhausted. They feel better lying down, yet, despite this, will be very restless and anxious.

Arsenicum Album’s sore throat looks/feels like this:

The pains are burning. There may be ulcers in the throat. They feel better drinking something hot and worse drinking something cold and when swallowing.

Belladonna

Belladonna illness comes on suddenly and strongly. Belladonna types catch colds easily if their heads get cold. They feel worst at 3:00 p.m. and sometimes also at 3:00 a.m. When sick, they want to lie in a quiet, darkened room. The face is very pale with very red cheeks and the eyes are glassy or shining. Pupils are enlarged.

Belladonna’s sore throat looks/feels like this: constricted, irritated, raw. The glands are swollen and the pains are severe and stitching. Their neck is tender to touch and talking is difficult. Pain may radiate to the right ear.

I am happy to write in response to your questions and concerns. Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and that this information is provided so that you can consider ways to naturally support your health and well-being. Nothing in these pages is a substitute for the care and advice provided by your doctor. Continue to see your doctor for medical advice.

Common Sense Measures for Staying Healthy

Most people know the secrets of staying healthy. Yet almost everyone forgets or ignores these principles at times. I know I do.

If you or your children have been sick multiple times this winter, begin by reviewing this list and putting it into action.

1. Sleep

We grow and heal while we sleep. Your body (particularly your adrenal system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into your liver, which can further disrupt your health. (Read more about sleep. Trouble falling asleep? Try the cell salt combination, Sleep Tissue A.)

2. Diet

Nourishing foods feed our cells and organs and support all body functions. Three easy ways to improve nutritional intake, acceptable even to most picky and resistant eaters, are juicing fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking healthy teas and infusions, and drinking bone broths.

3. Exercise

Move a little – or a lot! – every day. Stretch. Get your heart rate up. Have fun.

4. Quiet Time

Parents and children need quiet time to allow their bodies to relax. ake time each day for meditation, reading, or cuddling. Find what works for you and give yourself the gift of peace.

References

Nature’s 12 Magic Healers: Using Homeopathic Cell Salts to Protect or Restore Health

Natural Healing with Cell Salts

The Complete Homeopathy Handbook: Safe and Effective Ways to Treat Fevers, Coughs, Colds and Sore Throats, Childhood Ailments, Food Poisoning, Flu, and a Wide Range of Everyday Complaints

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Making Children More Comfortable

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Homeopathy and Cell Salts for Healing Broken Bones

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

Bone is an active tissue, forming and remodeling constantly in response to the physical stresses and structural demands put on the body. Bones’ healing capacity can be enhanced and supported with homeopathic remedies, cell salts, nourishing foods, and healing words.

The first moments after an injury set the course for healing or create an imprint of the trauma that may have long-lasting effects. Perhaps you yourself have a wrist that’s been weak since you injured it in second grade, neck pains since a car accident, or have never been well since some traumatic event.

Injuries affect both our physical and energetic bodies. You can heal the effects of old traumas using Matrix Reimprinting and homeopathic medicines. For your children (and yourself), you can also stop traumas from creating a chronic affect by speaking healing words and giving the appropriate homeopathic first aid remedies immediately after injury.

First Aid for Trauma

I almost always carry a very small case of homeopathic first aid remedies. (I wrote about my must-have remedies in the article Super-Easy Homeopathic First Aid – and Why You Need It.) I have had many occasions to use it.

The first remedy to administer after an accident is arnica.

Arnica is the first remedy for bumps and bruises. Children needing arnica may be very upset, but adults often say, “No, no. I don’t need anything. I’m fine,” when they clearly are not.

Not all bumps and falls require arnica. Sometimes a bit of Verbal First Aid and an “All better!” kiss is all the child needs. Serious injuries, including all head injuries, warrant a call to your doctor or a trip to an Urgent Care Clinic. If you’re not sure what to do, call your doctor. You can give arnica and follow the suggestions presented here on your way to the clinic or hospital.

For injuries that really hurt, begin by administering arnica in 200c potency. Don’t wait! The sooner you give the remedy, the sooner healing begins.

Verbal First Aid

As you’re giving the arnica, speak words that will initiate healing. Take a moment to take a few breaths to calm yourself. Your attitude is contagious.

Mother: Oh, you fell off the play structure. I’ve got you now. Let’s see how you’re doing.

Child: (Crying) Both my arms really hurt!

Mother: I can see that you’re hurt.

Child: Ouch!!!

Mother: We’re going to get some help for that right now. You can help me by holding on to me as we walk to the car. (Driving to hospital.) You can begin to let your body begin to heal itself. The way it always does when you get hurt. Remember when you fell off your bike last summer and had that humongous scrape?

Child: Uh-huh.

Mother: You can’t even see a scar because your body did such a good job of healing it. It is already starting to heal your arms too.

Other Remedies for Bone Injury

An injury that is severe enough to break a bone will also damage surrounding tissues. Here are a few other remedies that might be helpful. (I like to purchase remedies from 800homeopathy.com.)

Hypericum – for injury to nerves and nerve-rich tissues
Rhus Tox – blows, joint sprains, muscular strains
Ruta – injury or strain to joint, tendon, cartilage, perioseum

Immediately after the injury, arnica may be administered frequently if the pain level is high. If the injury is very severe, give arnica every ten minutes for three doses or until the pain subsides. After the most intense pain is relieved, repeat arnica at longer intervals or switch to one of the above remedies if they match your symptoms.

Once the bone is set, give the remedy Symphytum in 12 or 30x potency, three times per day for one week. Symphytum is very effective in bone healing.

Cell Salts for Bone Health

As the bones heal, the cell salts Calc Phos and Ferrum Phos will support mending. Take four tablets of each four times per day for three weeks. Then, take Silica and Calc Fluor in the same way.

As always, exercise fanatical self-responsibility in matters of health. These suggestions should be used in addition to the care provided by your doctor.

References and Resources:

800homeopathy.com

Verbal First Aid: Help Your Kids Heal from Fear and Pain–and Come Out Strong

Natural Healing with Cell Salts
Homeopathy for Musculoskeletal Healing

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Making Children More Comfortable

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Be Not Afraid Homeopathy

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

The first homeopathic remedy I used was Hyland’s Teething Tablets. They offered my teething baby instant relief and I was duly impressed. I purchased them because I had read that these remedies were extremely safe for my baby. Then, I became intrigued. How did homeopathy work? What were these pellets?

I bought a few books and began reading about homeopathy. Soon, I was interested enough to enroll in an Introduction to Homeopathy class at the local community college.

Learning the Rules of Homeopathy

My teacher, Dr. Gregory Kruszewski DHMS, RN, CCH, RSHom, was a classically trained homeopath. He obviously loved his subject and knew it well.

I listened to the lectures enthralled. I fell in love with homeopathy and the need to study if forever. There was always more to learn. I loved its rules:

Treat the patient, not the disease.
Give only the minimum dose.

I researched what homeopaths recommended and bought a small home remedy kit.

I began using homeopathy very successfully — but very sparingly. All of the books I read warned not to give the remedies too often, not to give too many remedies, not to use high potencies. This could lead to “proving” the remedy (developing the very symptoms the remedy was intended to treat) or could change the person’s constitutional picture, making future treatment difficult.

I Become Afraid of Using Homeopathic Remedies

I started to become afraid. The more I learned, the more I used homeopathy — but always with an eye to not err or harm my children in some mysterious way.

I have always been a rule follower. This made me very popular with teachers and served me well in many situations. Eventually though, I realized that following all of the rules was detrimental to growth and expansion.

By the time I enrolled in the homeopathy program at the Institute of Natural Health Sciences (INHS), I had a reasonably good grasp on homeopathy. Enough that I was pretty scared to use it the way I felt drawn to use it.

At the INHS, a whole new world opened for me. The head instructor, Dr. Kenneth S. Pittaway, ND, PhD, urged us to use the remedies. He prescribed high potencies as often as low ones. I watched him switch remedies often, as the patients healed and changed.

My classmates, some of whom were completely new to homeopathy, jumped in with both feet. I watched in awe (and dismay) as they ordered remedies and began administering them for themselves and friends. I was certain that disastrous ramifications would develop: constitutional pictures would be forever affected, mystery symptoms would appear.

None of this happened. After taking the remedies, most people felt better. There were no ill-effects.

The Big Shift

Slowly, gently, I too began to use remedies with more confidence and more frequently. Suddenly, my reading and listening was revealing that Samuel Hahnemann (the founder of homeopathy) saw his patients frequently and changed remedies constantly. I realized that if one of the greatest healers of all times worked this way, I could learn from his example.

Don’t Be Afraid: Use Homeopathic Remedies to Heal Yourself and Your Family

As my perspective of what is right and wrong in homeopathy shifted, I discovered that the best way to learn was to use the remedies and to trust my own experience. I learned that homeopaths all over the world help people using endless variations of what I initially thought was one right way to practice homeopathy.

This is why I write these blogs and share with you how to use remedies to help yourself and your children. I believe that homeopathy and cell salts are real health care reform. Using them (and other natural health tools) empowers individuals to take charge of their own health.

I hope that you are reading the homeopathy and cell salts articles. If you read something and think, “That’s just like my kid! He has those exact issues,” please buy the remedy and try it.

Curious about safety? I discuss this more on the Homeopathy page. My most basic recommendation: Do not repeat potencies of 200c or higher frequently. Otherwise, use homeopathic remedies and cell salts. Give them in a way that supports your family’s needs. When you are better or, if after 3 doses you see no changes, stop the remedy and look for another remedy or healing modality.

Of course there are situations when a professional’s guidance will be of great value. Discover the power of homeopathic remedies by trying them on your own if this suits you. Then, schedule an appointment with a professional to experience deep healing.

Are You Afraid?

Do you have any questions or concerns about using homeopathic remedies? I’d love to hear them. Please comment in one of the boxes below.

Want to read more?

You can see all of my posts about homeopathy and cell salts by clicking here.

As always, I urge you to practice fanatical self-responsibility in your own health and in that of your family. Consult with your physician for medical advice.

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Tips for Helping Yourself

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When Clothes Hurt, Homeopathy Can Help

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

Many autistic children are very sensitive. For these children, clothing may be uncomfortable to the point of being intolerable.

Mothers or the children often develop coping strategies:

Socks worn inside out so the seams don’t rub.
Tags taped to minimize scratching.
Sweat pants substituted for jeans.

Some children refuse to wear the offensive items. Bare feet work well in some situations. In others, socks are needed for hygiene or safety reasons. Similarly, there are times when pants or a jacket are highly beneficial.

Of course, children don’t need to be autistic or have SPD to be sensitive to clothes. These remedy descriptions are relevant to all children and adults.

Making It Easier to Wear Socks (and other clothes)

I recently wrote a blog post describing how EFT may be used to eliminate some issues related to hyper-sensitivity.

Homeopathy too recognizes the issue of clothing sensitivity – and many other sensitivities.

There are thousands of homeopathic remedies. Some, most notably first aid remedies, are indicated for specific conditions. Other remedies are indicated for specific people.

When looking at issues like sensitivity, it is best to seek a constitutional remedy for your child. Work with a professional homeopath who will look at your child’s whole picture. She will consider your child’s physical, mental and emotional health and signs and symptoms of disturbances in the vital force. Everything is important to the homeopath: your child’s food preferences, times of day or year when they are better or worse, sleep habits, digestive issues, personality — everything!

Choosing a Remedy to Alleviate Clothing Intolerance

Below I describe some remedies a homeopath may consider for an individual who is agitated or disturbed by their clothing. I have not indicated “intolerance of clothing” in describing the types of children who might require these remedies since it is common to all of the remedies listed.

Study the remedy pictures below and see if one of them matches many characteristics of your child. No child will have every trait and symptom listed. Note that these lists provide only a brief overview of the remedy picture.

Calcarea Carbonica

Mental State

If your child is afraid of the dark, dogs, insects, strangers or illness, this remedy may be useful for him.

Calc Carb children are serious and independent.

Physical Signs

Calc Carb children are often slow learning to walk and talk. They crave sugar, eggs, and milk products.

These children tend to be chubby – though if your child is thin and matches the other characteristics, this may still be the remedy they need. They perspire profusely on the head.

They are prone to ear infections, sore throats, and runny noses.

They have sensitive mouths and may develop canker sores.

Lachesis

Mental State

Lachesis children are dictatorial and extremely talkative (this includes babble). They are intensely uncomfortable in tight clothes and particularly dislike having anything on their throats or around their necks.

They have a tendency to be jealous and very attached to their mothers.

Physical Signs

For these children, all illness begins on the left side. All symptoms are aggravated by sleep.

They may be susceptible to head lice.

Lycopodium

Mental State

Highly intelligent children who dread taking on new things, though they work hard and do well in spite of their nerves. They worry about many things and lack self-confidence. (Lycopodium is also discussed in the article Super-Easy Homeopathy for Boosting Kids’ Confidence)

Lycopodium children exhibit a mature personality even at a young age. They have an aversion to responsibility and worry about doing something wrong.

They often have difficulty learning to read and may be dyslexic.

Physical Signs

The children are opposite from Lachesis children. Their ailments start in the right side of the body.

Nat Mur

I have written several times about Nat Mur. Please see Nat Mur: A Remedy for (Almost) Everybody.

No match?

There are hundreds of other homeopathic remedies. Any one of them may be the one indicated for your child.

Where to Buy and How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies may be purchased at most health food stores or through websites such as 1-800homeopathy. Select the 30c potency.

To take the remedy, open the remedy vial and shake 3-4 pellets into the cap. Tip the pellets into the mouth without touching the cap to the mouth. Allow the pellets to dissolve in the mouth.

Give your child the remedy every evening at bedtime, at least 15 minutes after eating, drinking, and brushing teeth. Continue for one week. Observe and note any changes. If he or she is doing better, stop taking the remedy. If symptoms resume later, take the remedy again.

If you do not observe positive changes in sleep, behavior and/or confidence, select a different remedy or consult a homeopath who can guide you in selecting a remedy.

In matters of health and healing, be fanatical about self-responsibility. Cell Salts and homeopathic remedies enable you to participate actively in your own healing. You should continue to see your doctor for examinations, advice and treatment. Nothing on this site is intended as a substitute for medical advice.

References for this post:

Catherine R. Coulter: Homoeopathic Sketches of Children’s Types.

Didier Grandgeorge, MD: The Spirit of Homeopathic Medicines: Essential Insights to 300 Remedies.

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Making Children More Comfortable

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Super-Easy Homeopathy for Boosting Kids’ Confidence

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

“I’m the worst reader in the class,” Sara announced mid-first grade. “I’m just dumb.”

Sara’s mother was heart-broken hearing her six-year old say these words. Sara was a polite, kind, and obviously intelligent girl. Yet, because she saw other children reading chapter books while she struggled with simple readers, she had become convinced that she was stupid.

Another child might have shrugged off her lack of reading skills with, “Oh well. I’m really good at soccer. I’ll figure out reading one of these days.” For Sara, the conviction that she was inferior to her peers carried over to other parts of her life. She walked around with her head hanging. She decided that she was also a bad dancer and that no one wanted to play with her.

Why do some children move through set-backs and while others are intensely affected? Because we are born with different personalities and constitutions. Our distinctive ways of being influence our mental, emotional and physical responses to stress.

Homeopathic philosophy recognizes and honors our individual responses to stress and homeopathic remedies support children during difficult stages of growth and development.

Choosing a Remedy to Boost Confidence

Consider the remedies below and determine if one of them matches many characteristics of your child. No child will have every characteristic listed. These lists provide only a brief overview of the remedy picture.

Baryta Carb

Shy and nervous children who find social situations difficult. They lack self-confidence and are emotionally immature. They tend to be naïve and mentally sluggish.

Anxious
Bites fingernails
Concentration difficult
Easily embarrassed
Fearful in social situations and of strangers
Thinks everyone is laughing at him
Delayed intellectual development
Poor appetite, poor sleep, stunted growth

Lycopodium

Bookish children who dislike sports. They dread taking on new things, though they work hard and do well in spite of their nerves. They worry about many things and lack self-confidence.

Mature personality even at a young age
Good natured and easy to deal with
Aversion to responsibility
Worried about doing something wrong
Bites fingernails
Difficulty learning to read
Fear before exams
Fear of getting lost
Treats people very fairly, dispassionately
Kicks and screams at night without waking

Nat Mur

Sensitive, serious, intensely private children who appear prickly because they are not good at expressing their emotions. They suppress their feelings and dwell on old hurts. They are self-conscious.

Children who are difficult to have around
Life is difficult for them
“Don’t touch me!” attitude (works through difficulties alone)
Sad, carries a chip on her shoulder
Strong sense of duty and commitment to overseeing the welfare of others
Bites fingernails in private
Cannot hide displeasure
May have a poor relationship with one or both parents
Difficulty expressing needs and anger with words
Also read, Nat Mur: A Remedy for (Almost) Everybody and Two Cases of Nat Mur

Silica

These children lack grit and self-confidence. They are sensitive and serious. They will usually give way if pushed, but will quietly do what they wanted to do anyway.

Afraid to try anything new because she is convinced that she will fail
Anxious before exams
Shy around strangers
Very attached to home
Physically delicate and emotionally sensitive
May appear thin and malnourished
Conscientious and tidy
Asthma
Can’t fix attention
Conscientious
See also Restoring Balance with Cell Salts

Staphysagria

Sensitive children who are easily offended. They are angry and tend to blame others for their difficulties. They lack self-confidence and resent those who are doing better than they.

Angry, with difficulty expressing anger
Apathetic about everything
Compliant, conscientious and hard working
Take on too much work because it is hard for them to say no

Choose the remedy that is the best match for your child’s whole picture.

No remedy match?

There are many more homeopathic remedies that may be indicated for your child. If you want a complete consultation that will address all aspects of your child’s health and well-being, please contact a professional homeopath.

You can also take cell salts such as Calc Fluor or Calc Phos to boost self-esteem.

Raising self-confident and self-reliant children is a long-term endeavor. Children grow and learn when parents allow them to discover their own strengths and abilities by doing things on their own. When we choose our words carefully, the praise we offer is healthy, not harmful. When we allow ourselves be flexible and change our own ideas, out children learn and grow.

Update on Sara’s Reading

After a few doses of lycopdium, Sara began to sound out words. Her mother found a series about a puppy named Biscuit and Sara wanted to read for the first time ever. She also began sleeping better at night.

Six months later, her reading level (as designated by the school protocol) jumped from level 11 to level 21. She is now reading at grade level and enjoying her first chapter books.

Where to Buy and How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies may be purchased at most health food stores or through websites such as 1-800homeopathy. For remedies, select the 30c potency. For the cell salts, select 6x.

To take the remedy, open the remedy vial and shake 3-4 pellets into the cap. Tip the pellets into the mouth without touching the cap to the mouth. Allow the pellets to dissolve in the mouth.

Give your child the remedy every evening at bedtime, at least 15 minutes after eating, drinking, and brushing teeth. Continue for one week. Observe and note any changes. If he or she is doing better overall, stop taking the remedy. If symptoms come back, take the remedy for another week.

If you do not observe positive changes in sleep, digestion, behavior and/or confidence, select a different remedy or consult a homeopath who will guide you in selecting a remedy.

In matters of health and healing, be fanatical about self-responsibility. Cell Salts and homeopathic remedies enable you to participate actively in your own healing and may compliment the care your receive from your physician and therapists. You should continue to see your doctor for examinations and for advice and treatment. Nothing on this site is intended as a substitute for medical advice.

References for this post:

Homoeopathic Sketches of Children’s Types

Homeopathic Guide to Stress: Safe and Effective Natural Way to Alleviate Physical and Emotional Stress Anxiety, Guilt, Shame, Depression, Loss, Illness and Injury, Negative Effect

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Making Children More Comfortable Tips for Helping Yourself

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Homeopathy for Children Affected by Moon Cycles

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

Daniel had been attending an adaptive swim class for over a year. Each week, four autistic boys are taught by two wonderful instructors. Watching the boys’ progress was been exciting. Daniel, who was already a decent swimmer when he joined the class (but was overwhelmed by larger group classes) advanced to learning the butterfly stroke. One of the other boys, who just the previous year refused to put his head underwater, was swimming on his own. All of them enjoyed the hour of swimming, floating, playing water basketball, and jumping.

One day, we entered the athletic club with only one minute to spare, so I encouraged Daniel to hurry. He became so upset that it took me 30 minutes to help him calm down. This is very unusual for him. During the class, two of the other boys were also acting in ways we do not usually see.

As we drove to class, I had noticed that the moon was very large and round. A quick check confirmed that the full moon is only a few hours away.

Do the lunar cycles affect your child?

Homeopathy 102

One of the tenets of homeopathy is individualization. When I am asked, “Is there a really a homeopathic remedy for my child having more tantrums during the full moon?” I reply that there are at least 51 possible remedies that incorporate this symptom. There is also one particular remedy that is the perfect match for each individual.

The way homeopaths learn what a homeopathic medicine will cure is through the use of experiments called drug provings. Healthy individuals take the remedy being tested until a reaction to the substance is achieved. Subjects report all symptoms that occur while the remedy is being proved.

The information obtained from proving is compiled into materia medicas (encyclopedias of drug effects) and repertories (books which list symptoms and the substances that have been found to cause and/or cure them).

Homeopathic Remedies and Lunar Phases

My repertory lists remedies for aggravations during the full moon, the new moon, the waxing moon, and the waning moon. Even if each of the four boys in the swimming class experiences an aggravation of symptoms with the arrival of the full moon, each will probably need a different remedy.

Remedies Indicated for Individuals Whose Symptoms are Worse Around the Time of the Full Moon

1. Argentum Nitricum

a. A remedy for anxious children with anxiety in crowded rooms and fear of heights

b. Desire sugar

c. Anxiety about time and space

2. Calcarea Carbonica

a. For fearful children (fear dogs and/or dark and/or illness)

b. Often slow learning to walk and talk

c. Crave eggs, sugar and milk products

3. Lycopodium

a. Do you joke that your child was a king or queen in a previous life? Children who need this remedy seem to want to recover power lost but lack self-confidence.

b. Intelligent and stubborn

c. Read more about the Lycopodium picture in these posts:

4. Phosphorus

a. Children who blaze brightly, then burn out

b. Crave salt and are very thirsty

c. Subject to nosebleeds

5. Pulsatilla

a. Clingy children, very attached to mother

b. Absence of thirst

c. Frequent colds, ear infections, asthma

6. Silica

a. Thin children who lack grit

b. Very smart, but shy and try not to stand out

c. Lack self-confidence

Remedies Indicated for Individuals Whose Symptoms are Worse Around the Time of the New Moon

1. Arsenicum Album

a. Very restless and anxious children with intense obsessions

b. Tend to have burning pains that are relieved by heat

c. Fear death and being left alone

2. Nux Vomica

a. Irritable

b. Hypersensitive to noise and light. These children do not like music.

c. Very fussy and want every detail in place

3. Phosphorus

a. See above. Affected during full and new moon.

4. Pulsatilla

a. See above. Affected during full and new moon.

5. Rhus-tox

a. Sick during teething

b. Subject to sprains and strains of joints

6. Sulphur

a. Subject to skin diseases such as eczema

b. Tendency to smell bad, possibly like rotten eggs

c. May look sloppy and love to have fun

Gaining Insights

These very brief descriptions of some aspects of the remedies are provided as an illustration. They are not sufficient for self-prescribing. I hope that they give you a peek at the range of action and healing potential of homeopathic remedies.

A remedy is prescribed on the whole picture of the individual, including physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. If your child’s symptoms are aggravated with the full or new moon, this provides the homeopath a clue to finding a remedy that will be helpful in improving overall health and balance.

Homeopathy was an important part of my parenting/mothering and self-discovery journey. Read all about it in Swan Mothers: Discovering Our True Selves by Parenting Uniquely Magnificent Children.

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Making Children More Comfortable

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Homeopathy for Stressed Out Kids

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

One morning, my then seven-year old was near tears when he heard that he would be taking karate on Saturday. We did not impose karate on him. He has been expressing a keen interest in karate lessons for over a year and has great plans for beating up his brother. Yet he was despondent about giving up 30 minutes on Saturday morning. “Saturdays are supposed to be my time!”

Over-Scheduled, Over-Stressed

Children and adults often wonder when they will have some “me time.” With kids back in school, parents are lamenting that even their very young children complain of being stressed and overwhelmed.

I once sat with a few mothers of second graders so that our children could play and be kids. Fund-raiser sheets circulated — politely. Conversation was pleasant — if scattered since one child or another always needed a mother’s attention. There was joyful ruckus as the boys ran and played.

It was great. For an hour. Then everyone rushed off for sports practices and other activities.

I place great value on time for free play for children (and adults!) But my family’s schedule is crowded too. Music lessons, homeschool activities, martial arts, Saturday Ukrainian school, scouts, and choir concerts are on the agenda this fall. These are divided between three children. The pace is hectic — and sometimes stressful.

Homeopathy for School Anxiety and Pressure

A month ago, I wrote Three 5-Minute Tips for Making the Transition from Summer to School Easier. If you missed the original post, check it out now. All of these tips remain relevant and will make for an easier school year.

This morning, one of my favorite homeopathy sites, 1-800-Homeopathy, posted an article titled Homeopathy Helps Students Rise to the Occasion. They suggest some great remedies for test and performance anxiety and recommend cell salts for calming.

If you’ve been reading for a while, you know that I am a BIG fan of cells salts.

I would like to offer my endorsement for the final recommendation from the 800-Homeopathy article:

“Nervous Tension Tissue P – With Kali phos, Calc phos and other key homeopathic cell salts for growing pains and tension, this homeopathic remedy’s fundamental support can be called on anytime. Between adjusting to new teachers, classrooms, classmates, and leaving summer behind, the first days of school can be very stressful even for homeschoolers. Starting off strong and confident can set the pace for the whole year. With a little worry free support, you can minimize anxiety and maximize potential.”

Remember that homeopathy works best when remedies are prescribed for individuals rather than for conditions. If you try the remedies recommended in the article and see some progress and then it stalls, or if you see no results, consider a consultation to find the perfect remedy for your child — or you.

Update: Five Years Later

We’ve moved a few times, which necessitated changing martial arts schools. My son loves his tae kwon do classes and attends six or more each week. He is working toward a black belt. And yes, he’s been taking his cell salts and remedies.

Homeopathy & Cell Salts Making Children More Comfortable Tips for Helping Yourself

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Homeopathy for Loss and Grieving

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

The shock, pain and sadness of loss may be experienced after any separation. For children, this may be a move to a new area, the end of a friendship, or the loss of a pet or a loved one. For a parent, the ultimate loss is the loss of a child. There are other losses that are significant: divorce, loss of independence, and loss of dreams.

Those who want to be parents but face infertility, grieve. When a child is diagnosed with a developmental dis-order such as autism or PDD-NOS, parents feel the pain of a loss for the child that could have been. It takes time to adjust expectations and embrace the life we have, rather than the life we envisioned.

Autism rights activist Jim Sinclair wrote: Parents often report that learning their child is autistic was the most traumatic thing that ever happened to them.

Some non-autistic people see autism as a great tragedy, and some parents experience continuing disappointment and grief at all stages of the child’s and family’s life cycle.

This grief does not stem from the child’s autism in itself. It is grief over the loss of the normal child the parents had hoped and expected to have. Parents’ attitudes and expectations, and the discrepancies between what parents expect of children at a particular age and their own child’s actual development, may cause more stress and anguish than the practical complexities of life with an autistic person.

Some amount of grief is natural as parents adjust to the fact that an event and a relationship they’ve been looking forward to isn’t going to materialize. But grief over a fantasized normal child needs to be separated from the parents’ perceptions of the child they do have. (I encourage you to read the whole article Don’t Mourn for Us by Jim Sinclair, from which the above is exerted.)

Advice for Bereavement

As with all the information that I provide, please take that which serves you and let the rest go.

Acknowledge the loss.
Whether the loss seems big or small, honor the feelings you are experiencing.
Do not feel guilty that you are grieving the fantasized normal child or your dream that your child would be playing golf or piano or talking by now.
All feelings are valid.

Be prepared for waves of emotion.

All of your feelings will not come at once.
Be gentle with yourself.
Feel whatever you are feeling without trying to put on a happy face – or trying to do anything.

Allow yourself to have your own experience.

Everyone processes loss differently.
Do not judge yourself by the experiences or time-lines of others, even if they experienced a similar loss.

Accept that you will learn to live with this loss and that you may never “get over it.”

Some losses are too big to “get over.”
You can laugh and go out and enjoy a meal or a movie.
You can enjoy life even while grieving.
You can be sad for “too long.”
You do not need to justify or explain your process.

Seek and accept support that is right for you.

Join a group or lean on a friend.
Consider these Six Tips for Surviving the Darkest Days.

Support Yourself with Cell Salts

The cell salts calc phos and kali phos offer gentle support for grieving mothers, fathers, and children.

Homeopathy for Loss

In the chart below, I list a few of the remedies commonly indicated for loss and grief.

Taking a homeopathic remedy will not numb your feelings or make you forget the loss. The remedy will support you and assist you in processing your emotions.

Remedy	Indications
Ignatia	Grief with shock after the loss of a child, parent, friend or pet. Fighting the tears and swallowing your feelings. Feel a lump in the throat. Crazy laughter alternating with pitiful tears. First remedy to consider for recent losses.
Gelsemium	Paralysed with grief, possibly after the death of a child. Hard to cry. Sluggish. Complete lack of energy. Mind goes blank.
Nat Mur	Old grief. Or, a new grief that awakens the unexpressed sadness from old losses. See Nat Mur: A Remedy for Almost Everybody
Pulsatilla	Grief-struck and weepy. Cries easily, especially when talking about what happened.
Staphysagria	Resentment after loss. Angry. Blaming.

I recently came across another remedy for deep grief. “Cygnus cygnus is a powerful remedy for deep seated grief that pervades the psyche with a deep sorrow that cannot be overcome.” Read more here.

Where to Buy and How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies may be purchased at most health food stores or through websites such as 1-800homeopathy. Select the 30c potency.

To take the remedy, open the remedy vial and shake 3-4 pellets into the cap. Tip the pellets into the mouth without touching the cap to the mouth. Allow the pellets to dissolve in the mouth.

Take the remedy every evening at bedtime, at least 15 minutes after eating, drinking, and brushing teeth. Continue for one week. Evaluate how you feel. If you feel better, stop taking the remedy. If symptoms resume later, take the remedy for another week.

If you do not feel different, select a different remedy or consult a homeopath who can help you choose the correct remedy for you.

In matters of health and healing, be fanatical about self-responsibility. Cell Salts and homeopathic remedies enable you to participate actively in your own healing. At the same time, you should continue to see your doctor and therapist for examinations, advice, and treatment. Nothing on this site is intended as a substitute for medical advice.

References for this post:

Miranda Castro: Homeopathic Guide to Stress: Safe and Effective Natural Ways to Alleviate Physical and Emotional Stress.

Didier Grandgeorge, MD: The Spirit of Homeopathic Medicines: Essential Insights to 300 Remedies.

Remedy	Indications
Ignatia	Grief with shock after the loss of a child, parent, friend or pet. (Very useful for recent losses.) Fighting the tears and swallowing your feelings. Feel a lump in the throat. Crazy laughter alternating with pitiful tears. Paralysed with grief, possibly after the death of a child. Hard to cry. Sluggish. Complete lack of energy. Mind goes blank. Old grief. Or, a new grief that awakens the unexpressed sadness from old losses. See Nat Mur: A Remedy for Almost Everybody Grief-struck and weepy. Cries easily, especially when talking about what happened. Resentment after loss. Angry. Blaming.
Gelsemium
Nat Mur
Pulsatilla
Staphysagria

Remedy

Indications

Ignatia

Grief with shock after the loss of a child, parent, friend or pet. (Very useful for recent losses.)
Fighting the tears and swallowing your feelings.
Feel a lump in the throat.
Crazy laughter alternating with pitiful tears.
Paralysed with grief, possibly after the death of a child.
Hard to cry.
Sluggish. Complete lack of energy.
Mind goes blank.
Old grief. Or, a new grief that awakens the unexpressed sadness from old losses.
See Nat Mur: A Remedy for Almost Everybody
Grief-struck and weepy.
Cries easily, especially when talking about what happened.
Resentment after loss.
Angry. Blamin

Gelsemium

Nat Mur

Pulsatilla

Staphysagria

Remedy	Indications
Ignatia	Grief with shock after the loss of a child, parent, friend or pet. (Very useful for recent losses.) Fighting the tears and swallowing your feelings. Feel a lump in the throat. Crazy laughter alternating with pitiful tears. Paralysed with grief, possibly after the death of a child. Hard to cry. Sluggish. Complete lack of energy. Mind goes blank. Old grief. Or, a new grief that awakens the unexpressed sadness from old losses. See Nat Mur: A Remedy for Almost Everybody Grief-struck and weepy. Cries easily, especially when talking about what happened. Resentment after loss. Angry. Blaming.
Gelsemium
Nat Mur
Pulsatilla
Staphysagria

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Goodbye Tantrums, Goodbye Asthma: Two Cases of Nat Mur

by Natalia Iwanyckyj

Because there was significant interest in my recent post, Nat Mur: A Remedy for (Almost) Everybody, I am sharing the healing stories of two clients for whom I prescribed Nat Mur. I hope that in reading these case studies, you will perceive how homeopathy facilitates healing transformation.

Important: When prescribing remedies, homeopaths look for remedy that matches the individual’s picture at that time. Most homeopathic remedies have hundreds of applications. When prescribed constitutionally, remedies build health and strengthen the vital force. The individual’s vital force initiates and accelerates healing.

A remedy prescribed for migraines in one person and might well be prescribed for constipation in another and eczema in yet someone else.

Kinder, Gentler Tantrums

Lena’s mother came to see me because her five year old daughter exhibited tremendous anger over small things. She was impulsive to the point of being a danger to herself. She was having a major tantrum or two every day, yelling, kicking, and hitting those around her. She ignored her caregivers, acting as if she did not hear them.

Lena was having trouble falling asleep and woke screaming in the middle of the night two or three times per week – sometimes more than once per night. As you may imagine, this was exhausting and emotionally draining for her mother.

She was also prone to croup, having had it at least five times in the past three winters. She craved candy, milk, and, interestingly for a small child, coffee.

After speaking to Lena’s mother, I compared the totality of her individual symptoms to the known remedies in the materia medica to find a remedy which best covered all of Lena’s expressed symptoms. I selected Nat Mur. (Please note that this is a short, illustrative article. I have not included all symptoms and characteristics discussed.)

I directed the mother to give her daughter one dose of the remedy at bedtime. Lena was also taking cell salts that I had already prescribed during an earlier consultation.

When I followed up a month after the initial consultation, Lena’s mother reported:

“She’s sleeping through the night and the tantrums no longer include aggressively hitting her little sister. She still whines and pushes, but it’s definitely not as combative as it was before. The tantrums seem to be shorter and less intense. They occur when she is hungry or tired.

All in all, it’s been a good few weeks. She’s definitely sleeping better — goes down when I put her to bed and sleeps through the night.”

The mother then said, “One of the major issues she has that I completely forgot to tell you about is eczema. Will the remedy help with that?”

Yes, I replied. Nat mur is a great remedy for eczema in children.

Bye-Bye Asthma

Matthew’s mother was concerned because her son was allergic many common allergens and had asthma. She disliked giving him asthma medications, but the episodes could be frightening for both of them. She wanted to see if homeopathy might help.

After taking his case, I selected Nat Mur. As in Lena’s case, we gave him one dose of the remedy. A year later, I received this note from Matthew’s mother:

“Have a good update for you. Matthew has had no need for asthma medicine! He had no asthma attacks from last summer until this week when he had a mild one. Was wondering if I should give him another dose of the remedy you chose for him then. 11 months of relief is nothing to sneeze at (ok,its a pun…)”

We did give Matthew another dose of Nat Mur. He is doing well, again.

Treat the patient, not the disease.

This is the most important doctrine of homeopathy. No two human beings are exactly alike and so the medicines used for their treatment need not be alike – even if they have the same disease. Homeopathic medicines are prescribed based on the totality of symptoms of that individual. The name of the disease is not particularly important to the homeopath.

If you are interested in individualized treatment just for you or your child, you can find a homeopath at the National Center for Homeopathy website.

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Discovering Ourselves through Parenting

Homeopathy for Stopping the Flu Before It Starts

What to Buy

Prevention is the Best Medicine

Common Sense for Staying Healthy

Preventing Flu with Homeopathic Remedies

Before Exposure

Known Exposure to Flu, No Symptoms

First Sign of Feeling Ill

Supportive Remedies and Actions

Bill Cosby on Oscillococcinum

Cell Salts for Healthy Throats

Other Cell Salts for Sore Throat

Prevention

Homeopathic Remedies for Sore Throats

Common Sense Measures for Staying Healthy

1. Sleep

2. Diet

3. Exercise

4. Quiet Time

References

First Aid for Trauma

The first remedy to administer after an accident is arnica.

Other Remedies for Bone Injury

Cell Salts for Bone Health

References and Resources:

Learning the Rules of Homeopathy

I Become Afraid of Using Homeopathic Remedies

The Big Shift

Don’t Be Afraid: Use Homeopathic Remedies to Heal Yourself and Your Family

Are You Afraid?

Want to read more?

Making It Easier to Wear Socks (and other clothes)

Choosing a Remedy to Alleviate Clothing Intolerance

Calcarea Carbonica

Mental State

Physical Signs

Lachesis

Mental State

Physical Signs

Lycopodium

Mental State

Physical Signs

Nat Mur

No match?

Where to Buy and How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

References for this post:

Choosing a Remedy to Boost Confidence

Baryta Carb

Lycopodium

Nat Mur

Silica

Staphysagria

Choose the remedy that is the best match for your child’s whole picture.

No remedy match?

You can also take cell salts such as Calc Fluor or Calc Phos to boost self-esteem.

Update on Sara’s Reading

Where to Buy and How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

References for this post:

Homeopathy 102

Homeopathic Remedies and Lunar Phases

Remedies Indicated for Individuals Whose Symptoms are Worse Around the Time of the Full Moon

1. Argentum Nitricum

2. Calcarea Carbonica

3. Lycopodium

4. Phosphorus

5. Pulsatilla

6. Silica

Remedies Indicated for Individuals Whose Symptoms are Worse Around the Time of the New Moon

1. Arsenicum Album

2. Nux Vomica

3. Phosphorus

4. Pulsatilla

5. Rhus-tox

6. Sulphur

Gaining Insights

Over-Scheduled, Over-Stressed

Homeopathy for School Anxiety and Pressure

Update: Five Years Later

Advice for Bereavement