Cold & Flu Season ā Gentle Homeopathic Allies
The holiday season brings festivities ā and cold and flu. Here are a few simple homeopathic remedies to add to your rescue kit this time of year.
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR THE COMMON COLD
Catching a cold is uncomfortable but it's a healthy reaction to a virus. The sneezing, dripping nose, sore throat, and tickling cough are your immune system at work. Homeopathy can offer safe, natural, and effective relief from cold symptoms.
* Allium Cepa ā violent sneezing, dull headache, tickling cough that worsens in cold air. Nasal discharge irritates your nostrils, eyes tear profusely.
* Hepar Sulph ā highly sensitive to light, noise, and touch. So sensitive you can't even touch a sore throat.
* Phosphorus ā colds and coughs that descend into the chest. Sore throat where talking causes violent tickling.
* Pulsatilla ā thick, yellow or greenish nasal discharge, congestion worse at night, alternating sides. Dry mouth but not thirsty. Symptoms ease in open air. Emotional, clingy, looking for sympathy.
* Ipecacuanha ā dry, spasmodic cough that ends in choking or gagging.
* Spongia Tosta ā dry, harsh, barking cough. Relief from eating or drinking.
* Antimonium Tartaricum ā loose, rattling, unproductive cough after exposure to damp. Often paired with irresistible sleepiness and cold sweats.
* Hydrastis Canadensis ā increased mucus, thick white or yellow tenacious discharge. Sneezing on waking. Loose rattling cough from a tickle in the larynx.
HOW TO TAKE A HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY
* Dissolve under the tongue.
* Wait at least 30 minutes before or after eating, drinking, or brushing teeth.
* Avoid strong flavors (coffee, mint) while using homeopathics.
* For acute symptoms, a low potency like 30X or 30C is generally appropriate.
* Take one dose every hour for up to three doses. When you feel 50% better, stop and let your body finish the work. If you don't improve after three doses, the remedy is likely not the right match ā try a different one.
When symptoms worsen or persist, contact your primary health-care provider. Always rest, hydrate, and nourish your body with whole foods. Often, an acute illness is your body's way of asking you to slow down.
ā Lezah