• HOMEOPATHY FOR
THE HOLIDAYS •

It is hard to believe the holiday season is already upon us. While some still talk about their summer trip as if it were yesterday others feel as if they were at the beach only a few weeks ago.

Back to reality. Beside all the joy, gatherings and goodwill the year end creates, for many of us it is coupled with much excess. Too much meat, alcohol, butter, cream, chocolate and champagne. This is in addition to staying up late and getting up early to do more shopping than we already do throughout the year. All this is surpassed by the mayhem created around the house by excited, anticipating children. No wonder we make New Year's resolutions. Thanks God for the holidays, thanks God they don't last all year!!!

Perhaps you have judiciously replaced rich foods with olive oil and more vegetables during the year. Perhaps you would like to continue these good habits through December but somehow friends and neighbors never seems to follow any kind of sensible diet. From a homeopathic point of view, what can we do to alleviate hangovers or the sore liver and upset stomach caused by food excessively laden with butter and cream?

I suggest you acquire the following remedies ahead of time and keep them in a dry place. Most are available in health food stores and will keep for a very long time. Homeopathic remedies discovered on Ellis Island have proven to still be as good as new!!!

As always you will see some emotional qualities associated with these remedies. Let's start with the hangover. We all know how it feels to wake up in the morning with a headache and the lousy feeling that, yes, last night we went over board. Feeling irritable, a strong cup of coffee and a hot shower are the first thoughts that come to mind. That's fine to jump start the day, but in conjunction to that a few doses (3 pellets is one dose) of Nux vomica 9C will work wonders. In fact two doses the night before will act prophylactically and diminish the awful morning symptoms. This is not say that everyone can drink every night and not suffer the consequences. This remedy will stop acting when used too often and will not make anyone sober. Nux vomica only helps the symptoms of the hangover. It is the excess remedy par excellence.

The holiday season is the time when many of us eat creamy desserts and heavy meals and at times the stomach will feel upside down. The qualities of the next remedy is to want to keep the windows opened (feeling too hot), cuddle up in bed and be nurtured: Pulsatilla 12C will help greatly to recuperate from these excesses. Pulsatilla also applies wonderfully well to young girls who crave dairy items but get ill from them. On the other hand, if one feels irritable and chilly which is the opposite of the Pulsatilla state, Nux vomica 9C is the remedy of choice.

The holidays are for children. Indeed play time is so important that over 70% of all toys are bought in the last month of the year. This cornucopia of excitement has its own inevitable effects. Surely it is a divine enjoyment to see happy children. In fact, the worse sound to me is that of a crying child. It tears my heart out but when the child is wired up with hilarity and elation to the point where they cannot fall asleep from too much enjoyment the remedy Coffea 9C will gently calm them down and will enable them to get a good night sleep.

For the child who is becoming so irritable that he does not know what he wants. Chamomilla 15C will do. Contrary to what most of us might think, Coffea does not have irritability whereas Chamomilla does. Remember Coffee is very close to a drug hence the homeopathic remedy will resolve a similar state. Chamomilla is a ragweed, those who suffer from allergies should stay away from it. An allergic reaction generally causes impatience and irritability due to the anti-histamine released in the body. Hence, the true state of chamomilla is that of irritability and restlessness whereas the true state of coffee is that of elation and alertness.

Cigar smoking is very fashionable but not every one can take to it. So if your husband is turning as pale as a snowflake while watching the football game, give him Tabacum 6C. Another helpful remedy for the smoker turning pale is Camphora 9C. A keynote of this remedy is that the person feels chilly but refuses to be covered.

During the holiday' season we eat much shell fish. Sure enough someone is going to get sick from a "bad" oyster. Carbo vegetabilis 30C or Urticaria urens30C resolves that problem quickly without ruining the evening.

For those who are really taking the holidays to extreme or for those who have no choice about going out to lunch or diner and end up with hemorrhoids due to an over loaded liver I suggest Nux vomica 9C one more time. Other remedies helpful for hemorrhoids caused by indulgence are Hamamelis 6C or Aesculus 6C.

Liver remedies include Chelidonium 6C. The feeling is that of having done something wrong to your health. The physical symptoms are craving for milk, sore or tickling pain in the liver area made better by eating. Feeling heavy-headed and chilly. Bitter taste in the mouth. Diarrhea is also common for this remedy. Any of these symptoms indicates Chelidonium.

Lesser known remedies are Leptandra 6C. Black, tarry stool is a keynote of this remedy. Tongue coated yellow. Aching and heaviness in the liver area. Another remedy called Ptelea 12C will act when the symptoms are: Lying down on the left side makes the pain worse. Stomach and liver complaints are associated with pain in the legs. Eating sour things makes the person feel better.

Finally some simpler advice from France and Italy where gastronomic preferences are taken so seriously, they are discussed in political debates. Water treatment is common place in these countries hence it is customary to drink certain mineral waters believed to be helpful for various problems. "Vichy saint Yorre" in France or "Pellegrino" in Italy are the holidays favorites. These two mineral waters, naturally carbonated and rich in liver friendly minerals salts, become rarefied commodities around the holidays. Some people stock up a couple of months in advance to assure a plentiful supply. Vichy saint Yorre is more difficult to find here but is more effective than Pellegrino.

With these recommendations to help you through the year's end, I wish you the finest holiday season and a very Happy New Year. See you next year.