Belated happy 2020! A whole new decade lies ahead; may it be full of good health and wonderful memories.
Like many families, my own was beset with flu over the festive period. The mostly mild winter may be responsible for the recent increase in bugs and viruses. Perhaps the recent sub-zero temperatures will have killed most of them off. In the meantime, many are still suffering with coughs, colds and flu. Here are a few ideas, both homeopathic and nutritional, that you may want to consider if you or one of your family is struggling with an acute illness.
(Disclaimer - always see a GP or visit a hospital if you or your child is extremely unwell)
For the first signs of a cold - often a sore throat, or perhaps sneezing or a runny nose, homeopathic Aconite is worth a try.
For a sore throat with pain on swallowing and/or a fever, Belladonna often helps.
For thick, profuse mucus from the nose or in the throat, Kali bich is the best choice of remedy. If it doesn't help, Pulsatilla is a good bet (and is the number one remedy for childhood ear infections).
Some useful cough remedies that I have recently prescribed for acute coughs: Drosera and Ant tart (both of these feature night time coughing that often ends in vomiting - it is worth looking them both up to differentiate if you have these symptoms, or ask your homeopath, as it can sometimes be hard to decide which is best) and Phosphorus (particularly if the patient has a history of or genetic susceptibility to respiratory conditions).
For persistent coughs, especially in children and particularly if the cough is dry/hard or croup-like, it is best to see a homeopath for professional advice.
Nutritionally, sore throats can be soothed with raw or Manuka honey, lemon and ginger tea and elderberry syrup.
Coughs and excessive throat mucus - try strawberries and raspberries. They both contain elagic acid which is an anti-inflammatory for the lungs.
If vomiting has occurred as part of a virus, it is a good idea to help restore the gut flora by taking a good quality probiotic for a month.
While convalescing, and indeed for the remainder of the winter period, a high potency vitamin C supplement will help to give your immune system a much needed boost. We are also all chronically deprived of vitamin D in the northern hemisphere, so a combination of D3 with K2 (to increase absorption of the vitamin D into the bones) is also worth adding.
Finally, here is the date for my next first aid workshop: Wednesday 26th February 10am till midday in Nailsworth. The cost is £25. To book your place and to pay the £15 deposit, please email me sjpereira@gmail.com
Learn more about my workshops here http://www.sampereira.co.uk/workshops