Homeopathy For Women Today

When was the last time you slept really well?  

According to the 2009 results of the National Sleep Foundation’s annual Sleep in America poll, 64 percent of adults in the U.S. have trouble sleeping at least a few nights a week, and 41 percent say it’s a nightly occurrence.

What’s more, the same survey found that women are 10 percent more likely than men to report insomnia.

So what’s causing you to regularly lose sleep? Experts say that they most likely cause is Stress. Whether it is children, sick parents, job (or loss of job), lack of time, lack of money, relationships (or lack of meaningful relationships), state of the economy or the zillion other issues that we deal with each and every day, stress is a part-and-parcel of modern living.

So, short of giving up everything and going to live in an Himalayan ashram (or some such place), what can we do?

Well, we could try Valium (and worry about its side-effects or whether we would become dependent on it), we could practise meditation (if only we had the time………), change our attitude and stop worrying (easier said than done……) or we could find easy, simple, natural remedies that can help us get good sleep.

Welcome to the world of Homeopathy.  Homeopathic remedies for Insomnia work gently, safely and effectively. While you can try the following remedies at home, if your problem is a chronic (long-term or serious) or you have a medical condition that causes your sleeplessness, please consult with a professional homeopath. 

Top remedies for Insomnia are -

Kali Phos 30c or 6x - for mental strain or overwork, restless mind, business or job worries that plague the mind and cause sleeplessness.

Coffea Cruda 30c - for mental excitement and nervous stimulation, e.g. about an upcoming event; for sleeplessness from overuse of caffeine; for very light sleepers

Passiflora 30c - Useful for most types of insomnia.

Cocculus 30c - For those who are “too tired to sleep” from over-exertion, jet lag, disruptive work schedule or long-term caring for a sick relative.

Nux Vomica 30c - Sleeplessness from over-indulgence in food, alcohol or other stimulants;  from overwork. light sleepers who wake up around 3am and toss and turn. Often impatient, irritable, fidgety. Sleeplessness in alcoholics.

Ignatia 30c - Insomnia due to grief, loss or sadness. Very light sleeper with lot of anxious thoughts.

Select the remedy that best fits your symptoms.  For detailed instructions on using the selected remedy, see my blog posts on “How To Use Homeopathic Remedies At Home Part 1″ and “Part 2″ posted on 20th and 23rd Sept 2008.

You can also try the Bach Flower Remedies listed in my post “Flower Remedies for Insomnia” dated 16 Dec 2007.

Wishing you peaceful, relaxing sleep…..

I came across a study done by  Dr. Edzard Ernst, Director of Complementary Medicine  and Dr. Max H Pittler, Senior Research Fellow, Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Exeter, UK. (Source: www.mja.com.au/public/issues/185_11_041206/ern11072_fm.html )

To summarize the study, 

Objective: To collect contemporary accounts of celebrity use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), to aid clinicians in determining which CAM treatments patients are likely to use.

Design: Articles published during 2005 and 2006 reporting celebrity use of CAM.

Results: 38 celebrities were found to use a wide range of CAM interventions. Homeopathy, acupuncture and Ayurveda were the most popular modalities.

The doctors claimed that as the media did not report what the celebrities were using CAM for, “It is thus difficult to assess whether or not the therapies are employed wisely by celebrities”.

Conclusion: ”There may be many reasons why consumers use CAM, and wanting to imitate their idols is one of them.”

My take on this -

As a homeopath and user of homeopathy, I applaud the celebrities for using Homeopathy to maintain or restore their health and for having that fact reported in the media.  While I do not say that celebrities know best or that whatever they do should be emulated,  using Homeopathy is one celebrity-based trend that I can encourage.

Looking at the list of celebrities and well-known personalities who are said to use Homeopathy, I am sure they choose their healthcare options “wisely”. The impressive list includes not just actors, artists, musicians who may be into “new-age therapies”, but fairly conservative people like Queen Elizabeth II and former UK premier Tony Blair. 

Mahatma Gandhi, father of India, whom no one can accuse of peddling quackery, supported homeopathy strongly. In fact, he reportedly said ”Homeopathy cures a larger percentage of cases than any other method of treatment.”

Past advocates of Homeopathy included Yehudi Menuhin (violinist), Mark Twain (author, humorist), William James (pioneering psychologist), H W Longfellow (poet, educator), Nathaniel Hawthorne (writer) and Daniel Webster (politician, lawyer).  These were not people who would have supported quackery.

I do not agree with 2nd part of the study’s conclusion. Most people who choose Homeopathy do not do it to imitate their idols. While we may choose clothes or make-up or cars or some such things trying to imitate our idols, we do not choose to use Homeopathy because celebrities do so. Even if that does happen, it would be a very small percentage of the millions of people all over the world who use Homeopathy.

In India, homeopathy enjoys considerable popularity not because celebrities endorse it, but because it has proven itself beneficial and effective. Look into any Indian homeopath’s website and you will see case studies and testimonials even video cases and laboratory investigation reports of people with chronic diseases who have regained health with Homeopathy.

Who would you rather believe - real people who got good results using Homeopathy or some hard-nosed “scientist” who claims that there is no way homeopathy can work because till date we do not know how it works?  I am happy to believe the former…..

Three cheers for the famous supporters of Homeopathy and for us common folk who choose a safe option like  Homeopathy !

COMMENT: Michael Ellis and Julie Zilko | September 27, 2008

from: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24402620-23289,00.html#tools-share

COMPLEMENTARY medicine regularly receives sceptical treatment in the media. An example followed the announcement by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in June that it planned to introduce a sub-faculty for “integrative medicine” — combining both Western and complementary methods — which would accredit and educate doctors.
 

Illustration: Michael Perkins

Yet many of the articles that appeared covering this news pointed out that nearly 70 per cent of Australians have sought at least one type of alternative solution to their medical problem each year. These include acupuncture, mind-body medicine such as hypnosis and meditation, and evidence-based nutritional and environmental medicine.

The most common users are higher-educated and higher-earning women in their middle years who are suffering from chronic or painful conditions. In fact, one story reported that in 2005 Australian spending on alternative medicine was $4.13 billion — more than was spent on prescription drugs in that year.

The question is, if western medicine works, then why do nearly three-quarters of the population seek alternatives? The answer is simply because there are no real solutions to chronic medical problems apart from drugs that mostly provide intermittent relief at best, and rarely cure the problem.

(more…)

One party Homeopathy won’t be joining!     by Chris Day on Mon 05 Nov 2007 07:30 GMT  |

 http://chris-day.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2007/11/5/3334854.html

In the USA:

“Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) result in more than 2.1 million injuries each year and the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 100,000 Americans die annually of adverse reactions to prescription drugs”

“The FDA’s Office of Drug Risk Assessment calculates only 1% of ADEs are reported.” http://www.centerfordrugsafety.org/PAT_ADEStat.asp

In the UK:

The BMJ’s Clinical Evidence website recently stated that only 15% of the 2,404 orthodox medical treatments reviewed were effective and 47% were of unknown effectiveness. www.clinicalevidence.com

Personally, I’d be keeping quiet about the evidence base of medicine, if I were promoting conventional medicine. I’d be keeping still quieter about the evidence base of other disciplines!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Note from Vimala -

From the time of its founding over 200 years ago, Homeopathy has been severely criticized and condemned by many. They argue that Homeopathy is not “scientific”, it is not “evidence-based”, due to the following:

• The first point of contention is the way Homeopathic remedies are made - by a process of serially diluting and vigorously shaking the original substance known as Potentisation. The dilution renders that no molecule of the original substance remains in the “Potentised remedy” beyond a certain point.
• The second point of contention is that higher the dilution (or potentisation) the stronger the remedy seems to become
• The third point of contention is that with such potentised remedies, we need to give only very few doses (unlike in conventional or allopathic medicine)
• The fourth point of contention is that even though millions of people all over the world have used homeopathic remedies and thousands of clinical records show their efficacy, to date no one has been able to show (or ”scientifically prove”) how these remedies work 
• The fifth point of contention is that Homeopathic remedies did not perform better than placebos, in so-called “scientific” trials.

As a homeopath, I can understand the arguments even though I do not agree with them.  More about that in another post.

However, at this time, the point is this - how many people have died from using homeopathic remedies as directed, how many have been left with irreversible side-effects, how many have been left with severe damage due to doctor/ hospital errors?  Even the critics will agree that Homeopathic remedies, as stated in the Hippocratic oath, above all, do no harm.

The statistics given above by Chris Day show that while conventional or allopathic medicine is doing good, it is also doing a lot of harm.

What would you rather use -

• a system like Homeopathy that does no harm, at worst does not work, at best gives you good results, all without burning a hole in your pocket  OR
• a system that claims to be “scientific” or “evidence-based”, and tells you adverse drug side-effects are something that you must suffer if you want to get better (!!!!!!!!). 

For myself and my children, if we can get well with so-called placebos, I am all for it. I have nothing to lose and something to gain, all without adverse side-effects.  Why not? 

I have nothing against conventional or allopathic medicine - it has its place, especially in emergency situations and surgical cases.  But to say that it is the ONLY option is not true.

I have relatives and friends who are physicians, who are well-meaning people who truly want their patients to get well. Yet, when I talk with them about adverse drug side-effects, they tell me there is “no choice”.

My answer to that is - there is a choice, in fact, more than one choice. Today, we have access to an unprecedented number of complementary and alternative treatment options. Besides Homeopathy, we have the several thousand years old Ayurveda (East Indian medicine) and Traditional Chinese medicine that offer complete solutions. Then there is Yoga therapy, Osteopathy, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Nutritional therapy, etc that can complement your other treatments and aid healing.

Go ahead and explore your “choices”. I wish you fantastic health.

……………… continued from previous post - Homeopathic remedies for treating Vaginal Thrush 

Sepia: Discharge yellow and itchy, or white and curd-like; it may be more profuse in the morning and increased by walking. Sharp, stinging pains in womb, worse in menopause. Low sex drive or decreased libido. Her arms and legs feel cold; she has a weak, sagging or prolapsed feeling in the pelvis; skin looks sallow. She feels better after vigorous exercise. Emotionally, she feels worn down, frustrated and irritable, weepy before periods, and often feels indifferent towards her loved ones.

Sulphur: Yellow or white, offensive-smelling discharge that causes great burning, stinging, itching and vaginal soreness. Burning pain in vagina during intercourse; pain and discharge worse in the week before the period. Thrush worse during convalescence from another acute illness. Symptoms may be aggravated by heat and after bathing. She is somewhat philosophical, creative, has a busy mind with daydreaming, and often sports an unkempt look.

Important Note: Seek professional help immediately if –

• You have recurrent yeast infections
• Your infection has lasted more than a week
• You are getting worse, pain moving up to the bladder and/or the uterus
• You suspect you may be suffering from allergies, or more severe underlying conditions
• You have a fever or urinary difficulty or pain in the abdomen
• You feel really ill for any reason.

Guidelines for using Homeopathic remedies at home
For guidelines on how to select the remedy, dosage and frequency, please see my post - How to use Homeopathic Remedies at home - Parts 1 and 2.

Hope you found this series of posts helpful. If you want me to wrte about particular topics, please leave a comment.

Yours in Natural Healthcare…

 Vimala

……….. continued from last post - Homeopathic remedies for treating Vaginal Thrush 

Mercurius Solubilis: Very irritating, stringy, offensive-smelling discharge with marked itching and burning, soreness of vagina; itching in vagina before periods; burning discharge; inflammation of vulva; chills alternating with sweats.

Natrum muriaticum: Discharge resembling egg-white which itches and makes the vagina feel dry and irritated. Burning pain in vagina; vaginal pain during intercourse; weepiness before periods; dizziness. Most symptoms are worse from going out in the sun. She craves salt and salty foods. She is emotionally over-sensitive and vulnerable but appears reserved outside. When unwell, she wants to be left alone.

Nitric acid:  Very offensive irritating, stringy, greenish or pinkish discharge - worse after periods; marked vaginal itching, and burning soreness; ulcers and cracks on labia; inflammation of vulva.

Pulsatilla: Quickly changing symptoms. Creamy white or yellow discharge, bland or irritating. Vagina may feel sore, labia may itch or burn. Vaginitis during pregnancy. Most symptoms worse from eating fatty foods. She is often moody, tearful, wanting a lot of attention and affection.

……………….. more in my next post

……….. continued from last post -

Homeopathic remedies that are useful in treating Vaginal Thrush 

Kali bich: Discharge is yellow and tenacious, and makes the vulva itch and burn. Symptoms may be worse in the morning. The person feels better from resting and keeping warm.

Kali carb: Vaginal soreness; itching in vagina worse before periods; pain in vagina during intercourse, worse becoming warm, worse when stressed; Mentally, she may be depressed and anxious.

Kreosotum: Watery, profuse, thin, very bad-smelling, very irritating, milky or yellow discharge that makes the vulva swell and itch. Symptoms may be worse in the morning and worse when standing up. Infections more likely before menses period or during pregnancy. Vaginal pain during intercourse. Heavy menses.

Lachesis: Burning discharge, worse during pregnancy and at menopause.  Weariness - symptoms worse before and after menses, and after sleeping. The person may be very talkative jumping from one topic to another, very intense, jealous and suspicious, does not like tight jewellery/clothing around her neck, and is afraid of snakes.

Lycopodium: Very irritating vaginal discharge, worse after periods, with itching; vulval skin thickened from scratching; Thrush, worse from stress; weepiness before and after periods; bloated abdomen, does not like tight clothing around abdomen. Dry, burning vaginal pain after intercourse. Lot of gas and bloating after eating even a small amount of food. Most of her symptoms are worse between 4-8pm. The person lacks self-confidence and feels powerless and fearful inwardly but acts confident and bossy outwardly. She has a strong craving for sweets.

…………… more in my next post 

Homeopathic remedies that are useful in treating Vaginal Thrush

Homeopathy individualizes every case. Therefore, it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.  The following remedies are helpful in treating Vaginal Thrush. Read through all the remedies and select the one remedy that best fits your symptoms.

Alumina: Frequent, excessive, straw-coloured discharge which causes vulva to itch and smart. Discharge worse before and after menses.

Arsenicum Album: Discharge is very irritating and burning to the skin, offensive smelling, yellow in colour; vulval skin is thickened due to scratching; ulcers on labia; dry and itchy skin. The person may have dull aching pains in abdomen; irritable bowel syndrome. Physically she feels very weak (often disproportionate to her illness). Mentally, she is restless and anxious about her health.

Borax: Discharge is like egg white and highly irritating, scalded feeling on inner side of thighs; sensation as if warm water is flowing out of the vagina. Symptoms usually appear midway between menses. Mentally, the person is nervous and very sensitive to noise.

Calcarea carb:  Discharge is milky, burning, thick and may be yellow. Marked itching of vagina before menses. Burning is also worse before menses. Vulva is inflamed worse on becoming warm.  Worse in pregnancy. The person is overweight, feels chilly, gets tired easily after exertion. She craves sweets.

…………….. more in my next post.

……………. continued from last post 

Things you can do to aid healing

• Drink cranberry juice to flush out toxins from the body
• Take unsweetened yoghurt or lactobacillus acidophilus to replace “good” bacteria that might have been destroyed after taking antibiotics
• Cut down or stop intake of refined sugar
• Eliminate all foods containing yeast
• Cut down or stop taking alcohol
• Drink plenty of water, at least 8 glasses a day
• Eat a healthy diet of whole grains, vegetables and fruits ((some authorities advise avoiding fruits during treatment. Please check with your healthcare provider about this)
• Clean the external area with a mixture of ½ water and ½ vinegar or lemon juice
• Avoid douches (except if medically required), vaginal deodorants & bubble baths.
• After drying the area, you can apply Homeopathic Calendula cream

Prevention tips

• Wear cotton panties,“breathable” pantyhose and loose-fitting slacks to allow the moisture in the genital area to escape
• Change your bathing suit/swimwear and exercise wear (including your panties) soon after swimming or exercising.  Wash these thoroughly after EACH use, preferably separately from other’s clothes.
• When cleaning the genital area after passing stools, wipe from front to back.
• Take unsweetened yoghurt (or lactobacillus acidophilus) to replace the “good” bacteria when you are taking broad spectrum antibiotics
• Practise safe sex (including the use of condoms)

A little self-care can go a long way towards preventing an infection.

………….. in the next post, we will look at Homeopathic remedies for treating Vaginal Thrush. 

Candidiasis, commonly known as Candida or Thrush or Yeast Infection, is an unpleasant but common fungal infection that occurs when there is overgrowth of a fungus called Candida Albicans.
 
Candida Albicans is always present in the body in small amounts and is usually harmless when the immune system is strong. It multiplies quickly and causes distressing symptoms (see below) when the immune system is compromised in any way. The fungus likes warm, moist areas. When it affects the vaginal and genital area, it is known as Genital Candidiasis or Vaginal Thrush (it is one type of Vaginal infection).
 

Source of image:  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/17141.htm

Symptoms may include:

• Abnormal vaginal discharge – it ranges from a watery discharge to a  thick, cottage cheese like discharge. It could be white to white-yellow in colour.
• Redness, rawness and/or swelling of the skin around the vulva
• Itching and burning in thevagina and labia (vaginal “lips”)
• Pain with sexual intercourse
• Pain with urination
   

Causes and risk factors 
Candida Albicans is always present in the body in small amounts. However, when an acid/alkaline imbalance occurs, like when the normal acidity of the vagina changes or when hormonal balance changes, Candida Albicans can multiply. It occurs predominantly in women in the reproductive age.

• Antibiotics taken for some other purpose end up suppressing the growth of protective vaginal bacteria (which prevent fungus), and make the vaginal environment favourable to fungal growth.
• Increased level of estrogen in the body e.g. from use of estrogen-containing birth control pills or pregnancy when estrogen levels increase, changes the vaginal environment making it favourable for fungal growth.
• Excessive intake of refined sugar and simple carbohydrates. Long-term nutritional imbalances
• Chronic, unabated stress
• Diabetes and Problems that affect the immune system (such as AIDS or HIV)
• Sexual contact with an infected person

…………. in the next post, we will look at what you can do to aid healing, and some prevention tips.