There is always something to celebrate, or honour, at times in our life — cultural, or religious occasions; birthdays and anniversaries; births and deaths. Usually these ‘festivities,’ more often than not, result in ‘too much’ of something, most likely overindulgence in food and drink.
Indulging in lavish dinners and drinking beyond our customary limits, especially in these times that ushered in the New Year, take a toll on our bodies. Fortunately, homeopathy can be of assistance in treating the ills that come with such, also too much, excess.
There are a number of homeopathic remedies that can quite quickly put us on track again. The following are some of the ‘potentised’ substances that can address complaints associated with a sensitivity, or intolerance, to certain foods and drinks and a state of imbalance that arises from just plain ‘too much’ of something.
It helps to understand how homeopathy and the homeopathic remedies or ‘potentised’ [diluted and succussed] substances work.
Healing With Homeopathy
Homeopathy matches a set of symptoms that a person in a state of imbalance is experiencing to those similar symptoms discovered by ‘proving’ or recording the effects of a similar substance on healthy individuals. In so doing, a person’s ‘vital force,’ or innate and guiding energy, receives the information required to return to a state of balance.
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 following remedies work in this way as they present a ‘picture’ ‘similar’ to that of the actual problem.
One of the most common ailments, of course is the ‘hangover.’ Although everyone’s hangover will be slightly different in symptomology, each of us will experience some form of discomfort in the head, stomach and intestines. There are several homeopathic remedies that will fit each symptom-picture, the brighest of all for a headache from excesses of alcohol being Nux Vomica.
Nux Vomica [Poison Nut]
This is the go-to homeopathic remedy to consider, if, as a result of alcohol, and in particular beer, or wine, the symptoms include a headache in the occipital region, or over the eyes which may be accompanied by vertigo and a feeling as though the brain is turning in a circle. The brain may also feel ‘bruised’ and the scalp can be sensitive. The head may actually feel larger than the body and distended and sore. Nausea, hiccough or violent vomiting may also be part of the picture, as may be marked irritability and impatience which are strong features of the remedy.
Ledum Palustre [Marsh Tea]
This is another 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.
Ranunculus Bulbosus [Buttercup]
This is another remedy for the bad effects of alcohol and delirium tremens with hiccough.
If you are more likely to overdo it with food rather than drink, homeopathy will again provide relief. Even for folks who eat only a small amount, but readily experience a sense of fullness and when the problem is accompanied by a good deal of bloating, flatulence, and belching which may spill over only as far as the throat, Lycopodium clavatum [Club Moss] is the remedy to consider. In Lycopodium, the digestion is generally weak. Symptoms tend to be more right-sided and worse from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.
Carbo Vegetabilis [Vegetable Charcoal]
This is a good remedy for slow digestion, weakness, distension, and flatulence, or obstructed flatulence, forcing the patient to double over. These symptoms can be a result of high-living and eating butter, or other rich foods.
For digestive discomfort where the main feature is continuous, horrible nausea, Ipecacuanha [Ipecac] is a possible solution. The state may arise from eating rich foods such as pork, or pastries. 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 though it is hanging down. There is no thirst.
Pulsatilla Nigrans [Pasque Flower]
This is another useful remedy for addressing problems resulting from too many rich foods, fats, pork, pastries, desserts and ice-cream.
Homeopathy can also address cases caused by food poisoning, eating spoiled foods or bad meat, or incidents caused by bacteria and viruses. For food poisoning in which there is simultaneous vomiting and diarrhoea in a very anxious patient, Arsenicum album [White Oxide of Arsenic] will be useful.
There may be a desire to drink frequent sips of water and a feeling of chilliness as well. Arsenicum is a restless remedy which will be reflected in the person needing the remedy.
Veratrum Album [White Hellebore]
This can be considered, especially if the nausea is made worse by drinking and least motion.
China Officinalis [Peruvian Bark]
This is another good remedy for food poisoning, In the China state we can see profuse, exhausting discharges, gas, bloating and dehydration.
Dosage
The homeopathic remedy needed for any of the listed pictures can be taken in pellet form in the 30C dilution and repeated at 2-4 hour intervals, if symptoms remain after the initial dose. If there is no reaction after a few doses, you’ve chosen the wrong remedy — no harm but no resonance.
We can’t, of course, forget our four-legged friends that have a great capacity to get into foods that will upset, or poison, their systems. Fortunately, homeopathy does not discriminate in the treatment of humans and animals and so the above prescriptions apply not only to guardians, but to pets as well.
To administer a remedy to an animal, crush about 4-5 pellets between two pieces of clean paper without touching the pills with your hands. Gather the powder with a clean plastic spoon and place it as far back on the animal’s tongue as you can. It helps to get behind the animal and lift its head and open the mouth. If you have a particularly difficult pet, dissolve the same amount of pellets in distilled water, put the solution in a clean, plastic dish and let your pet drink it throughout the day.
