April 2011 : Volume 13 : Number 4

Welcome to the April 2011 Newsletter,

I know that in parts of Australia summer still goes on, but down here in Tassie we are definitely into Autumn and that time of year where changeable weather often means colds, sore throats and flu. Now is the time to start boosting immune systems and to make a maintenance plan for the winter ahead. While we can't prevent or cure everything that comes around - after all these acute illnesses are what build our immune systems - we can certainly protect against some of what is present in our environment with acute remedies and the preparation of a plan.

Flu Vaccination There has been some very bad press about the current raft of Flu Vaccines being rolled out and I don't think the news on them is any better than last year. I've certainly seen more acute and chronic health issues in children who've had the flu vaccination and there seems to be more and more virulent winter illnesses around over the last couple of years, which I put down to the nature of the vaccine and its effect on the immune system. Statistics actually show that vaccinating against flu in the under twos and the elderly has very little benefit (and plenty of side effects) and in other age groups more than 60% will still get the flu. I'll leave you to ponder on that and do your own research!! I've put a link below to information on www.naturalnews.com but there are other independent sites.

Winter Maintenance Plans In terms of winter health for those who are prone to asthma, tonsillitis, ear infections, sinus and the like, now is the time to consider organising an appointment to prepare for winter. While we can't always prevent everything, the duration and outcomes are often much better with the support of homeopathics and if you stick with it, you will find that year by year things will improve.

Dairy in Children My final note is to eliminate dairy (especially milk) in children prone to any of the above over winter. Diary accumulates in the system so even a small amount irregularly will have an effect. It builds mucous and encourages ear infections in susceptible children. It's worth making a change to goat's milk, rice or oat milk or organic soy - or do a combination of all of these. Many parents are worried about calcium levels without dairy but many of the alternative milks are calcium enriched and a lot of food stuffs are high in calcium, particularly green veg. Cow's milk is not a good food for children and children who crave milk are often dairy intolerant! Letting your children drink cow's milk in preference to eating is a poor choice long term and will have a detrimental effect not only on health but also possibly on behaviour and development. Break the habit and see the difference!

Winter Remedies

Here are some of the most common remedies for treating winter ailments. Sometimes your home prescribing may not work and you may have to resort to antibiotics. You can use these remedies alongside whatever else you are doing to support the immune system and assist with recovery. As always, if your home prescribing has not proven effective, seek professional help as a constitutional remedy will often be of more benefit than acute remedies.

Aconite 30c - No.1 remedy for first stages of a cold, fever, sore throat or similar illness. Onset is usually sudden, frequently in the middle of night, and often after becoming chilled. Much sneezing with pain at root of nose, tingly throat, dry mucous membranes. Worse in the evening or night, especially around midnight.

Allium Cepa 30c - Common feverish cold with streaming eyes and nose. Profuse water nasal discharge which burns upper lip. Red, running eyes with bland discharge. Headache worse in warm room.

Anas Barb (aka Oscillo)200c This is the highest selling flu product in France and rightly so. It has been in use since the 1920's to treat the beginning of flu, as a preventative and for use during convalescence. It is also noted for epidemic influenza and where there is a tendency to suffering influenza frequently. I also recommend it for children who are newly at school or in childcare - and their families - because it is anti-viral/anti-bacterial in nature.

To cut short symptoms at the beginning of a flu take every 2 or 3 hours on the first day, then reduce as symptoms improve. Can be used alongside other indicated remedies. For winter maintenance take fortnightly, or in those prone to colds and flu or for children in childcare take weekly.

Arsenicum Album (Ars Alb) 30c - Catches cold easily, burning, watery nasal discharge alternating with dryness. Frequent sneezing, nostrils become sore and red and nose feels blocked. Chilly and shivery with restlessness and anxiety. Wants to sip hot drinks. Worse: change of temperature, cold, damp and around midnight. Better: heat, warm applications, hot drinks.

Belladonna 30 - The No. 1 remedy for sudden fevers. Patient is burning, red and hot. Eyes may be glassy and the pupils dilated. Thirsty for refreshing drinks. Inflamed sore throat, throbbing headache, better lying down, worse touch, jarring or movement.

Bryonia 30 - Keynote: any movement causes pain - wants to be still. Very painful dry cough. Headache and pains better from pressure and worse movement. Irritable; thirsty for cold drinks.

Carbo Veg 30c Very debilitated with or after a chest infection, pneumonia or similar, as if not fully recovered. Blueness around the mouth, gagging with cough, laboured breathing. Shortness of breath, shallow respiration, collapse. Breathless; feels as if they must be fanned. Belching with cough.

Eupatorium Perforatum 30c - Chill followed by heat and sweating. Intense aching in back and limbs and bones feel as if broken or bruised. Great thirst for cold drinks but may vomit food, drink and bile. Headache with nausea, sore chest and cough. Worse: movement, cold, open air. Better: resting, warmth, sweating. Buy as a single remedy or in our Flu Combination.

Ferrum Phos 30c - First signs of cold or flu, especially if you have no strong picture and are not sure what to give. Tired, weary, not feeling quite right. Red inflamed eyes, and/or hot, burning, gritty. Chill with shivering and fever with flushed face.

Tissue Salt Combination K (Kali Mur/Ferrum Phos/Nat Mur 6x)- see below. is better in situations where there is accompanying runny nose and for children. Better: rest, cold applications.

Gelsemium 30c - No. 1 remedy for flu. Symptoms usually come on slowly over a number of days. Dull, sluggish with heavy looking eyes, dull, bruising headache usually at the back of the neck, burning throat. Chills and shivering up and down the spine. Aching muscles (Eupatorium has aching bones) in limbs and back. No thirst.

Influenzinum 30c While my first choice for protection against colds and flu has been Anas Barb for many years, Influenzinum is similar to Anas Barb but may give better cover if you have taken Anas Barb and not found it effective, or you are particularly prone to colds and flu. Influenzinum has a smaller sphere of action but can be useful as an alternative to Anas Barb or in combination with.

Nux Vomica 30c - Colds and flu with extreme chilliness - unable to get warm. May have fever but feels freezing inside. Nose blocked at night, running during day or much sneezing alternating with blocked nose. Sore or raw throat and teeth may ache. Aching limbs, gastric problems such as nausea. Thirsty and irritable. Worse: early morning, eating. Better: heat, hot drinks, lying down, sleep, being left alone.

Pulsatilla 30c - Chilliness even in a warm room. Thick, bland yellow or yellow-green mucous, dry mouth but no thirst. Weepy and clingy when ill. Changing, shifting symptoms. Worse in a warm room, after lying down. Better in open air.

Rhus Tox 30c - Very restless with aching in all muscles and stiffness. Cannot get comfortable. Heat alternating with chills, pain in head and eyes, with red face. Worse: night, first movement. Better: warmth.

Tissue Salt Combination K (Kali Mur/Ferrum Phos/Nat Mur 6x) - is a good option where symptoms do not clearly indicate a remedy and there is accompanying runny nose and mild fever and for children. Better: rest, cold applications.

Convalescence after Winter Ailments

Even if you have had to resort to antibiotics, you can use these remedies or similar to assist with recovery. As always if your home prescribing has not proven effective, seek professional help as a constitutional remedy will often be of more benefit than acute remedies.

Tuberculinum Aviare 200c - Practitioners use this remedy for clearing up symptoms after flu, especially when the lungs have been affected. Coughs are irritating, incessant and tickling. There is great debility, weight loss and lack of appetite. This remedy braces up the whole organism, reduces coughs and brings back the appetite. If you would like this remedy for your kit please ask.

Bacillinum 200c - another practitioner remedy similar to the above which seems to work best where the winter is damp or the symptoms are damp! This is a remedy I use quite frequently with children who have asthma or a tendency to winter respiratory problems.

Here are a few suggestions for remedies to help with weakness after an illness:

China 30c - continued debility and chilliness - anaemic and weak with desire to stretch and move. Worse on alternate days. Usually worse from loss of fluids (runny nose??) but is good for anything with the above symptoms.

Kali Phosphoricum - General weakness, nervous prostration, muscular weakness after an acute illness - the slightest effort seems too much.

Phosphoric Acid - Chronic fatigue or similar after flu. Better from warmth, sleep. Feels apathetic, dull, unsettled despairing, indifferent to everything. Low continued fevers.

Kalamunda Chiropractic Store is closing

Sales have dwindled over the last six months so we have made the decision to close our little store at the end of the financial year. For the next three months there will be a discount of 50% on single bottles and creams, 25% off kits and 10% off books.

What's on the Website

Don't forget delivery is free on orders over $100 Australia wide!

Cold & Flu Kit contains 6 remedies that cover the common symptoms of colds, flu and residual congestion. Includes 4 single remedies and 2 combinations (Congestion and Flu).

Cold Comfort is a good combination for the first stages of a cold where symptoms are reasonably strong and if you are not sure which single remedies to select. Contains Aconite 6c, Allium Cepa 6c, Arsenicum Album 6c, Kali Mur 6x, Nat Mur 6x. If you suspect something is brewing but are not sure, you could try Tissue Salt Combination K (see below).

ABC contains Aconite, Belladonna, Chamomilla all in 30c and can be good for very small children and babies as these are the three most frequently indicated remedies at the beginning of an acute illness. Easier than trying to decide which remedy to give!

Tissue Salt Combination K (Kali Mur/Ferrum Phos/Nat Mur 6x) - This has always been one of my favourite remedies as it's a good option when you don't have much to prescribe a remedy on. There may be runny nose and mild fever with perhaps mild ear pain or sore throat. It's a great remedy for small children but the whole family can use it for the beginnings of an acute or where you just suspect something is brewing.

Flu Combination contains Arsenicum Album 30c, Eupatorium 30c and Gelsemium 30c - the first three remedies to consider at the beginning of fluey symptoms. I always recommend using Anas Barb 200c alongside, with its affinity for flu treatment and prevention.

Cough Combinations (Chesty & Dry) I broke our single combination down into two separate combinations as people do seem to be a bit prone to a particular type of cough and I feel that less remedies in a combination work more effectively. If you want a remedy that covers the whole spectrum of coughs, I do still dispense the old single combination so please ask.

Congestion Combination aims to help promote recovery from lingering coughs, sinus congestion and mucous following a cold or flu. It contains Ferrum Phos 6x, Kali Bich 30c, Hydrastis 30c, Pulsatilla 30c, Silica 6x.

Anas Barb (aka Oscillo)200c This is the highest selling flu product in France and rightly so. It has been in use since the 1920's for the beginning of flu, as a preventative and during convalescence. It is also noted for epidemic influenza and where there is a tendency to get influenza. I also recommend it for children who are newly at school or in childcare - and their families - because it is anti-viral/anti-bacterial in nature.

Influenzinum 30c If you have taken Anas Barb and not found it effective, or you are particularly prone to colds and flu, Influenzinum has a smaller sphere of action but can be useful as an alternative to Anas Barb or in combination with.

Immune Boost We've had good feedback on this combination for a variety of immune-related conditions. It contains in homeopathic form the following - Astragalus 30c, Echinacea 30c, Hydrastis 30c, Olive Leaf Extract 6x - all of which are highly immune boosting and are in a form which is palatable for children. Can be used from time to time to support the immune system (but take breaks to stop the immune system getting lazy) or save it for when it's really needed during an illness.

Bits & Pieces

Skype Consultations - I offer Skype consultations if you have it available. This can be very useful for treating children and just for having a face to face chat. Let me know if you would prefer skype to a phone consult. The Skype program is a free download and is easy to use if you have a computer with speakers and a microphone and a webcam.

www.naturalnews.com This is a great website about all kinds of natural things. I get an email most days about everything from research on vitamins and foods to vaccination issues. They make some very clever satirical videos too! Sign up if you are interested in health and wellbeing and want the truth about what's going on in this industry.

Topical Items from naturalnews.com, wddty.co.uk

Here are some items from these very informative websites. As always I do not warrant this information to be correct or accurate but provide the links so you can investigate for yourself.

Fukushima Disaster

I'm interested to see the difference between what's reported on our TV news here in Australia and what comes through via email. Generally this disaster is being played down and I do believe the move on Libya is part of the plan to divert attention from a potentially major international problem.

Mike Adams at www.naturalnews.com, has been keeping us up to date on the unfolding disaster in Japan and its potential impact. Already detectable amounts of radiation have been found in Florida, the Carolina's and in the soil in Massachusetts, USA, and now in milk in Washington State. While we don't know what the levels are, do remember that radiation is carried by the wind and rain wherever the weather chooses to take it so it is likely we will all get a dose at some point. Probably you are at higher risk if you are travelling to the West Coast of the USA or into Asia, but let's not be complacent. This is a disaster of epic proportion and we are not being told the truth about it by our governments. Obviously on one level they are trying to prevent mass panic, but it would also appear that as usual they are trying to protect someone's financial interests - those of the nuclear power industry!

It now seems that three of the reactors will have to be abandoned and encased in concrete as it is now impossible to work on them or to repair them. Without water to continue cooling the spent fuel rods this means they are likely to go into meltdown which will release yet higher levels of radiation. The problem is that closing down the power station could take up to five years (someone else said twenty years) so there is no end in sight. Below is a link to some of the information but have a browse on the website for more up-to-date information or better still subscribe.

www.naturalnews.com/031882_plutonium_soil.html

Natural Farming
Research shows that natural farming produces greater yields than GMOs and chemical farming:
www.naturalnews.com/031664_natural_farming_crop_yields.html

ADHD amphetamines cause Parkinson's, new study discovers. Amphetamines are a routine treatment for narcolepsy and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) - but the drugs can cause Parkinson's, the neurological disease, researchers have revealed this week. www.wddty.com/adhd-amphetamines-cause-parkinson-s-new-study-discovers.html

Vaccination Issues

Meryl Dorey from www.avn.org has put together some information on the outcome of the trials of the flu vaccination last year on small children, which was carried out without informing their parents that this vaccine had not been trialled elsewhere. This is compelling reading and while I don't have the room here to provide the full article, if you are considering this vaccination, do take a look at their website or www.naturalnews.com for further information.

"The results of last year's flu vaccination campaign in children in Australia were that approximately 1 child in ever 100-200 who got the shot had seizures as a result. And a recent study from the US showed that receiving the flu vaccine in combination with other shots increases that risk by 60 seizures in every 100,000 children."

Swine Flu vaccine linked to a 900% increase in narcolepsy?
www.naturalnews.com/031313_swine_flu_vaccine_narcolepsy.html

HPV vaccines causing stillbirths:
www.naturalnews.com/031300_Gardasil_stillbirth.html

Children's Vaccinations

In Japan health officials have suspended children's vaccine shots pending an investigation on why four children diedshortly after receiving multiple vaccine shots:
www.naturalnews.com/031616_vaccines_Japan.html

Homeoprophylaxis (HP or Homeopathic Immunisation) - Adding new babies to your program

If you have a new baby and want to use your homeopathic immunisation program for this child ask me to sent you a questionnaire and organise a phone consult, after which I will send you out a record card and offer the usual support. There is a small fee to cover the cost of the paperwork and the consult. Your new baby will then be added to the register I hold in the clinic of all children who are currently using an HP program, which is at the request of the Australian Homeopathic Association.

If you have purchased a kit to use with your family, please ensure you keep me updated of any changes in your email/contact details. Sometimes there are changes to the program and I may need to get in touch with you.

Clinic Hours

I am now consulting in Hobart all day on both Tuesday and Friday. Saturday mornings are now by arrangement only. Consults (including phone consults) are available at Mountain River all day Wednesday and some Mondays if I have time.

You can email melanie@elementsofhealth.com.au for appointments or phone 0409 089965. Please note the clinic is closed on Thursdays - emergency calls only.

Until next time,
Warmest wishes

Melanie Creedy