Flu Season – Remedies to help the body to detox

I have put together our top homeopathic remedies to consider for anyone who goes down with flu…… symptoms can include sudden high temperature, an aching body, tired and exhausted. There’s usually a cough and sore throat and patients can complain of headaches, sleep problems, loss of appetite and maybe diarrhoea. Never worry if the appetite goes. The body is working hard to rebalance and may need all the energy it can get – so to digest food at this stage, will divert the energy away. Patients will always recoup with improved appetites after. There’s an old saying that goes “feed a cold, starve a fever”. Listen to your body and more importantly, stay hydrated. If they are reluctant to take cold drinks, try warm ones. Add honey, salt (good salt!) and lemon to keep the body mineralized.

Aconite

At the first sign of illness, take Aconite every half hour up to 6 doses. This will either aid the body’s ability to heal itself so that symptoms do not progress any further or it will shorten the length of illness.

There will be a sudden onset of symptoms, possibly caused by dry, cold wind, becoming cold or from a fright of some sort.

There will be dryness (i.e. throat, cough etc), burning and a high temperature but they will feel chilly. Their temperature could also be alternating between hot and cold

They could have one pale cheek, the other flushed

The patient will feel restless and there will be anxiety or fear around being ill.

Pupils will be contracted and they will be thirsty.

Worse for touch, emotions and cold

Better for resting and being in open air

Arsenicum

The patient will feel extremely anxious and is a specific for gastic flu. Despair – fear they won’t get better. Moaning and anxious, they will want reassurance.

There will be burning pains (i.e. anus, chest, stomach etc). They may even describe a sensation of hot water in their veins.

Intermittant fever and feel cold inside, warm outside, or vice versa. Extremely chilly – ‘like ice’ – with uncontrollable shaking.

Dry wheezy cough with watery, burning discharge from nose. They will be very thirsty but will sip

Worse for wet weather; cold air; around midnight

Better for heat; company; open air; sweating and warmth

Bryonia

Slow onset of symptoms

They will be like a bear with a sore head. Extremely irritable, snappy and will want to be as still as possible. Despairing of ever being well again

Aches and pains in their muscles and joints. Dryness = Dry hacking cough whereby they will hold their chest its so painful. Dry throat. Bursting frontal headaches. Eyes will feel dry and sore – there could be pain over their left eye that extends over the top of their head. Very thirsty for large amounts of liquid

Worse for getting hot; motion; 3.00am – 4.00am and 9.00pm

Better for fresh air – will want a window open; hard pressure (holding chest, head) rest and stillness; quiet

Eupatorium Per

Chilly and thirsty with extreme aches deep in their bones. The wrists will feel particularly painful. Their back may feel like it will break. Their skin will feel sore, a feeling of being bruised. They may have a headache that affects the back of the head. Soreness of the eyeballs. There will be a high fever and this will alternate with the chills. They will want to be covered up.

Soreness of the chest with a cough and they may even get on their hands and knees to cough. There will be hoarseness too. Discharges will be watery.

They will feel exhausted but can’t get comfortable. Restlessness and they may complain the bed is too hard.

Worse for cold air; between 7.00am and 9.00am

Better for sweating; warm covering; cold drinks and ice cream

Gelsemium

Gradual onset of symptoms. Can be brought on by sad, bad news or worrying about something (anticipation of an event etc). There will be a feeling of heaviness in the body especially the legs, arms and eye lids – remember droopy, drowsy, dropsy. They will feel sore and can tremble. Dizziness on trying to stand up and experience chills up and down their spine. No energy at all and will complain of a headache that feels like a band across their forehead. They will be absolutely thirstless.

Completely exhausted and will be slow to answer. Everything will be an effort.

Worse for cold, damp weather; anticipation; change in temperature – often from summer to autumn, autumn to winter. Or when we have experienced a warm spell then changing to cold

Better for urination; sweating; open air; afternoon; reclining but with head up

Nux Vomica

Can develop symptoms after a cold easterly or north east wind. Also from over indulgence. They will be hypersensitive, very irritable and angry. Hyperchondriac and very worried. Think of a business person who needs to be strong and to keep working.

Sudden heat, fever but the patient will feel chilly and tremble. There will be gastric symptoms too (loose stool) with a burning reflux. Sour sweat, like dry, musty straw. When they feel chilled, they will be thirsty and when they feel hot they will be thirstless.

Worse for cold draft; noise; A.M.; cold weather especially east or north east winds

Better for free discharge (sweating); rest; warmth; hot drinks

Rhus Tox

Extremely restless and will hate to be ill

Achy limbs and have a stiffness in their lower back. High fever but will feel chilly and they will hate to be uncovered. This remedy has been referred to as the Rusty Gate remedy – they are so much better for continued motion – stiff to start, then better once they get moving. They can describe a sensation of cold water running through their body. A key note to this remedy is sometimes a red triangle on the tip of their tongue

Worse for cold damp weather; on waking then improve over the day; then worse again in evening; being still

Better for heat; bathing; moving around; continued motion; stretching; crave cold milk and drinks

Prescribing

Depending on what strength you have, 6c or 30c is usually what people have, give 1 doses an hour for 3-4 hours then reduce down to every 2 hours then 4 hours on improvement.

Look for the patient to sleep – this is again, the body shutting you down to get on with the task of rebalancing. It’s why we often go into a food coma after eating too much! It hasn’t got the energy to do both – digest and keep you awake and functioning!

Sweating after a remedy is a good sign – it shows the body is detoxing. This can also mean a patient vomits, or has a loose stool. It’s the body’s natural way of getting rid of toxins.

Post Virus

A great remedy to help during convalescence – never been well since the flu…..

Both Gelsemium and Phos-ac can be considered…. look at the symptoms they had

Phos Ac

Weakness and debility. Apathetic – mentally, emotionally and physically. They can be sleepy and there will be weakness quite possibly due to loss of fluids – sweating; diarrhoea etc

Crave carbonated drinks and juicy things – food, fruit, drinks

Worse for talking; emotions; cold drafts; thinking which may cause dizziness

Better for short sleeps; cat naps

If symptoms persist, please seek the advice from a qualified Homeopath or another medical practitioner

You can see from the above remedies, how important the small details are when it comes to using homeopathy. It’s a complete medical system but it’s not ‘a one size fits all’ system.

I will be running workshops again this year that will enable you to feel more knowledgeable when it comes to prescribing. There will be tips on case taking and more importantly it will empower you to treat your loved ones with confidence. If you would like further information, then please reach out.

Remember to keep your vibration high – focus on taking care of yourselves, especially through the winter. Our emotional and mental mind set plays an important role in our well-being. Negative emotions can often develop into physical symptoms, so try to stay as upbeat and positive as you can – I find switching the TV off helps enormously!

We also have a serious lack of natural Vitamin D with many of us wishing to hibernate this time of year. We are not far off from spring now, so eat well, take plenty of clean water and consider Vitamin D3, K2, Vitamin C and Zinc as supplements this time of year.