Homeopathy for Health in Africa

Hi

I'm not long back from my first session at Dynamis - a two and a half year course I've recently started.  I wanted to do the course for some time but as often can happen the 'time wasn't right', well at the moment the time's not perfect but with the course running for possibly the last time in the UK and definately the last time for quite some time in the UK it was time to bite the bullet and make the time right for me instead of waiting around.  And it turned out the time was perfect!  I had an amazing time away with some incredible people, not least Jeremy Sherr who was teaching us all inspirational Homeopathy, but fab people on the course, T'ai Chi on the lawns before lectures and an amazing house surrounded by beautiful woodland with delicious homecooked (often homegrown) food all cooked for us (a treat in itself!)  Add that to catching up with some brilliant people from uni, gorgeous girl having a great time at home with day trips and constant picnics (although I don't think they got around to breakfast on the lawn all other meals were covered) all was good!

I really wanted to blog briefly about the work Jeremy is doing in Africa which really is awe-inspiring and Homeopathy at it's best.  The Sherr family have relocated to Tanzania where Jeremy and his Homeopath wife Camilla are working with people who have the AIDS virus and are seeing some incredible results using Classical Homeopathy.  I've heard Jeremy talk about the project before and had this been a pre-child era I'd have been straight on a plane to see the work first hand.  As it is I am simply watching from afar at the moment and contributing when I can.

Have a look at the video here:
http://www.vimeo.com/6262783

to have a closer insight into the project.  If you'd like to contribute, the process is easy and the money goes through Homeopathy Action Trust which is a registered charity, you're able to Gift Aid your money and the funds go to making sure the project can continue with the fantastic start they've made. 

And check out the slideshow with rap:
http://www.youtube.com/jsherr1

The aim to make the project more sustainable has meant that 2 Homeopaths are training through the School of Homeopathy and another is funded to train in Kenya in Homeopathy.  There is food being grown, a creche set up and women who've been helped by Homeopathy are working with the Sherr's on the project.  Have a watch tho - the short film puts everything much better than I can!


http://www.vimeo.com/6262783

Long may this amazing work continue and become a norm all over Africa and indeed the world!

Cobblers wives and children coughing away...

It was a few days ago when a friend got in touch about an ongoing cough and after sitting, looking at the symptoms, the modalities (what makes it better or worse) I realised that was pretty much the same thing that my poor, long suffering partner was going through.  So finally, last of the queue, we had a breakthrough for his ongoing (driving me crazy) cough - and, so happily - after a few tablets of the remedy there were far less coughing fits, far less spitting out of mucus (eeeeewwwww - I do not like!) and one happy, non suffering partner!

Drosera was the remedy of choice here in both instances - one of the most popular remedies for whooping cough, which apparently is making a come back.  The drosera cough is a dry, spasmodic, barking cough - coming in bouts, as if the larynx is tickled, often causing wheezing respiration.  The symptoms are worse for warmth of bed, laughing, singing and in the evening (after midnight). 

There are lots of other remedies that can help in coughs - but if it sounds like I've described here it may be that drosera can help you to move through it.  Please seek advice from a Homeopath near to you and as ever, don't take anything in these posts as a substitute for medical attention.

Here's to a fantastically healthy spring!

Em

No Poo Shampooing...

I think it was back when I was at uni, and was on holiday in Sweden with a group of people from Winged Fellowship (charity providing respite care for physically disabled people) on one of their Discovery Holidays - similar to this if anyone is interested in this type of overseas break is the fantastic Makin Tracks run by Dave and Debbie Jepson... for more information http://www.makintracks.eu/index.htm.&npsp; Anyway we were with a lovely lady who had stopped washing her hair with shampoo years ago - it looked fantastic!! So as you do with these things I guess I stored that away (and forgot at some point) and did nothing with the information until we were in Australia last year and decided that surely nothing was worth the screams and shouts of a reluctant 3 year old to have their hair washed.

So began our first non-washing trial. It wasn't that great, and so it ended again, with reluctance but realising that we for whatever reason just weren't getting there.

With an interest in 'green' awareness, reluctance to use unnecessary chemicals and also whilst we were in a tightening of the belt time, I started to investigate again and found some brilliant blogs with more information than the 'just leave it and it'll have a greasy phase then be fine' approach.

So what I do now is to mix 2 tablespoons of Bicarbonate of Soda with 2 cups of water in a shampoo bottle. Mix well before use and simply use as required. At the moment I'm tending to find that I wash my hair about every 2 to 4 days which is a big change from my daily pourings of shampoo down the drain, plus conditioner so it was all lovely and silky smooth... About conditioner too - I've replaced that with a Cider Vinegar rinse - again I use 2 tablespoons to 2 cups, mix it in a bottle and use probably on alternate washes.

There's quite a few blogs out there about this - and it seems even more than when I started my 'no poo' journey so just have a browse through. A couple of my favourites were:

http://naturalpapa.com/health/go-no-poo-how-to-switch-to-no-shampoo-hair-care/

And Www.babyslimelivejournal.com/174054/HTML/why

I'm pleased with it, happy to be cutting my water usage, pollutants and shampoo costs down... Roll on the summer and a little lemon juice for those natural highlights! Oh and Mick to stop excitedly removing my (cream) horses hair from my head thinking I'm catching him up going grey!!

http://babyslime.livejournal.com/174054.html#why

http://naturalpapa.com/health/go-no-poo-how-to-switch-to-no-shampoo-hair-care/

Remedies for those coughs and colds of the season...

Everyone seems to have a cough or cold at the moment - we certainly do in our house, so I thought I would share some remedy information with you... any questions give me a shout...

Belladonna: indicated where the symptoms have come on suddenly and there is fever, throbbing and pain, with great irritability, and symptoms worse from jarring.

Bryonia:  the symptoms are slow to come on, there is much dryness and pains are worse from even the slightest movement. Children are irritable and may reject what they just asked for. The cough is dry, worse after eating or drinking. There is increased thirst.

Gelsemium: the number one flu remedy, with symptoms slow to come on, where there is much heaviness and drooping, fatigue, clammy skin, flushes of hot and cold, dizziness and congestion.

Pulsatilla: mucus is sticky and difficult to cough up. The child might be tearful and need constant cuddles. They are better in the fresh air, and thirstless despite having a dry mouth.  

Phosphorus: this is a hacking, tickling cough, often with sweating. The child is worse at night and might ask for icy drinks or ice cream, which may be vomited up immediately. They may be hoarse, and are better for affection and massage, and worse for cold air.

 

NB These tips are not intended as a substitute for medical advice and should not be taken as so - should you need to please consult a GP or medical practitioner.

International Women's Day

On International Women's Day I thought it would be good to have a story of an inspiring woman and what Homeopathy did to help her and her family...

Please use the link below to access Nadia Sawalha's story (it's a good one!)

http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/export/sites/bha_site/hh_article_bank/interviews/Nadia_Sawalha_may2010.pdf

Happy Women's Day Everyone!

Homeopathy for Bump, Baby and Beyond...

Our local NCT group is organising a Bump, Baby and Beyond Fair which promises to be a fantastic day out for all - we have activity trials, seminar sessions, talks, demonstrations, a Table Top Sale (great for bargains and sellers alike - just the right time to have a good old clear out and re-stock with some fab recycling of toys!), I'm facepainting for the day and we obviously have lots and lots of exhibitors (around 60 and counting) coming along to make it a day worth attending with everything you need from pregnancy to early school years...

I've decided that I'm going to circulate a copy of my newsletter there with tips for remedies, minor complaints and ideas for incorporating some complementary therapies into your pregnancy so on the theme of Homeopathy and little ones, here's some ideas of what you could help with at home and some remedy tips...

Teething - Chamomilla 30C give where the child is angry and inconsolable

Colic – Magnesium Phos 30C give when the baby is doubled over in pain

Nappy Rash – Calendula 30C and Calendula cream (soothing and antiseptic)

Earache – Pulsatilla 30C give when the child is clingy with a greenish discharge from their ear

Fever - Aconite 30C for sudden fevers after getting chilled; Belladonna 30C when they have a very high temperature with a red face; Gelsemium 30C for slow fevers with chills, bone pain and fatigue

Coughs and Colds – Bryonia 30C when they are miserable, irritable and better for keeping still; Pulsatilla 30C when there is plenty of yellow/green mucous, clingy and upset

Vomiting – Nux Vomica 30C for bilious and bad tempered states; Arsenicum Album 30C for after bad food, where there is diarrhoea and restlessness

Bumps and Bruises – Arnica 30C which is also great for shock and exhaustion

These indications are merely a guide and should not be used in place of medical intervention.  For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, please consult your doctor.

If you’ve given the remedy several times and there is no response it is likely that the remedy doesn’t fully match the symptom picture and a different remedy may be required. 

Here's to a healthy spring!

Happy Homeopathic Prescibing...

Em

PS The NCT Bump, Baby and Beyond Fair is on the 21st May 2011 at Skipton Auction Mart from 10-4... 

ABCs of Homeopathy

An informal session to discover more about Homeopathy and how to use it for your friends and family.  Find out more about the history of Homeopathy, ideas around it and first aid remedies to use in the home/out and about.

Homeopathy is very effective in acute situations - childhood illnesses, coughs and minor injuries, and with a little help and support anyone can discover how to start using remedies in everyday life.

Places are limited so please get in touch asap if you are interested in finding out more.

Tuesday 1st March 8pm-9.30pm
Craven Clinic, Skipton

More about me @ www.homeopathyskipton.co.uk
or get in touch @ em@homeopathyskipton.co.uk