May 2011 : Volume 13 : Number 4

Welcome to the May 2011 Newsletter,

Well here we are in May and all too rapidly heading towards winter. For some of us this is a relief as the hot days are in the past. For me it is a great time of year as I can start to make all the changes I've been planning over the summer for the garden, put in new shrubs and roses, do some much needed pruning and get to work preparing the vegie garden for spring. It's also a time when I like to bake more as we run the slow combustion stove, to do more quilting and sewing generally, and it's a time for choosing new colours and fabrics to make our home more cosy. It's always a time when I feel the urge to nest - probably in preparation for the cold winters we have in Tasmania - but also because the days are shorter and the evenings are longer. I love the beauty of autumn, the crisp cold days of winter and the promise of the new life to come in the spring and I view all of these seasons with optimism.

Change in the natural world is subtle but relentless; seasons seem to give way gently to one another, even if the monthly motion is so swift we don't realise we're moving. But when the leaves start turning colors, it's time for turning over a personal new leaf so that our lives might be restored. Sarah Ban Breathnach; a Daybook of Comfort and Joy

What we need in autumn is an emotional or spiritual shot in the arm. Katharine Elizabeth Fite; Good Housekeeping 1949

In our lives, winter is a time of turning inwards, much as it is in the garden. It's a time to reflect on what has gone before and to be still and consider what we'd like to come and how we'd like to manifest these improvements in our life.

Take time to review your life. Take a breath and pause. Our lives are so busy that sometimes spiritual opportunities pass us by. Ask yourself what it is you want to give birth to when the spring comes!

Potency

I just wanted to pen a few words about the potency of remedies. For those of you who don't know what potency is at all, it's the numbers after the name of the remedy and it indicates how many times the remedy has been diluted and succussed, which is the process by which a homeopathic remedy is made by the pharmacy.

Sometimes I tell people that a 200c is stronger than a 30c, but to some people this makes it seem like this might not be a good thing if we are talking about giving a baby a higher potency (stronger dose). Potency is really about how deeply the remedy acts, for how long and whether it is primarily going to act on the mental, emotional or physical levels. It is also - to my mind anyway - about how much energy a remedy at a particular potency contains to do the job it needs to do. While lower potencies (6x, 6c, 12c) tend to act more on the physical level, this doesn't mean that they won't work on the mental/emotional. If a patient is sensitive to a remedy it will work whatever potency you give but some potencies will work better and for longer than others.

Just because a potency is higher it doesn't mean it will work better which is certainly the perception of some people. Choosing the right potency really is part of the expertise of your practitioner - understanding where you resonate (because remedies and potency are about energetic resonance) and therefore what potency is going to work best for your particular condition or situation. A higher potency is not necessarily better - a lower potency could also be required. It's also about the skill of picking a potency that is going to act without causing an aggravation or healing crisis, which sometimes happens if potencies are too high.

I use the 30c potency in my kits because this is what I'd call a good mid-range potency - it works on all levels. Usually for acutes you don't need a higher potency if the remedy itself is right. In the birthing kit I've included some 200c remedies because labour can be intense/high energy and sometimes needs higher potencies/more energy, but I've also included a couple of 6c potencies because they need to work more physically.

To further enhance your understanding here is a quick rundown on how a remedy is "potentised".

If you see the notation 30c on the bottle it indicates that the bottle has gone through a one in one hundred dilution process 30 times. So we take one drop of our base substance and 99 drops of alcohol, we bang the bottle twenty times (succussion) to activate the remedy and we have a 1c potency. If we then take one drop of this 1c potency, add this to 99 drops of alcohol and succuss, we then have a 2c potency and so on until we have done this 30 times to make a 30c potency. To make a 200c potency we (or rather the homeopathic pharmacy) go through the process 200 times and for a 1M, 1000 times.

If you see 6x or 12x, this indicates a one in ten dilution, such as we see in tissue salts or what we call organ support remedies. The LM potencies which I use a lot in constitutional prescribing are a one in 500 dilution. To some people this would indicate it is weaker because it is so dilute, but because of the succussion process which energizes the remedy, it is actually more potent, so acts more deeply but also more gently.

Dose

I often get calls about the dose for remedies, particularly in relation to the HP program.

Homeopathy is about quality rather than quantity and therefore dose is not about how many pilules or drops you take, but rather how often. While there are those very sensitive individuals who find that one pilule or even one drop is too much for them, generally one or two pilules (three or four drops) is sufficient whatever the remedy. More pilules or drops isn't going to make your remedy work better, only more doses or a different potency (higher or lower) might do that.

I will often write the dose as "one or two pilules" as they can be tricky little things and sometimes you just can't get one in the lid! With drops, a small squirt is fine if you can't count drops, but a big squirt is not better! This is also the point where I tell you that it usually doesn't matter if a child eats a whole bottle of pilules in one sitting because it is still considered one dose! They may get a tummy ache from so much sugar, but it is unlikely that anything else will happen. Obviously if this happens and you are concerned do contact your homeopath!

Winter Remedies

In case you missed out on the April newsletter, which had an extensive list of remedies and treatments for winter, this can be accessed on the Newsletter page on the website.

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!

Throat Sootha I was thinking about winter ailments and realised that the one combination I hadn't yet made up was a remedy for sore throats and mild cases of tonsillitis, so here it is. Containing the main remedies indicated for these nasty winter ailments, it should cover most acute cases. As always if you have an ongoing issue with the throat (or indeed anything else) you can try using the combination, but it is unlikely to fully resolve this type of problem as it generally requires constitutional treatment to strengthen the immune system.

Mini Kit x 10 remedies How cute are these little kits! We've been looking to source a zip around wallet like this for a while and here it is. This handy zip around kit contains 10 of the most frequently indicated remedies for everyday use. Measuring just 12 x 6 x 4.5 cm it's the perfect size to pop in a bag or backpack for a day out or short trip. Containing 10 of our standard home remedies, it covers acute ailments and injuries including bites and stings, accidents and injuries and beginnings of colds, coughs and similar.

Includes: Aconite 30c, Apis 30c, Arnica 30c, Ars Alb 30c, Belladonna 30c, Cantharis 30c, Hepar Sulph 30c, Hypericum 30c, Ledum 30c, S.O.S. (our version of Rescue Remedy) + instructions supplied in sucrose pilules. 10 x 5g remedies retails at $54.95. Buy the kit with empty vials for $15.95.

Mini Kit x 8 winter remedies This is like one of those mixed cases of wine but better! We thought it would be great to offer a kit containing your favourite winter combinations and single remedies so here it is.

Contains: Anas Barb 30c, Cold Comfort, Combx K (the good old Kali Mur/Ferrum Phos/Nat Mur 6x), Congestion, Flu Combination, Immune Boost, Throat Sootha, S.O.S (our version of Rescue Remedy). Sold in the same great little zip around kit as above, you get eight 5g vials (leaving you space to add two more remedies). This is a really good buy at only $89.95.

Neti Pots I always remind people about Neti Pots at the beginning of winter. Rather than using FES or similar saline sprays which just shoot a spray of water up the nose, use a neti pot which passes warm, salty water up one nostril and down the other, clearing the sinuses as it goes. You can add tea tree, rosemary or eucalyptus essential oil (best quality only) to the water for even better results. These great little pots have been in use for hundreds of years in India. We sell plastic as they are unbreakable and great for travel. They retail at a tiny $9.95.

Combinations Flyer

We seem to have so many combination remedies now that I thought it would be useful to prepare a flyer with the whole range. Once I've finished this it will be available on the FREE Notes & Leaflets page of the website and will be sent out with orders.

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

Here are some items from these very informative websites and more. 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
This seems to have dropped out of the mainstream news but is very much in the news at www.naturalnews.com. If you want to keep up to date on what is really going on log on or subscribe for daily updates on this and a variety of other news.

Japanese exports contaminated by radiation from nuclear meltdown
Exports from Japan contaminated by high levels of radiation from the country's nuclear meltdown in Fukushima are beginning to arrive in Western ports.

www.wddty.com/japanese-exports-contaminated-by-radiation-from-nuclear-meltdown.html

Survey: Many women shoppers avoid OTC drugs, seek natural alternatives
This survey was carried out by Boiron, a manufacturer of homeopathic remedies.

Learn more: www.naturalnews.com/032166_OTC_drugs_women.html#ixzz1Kbmvvn2S

Deaths from prescription drugs reach epidemic levels
Prescription drugs are one of the major causes of death every year, and the problem has reached epidemic proportions, say researchers. The rate - which is higher than motor accident fatalities - is equivalent to a plane crashing every day for six months.

www.wddty.com/deaths-from-prescription-drugs-reach-epidemic-levels.html

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. Sign up if you are interested in health and wellbeing and want the truth about what's going on in this industry.

Vaccination Issues

www.vaccineinjury.info
A homeopath in Germany is doing a study on the health of unvaccinated children. This is a good website and a very worthwhile study. Do have a look whether or not your child is vaccinated. They are also looking to survey a large number of unvaccinated children so if you child fits the bill please do your part.

www.vaccineinjury.info/home.html

"Safe" vaccines kill 2,699 children in a year - and 101 develop autism, US government admits
This is the headline from an article by What Doctors Don't Tell You. Read it for yourself!

www.wddty.com/safe-vaccines-kill-2-699-children-in-a-year-and-101-develop-autism-us-government-admits.html

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

PLEASE READ Tetanus, whooping cough outbreaks and similar situations

I've had a number of phone calls from worried parents with a child who has stood on a rusty nail or similar wanting to know what they should do, particularly if the child has to attend the GP or hospital.

Do remember that on the back of your program card there are instructions for a variety of situations including where there is a risk of tetanus. Your program contains Ledum 30c which is the anti-tetanus remedy to enhance the protection of the Tetanus Tox 200c/10M you administer during the program. Whether you choose to get a tetanus shot or not, at this stage it is recommended you give the Ledum as per the card.

Similarly, if Whooping Cough is closing in on your area and you feel the need for additional protection, instructions are on the back of the card.

I am always happy to talk to you if you are concerned, but it is important you know what to do and that you act as soon as possible since many of these events seem to happen on a weekend when I'm not always immediately available.

Adding a new baby to an HP 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 (if appropriate), 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.

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.

Distance/Skype Consultations - I offer consultations by phone or skype, if you have it available. Skype can be very useful for treating children and just for having a face to face chat if you are not local to the clinic.

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