One for the ladies

It's early days but I really didn't feel that I could keep this to myself.  

Can we talk periods?

In my job I get used to chatting about everything - periods, snot, poo, wee, blood, random strange thoughts, urges, desires, dreams and more that I don't think there's any topic that's really taboo with us homeopaths.  However if you're not OK to chat periods then probably best I see you next time.

I do think there's so many people out there who struggle with pain, bloating, discomfort, tension and worse.  People who dread the breast swelling, soreness, and their families who always know when it's 'that time of the month'.  The cravings for chocolate/chips/cheese/insert other unhealthy option that you know you 'need' then will feel worse for having eaten.

I've just finished my first month (5 days into month 2 now) on 100% high carb, low fat raw vegan foods after a two week transition period (funnily enough no pun intended but I'm leaving it there!) and aside from feeling great which to be honest people had warned me plenty of times about, I've also found that on raw foods you need to eliminate less waste from your body.  This can mean all sorts of different things - most people eating a high raw and definitely a 100% raw diet report less colds/viruses/flu like symptoms than ever before in their lives for example.  And the more I've read, the more I've discovered that the 5-7 day menstrual period that is generally accepted as the norm - is not, in fact neccessarily something that happens either.  If there isn't a build up of toxins and there are plenty of vitamins and minerals in your diet it would appear that heavy bleeding is unlikely, pain, unusual and PMT unexpected.

There's a fantastic article that I read today and would urge you to go and read.  I could replicate lots of the information but it's well written, if a little wordy, explains brilliantly - and besides there's lots on my list of things to do... so I'm going to go off and do them just as soon as I've highlighted this bit:

What has to change in the diet in order to eliminate menstruation? Foods which contribute to toxemia are no longer eaten. Foods which build health, and especially strong connective tissue, without taxing the digestion are the only foods eaten. The body is helped to eliminate toxic wastes built up over past years of poor lifestyle and diet. Without doubt, the hardest part of this change for most people is the first one. It means no more eating foods which sludge up or acidify the body. This means eliminating animal products - meat, fish, dairy, eggs -- refined sugars and salt, and dramatically reducing grain foods and even processed plant fats (oils). The diet essentially must become "true vegetarian", or vegan, with a predominance of fresh raw fruits and vegetables rather than cooked. In particular, the greater the proportion of raw fruit in the diet, the less likely you are to have periods.

"Women who eat a vegetarian diet containing mostly raw food experience only brief periods, scarcely noticeable, with hardly any loss of blood. Dr. H. G. Beiler in his book, The Natural Way to sexua| Health, explains that women experience troublesome periods only because of the toxic condition of their blood brought about by the high fat and protein Western diet." (5:298)

At least 50% and ideally more of every meal should be raw, and that eaten first. This is so that the enzymes present in the raw portion can help the body digest the whole meal, including the cooked portion.

 ... and given you the link for the article:

http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=982094

 Do have a look. It was eyeopening to me. And amazing that I've had 20 years of periods before I had any idea about this.

With love,

Em x 

There have been times I'm sure I could have eaten my body weight in chocolate.... not missing those days one bit!

 

Low Cost Homeopathy Clinic opens in Skipton

It feels like it's been ages in the pipeline but am excited to say we're now running our low cost Homeopathy clinic from Craven Clinic, Skipton.

Currently available the first and second Tuesday morning of the month between 9.30am and 1.30pm and one Friday afternoon a month 1.30-5.30pm. The cost is £25 for an initial consultation and £20 for a follow-up appointment.

The low-cost homeopathy clinic has been set up by three experienced homeopaths: Linda Gartland, Jonathan Coles and Emma Colley, and aims to make homeopathic treatment available to as many people as possible. The clinic offers our usual high quality service, but at a reduced cost, to make it more affordable to people who might not otherwise come for treatment.   

A holistic, non-toxic, non-addictive form of medicine made from natural sources, homeopathy helps the body rebalance and strengthen itself both physically and emotionally and can be used alongside conventional medicine.

The clinic offers consultations to people of all ages for a wide variety of short and long term conditions, including asthma, eczema, arthritis, migraines, digestive disorders, hormonal problems, sports injuries, stress and anxiety related conditions.

Patients will always see the same homeopath for their treatment and will be offered up to six sessions (more by negotiation), generally on a monthly basis. 

For more information call 01756 796690 or email info@cravenclinic.co.uk

Homeopathy and Sports

This year the Society of Homeopaths has focussed it's Homeopathy Awareness Week around sports and fitness, and with the Olympics fast coming upon us it seemed fitting that, unable to beat them, I join them!

It's maybe also a fitting place to mention my own sporting challenge - this year has been a year I've set aside for me, my fun, different activities to focus on that I may never have done or would like to do better and I gave myself a month to try out an activity.  It could be anything from meditation to guitar lessons, roller blading to knitting.  Interestingly, as an aside, on one exercise class it was great for me to overhear our instructor in my February challenge telling people in the group to take arnica to help with any bruising and that she should be on commission for all times she recommends arnica to people!  Good to hear the word is being shared...  At the start of my challenges, Nov 29th, last year, I had a lot of ideas of things I'd like to do but also some spaces in the 13th months ahead of me leading up to 2013.

Open water swimming was one that kind of crept up and took hold of me.  I now have a very fetching wetsuit, well OK, a wetsuit, the ability to swim a mile in a swimming pool, some borrowed goggles, and a place on the Great North Swim (a mile in Windermere), on the 23rd June, the day before the Olympic Torch goes through Skipton.

I've decided since I'm taking the plunge, I'd like to use the opportunity to raise some money through sponsorship and am donating this to Homeopathy for Health in Africa.  I'd love to raise at least £500 so if you could I'd really appreciate it if you'd sponsor me - it's easy to donate here.
In my head it's going to be a little like this....

so I do appreciate any pennies I get that am able to pass on to HHA!

Onto the newsletter...

As ever if there's anything you'd like to see mentioned in a newsletter, want to find out more about homeopathy or to book an appointment, feel free to get in touch at either em@homeopathyskipton.co.uk, through the Craven Clinic on 01756 796690 or direct on 07734 861297.

I've been thinking... about hayfever

... and I couldn't really tell you why.  Except that it's probably a great time to start to treat hayfever with homeopathy right now.  Yes, before there are even little buds trying to come through and the treat of pollen is way off (along with the thoughts of those long, summery, warm evenings sat in a beer garden whiling away the hours... or long walks barefoot on the beach with the birds chattering away happily overhead...)

So why now? Why in the bleak midwinter would we think about something so far in advance? Well for starters (and not just because I consider myself relatively optimistic) it's not that far away.  4 months takes us into mid-May.  Only 16 weeks!

But really, and what I consider the most important reason is that the Homeopath would be able to look for a remedy to suit you as a whole person, as opposed to a specific for the hayfever symptoms (which can be helpful in the midst of the hayfever season too - more on that another time).  By working this way, you may well find that symptoms are reduced, possibly even not there by the time the sun shines down and the flowers bloom.

I think I'll leave the (almost) final words from a client who came to see me for help with his hayfever...

‘After treatment I didn’t have any symptoms – for the first time in years!  Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend – very professional and friendly service.’  

If you'd like to get in touch to talk further about how homeopathy may be able to help you please feel free to get in contact with me on em@homeopathyskipton.co.uk.

From cake to crude homeopathy

After the success of Bryonia which worked as a partial similimum for Mick's cough (or as he said - the golden syrup cake) - we came back to the caravan the next day for him to have the same (apparently allergic) reaction.

Bryonia had helped somewhat but looking closer at the new symptoms I thought we could do with some Allium Cepa (red onion) in a 30 or 200c potency. Mick's eyes were streaming, as was his nose. He was sneezing and starting to get wheezy. Great we'd decided on a remedy. Bad news was we didn't have any.

We did however have a red onion with us so I cut a slice of it. Result!! Breathing improved, sneezing stopped and his eyes and nose stopped steaming. It needed repeating regularly so probably a remedy in potency would have been more beneficial longer term but in a caravan in the middle of nowhere without the remedy I needed it was more than good enough for us!!

Allium Cepa is a well known remedy in hayfever (or other allergic reactions) where there is watering eyes, running nose with a burning feeling, excess sneezing and a tickling cough. Take the 30c potency and when symptoms improve stop taking until you need to repeat (on return of symptoms).