July 2011 : Volume 13 : Number 6

In this edition:
Mother & Baby: Post natal issues
Diet & Health Issues
Dose revisited
What's (New) on the Website
Topical Items from WDDTY, naturalnews.com, etc
Vaccination Issues
Homeoprophylaxis: Changes to the program - please read

Welcome to the July 2011 Newsletter,

Well we're past the shortest day so we know we're heading towards spring. Having said that July/August can be the worst months for bad weather but often not for bad health - surprisingly! I treat most acutes in spring and autumn which I put down to the changeable nature of the weather.

We've had a couple of snowfalls in the Huon Valley and I can see snow on top of the Hartz Mountains from my office window. Amazingly there are lots of plants still in flower including iceberg roses and marguerite daisies which haven't stopped since late spring last year, and the hellebores, snow drops and flowering quince are just coming into flower for this season. Even the cattle farmers have only recently started feeding out hay to their animals because the grass has still been growing, which is most unusual this late in the season. However, my suspicion is that we will still get some wintery weather and our cupboard is stocked up, as is our wood pile, in case we can't get out of the valley for a few days.

Last month's newsletter started out on the subject of Mother and Baby, which I treat a lot, but I was diverted from that track and talked about some more esoteric issues. This really appealed to some people, however, this month I will begin to cover the subject of Mother and Baby for all those mums who use homeopathy with their families. I will break the subject up over the next few months, but even if you don't have small children it is worth reading because sometimes you can get insights into remedies you might need for something completely unrelated just by reading a particular indication for that remedy.

Keep warm and keep healthy!
Melanie

Mother & Baby

There is so much I could say about homeopathy for mother and baby. It's a wonderful system of medicine for new mums and new babies, and has calmed many an unsettled baby or sleep-deprived mum. Many mums discover homeopathy when they have a new baby and start to look at alternatives to Panadol, gripe water, cortisone creams and similar for minor problems. Lots of mums are self-taught - much like myself when I started out twenty five years ago - and I like the fact that you can't really go wrong with homeopathics if you follow the general instructions. Unlike herbs and supplements which can sometimes have issues about dosage, side effects or palatability, homeopathy is low risk (that's the TGA's wording!), easy to give and very forgiving if you're not sure what you're doing. There is no harm in trying a remedy, finding it does nothing and then following up with another remedy. Some of the best home prescribers have taught themselves through trial and error, with a little help from their homeopath!

So let's have a look at some of the immediate post-natal issues for the mother in this newsletter:

Breastfeeding Problems - including mastitis and breast abscess

Belladonna: Breasts feel heavy and uncomfortable, often very hard, swollen and burning hot. All symptoms are worse from heat, pressure and the least jarring movement.

Borax: Pain in opposite breast, worse during nursing for downward pressure on breast, during warm weather. Sometimes the baby will have oral thrush which will transfer to the breast. Better holding painful part with hand.

Bryonia: Breasts hot, painful and hard. Pain is stitching or tearing. Worse for warmth, touch and motion. Better for pressure on the breast.

Phytolacca (my most prescribed remedy): Severe stinging in the breast. Area can look purple from the acute inflammation. Worse for exposure to damp, cold weather, better for warmth.

Silica: Useful in the thin and exhausted mother (but don't have to be like this!) who is prone to recurrent infections which form a boil or abscess and discharge pus. Nipples very sore, worse for cold, better for warmth.

Staphysagria: Irritable. Possibly following caesarean birth. Worse for cold and for motion, better for lying on the back.

We do offer a Lactation Support combination with some of the above remedies plus a few other smaller remedies to help support milk production and protect against mastitis, this also comes as part of our Breastfeeding Remedies kit.

Pain from Episiotomy or Sore Perineum

Arnica: Area feels bruised and sore, worse from movement, pressure, touch or heat, but improved from rest and lying down.

Belladonna: Useful when the pelvic area feels inflamed, red and burning hot, with dragging down pain. All symptoms are worse from touch or pressure and from jolting movements. Use alongside advice from your GP.

Bellis Perennis: Useful for pain in the perineal region, the area is bruised and sore, worse from heat and any changes in atmospheric pressure. Use after Arnica if it has failed to fully resolve the symptoms.

Calendula: A major remedy for healing scars of this nature. Apply HyperCal cream locally and take Calendula 30c internally to help with recovery and prevent infection. If scar is too raw to use cream you can use tincture and apply on a pad.

Hepar Sulph: Sharp stitch-like pains, aggravated by touch, pressure or cold. May assist with infection alongside advice from your GP.

Staphysagria: Valuable for pain (from episiotomy or just sore perineum) or infection with sharp needle-like pain, worse for pressure or sitting, often with intense irritability.

Mild Post Natal Depression

Many women may feel a little below par if the birth has been difficult or the newborn is challenging. I often find women who've had busy careers find the lack of control over a new baby very difficult and can succumb to feeling low. Obviously if things are really difficult on this level you would be requesting a consultation or seeing your GP, however, there are some good remedies that will often take the edge off irritability, tiredness and sleep deprivation. Here are some of the useful remedies and their indications, but do remember to seek help if you are really struggling as there may be better, deeper acting remedies.

Aconite: Could be helpful if the birth has been frightening and the mother is in a state of fear about the baby, perhaps with sleeplessness, panic attacks or just strong anxiety.

China: Useful after a long labour particularly with blood loss, for apathy and exhaustion.

Cocculus: This is the "ailments from nightwatching" remedy, which in modern language means you've been up all night caring for the sick or a new baby or had disturbed sleep for other reasons, such as jetlag. Often will present with mental fatigue from sleep deprivation, feeling spacey and dazed, vertigo, and weepiness and depression.

Lachesis: Where the mother is jealous and suspicion is marked with a tendency to become overactive.

Nat Mur: There is often loss of self confidence and drive, with underlying depression. Weepiness and withdrawal are also characteristic and there may be anxiety. Will not feel better for consolation but prefer to be alone.

Nux Vomica: There may be a combination of extreme irritability with emotional outbursts, depression and chronic constipation. There might also be craving for fat, stimulants (coke, coffee, alcohol, tobacco) and sleeplessness from 3-4am.

Pulsatilla: Recommended when the moods are very changeable especially with weepiness. May need a lot of support from her own mother or partner.

Sepia: Perhaps a difficult birth or a challenging baby may push a mum into a state of feeling she can't cope with the situation and she feels she wants to escape. There will be intense irritability and indifference to partner and baby. There may also be a feeling following the birth that the insides are going to fall out or perhaps bearing down pains in the early weeks after the birth. Always feel better for some form of vigorous exercise.

Staphysagria: May be indicated after a caesarean birth where there are feelings of having been invaded, and feelings of resentment and unexpressed anger at the situation. There may also be shame and guilt around what was a less than perfect birth experience for mum and baby. There is an element of grief around the situation.

Next month we'll look at some of the issues for the newborn and remedies which may help.

Diet and Health Issues

I know I've written about this before and I do spend a lot of time explaining to people how diet can have such a big impact not just on physical health, but also on behaviour, emotions and energy. While many people have multiple intolerances, I have noticed over the past five years that more and more average people are becoming intolerant to dairy and gluten and I don't believe this is just because we are more aware, but because the quality of our food is becoming more and more questionable. I just wanted to give you a working example of the above from my own experience to show that no matter what things you do which are right, not eliminating the offending substance can often prevent remedies and other treatments working.

Having said that, I've certainly had cases where a remedy has changed the reaction to the substance and it has only had to be reduced, not eliminated completely. You do however need to find out what the offending substance is because we can (if treating constitutionally) give that substance back to the patient in a homeopathic form to help desensitise if other treatments aren't effective.

So . . . our little dog Jasmine started chewing her front feet nearly two years ago. To start with it was on and off, but it became more frequent as time went on and she seemed to be wearing a "bucket" on her head all the time. We had numerous visits to our holistic vet for herbs, supplements, acupuncture and homeopathy, and obviously I treated her myself as well. We talked about diet and improved on that, adding in some oils and reducing red meat. All along the vet encouraged us to give her chicken wings/necks for her teeth and we did this religiously. Finally, at my wits end, the only thing I realised we hadn't done was to eliminate the chicken. We did this and lo and behold the chewing stopped over night! We've tried her back on chicken wings after eliminating for a month and we're seeing more chewing so we now need to look at this. My suspicion is that the odd chicken wing is fine, but if given too often we get an aggravation.

Dose Revisited

I made some comments about dose in the May newsletter, but wanted to provide you with my formulae for dosing if you are still not confident in the "watch and wait" method of prescribing.

1. If symptoms come on quite slowly and are not very acute, eg possible slow onset of a cold or flu; give your chosen remedy three times a day for three days, then once a day for four days as long as symptoms are improving. You should see improvement by day two if the remedy is good and may see it sooner than that in a child with a healthy immune system.
2. If symptoms are acute, eg a fever, ear pain, sore throat; give your chosen remedy hourly for the first day, two hourly on the second day, then follow step 1. as long as symptoms are improving.
3. If symptoms are extremely acute (and even if you seek medical help) where you feel anxious and fearful about the situation yourself, eg an accident or shock of some kind, give your chosen remedy ten minutes apart for five doses then go to step 2 above.

You may not need to continue through all the stages given above. Use your intuition if you think things are well on the way to recovery, but I do always recommend dosing for one further day after you think things have resolved.

Again if your home prescribing is not bringing improvement or you are not sure, contact your healthcare provider. Sometimes remedies work then stop not because you have the wrong remedy, but because a constitutional remedy is required.

What's (new) on the Website

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

Electro-Emissions
This has become a best seller through the Hobart clinic, so maybe we're more aware of the issues of EMFs from mobile phones/towers, computers, powerlines and other electrical devices??!! My acupuncture colleague next door took pulses before and after using and was able to confirm that it does settle down that hyped-feeling one gets after too long on the computer or mobile phone. 120ml bottle RRP $19.95
Also available in 25ml bottle for a short time only, retailing at $7.95

Yoga Nidra CD
Yoga Nidra is a wonderful relaxation process which comes - obviously - from the yoga tradition. When we taught yoga classes in Perth it was the favourite part of our class for many students, to the point that some suffered through the dynamic yoga just to get to the relaxation!

Dean recorded this CD some years ago and we offer it to people who are stressed or suffer from anxiety as it is calming and can help with sleep issues too. RRP $14.95

Mini Children's Kit
Dispensed in our 10 remedy zip around wallet, this kit contains some of the combinations we think most parents with small children will find essential. We've left some space for your own favourite remedies and yes, our 10g vials will fit in this wallet. This would make a great gift for new parents.
Retailing at $89.95 for eight combination remedies in the cutest zip around wallet this is great value
Contains: ABC (Aconite 30c, Belladonna 30c, Chamomilla 30c), Cold Comfort, Colic, Gastro, Immune Boost, Kalm Kids, Teething and Combination K, which is great for the beginnings of an acute illness.

As always if symptoms persist in spite of your home prescribing see your healthcare practitioner.

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.
If a member of your family has recurrent illness during winter I would recommend a constitutional treatment to tune up the immune system so that acute remedies will work better and health improves over time.

Kalamunda Chiropractic Store is closing

The store at Kalamunda Chiro has now closed and I want to thank Chiropractor, Andrew Powlesland, for generously allowing me to have the space for what ended up being nearly seven years. I also owe a big thanks to Tami and Hazel for looking after the local clientele for the four years since we moved to Tassie. Thank you ladies!

Plastic Bottles & Homeoprophylaxis Remedies

While I have always encouraged families to use the remedies in their programs for two children, I would just like to point out that if you have bought a program elsewhere that is stored in plastic vials or made up in liquid, this may not be a good idea in the long term.

While remedies in plastic will store for a reasonable period of time, the homeopathic pharmacies have always said that plastic and homeopathics don't mix and glass vials are best for storage. While I don't believe there is an issue with home prescriber remedies in plastic as they are generally used up quickly, with the quality of your homeoprophylaxis program being paramount you might want to consider replacing the remedies rather than using them for a second child when the ongoing quality is uncertain. Drops may be made up in a high dilution of alcohol to keep them fresh, but over time the rubber dropper breaks down and taints the drops.

Do also remember to store your HP remedies away from mobile phones, microwaves and direct sunlight. They are reasonably robust but we recommend you care for them appropriately to ensure they last the distance.

Homeopathy has a 'clinically relevant' effect way beyond placebo

www.wddty.co.uk

Critics have always dismissed homeopathy as offering nothing more than a placebo effect - you just think it's making you better. A new study has proved them wrong. Classical homeopathy has clear benefits to cancer patients that are 'clinically relevant and statistically significant', say researchers. Read the entire article on the website. I've had a problem with pasting in the links to the WDDTY information, but it's worth signing up for their newsletters.

Homeopathics, Travel & Xrays

I have written about having homeopathics x-rayed in the past but have had a query from a client who recently travelled to Europe. She found many security staff were unsympathetic to the "do not x-ray" needs of remedies and they were x-rayed anyway. She is now concerned about the status of her remedies.

The view is that it is best not to have your remedies x-rayed if at all possible, however, this is becoming harder and I stopped requesting hand checking of my remedies (particularly in countries like Indonesia and Thailand) some years ago. However, I do feel that homeopathics are more robust than we are lead to believe and my own kit has travelled the world, passing through many x-rays for nearly twenty years. Having said that, I use my kit frequently so I would top it up regularly, therefore maintaining the integrity of the remedies. The only way you will know whether your remedies still work is to use them and see, which is not ideal if you happen to be overseas, so if you are in any doubt you may need to renew remedies after a trip where they have been x-rayed more than once or twice.

My suggestion would be to have a zip around kit specifically for travel in which you can put your most used remedies. Buy a bigger bottle (ie 10g rather than 4g) to refill the vials in a zip around kit or pack your non-essential remedies in your check through baggage so they are x-rayed less often.

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.

Autism

What Doctors Don't Tell You (www.wddty.co.uk) have published an article on Autism, quoting research that shows it is more to do with our environment and anti-depressant use during pregnancy than genetics. Go to their website to read more.

Toxic Chemicals & Your Children
If you have children, you will definitely want to read this article: Experts give FIVE ways to protect your children from toxic chemicals. A must-read for parents:
http://www.naturalnews.com/032730_children_toxic_chemicals.html

Anti-biotics that kill (www.wddty.co.uk)
Patients are pressing for a complete ban on a family of antibiotics that can kill or cause blindness and heart disease. Despite these alarming - and well-known - reactions, doctors continue to prescribe them every day. Go to their website to read more.

Mobile Phones & Cancer
After years of denials, the World Health Organization (WHO) is now admitting that mobile phones do cause cancer after all. It's now official: Holding an active cell phone next to your head can give you brain tumors.

All of us who have been warning about this for years were, of course, blasted as "conspiracy theorists." Yet again, it turns out we were absolutely right. Just as we're right about the toxicity of fluoride in the water, aspartame in the diet soda and the dangerous side effects of GMOs in the food supply. The WHO remains at least ten years behind what holistic health advocates already know on a variety of subjects.

Read more about the WHO's announcement that mobile phone use promotes brain tumors:
http://www.naturalnews.com/032609_cell_phones_cancer.html

Vaccination Issues

Agency pays out $2bn on 'safe' vaccines (www.wddty.co.uk)
Parents are assured that vaccinating their children is safe. But a US awards scheme has paid out $2bn in the past few years to 2561 families whose child was either permanently harmed or killed from one of the routine vaccines.

Minimize the Side Effects of Vaccines
Here's a great article on ways to minimize the side effects of vaccines. Lots of nutritional advice for boosting your body's defenses: http://www.naturalnews.com/032787_vaccines_side_effects.html

Don't forget our Safe Vacc Combination in addition to this advice.

Pets & Vaccines

Do pets really need annual vaccine shots with the same vaccine? Do pet vaccines even work to prevent infection? And what are the damaging side effects to your pet? Celeste Yarnall (courtesy of www.naturalnews.com) exposes the fraud behind pet vaccines. Read this if you love your dog or cat and want to know more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032708_pet_vaccines_scam.html

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

Changes to the HP Program

I have recently updated two components of the HP program.

Morbillinum (Measles) and Rubella: which were removed from Isaac Golden's program but which I retained in a 1M potency, have now been changed to fall in line with the rest of the program.

They are now supplied in all new kits as 200c/10M. We know from the research that the 10M potency extends the duration of cover. If you have only given the 1M potency of Rubella you may wish to now consider giving the 10M potency as a "booster" dose.

If you are not using Morbillinum as part of your program, but have retained it in case of an epidemic you do not need to update your potencies, but can use the 1M potency as per the card.

Parotidinum - Mumps: If you have not given any prophylaxis for mumps but your children are nearing puberty, now is the time to consider whether you wish to protect against mumps, particularly in boys.

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