Home Remedies: Be Prepared

WellnessWednesday

 

Here at Women’s Life Link we focus on being well, beautiful, and happy. Joining us today for Wellness Wednesday is our own Dr. Lamse.  Read on for a few of her marvelous tips and remedies.  I recommend that you save this post under favorites or just print it out for quick reference.  Be well-be beautiful-be happy!

˜Kellie

Home Remedies: Be Prepared

By Anca Lamse, MD

 

[sws_grey_box box_size=”630″] WELLNESS: being healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually; feeling good, looking good, smelling good, BEING good! [/sws_grey_box]

The Flu

 

Try to keep at least some of  these things in the house, so you can act RIGHT AWAY when the situation arises. If you come down with the flu, for instance, and you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck, you will most likely NOT go to the pharmacy at that time to get oscillococcinum.  The remedy works best if you take it right away, when the symptoms first emerge.

 

Two weeks ago I came home from work, felt GREAT, took a walk. 10 minutes after the walk my muscles and my joints started hurting all of a sudden, and I felt feverish+ had chills. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I took the oscillococcinum, sweated it out that night, and went to work the next day and functioned normally (albeit a bit slower). I felt perfect the following day.  It DOESN’T ALWAYS work this way, but it’s worth a try; no side effects! Inexpensive, too!

Using Essential Oils

 

[sws_grey_box box_size=”630″]GLOSSARY: essential oils (EOs): volatile compounds extracted from plants by distillation; can be quite POWERFUL; talk to a professional, if you have not used them before, or if you don’t know much about them. Dilute with vegetable oil if too strong. [/sws_grey_box]

 

• Keep out of reach of children; don’t rub your eyes after touching them without first washing your hands with dish soap.

• Mandarin and other citrus oils (bergamot, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime) sensitize skin to the sun; do not expose area to the sun for 12-24 hrs after application; that’s why the citrus oils are often more handy in the winter than in the summer.

• I personally love mint-based oils for the summer.

• If you develop a rash, stop using the oil and call your doctor, if rash persists.

Homeopathic Remedies

 

See Dr. Weil’s post below (and also keep in mind that homeopathic principles were recognized in the Indian medicine for thousands of years, and Dr. Hahnemann from Germany rediscovered it in the 1700s). In Europe homeopathy is very popular, and it is used alongside with conventional medicine. Some argue that the remedies are so diluted, that the beneficial effects are actually placebo effects (they work because the person is expecting them to work). However, homeopathy often works well with children and animals; where is the placebo effect there? Anyway, like all alternative remedies, some people respond better to homeopathy than others.

 

You may get them at the health food store, and I also carry the most popular ones in my office.

Homeopathic Medicine, by Dr. Weil

Help for Common Ailments

 

• FLU (sudden muscle and joint aches, +/- chills/fever): oscillococcinum homeopathic remedy, available at most regular pharmacies

• DIARRHEA/food poisoning: charcoal and psyllium pills; may get at the health food store or my office. Take one of each, 2-3 times a day as needed. Do NOT take at the same time with meds/supplements because the meds/supps will not be absorbed. Separate the meds from the charcoal/psyllium by 2-3 hrs or so. Your stool may turn black from the charcoal.

• TUMMY ACHES/INDIGESTION: chamomile tea +/- essential oils. Play music that feels good (usually slow music, but listen to your body). Massage oil on abdomen and take regular, comfortable breaths.  There are many choices of EOs for abdominal discomfort.  Ginger-based, if you like the smell. Great in the winter, as it’s a warming spice.  Peppermint-based, especially in the summer.  Sandalwood- or mandarin-based.

• BUG BITES: niaouli- and amni visnaga-based essential oils.

• SMALL BURNS: lavender essential oil, apply 2-3 times a day. Studies have shown that small wounds (such as the patients in the Intensive Care Unit, who had their blood sugar checked every 4 hrs or so) heal faster if lavender is applied. Do not rely on lavender if wound/burn is severe. Make sure your tetanus shot is up to date.

• RESPIRATORY AND SINUS ISSUES: peppermint and eucalyptus-based essential oils for steam inhalation (put 3-5 drops of EO in 1 teaspoon of sea salt; add to 2 cups of hot water); hover over the hot water for 5-10 min twice a day as needed.  Be careful NOT to burn your face. Close your eyes, as the EO steam may bother them.

• FEELING BLUE: (depression also needs to be treated by a physician, if severe): neroli EO; citrus (orange is perceived as a very bright, ,”happy” oil by a lot of people; bergamot EO (diffusion only, as bergamot is very PHOTOSENSITIZING and you may get SUNBURN IF YOU PUT IT ON YOUR SKIN and then go out in the sun).

• FEELING ANXIOUS: chamomile homeopathic (if you feel irritable, like the person next to you is breathing too loud, maybe? coffea homeopathic if you feel jittery and cannot turn off your mind.  EOs: marjoram, may chang, lavender, sandalwood, palo santo.

• GROUNDING: cedar wood-based; you can also hug a tree 🙂

• UPLIFTING SCENTS: citrus (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime) mint- or basil-based.  Mandarin, though a citrus, calms you DOWN and is not considered uplifting.  I love putting a combo of peppermint/rosemary/spearmint/cardamom EO on a Kleenex in my car, and enjoy it while I’m driving.  Quite exhilarating!

• SUDDEN BAD NEWS/GRIEF/TRANSITIONS/BREAK-UPS: Ignatia homeopathic cypress-based EO.

• FEARS/ANXIETY/CLAUSTROPHOBIA: I call the homeopathic Aconite “natural Xanax, or Valium” without the side effects.  Again, some people respond better than others to homeopathics.

• MUSCLE ACHES: after physically working unusually hard: Arnica homeopathic.  Epsom salts (contain magnesium, don’t use if you have kidney problems)  Marjoram-based essential oil bath salts. Marjoram is a great muscle relaxant (skeletal and smooth muscle), so it’s good for uterine spasm during menses, and for the big muscles. Don’t drive while smelling this; it’s very relaxing!

 

Here’s a few PERFUMERY tidbits, because genuine, unadulterated EOs have therapeutic properties. EOs are also antibacterial to a certain degree; some more than others.  So: this is perfume that can be healthier than conventional fragrances.

 

• FEMININE SCENTS: these may help women feel more attractive: ylang-ylang, jasmine, gardenia.  If you like more musky scents, or for evening events: sandalwood, patchouli, ginger-based oils.

• MASCULINE SCENTS: cedar wood, patchouli, sandalwood (musky, spicy scents can be unisex, i.e. both women and men may use them).

 

I wish you all to feel good, look good, smell good, BE good! This  is a topic of great interest. Please don’t be offended if I don’t respond to all of your email questions.  If condition persists after you’ve used the remedy, or the condition is severe to begin with, or if you are in doubt AT ALL, please consult your doctor!  Respect natural remedies and be safe.

Blessings,

Dr. Lamse

 

[sws_grey_box box_size=”630″]***The content of this article is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your health care provider. Women’s Life Link, its authors, associates, linked sites, and commentators do not claim that any of the content will diagnose or lead to a cure or improvement of any disease or condition. [/sws_grey_box]

 

Photo by Maeve09

Photo 2 by Eviolinist