The holidays are a time for celebrating with friends, colleagues and family and may include indulging in lavish dinners . When we eat and drink beyond our limits, all the holiday cheer may take a toll on our bodies. Fortunately, homeopathy can be of assistance in ‘curing’ the ills that come with too much socialising.
One of the most common ailments is, of course, the ‘hangover.’ Although the symptoms of such may differ slightly in each person, everyone will experience some form of discomfort in the head and stomach. There are several homeopathic remedies to address the condition.
Nux Vomica [Poison fruit]
This is one remedy to consider if, as a result of excess alcohol — particularly beer, or wine — your symptoms include a headache in the occipital region, or over the eyes. This may be accompanied by vertigo and a feeling ‘as if’ the brain is turning in a circle. The brain may also be feeling bruised and the scalp sensitive. The head may actually seem larger that the body. Nausea, hiccoughs, or violent vomiting may also be a part of the picture. Marked irritability and impatience may also be present.
Ledum Palustre [Marsh tea]
This is another remedy to consider for this state, in particular, if it results from too much hard liquor. The Ledum hangover is characterised by a raging, throbbing headache, which is aggravated by anything covering the head. There may be retching and burping and nausea with the desire to vomit. Chilliness may accompany the symptoms.
Other Remedies
If you are more likely to overdo it with food rather than with drink, homeopathy will again provide relief. There is even help for those who eat only a little, but readily experience a sense of fullness. When this is the case and is accompanied by a good deal of bloating, flatulence, and belching, which rises only as far as the throat, Lycopodium clavatum [Club moss] is the remedy to consider.
For digestive discomfort where the main feature is continuous, horrible, nausea, Ipecacuanha [Ipecac] is a possible solution. The nausea is differentiated by the fact that it is not better for vomiting. Excessive salivation may be present and there can be a sinking feeling in the stomach, or the stomach may feel relaxed ‘as if’ it is hanging down. Through all this, the patient remains thirstless. The state may arise from eating rich foods, such as pork and pastries.
Homeopathy can also address cases of food poisoning. For food poisoning, in which there is simultaneous vomiting and diarrhoea in a very anxious patient, Arsenicum abum [White oxide of Arsenic] will be useful. Veratrum album [White hellebore] can also be considered, especially if the nausea is made worse by drinking and/or the least motion.
Homeopathy matches the symptom-picture of the patient to the symptom-picture of the remedy which is derived through ‘provings’ conducted on health human volunteers. The remedy which is ‘similar’ to the actual condition acts as an artificial illness stimulating the ‘vital force,’ or guiding energy to react. As it does so, it eradicates both the artificial and natural illnesses and the vital force rebalances itself.
The above-mentioned remedies work in this way as they present a picture ‘similar’ to that of the actual problem.
Homeopathy is a wonderful and highly effective science for acute and chronic situations. While the above-mentioned conditions may seem quite straight forward, it is always best to consult a professional in the field. This is primarily because it’s only under the guidance of a trained homeopath that the correct dosage and potency are assured.
