Just Before Christmas I was getting a lot of dm’s asking for homeopathy help. This year’s flu is a doozy and it broke my heart to think of peoples' holidays being ruined, so I opened up my IG clinic to you and advised on the best homeopathic remedies to take. It was so gratifying when you wrote me back later that same day to tell me of your rapid recovery!
Homeopathy is a true gift to humanity. You can treat your self and your family for little cost and no side-effects, without even having to leave your home. I’m committed to spreading the word about this miracle medicine, especially now, as it is coming under threat. And I’m so thrilled to see how interested you are in learning about it. After my Instagram field work, I am happy to share the top 6 flu remedies for the season.
No. 1
Arsenicum
The remedy I am “prescribing” the most these days, for both stomach flu and regular flu.There may be vomiting and or diarrhea, or you may just have nausea, especially after eating. You may feel freezing cold, with burning sensations anywhere in the body (eyes, stomach, burning diarrhea, burning nasal drip, usually with clear and thin mucous), feeling stuffed up. Your mood may be extremely anxious (especially about your health and germs), restless or irritable. You feel better for warmth and warm drinks and you may be thirsty for small sips.
No. 2
Eupatorium Perfoliatum
This is for that flu where you feel like your bones are broken. (Eupatorium was also known as “boneset” in the old days because of its affinity for influenza with bone pain). Deep muscle aches. The remarkable body pain is the leading symptom of this remedy. You may also have a headache (usually on the back of the head), chills, fever, sore eyes, cough. Thirsty for cold drinks. It’s for a classic, old school, analog flu, like the flus of days gone by that make me so nostalgic.
No. 3
Gelsemium
Another old school, all around flu remedy. Eupatorium and Gelsemium are the ones that are for the most common flus that have a multitude of classic flu symptoms. With Gelsemium, the fatigue is most notable. You feel like you have been run over by a truck. You will have the 3 D’s: dizzy, droopy and dull. Your eyelids may even feel heavy. You may have aching in your muscles as well, but the aching will be less severe than the body aches of Eupatorium. Pressing headache across forehead and back of head. Chills up and down the back, fever. Your illness may have come on after a fright or receiving bad news.
No. 4
Bryonia
Dryness, irritability, and feeling worse from movement are the key themes of Bryonia. There will be a terrible hard, dry cough, made worse on any movement. Splitting headache made worse from coughing. Extreme thirst for large quantities of water. Dry lips and throat, not made better by drinking. The skin may even be dry. There can be great irritability and desire to be left alone.
No. 5
Belladonna
Intensity is the key word. Belladonna is for the flu that comes on suddenly. There is an intensity to the symptoms, high fever (over 103 even), burning hot head with cold feet, dilated pupils, glassy eyes, severe headache, desire for lemonade. The person feels worse from jarring (like if you sit on the bed) and will be very sensitive to noise and light. Throat dry, very red, painful, even strep. Ear infection. Hot dry face, with redness. All the symptoms tend to be worse on right side (right sided sore throat, right sided ear ache, headache etc.). Kids often get Belladonna illnesses. With kids, they may be playing happily even if they are sick.
No. 6
Phosphorus
I haven’t seen this remedy showing up much for the current flu, but more for the people who tried a flu remedy and said that it helped a lot, but still had a lingering cough after the other symptoms went away. This is also for those of you who say “every cold goes to my chest” and who tend to have lingering bronchitis that lasts all winter. Take one dose of 30C potency, three nights in a row, then stop taking it. Avoid coffee and mint, even after you take the remedy, until you’re fully healed. Remember, this remedy (and all of the other remedies I recommend) are not meant to take the place of antibiotics or medical care, so please be responsible and take care of your self.
Photo: Lauren King
Dosage
30C potency: This is the potency I usually use for cold and flu. Our Basic 36 kits come with 30C potency remedies. If using our kits, a dose is one pill. If using Boiron brand, four pills is one dose. Dissolve remedy under the tongue in a clean mouth (no food/drink or toothbrushing for 10 min before and after). Observe your symptoms. If you feel much better in the next hour or so, you don’t need to take the remedy again until symptoms return. If you feel somewhat improved but not 100 percent, you can take the remedy again2-4 four hours later. Don’t take more than four doses a day. If you take the remedy twice and there is no change, that means you likely need a different remedy. There is no harm now on changing the remedy, if after two doses you don’t feel improvement.
200C potency: If you only have 200C (which is in our Accident and Emergency Kit), that’s fine too, but your dosage will be different. If using our kits, take one pill. If using Boiron brand, use four pills. Dissolve remedy under the tongue in a clean mouth (no food/drink or toothbrushing for 10 min before and after). With 200C, the potency is much stronger, which means it’s longer acting and deeper acting and you will only need to take it once, most likely. With all homeopathy, less is more. You want to take the minimum amount required to start the self-healing process.
“This homeopathy first aid kit saved my Christmas! I have been following Alexis and her recommendations for a few years. I was traveling for Christmas this year and I took with me the homeopathy first aid kit, a few 30C Boiron tubes and the First Aid Kit flower remedy bottle (which I don't go anywhere without). The kit literally saved my Christmas after getting food poisoning two days before the big day. I am so glad I had it with me.”
— Mahé