Essential Oils and Cancer Treatment

Cancer is scary, we need all the help we can get for coping with it. I appreciate this specific, positive article from the Institute for Integrative Healthcare Studies explaining the use of essential oils with cancer treatment. The article will help you know what oils to use or not use during chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and how to use them. Please follow this link to read about What You Need to Know About Essential Oils and Cancer Treatment.

Homeopathic Remedies for Gallstones

Here's a link to Melanie Grimes' article of the same name. It discusses these remedies: Chelidonium, Podophyllum, Carduus marianus, Lycopodium, Calcarea carbonica, and Colocynthis.

Essential Oil Homemade Cleaners

I love this site that is filled with information on making your own aromatherapy products. Take a look at the recipes for disinfectant cleaning spray, glass cleaner, and no-rinse floor cleaner. They are inexpensive and simple to make. Site name: Easy Aromatherapy Recipes
If you have a suggestion of your favorite site, let me know ~

Store closed June 30

I closed my online store on June 30, but my blogs will remain.

Please don't let my store closing discourage you from trying homeopathy and aromatherapy. Keep reading my blog and using the links I have to learn as much as you can. You really will benefit from having these two alternatives in your home health kit.

Thanks for your support and don't forget our wood art blog -- we'll still be doing wood art, even if just as gifts. But if you want to order a custom piece, just email me.

Thanks ~ cindy

Homeopathic Remedies Beginning With Letter C

There are many good homeopathic remedies beginning with the letter C; here are a few:

Calc carb - Depression with tiredness, lethargy, slowness of thought. Chronic fatigue, exhausted, chilly. Night sweats. Overweight or feel weighed down, flabby. Feel overwhelmed by responsibilities; when ill, wants to just watch TV and have no mental exertion. Feels insecure, anxious about health. Craves salt, sweets, milk, eggs. Digestive disorders and malnutrition. Eating disorders, particularly bulimia. Frequent heartburn, stomach pressure, sour taste in mouth. Dark rings around the eyes. Many things to say about Calc carb; often used as a constitutional remedy.

Calc phos - Slow bone or tooth growth in children; breaks, fractures, "growing pains." Delayed development in walking, dentition. Bored, loss of motivation. Headaches of students, depression, from overwork. Coccyx pain. Cramps in calves.

Cantharis - Uriniary tract infections, cystitis. All conditions where there is burning, stinging, itching. Burning sore throat, stinging eyes.

Carbo veg - Many digestive disorders, especially wind. Upper abdomen / stomach very bloated. May be brought on by over-indulgence. Wants to be fanned, feels cannot breathe. Cannot take pressure, either physical or emotional. Better: cool air; being fanned; burping. Worse: warmth; dehydration; before sleep; tight clothing.

Causticum - Effects of chronic suffering, or nursing others. Sensitive to injustice. Arthritis, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, sciatica, Bell's palsy, neuralgia, tremors. Wrenched neck, frozen to one side. Arthritis in hands and fingers. Emotional loss of voice.

Chamomilla - Irritable, whining, impatient, over-sensitive, difficult, demanding, tantrums, bratty. Good remedy for babies and small children with teething problems; insists on being carried. Earaches that come on at night. Diarrhea, colic. Restless sleep, may sleep with eyes partly open. Cheeks: one red, one pale. Interestingly, think of Chamomilla when ailments come on after drinking coffee. Also an important remedy for joint inflammation, neuralgia with spasms, numbness, pains that seem unbearably intense.

China (Cinchona) - Depleted vital force, loss of vital fluids, weakened by loss of blood. Post-operative gas, passing gas does not bring relief. Heartburn, acid indigestion. Chronic diarrhea. Blue rings around eyes. Indifference, apathy, no interest in getting well.

Cocculus - Confused, disoriented, easily offended, upset by rude people, anxious, fearful. Gone without sleep too long, perhaps nursing a sick friend. Motion sickness, headache throbbing or puslating, neck feels so weak cannot hold head up. Worse from smelling strong odors, smell of food cooking.

Coffea - Nervous excitement, insomnia, anxiety, shock. Person is wide awake when he does not want to be. General exhaustion with mental restlessness. Person may quickly alternate extremes of emotion--laugh one minute and cry the next. Cannot stand pain; reaction to pain may be out of proportion to the actual pain he is having.

Colocynthis - Severe cramping pains in abdomen causing person to double over to control severity. Sharp, shooting, vise-like neuralgic pains. Extremely strong opinions. Disinclined to talk, irritable, impatient, easily offended, wants solitude.

Also note:

Calendula tincture - for general promoting of healing, forestalling infection. Be sure to clean well before using calendula. Used topically when needed along with Hypericum, Arnica, Bellis, or Hepar sulph pellets. A different form -- Calendula Oil.

The Homeopathic Guide to Stress by Miranda Castro.

Homeopathy: An A to Z Home Handbook by Alan Schmukler.

Homeopathic Remedies Beginning With Letter B

Here are some of the top homeopathic remedies that begin with the letter B:

Baptisia - thick mucous, "drawing" pain along the nose. Dull headache between the eyes, beating or pulsating. Face dark red with fever. May feel lightheaded, as if head were in scattered pieces.

Belladonna - onset of complaints is sudden, violent and intense. Inflamed area or entire body is burning, red and hot. The eyes are glassy, pupils dilated, sensitive to light. Sense of throbbing, rapid pulse, little thirst. Fever, red face, dry skin. Possible cause: chill to the head. Good remedy for eye problems that are sensitive to any light, especially sunlight.

Bellis Perennis - deeper acting, when Arnica fails to act. General rheumatism, pains that appear over years of work and overwork. Excellent remedy following childbirth to end pain and speed recovery. Pains improved by cold applications, but illness may come from having cold drinks when overheated. Particularly good remedy for injury to the coccyx.

Bryonia - symptoms develop slowly. Person lies absolutely still; all symptoms are much worse for the slightest movement. Pains are stitching. A "bear with a sore head" who is irritable and resentful of being questioned or fussed over; wants to be left alone. Remedy for dry, painful coughs; dryness of all mucous membranes. Great thirst for large amounts at long intervals. Ailments come on in hot weather or from getting overheated. Good for flu, sinus pressure, headache. Best remedy for cracked or broken ribs.

Homeopathic Remedies Beginning With Letter A

Here are some of the top homeopathic remedies that begin with the letter A:

Aconite (Aconitum napellus) - for nipping colds in the bud, this is a useful remedy during the early stages of colds, flu,and fevers; complaints come on suddenly and violently, often at night. Restlessness; for those who exhibit fear and anxiety. Some causes: cold/dry wind; fright or shock. Symptoms worse in evening/midnight. Thristy for cold drinks.

Allium cepa - for hay fever, seasonal allergies of all sorts. Profuse, watery discharge of eyes or nose. Water from eyes does not burn, but discharge from nose does burn and may irritate the nose so much that it is sore, red and cracked - so sore you don't want to blow! Aggravation in the evening, headache worse by closing the eyes.

Antimonium tart - wet, rattling cough deep in the lungs, shortness of breath, wheezing. Exhausted, wants to sleep most of the time. Helps to bring up mucus from the lungs. Should not be used in low potency, below 30c.

Apis mellifica - for bites and stings which fit this picture: red, burning, puffy, stinging swellings. Person is restless, irritable, thirstless; better for cold applications, worse for heat. This remedy bears repetition well and should be used as needed.

Argentum nitricum - panic, nervousness, worried, hurried. Anticipatory fears: tests, going to the dentist, stage fright, fear of flying.

Arnica - should be the first remedy after most accidents, injuries, physical ordeals, surgery; to prevent or heal bruises. Classic response of someone in shock, says they are alright when they are not. Sore, achy pains, strains; bruised sensation or feeling of being beaten. Fear of or averse to being touched. Valuable remedy for the period of home recovery after heart attack or stroke. Emotional trauma. There's so much to say about Arnica, please look it up in the reference books!

Arsenicum album - useful for gastro-intestinal problems, anxiety, panic attacks, chronic diarrhea. Common thread to all these ailments is fear--afraid to be alone, afraid will die. Symptoms worse from midnight till 2 a.m. Person is restless. Also, one of the most important remedies for food poisoning and intestinal flu. Added info 8/17/09: Many homeopaths feel this remedy may be very helpful for the swine flu. Do an Internet search to see what you can find about it.

Good reference books:

Practical Homeopathy by Vinton McCabe

Homeopathic Remedies: A Quick and Easy Guide... by Asa Hershoff

Homeopathic Medicine At Home by Maesimund B. Panos

Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants by Dana Ullman

Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth, and Your Baby's... by Miranda Castro

Homeopathy, Aromatherapy for H1N1 Virus

This is an update on homeopathic remedies that are most commonly used for flu symptoms that you might want to check to see if you have in your homeopathy kit:

Oscillococcinum, Gelsemium, Baptisia, Bryonia, Eupatorium, Sabadilla, Arsenicum album, Arsenicum iod, Sanguinaria, Phytolacca, Dulcamara, Phosphorus, Rhus tox, Allium cepa, Sticta, Ipecacuanha, and Veratrum album.

Read about these from Hpathy where they are listed with symptoms. I suggest taking a look to see which ones sound like how you and your family usually react to the flu, then if you don't have those in stock, you may want to get them before the flu hits your family. You usually need more than one remedy once you get the flu (or any other illness) because the symptoms change, so having a good selection is important. You'll use your remedies at some time, even if you don't need them right now, which hopefully will be the case!

As a family, we have already taken one dose of Oscillo and I am running my Germ Buster aromatherapy blend in our essential oil nebulizer once a day for at least 30 minutes. There are many essential oils helpful for germ fighting, including Thyme, Cinnamon, Lemon, Bergamot, Clove, Geranium, Clary Sage, Lavender, Ravensara, and others. Good idea to check to see what you've got on hand in that area too.

Other articles: by Melanie Grimes, Homeopathy Successfully Treated Flu Epidemic of 1918. by Randall Neustaedter, contrasting Gelsemium with other remedies: Homeopathy and the Flu. and here's the link to Miranda Castro's Oh, Fluey! article with chart on remedies. See other information by clicking my flu archives link on the left side of this blog.

That's really all there is right now. More suspected flu cases, or I. L. I.'s-- Influenza-Like-Illnesses -- have been reported here in Corpus Christi, with some school closings and such, but no confirmed cases of North American Influenza Virus yet, thankfully! (Or as it seems to be now called, H1N1 Virus -- what's the deal with the name?)

Take care ~

Swine Flu, or North American Influenza Virus

Everybody's talking about the swine flu. Sounds scary, and we certainly need to do all we can to prevent getting it. But it's important not to get panicky or stressed about it. First of all, be sure to use proper precautions and good sense.

Homeopathy has a strong track record of helping with the flu, even the 1918 flu epidemic. I have posted several excellent links here on my site, most recent being my "Got the Flu" post that has links to articles in Homeopathy Today magazine and other website information, as well as listed homeopathic remedies that would be good to have on hand. With the link to that article, you will also find my articles: Aromatherapy for Colds & Flu, and Homeopathy for Colds & Flu.

Homeopaths will keep us updated on what homeopathic remedies will help flu victims on the National Center For Homeopathy's page, "Swine Flu Update" that you can check from time to time. It would be helpful for any who have information on remedies that turn out to be useful to let others know, and I invite you to comment on my blog so others can read it here.

Another very informative article I read this morning is Holistic Protection for Swine Flu, with practical suggestions, vitamin and herb recommendations, and specific information on homeopathic remedies. It is especially helpful in explaining Oscillococcinum, one homeopathic product I think you definitely want to have ready for your family (this product is also available for children now).

As my Aromatherapy for Colds & Flu article shows, pure essential oils have their place in your medicine cabinet and should be there for when you need them. Since I started adding essential oils to our prevention regimen, we really haven't been as sick as I remember in the past. Please check the links in that article for good choices of oils. We use SomaTherapy blends Anti-Vir and Germ Buster.

News tonight says this swine flu is now called the North American Infuenza Virus.

I'll post updates if necessary. ~ cindy

Aromatherapy Links

Thought I'd post some good links I've found recently on aromatherapy.

If you haven't finished doing your taxes that are due Apr. 15, this is a great link:

Aromatherapy at Tax Time by Suzanne Bovenizer. This article suggests oils for mental accuity, jangled nerves & tempers, digestive upsets from tension, headache or migraine tension, and insomnia that may be affecting you at tax time (or any similar stress time). I just love the way this lady writes -- she's so informative and creative! Some more of her helpful articles are:

Aromatherapy for Ladies Only,

Aromatherapy for Menopausal Women,

Aromatherapy for Kids,

Aromatherapy for the Golden Years, and

Spring Cleansing with Essential Oils which discusses essential oils for supporting and cleansing the liver. Be sure to check out the other info on her website.

Here are a couple of must-read articles for some of us:

Menopause Help With Aromatherapy and

Ease Menopause Symptoms With Aromatherapy -- both list lots of essential oils and why you might want to pick certain ones for your menopause symptoms.

If you're at the other extreme, though, and have young children, you may want to read these informative articles -- or, I guess Grandma (or Mimi, Nanna, Granny, or whatever you may be called) may want to read them too! Check out:

Essential Oils for Baby: Use of Aromatherapy in Baby Health Problems and Natural Skin Care,

Treating Your Children to Essential Oils Safely, and

Aromatherapy for RSV in Infants for little ones suffering from bronchiolitis.

Last of all, here are some good articles for our "best friends":

Aromatherapy for Pets (very informative)

Using Aromatherapy Oils for Your Puppy (not very specific, but still helpful)

Essential Oils: The Hidden Dangers for Well-Meaning Animal Lovers (need to read)

Aromatherapy Can Also Benefit Pets (from same source as the one above; great because it has dilution ratios and suggestions of proper oils and ways to use them)

Hope these are beneficial for you ~ cindy

Got the flu?

It seems strange to me that the flu bug is still going around. Here in deep South Texas -- Corpus Christi to be exact – we’ve had very odd weather this year. One day we need the air conditioner, it’s so hot; the next day we need the heater because it’s actually cold. But still, we haven’t had the flu at our house, and I don’t know many people who have had it. Instead it’s been more colds and coughs here.

However, I just got a newsletter from my homeopathy supplier that shows it’s not over for this year’s flu yet! I’ve also had several people reading the flu articles here on my blog (check the archives). In this newsletter, noted homeopath Miranda Castro writes that Florida (which seems to be having about the same kind of weather we are) has had some horrid bronchial flus going around. And she says, whether you are in the frozen wastelands of the north or the milder southern areas, this year’s flu bugs are hitting everywhere with the same miserable force.

So, here’s what Ms. Castro has seen help flu victims this year:
Eupatorium perfoliatum for the painful, feverish stage with a horrid headache. Rhus toxicodendron or Arsenicum Album for tremendous aching and restlessness. Spongia, Antimonium tartaricum, Ipecacuanha and Phosphorus for bronchial coughs. Influenzinum 30C. And she reminds us to take Kali phos 6X for the post-flu malaise. It can be repeated fairly often (3 or 4 times a day) for 3-4 days or until the vital force is back on form.

Also helpful to consult is the chart in her article, "Oh, fluey!" that was in the Homeopathy Today magazine of December 2002. The National Center for Homeopathy has even made all the articles they have published about the flu and homeopathy over the past 8 years available at their website for you to read whether you are a member or not, here on their Flu Forum: Articles and Links page. This will provide you with lots of information from homeopaths that have used various remedies to help people get over the flu.

The flu chart is nice to have, and you can print a copy out for your own reference library. With it, you can quickly see why to choose such remedies as Arsenicum, Baptisia, Bryonia, Eupatorium, Gelsemium, Mercurius, Nux vomica, Pyrogen, or Rhus tox. It even includes suggested remedies to take before or at the first sign of the flu, and ones to take after the flu.

For your young children, you might want to get Hyland’s Complete Flu Care 4 Kids or Boiron’s Children’s Oscillococcinum. Hyland’s has made quite a few new formulas just for kids' colds, coughs and allergies.

I hope you haven’t had, don’t have, or don’t get the flu this year – and me either! Remember prevention is always better than a cure. Wishing you good health ~ cindy