Help! I'm Really Worried About the Swine Flu/H1N1 Virus!

It seems like everyday the news or radio is reporting about the Swine Flu or the H1N1 virus which is supposed to be the next pandemic. All of these reports can ramp up the fear and panic, especially for those of us with small children. First, let’s all take a deep breath and try to look at this whole situation with some perspective.

The Cause for Concern:
There are some good reasons why many public health officials are concerned about the H1N1 virus. The first reason is that it is a new virus- which means that it is a strain that we haven’t seen before and thus, we haven’t developed natural antibodies against it. Another possible cause of concern is that young, healthy adults appeared to have died from this virus especially in the early stages in Mexico. It is possible that there were other factors involved in these deaths. Another reason for encouragement is that there has been a milder form of H1N1 in North America.

Difficulty in Conventional Medical Treatment:
It looks as if this virus is sensitive to two anti-viral agents (Tamiflu and Relenza). There are a few pharmaceutical companies that are racing to produce a vaccine. One of the biggest problems is that it takes a lot of time to identify and make a vaccine capable of managing a severe outbreak of the flu. This is especially true if the virus mutates and is able to develop resistance to medication or a vaccine. We already know that the ‘flu shot’ is only approximately 40% effective partly because epidemiologists cannot accuarately predict all of the specific strains of influenza that change with each flu season.

Enter Homeopathy…
Homeopathy gained its reputation by successfully treating many of infectious epidemics of the 18th and 19th century including outbreaks of Cholera, Typhoid, Scarlet Fever and the Spanish Flu of 1918. The Spanish Flu is particularly relevant to the current H1N1 outbreak because it was also a H1N1 type A influenza virus. Public health records indicate the amazing success of homeopathy in treating people during the Spanish Flu. The mortality rate of people treated with conventional medicine was 30 percent while those treated by homeopathic physicians had mortality rate of 1.05 percent. Of the fifteen hundred cases reported at the Homeopathic Medical Society of the District of Columbia there were only fifteen deaths. Recoveries in the National Homeopathic Hospital were 100%. In Ohio, of 1,000 cases of influenza, Dr. T. A. McCann, MD, Dayton, Ohio reported NO DEATHS.

Using Homeopathy to Prevent and Treat Influenza
Homeopathy can assist in the treatment of Influenza in several ways;

Prevention:
Homeopaths have been using Homeopathic Prophylaxis (or preventative treatment) to prevent the development of Influenza for over 150 years. The main remedy used for this is called Influenzinum. Homeopathic Prophylaxis is different from the ‘flu shot’ in that the ‘flu shot’ involves introducing crude doses of Influenza along with several chemicals into your body including thimerosol (mercury) and formaldehyde. On the other hand, homeopathic remedies including Influenzinum, have no extra chemicals in them and do not create side effects.

Acute Treatment:
Homeopathy can be used very successfully to treat symptoms of influenza while you are sick. In most cases, this type of homeopathic treatment can cure and speed up recovery from even severe forms of influenza. The pattern of symptoms of most cases of Influenza match very closely to symptoms that several homeopathic remedies are known to cure.

Chronic Treatment:
One of the advantages of Homeopathic treatment is that it reduces susceptibility to illness. This means that it will lessen both the frequency and intensity of illness over time if you are someone that seems to come down with every cold or virus especially during the winter months. At the same time, it can improve many health complaints ranging from headaches, indigestion, skin conditions, PMS/menstrual discomfort and much more.

Rebecca Gower is a Homeopathic Physician in private practice in Toronto. She offers free homeopathic flu prevention starting in October 2009 or upon request. For more information, she can be reached at 647-688-8290 or at redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com.

Homeopathy for Injuries

I briefly discussed the potential for homeopathy in a whole range of injuries. Homeopathy can do some magical things here and it just isn't about Arnica. Yes, Arnica can be wonderful and is often the default remedy in lots of injuries especially those with a sudden manifestation. There are a whole bunch of other remedies including Hypericum, Bryonia, Symphytum and much more.

So many friends and acquaintances tell me about injuries from falls, broken bones, bruises etc. They rarely call me to see if there is anything homeopathy can do for them. I think the problem may be that people don't think Homeopathy or any other "natural medicine" can help. So, don't forget homeopathy in injuries or any other acute conditions. Here are some examples of where Homeopathy can help:

• Whiplash
• Injuries to areas rich in nerves- such as falls on the head, tailbone, crushed fingers or toes etc.
  
• Injuries that have a sudden nature such as car accidents, bike accidents, concussions etc.
• Broken bones ( homeopathy can play a role once the broken bones are set)
• Sprains (ankles, knees etc)
• To speed the healing of wounds, bruises etc.
• Pre and post surgery protocols to speed healing, lower bruising etc.

I wanted to share a recent case of knee pain that really shows how Homeopathy shines by choosing a remedy that most closely matches a patient's symptom picture.

Patient came with a complaint of sudden, acute knee pain. Upon investigation, I found the following symptoms;

• Worse initial motion, better continued motion
• Cracking in the right knee
• Feeling as if the knee is dislocated
• Cracking and pain in the knee is worse from turning/pivoting
• Patient has to walk with right leg straigtened to avoid pain.

Initially I was thinking about prescribing a remedy called Rhus Toxicodendron because of the worse initial motion and better continued motion. However, on further examination, the symptom that was more characteristic was the cracking in the knee and the pain was worse on changing direction or turning. The patient later indicated that she had to keep her leg straight when she walked in order to lower the pain. Based on these symptoms, I prescribed the remedy Calcarea Carbonica. If we look at Hering's Guiding Symptoms, we can find the following:

Weakness of knee as if sprained, gives way under him, has to straighten it before walking.

Calc-C is also known for the creaking/cracking sound in the knees. Patient received 2 doses. There was about 40% improvement after the first dose; the pain disappeared completely after the second dose.

As we can see, Homeopathy is not only useful for treatment of chronic conditions, but also for acutes and injuries. For more information, you can contact me at the clinic at 647-688-8290 or redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com

Summary of Cuban Experiences with Leptosporidosis

Here is the preliminary report by the authors of a Cuban Study that used homeopathy to prevent Leptospirosis in 2.5 million Cubans.

Homeoprophylaxis: Cuban Experiences on Leptospirosis

Dr. Concepción Campa, Dr. Luis E. Varela, Dr. Esperanza Gilling, MCs. Rolando Fernández, Tec. Bárbara Ordaz, Dr. Gustavo Bracho, Dr. Luis García, Dr. Jorge Menéndez, Lic. Natalia Marzoa, Dr. Rubén Martínez.

“The Finlay Institute is a centre dedicated to development and production of vaccines; we also bring our WHO qualified facilities for all homeopaths and homeopathic medicine. The Finlay Institute acts as supporting institution for research, production and development of high quality homeopathic products. However, according with the social objective addressing prevention of infectious diseases, we are focused on homeo- prophylaxis as strategy to attenuate the impact of preventable diseases on developing world, the ones that need it the most.

Thus, development and evaluation of nosodes, appears to be our main approach to fill up the breakthrough on current conventional strategies based on vaccination. Similarly with vaccination interventions, massive applications of prophylactic nosodes give rise to a greater impact on population health compared with individualized therapies. In addition, the easy administration and low economics resources needed, become this alternative really suitable and accessible for developing countries and almost the best for emergency situations comprising epidemic outbreaks and natural disasters. The Cuban experiences of massively administrated nosodes supports it use as promising solution to confront epidemiological dangerous situations.

On October November 2007, three provinces of the eastern region of Cuba were affected by strong rainfalls causing floods of big areas and several damages to sanitary and health systems. The risk of leptospirosis infection raised extremely dangerous levels with about 2 million of peoples exposed to potentially contaminated water.

Considering this situation, the Finlay Institute prepared a leptospira nosode 200 CH using 4 circulating strains and following international quality standards. A multidisciplinary team travelled to the affected regions to conduct the massive administration of the nosode. Coordinated action with public health system infrastructures allowed the administration of a preventive treatment consisting in two doses (7- 9 days apart) of the nosode to about 2,4 million of people (4,8 million of doses). The coverage of the intervention rose up to 95% percent of total population of the three provinces at risk.

The epidemiology surveillance after the intervention showed a dramatic decrease of morbidity two weeks after and a reduction to cero of mortality of hospitalized patient. The number of confirmed leptospirosis cases remains at low levels and below the expected levels according with the trends and rain regimens.

A reinforcing application was given after the hit of the hurricane IKE but using the nosode diluted up to 10 MC. Strict epidemiologic surveillance is carried out on this provinces. Up to date result will be presented.

The results supported the design of new strategies for leptospirosis control. This experience could be extended to other diseases and other countries. The Finlay Institute is offering our facilities and specialists to spread this alternative to all regions needing emergent alternatives for epidemic control and prevention”.

Homeopathic Sceptic Reluctantly Admits That There is Something to Homeopathy

MADELEINE Ennis, a pharmacologist at Queen's University, Belfast, was the scourge of homeopathy. She railed against its claims that a chemical remedy could be diluted to the point where a sample was unlikely to contain a single molecule of anything but water, and yet still have a healing effect. Until, that is, she set out to prove once and for all that homeopathy was bunkum.

In her most recent paper, Ennis describes how her team looked at the effects of ultra-dilute solutions of histamine on human white blood cells involved in inflammation. These "basophils" release histamine when the cells are under attack. Once released, the histamine stops them releasing any more. The study, replicated in four different labs, found that homeopathic solutions - so dilute that they probably didn't contain a single histamine molecule - worked just like histamine. Ennis might not be happy with the homeopaths' claims, but she admits that an effect cannot be ruled out.

So how could it happen? Homeopaths prepare their remedies by dissolving things like charcoal, deadly nightshade or spider venom in ethanol, and then diluting this "mother tincture" in water again and again. No matter what the level of dilution, homeopaths claim, the original remedy leaves some kind of imprint on the water molecules. Thus, however dilute the solution becomes, it is still imbued with the properties of the remedy.

You can understand why Ennis remains sceptical. And it remains true that no homeopathic remedy has ever been shown to work in a large randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial. But the Belfast study (Inflammation Research, vol 53, p 181) suggests that something is going on. "We are," Ennis says in her paper, "unable to explain our findings and are reporting them to encourage others to investigate this phenomenon." If the results turn out to be real, she says, the implications are profound: we may have to rewrite physics and chemistry.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18524911.600-13-things-that-do-not-make-sense.html?page=2

Using Homeopathy for First-Aid in the Summer

We're now into the full swing of summer which means for many of us, spending more time in the outdoors. This of course, can mean a whole spectrum of opportunities to use homeopathy for first-aid. Today I wanted to talk about insect bites, burns (including sun burn), and minor injuries such as falls, scrapes and sprains.

It is important to remember that a suitable homeopathic remedy is not chosen just based on a type of pathology/condition/injury, but rather we are looking for the pattern of your symptoms that are the closest match to those symptoms we know a particular remedy can cure. Also, the remedy you might need for an injury or another acute ailment may not be on the list. Please contact a homeopathic physician if your complaint doesn't improve within a few days when self-prescribing.

Insect Bites:
-Bee stings: The homeopathic remedy Apis Melifaca (made from the honey bee) can be useful for many types of insect bites, and especially bee stings, when there is a lot of swelling and the itching and pain feels better from cold applications or cold bathing.
-Mosquito bites: Ledum Pallustre is one of the top remedies for mosquito bites. Ledum is also a great remedy for puncture wounds, black eyes and much more. It's indications are often mottled or blueness of the skin (especially in abcessess or wounds) which is worse from heat and strongly improved by cold applications (similar to Apis)

Burns:
-Cantharis is a great remedy for burns, and especially 2nd and 3rd degrees burns where there are vesicles (eruptions filled with fluid) that burn and itch quite intensely. I have used it successfully for a severe sunburn as well as burning from cutting jalapenos peppers and touching my face without washing my hands.
-Urtica Urens is also a good burn remedy for less serious burns. It is also used for the agonizing stinging pains that come from close contact with the nettle plant.
-Don't forget Calendula for burns also. Calendula in tincture form works really well for healing of burns. You can take 10 drops in a little water a few times a day and also apply the tincture diluted in water directly on the burn.

Falls, Sprains, Scrapes:
-Arnica Montana is often the first-line treatment in injuries such as falls or injuries especially where there is a suddenness or unexpected aspect to them. Some specific indications of Arnica are a sore, bruised feeling; unable to find a comfortable position; a person with a sudden injury may not want to be touched or may say they are fine immediately after a serious accident.
-Hypericum (St. John's Wort) is especially known for injuries to areas rich in nerves such as fingers, toes and the head; it is also indicated for falls on the coccyx (tailbone)
-Rhus-Toxicodendron is often over prescribed for a variety of joint problems including sprains. It can work wonderfully if you have the following symptoms; worse for initial motion but better for continued motion; pain is usually worse at night with restlessness; pain is significantly ameliorated by heat.
-Also don't forget about Calendula (Marigold). It is wonderful to help speed healing of the skin from a whole bunch of injuries. Calendula works by increasing granulation of wounds, so it shouldn't be used if you have an infected cut or wound.

Figuring Out Potency/Dosage:
-For most adults in an acute situation, 200c is a good place to start. For children you could use a 30c.
-In an acute situation such as an injury, the general rule of thumb is that you should feel an improvement within 3 doses (2 pellets each). If you feel no improvement at this time, this means it is not the correct remedy.
-Do not keep taking the remedy- take only when you need it. This means if you feel your complaint get better and all your symptoms disappear, stop taking the remedy. If your complaint improved and slightly relapsed, take another dose as necessary.

If you have questions about how homeopathy can work for you, I offer complimentary 15-minute consultations in person or on the telephone. I can be reached at 647-688-8290 or by e-mail at redpearlhomeopathy@gmail.com