July 2010 : Volume 12 : Number 6

Welcome to the July Newsletter

I hope this newsletter finds you coping with the cold weather (depending on where you live of course) and managing your family's health issues. The nasty throat and cough virus seems to be dwindling but don't let that stop you taking your preventative remedies!

We've had some very heavy frosts down here in Southern Tasmania which while very cold are also very beautiful and our dog just loves them. We recently spent four days at Cradle Mountain hoping for snow, but missed it by a day. Having said that we had a bit of a blizzard when we made an Everest-style ascent of Marion's Lookout wrapped in waterproofs and tucked up in thermals. It was very cold, rather fun and a little dangerous - but not too much! No wombats this time - I guess they were all tucked up in their burrows.

The birds have been flocking to our new bird table - wrens, shrike thrush, sparrows, silver eyes and gold finches are the regulars. We have a family of four kookaburras (the fattest I've ever seen) who love to hang around in the winter catching worms, and the currawongs are starting to make their way back for the winter too.

Our glass house is doing a great job and I now have asparagus seedlings coming up, as well as some exotic greens - all from organic seed - and a variety of cuttings from the garden. The mandarin and lime trees have produced tiny fruit without the danger of frost-damage this year and it is actually a pretty cosy place to sit when it's cold!

Homeopathy & Birth Trauma

Many of you will realise that I am the eternal student and usually have my head in a homeopathy book. While it has always been evident in the clinic that a child's birth experience is an important part of their life and health journey, I have just read a beautiful homeopathy book on the subject.

We all want the best birth for our babies and I have noticed a tendency to gloss over the difficulties later on in consultation, when actually this is a key point for issues to begin. Unsettled, clingy, colicky or refluxy babies, children with bonding issues and adults with confidence issues or an inability to finish what they started can date back to challenges during the pregnancy or birth. If the homeopath understands what went on in terms of induction, relationships with hospital staff, feelings during the birth and problems for the baby during or following the birth, remedies can often be identified that can dramatically improve the situation. Detoxing medications and early vaccinations, retrospectively treating shock and giving constitutional remedies to strengthen the system can have a major impact in many cases. There are many things (homeopathic and otherwise ) that we can do for ourselves and our babies if a birth has not gone as planned and we shouldn't need to live with the guilt that sometimes arises in these situations.

Remember that what happens at these times causes a block in our energy which stops us being fully in balance to experience life as we should. By using energy medicine such as homeopathy there is a good chance of gaining a resolution, more so than through using more medications or even changing diets and taking supplements. Many of the conditions I see these days in children can be tracked back to a difficult pregnancy or birth with multiple vaccinations on an already unbalanced system - allergies, anxiety, skin problems (molluscum and eczema in bulk!) and asthma just as a few examples of how a child's system will manifest its 'dis-ease'.

Bits & Pieces

Homeopathic Assistant - Dean

I thought it was time to introduce you to my Homeopathic Assistant - Dean aka Mr Creedy!!

Dean took on the job of making up remedies and doing the post when we first moved down to Tasmania and I found it hard to keep on top of everything on my own. In the almost three years that we've been here he has become an invaluable part of the team; preparing your remedies and orders, making up kits, packing and posting, and generally keeping the dispensary side of things in good order. It's been good to have someone else to bounce ideas off in terms of new products, newsletters or changes to the website, and like most people who become involved with a homeopath, he has become pretty good at home prescribing!!

Looking for a Home
Leigha in Queensland is reluctantly looking for a home for her gorgeous Maine Coon cat, Marley. She is a blue smoke tortie, her colour is quite unusual. She is just over 7 months old and is de-sexed and microchipped. She had her 1st vaccine before Leigha got her, but since then has been homeopathically immunised. Leigha has her papers and copies of both her parent's health screens. She is an indoor cat and has never been outside. She is fine to bath, cut her nails, clean her ears, fully litter trained, and will eat anything.

If Leigha can find a lovely home for her she would let Marley go for the cost of transport only. She would also like the new owners to continue to homeopathically immunise her and keep her inside.

You can contact Leigha by email on leigha_newby1980@hotmail.com.

Spray Bottles
We have felt for a while that some remedies would be really handy in a spray bottle. Dispensing a liquid by spray can be useful for treating animals and small children, and particularly if you are unable to administer a remedy by mouth, such as following an accident where surgery may be required or perhaps where injury has been sustained to the face. Sprays can literally be sprayed anywhere on or around the body to do their work and can still be used orally. (NOTE This does not apply to the EnviroEssences, Beautiful Birthing or Yoga sprays).

Currently we are awaiting supplies of bottles but hope to be able to advise you shortly that the new spray remedies are available on the website.

Mobiles Phones Cause Cancer - from What Doctors Don't Tell You
The possible health hazards from long-term use of mobile phones are finally being taken seriously by agencies in the UK and USA after years of denials that there was any risk. In the USA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is now recommending that people use an earpiece or headset with a cell (mobile) phone following reports that "wireless device use can be linked to cancer and other illnesses", while the UK is starting a major study of health problems from long-term use. The FCC's latest set of guidelines represents a huge shift, and for the first time acknowledges that there could be a health danger in using a cell phone. Apart from using an earpiece or headset, it recommends that users should keep phones away from the body, and should not attach them to a belt or leave them in a pocket that's next to the body; users should use the speaker option so that the phone is kept further away from the head; and, wherever, possible, text rather than speak.

Remedies for Stress

Stress is such a major issue in our busy modern lives and it comes in different forms. While Rescue Remedy and S.O.S. (see below) are good remedies in some situations, often more specific remedies can be used which work more quickly and effectively if they fit the picture of the patient. Here are a few of the main remedies for stress:

Aconite - Emotionally the patient is scared, shaken and shaky following a fright or shock. Physically they may become sick after getting chilled especially after being in the cold wind. Either way they are likely to be restless and anxious, distressed and very thirsty. Waking with symptoms in the middle of the night is common, onset of symptoms is usually rapid.

Arsenicum Album - Again the patient is likely to be restless, anxious and fussy, and their usual perfectionist streak will really kick in! Stress exhausts them and may then predispose them to tummy upsets (even food poisoning) with diarrhea, vomiting and burning pains. Symptoms are better from heat and sipping warm drinks.

Coffea - These patients are hyped up, overstimulated and just can't switch off, relax or sleep. They are oversensitive to everything and can be inappropriately cheerful at times! They are worse from drinking caffeine or soft drinks and headaches are a significant problem.

Gelsemium patients can be paralysed with anxiety before an interview, test, presentation or performance. Or they may be paralysed with grief after a loss or shock, especially bad news. Everything about them feels tired and heavy - even the eyelids. Physical symptoms may include dizziness, diarrhea, drowsiness, dull headache and thirst.

Ignatia is one of the main remedies for grief, loss and disappointment. The patient wants to be alone to cry, sighs a lot and may complain of a lump in the throat, nail-like headache or insomnia. They are very sensitive to smoke and may suffer cough and sore throat after exposure if under stress.

Kali Phos is the nerve tissue salt and is a good remedy for nervous exhaustion following a period of mental strain or during convalescence. The patient may be jumpy, sensitive and mildly depressed with headaches, insomnia, tiredness and heaviness.

Nux Vomica patients overdo everything - work, food, alcohol, caffeine. They are A-type personalities and have a tendency to be tense, irritable, impatient, sedentary and argumentative when under pressure. They may suffer gastric headaches, constipation, indigestion with cramps and insomnia from 3am.

Phosphoric Acid tends towards sadness and apathy and they don't want to talk. They may be gloomy and sluggish with painless diarrhea, unrefreshing sleep and nervous exhaustion. Loss of fluid during an illness - eg diarrhea or vomiting - can cause great weakness and they want fruit and carbonated drinks (similar to Phosphorus).

Staphysagria suffers ailments after a humiliating situation such as a betrayal, bullying or criticism. They don't express their feelings at all and inside feel hurt and resentful. Symptoms of this unexpressed anger may include cystitis, toothache, sore throat, sensitivity to touch and pains which are tearing or stitching. They are worse for missing a meal or taking a nap.

What's new on the Website

Rescue Remedy which I've made and sold for years is moving on. While this is based on the Bach Flower Remedies plus Lotus - all of which I do love being a gardener - I feel we are moving into a more mineral time in humanity development; just think about the great mining super-tax debacle!!

To this end we have been developing our own version of Rescue Remedy derived from crystals, colours and - yes - some more unusual trees, produced as a Single Vibrational Remedy! SVRs are a pure energy, potent but gentle in their action and can be focussed very accurately at a situation or energy.

This new and important remedy for things we are experiencing in the 21st Century has been christened S.O.S. (Save our Sanity). It covers all the same emotional and emergency situations in which you could and would use Rescue Remedy, but with more depth for the times we live in.

For the month of July every order will receive a FREE bottle of SOS so you can experience the positive change this new remedy brings.

It would appear that in WA there have been far more reactions to the shot than has been made public and we obviously don't know what the long term result will be of giving an untrialled vaccine to small children. As I've said before, whatever side of the fence you sit on, you need to think carefully and check all sources (not just your doctor) before you undertake new vaccinations with your child. I believe the use of the latest flu vaccine (3 in 1) has now ceased in children under 5 years old.

Statistics also show that while only approximately 30% of the population took up the free flu vaccinations, the incidence of serious illness and death which normally accompanies seasonal flu was actually much lower than usual last year.

I have a separate database for people interested in some of the information that comes across my desk from a variety of sources on vaccine testing and other issues. I also recommend you subscribe to AVN.org for regular information on the subject whatever your view.

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.

Please remember to keep me updated if you change your email address as any changes to programs come out via email.

Until next time,
Warmest wishes

Melanie Creedy