Homeopathically there are over 200 remedies that crave chocolate. I’m only going to talk about a few that strongly crave chocolate. Phosphorus has a very strong craving for chocolate and is one remedy to think of for excessive chocolate consumption- one case I have seen the patient was eating a king sized block of chocolate a day – this reduced along with an improvement in many other things after a dose of Phosphorus. Phosphorus is a social remedy, they love …
I’m a big fan of fantasy and science fiction. Or to be honest most genres of fiction, my little bit of escapism. One common idea across many authors of fantasy is that names have power. Knowing the true name of a faerie or demon or other creature can give you control over them, or the ability to summon them, or similar. Sometimes in fiction there is some form of truth, whether it is historical detail that is exquisite, or it …
This is an update of my previous post about treatment of Covid-19, more specific for Omicron. The vaccine does not prevent you from being infected with or transmitting Omicron, so being prepared whether you are vaccinated or not is important. Especially because if you come into contact with someone who tests positive you will be isolated and may not be able to go out to get supplies. One major point of difference for Omicron compared to Delta and previous variants, …
Croup Croup is inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe), making it harder to breathe and producing a dry, barking cough. It usually affects children under the age of 4, who have had a mild upper respiratory infection and then wake at night with difficulty breathing and a loud, dry, barking cough. There may be stridor – high pitched noises while breathing in – or in severe cases (which medical assessment) there can be skin drawing in between …
The majority of women will experience cramping and pain with their periods at some point in their lives – reviews have found this to be up to 91%! Severe period pain is less common though, and requires investigation to check for more serious conditions like endometriosis. The mechanics of the period: when the progesterone level drops it is a signal that there is no fertilised ovum, and the body starts to shed the lining of the uterus. In order to …
It’s World Antimicrobial Awareness Week! Antibiotics and Antivirals can be amazing and lifesaving. But we as a country use them too often, and sometimes for things we could treat with something else. Working in Pharmacy two days a week I have seen a lot of antibiotic prescriptions. Some are important and life saving, some are precautionary, some to treat an infection that may or may not heal itself but patient prefers antibiotics for one reason or another, and some for …
Shingles is a viral infection, characterised first by an itching or tingling sensation under the skin, and then by a rash with raised fluid filled vesicles that appear only on one side of the body and usually follow an arc along a nerve. There may be a headache, fever and/or a general feeling of being unwell. Unfortunately, shingles seems to be prevalent at the moment. Many Pharmacists have noticed a rise in cases, and there may be a couple of …
It’s ubiquitous at the moment, almost everyone is affected by stress in some form related to Covid-19. I posted recently about Emotional First Aid for those who are working in jobs now mandated for vaccination (you can find the post here: http://homeopathbarbara.com/2021/10/13/emotional-first-aid/). This post is looking at another side- where there is fear and anxiety related to Covid-19, stress, frustration and in some cases fear of the un-vaccinated and/or people not wearing masks. Anxiety is not always rational, and sometimes …
I know many people are reeling from the announcement about mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers and teachers. I have a few posts that you may wish to re-read. *Informed consent (because if you are being forced this is coercion and not informed consent which implies you can turn it down): https://homeopathbarbara.nz/informed-consent/ *And how you can support your body through the vaccination, if your back is against the wall and you decide you will have it: https://homeopathbarbara.nz/homeopathic-integrative-support-for-covid-19-vaccination/ Please be reassured that …
As cases continue to occur in Auckland and more coming up in the Waikato, and we are now back in Level 3 in Northland, I have been increasingly fielding questions about treating Covid-19. Whether you are vaccinated or not, it is worth empowering yourself with the knowledge of how to safely manage Covid at home/in managed isolation, so that when the virus is circulating you can treat yourself, friends and whanau. Before we get into homeopathic remedies I want to …
RSV is hitting New Zealand pre schoolers pretty hard at the moment. While Respiratory Syncytial Virus has been around for years, the severity this year has been partially attributed to the extra clean environment and the lack of exposure to viruses we have had over the last 18 months. RSV may be hard to differentiate from other respiratory viruses, as symptoms include fever, runny nose, sneezing and coughing, but there may also be wheezing or difficulty breathing. Like any viral …
We are so fortunate in New Zealand that home birthing is a choice that is well supported by our medical system and our amazing homebirth midwives. Homebirth is not only cost effective, but reduces unnecessary interventions. Being in your own space also allows the production of Oxytocin which is essential for maintaining labour. Stress and adrenaline turns this off, and a bright, loud, different environment may well make a woman uncomfortable and slow down labour. I am fortunate enough to …
Today is World Toothache Day.A perfect time to highlight what Homeopathy can do to help. As always, Homeopathy is about holistic health, and so toothache may be a symptom but it’s usually not the only symptom. In the repertory I use there are 604 remedies that have toothache as part of their picture, so it’s not just the toothache that is important, but what else is going on emotionally and physically. Diet and lifestyle is important. Most of us are …
We’re going away at the end of the week for a family holiday – can’t wait! I will take more a large selection of homeopathic remedies with me, because #homeopath, but these are the ten I suggest you would want on hand in your home or travel kit for a summer holiday: Sol- essential at this time of year, this remedy from the Sun can be used preventatively and taken throughout the day to prevent sunburn, or used afterwards if …
Today it is 10 years since the first big Canterbury earthquake centred in Darfield. Civil Defence recommend having an emergency kit ready in case of a disaster- whether something you get warning of like a severe storm or something that can happen without warning, like an earthquake, tsunami or volcanic eruption. One item on the Emergency Survival Items list is a First Aid Kit and any essential medicines. Personally, Homeopathy is my most often used form of medicine, and is …
It’s World Breastfeeding week! Yesterday we talked about not having enough milk, today I want to discuss when you have too much milk. This is a common problem early in the breastfeeding journey when your body is figuring out how much milk this new baby needs. While those with a low milk supply may think this is good thing to have it can still cause problems. Baby may choke on a high flow of milk, or swallow lots of air …
It’s World Breastfeeding Week! There is plenty of scientific evidence these days showing the benefits of breastmilk. I’m not going to go into that further. Knowing that breastfeeding is good for your baby and wanting to breastfeed does not mean this will come easy. Breastfeeding is a skill and something you and your baby learn together- a second or subsequent child may have a different latch, different style of feeding, whether position or frequency and duration, and your feelings about …
I recently asked about what sort of pregnancy related conditions you would like info about homeopathic treatment for. Symphis Pubis Dysfunction came up, and took a bit of research for me to write the post as it is not something I have personal experience with. Hope this helps those of you who do end up in pain with this! Symphis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) Relaxin is a hormone produced by the Corpus Luteum after ovulation and is believed to help the …
I’m back working in Pharmacy again, and the other day came across this “Winter Survival Kit”. Needless to say the brands on the front are not anywhere on my list of winter essentials, and do not feature in my household supplies. So here is a three part guide to what you might actually want for your winter survival kit. Part 1- Homeopathic remedies, Part 2- supplements and herbal remedies, and Part 3- Homeobotanical blends for Winter wellness. Homeopathic Remedies for …
I recently did a few posts about the menstrual cycle. It’s only fitting that we move into pregnancy. Early pregnancy is maintained by a high human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) level, which signals the corpus Luteum to continue producing progesterone. hCG levels are what a pregnancy test used to detect pregnancy, they usually rise through the first trimester and then decline after that. The placenta takes over producing progesterone towards the end of the first trimester and increases this until mid …
PMS, short for Premenstrual Syndrome has always bothered me, for several reasons: First of all, incidence varies. Some studies claim 30-40%. A meta analysis looking at worldwide studies showed huge variability, from 10% in Switzerland to 98% in Iran, with the pooled prevalence at 48%. (1) This says to me there are problems with the way we define PMS. It also suggests there is a complex interplay between stress and PMS, and probably social and cultural aspects. It also makes …
Yesterday’s post was about dysmenorrhea, pain during the period. Today we are moving on through the cycle to ovulation. Prior to ovulation there is a small surge in Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and a big spike in Luteinising Hormone (LH). The follicle is formed in the ovary with an ovum inside. With the surge in hormones this follicle moves to the outside of the ovary and the ovum is released into thee Fallopian tube. With ovulation comes the potential of …
The menstrual cycle is integral to a good third of a woman’s life. Along with menstruation though there can be a host of symptoms that may cause problems. Because of the nature of this, I will have three posts over three days on this focusing on different parts of the monthly cycle and what can affect it. First of all, the science behind your menstrual cycle. We start the cycle on the first day of bleeding. In this time the …
I want to talk Covid-19, but with a difference. There are heaps of posts, emails, videos and blogs about what you can use if you get sick. Plenty of information about social distancing and flattening the curve. A lot of scary news about the situation in Italy, Europe and worldwide. Not to mention the grim economic situation and potential for or reality of job losses in some fields. So this post is about how you can look after your mental …