Summertime and the living is easy, BUT when you get sick, get stung or get a sunburn, life ain’t so easy! When you know about homeopathy, however, it makes these situations less of a problem. (Remedies can be purchased at many local health food stores like Whole Foods or the Vitamin Shoppe or online.)
If you get stung by a bee or other insect and the area around your sting is painful, red, hot and swollen AND better by a cold application like cold water or ice, then the homeopathic remedy called Apis Mellifica would be a good remedy choice.
If you get a sunburn, there are several remedies to consider but before taking any remedy, try the homeopathic principle of “like cures like”. I totally understand that the logic of putting something cold on a burn feels good, but it actually prolongs and intensifies the pain from the burn. IF your skin isn’t broken and you can tolerate a hot shower or hot application on the sunburn for a few seconds at a time, you should find that the heat from the hot water quickly cools your skin down.
If you can’t tolerate the heated application or just want to go straight to the internal remedy, here are some common options with their indications. Take the remedy under your tongue away from food every 3 hours for a full day. If no change, look at a different remedy.
- Cantharis: For painful burning, possibly with itching, raw sensation. The burn feels better from cold applications and you can’t remove a cold pack for even an instant. If taken immediately, it can prevent blistering.
- Causticum: Burns that blister and ooze (like “chemical” burns). This remedy can be used for old burns that do not get well, and for ill effects from burns.
- Urtica urens: Intense burning or stinging pain, often with violent itching. The burn feels worse from cold water, heat, exercise, and after sleeping.
- Aloe vera gel: A tried and true burn reliever; it should be applied to unbroken skin.
- Hypericum tincture: Relieves pain on sunburn and unbroken blisters.
- Calendula tincture: Helps prevent infection and blisters.
- Urtica urens tincture: Soothes the sting of the burn.
If you get a nasty summer cold, it probably means you aren’t getting enough sleep, overdoing the sugar and/or caffeine and may be under more stress than usual. If it’s just a cold, then use the body wisdom of getting more rest, reduce your stress and drink lots of water. IF it turns into something more serious like a bronchitis or sinus infection, then a visit to a professional homeopath might be in order.
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