Freedom from Digestive Distress
by author Nicole Duelli, CCH, RSHom(NA)

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
-Virginia Woolf

Gillian dreaded her digestive response to the dinner party she would have otherwise thoroughly enjoyed. She knew the starches and food combinations would cause discomfort at best, nausea and diarrhea at worst.

The vital importance of easy digestion is most obvious when it is not working as it should. Food provides not only nutrients for energy and tissue repair but also satisfaction when the meal is digested properly.

The remedies below will help in the moment, but recurring problems usually require a more involved assessment by a homeopath. Whether the problem is allergies, liver problems, cramps, or loose stools, choose the remedy most applicable to your symptoms for the best results.

Antimonium crudum was the choice for Gillian, stimulating her weak digestion. Her thickly coated tongue was another good indication to use this remedy.

Arsenicum album is useful when experiencing diarrhea from eating too much fruit, spoiled food, or food too cold for the stomach. Burning sensations cause restlessness and anxiety and there may be nausea and vomiting.

Chelidonium is an excellent liver remedy that relieves stitching pains in the liver area when combined with pains along the right shoulder blade.

Colocynthis helps whenever severe gripping pain doubles you up.

Lycopodium is another liver and gallbladder tonic (but only when the symptoms fit). Use it when you have right-sided pains associated with bloating, gurgling, and distention, when the belt needs loosening, and when craving a warm drink.

Nux vomica is a common remedy for the effects of today's hectic lifestyle and stress with cramps and pain from eating too much, too quickly. The person may feel nauseated and gag without relief, or may feel an urge for a bowel movement, which isn't satisfied.

Phosphorus treats stomach pains that burn and are temporarily relieved by ice-cold drinks. It also helps when the person has diarrhea with a feeling that the anus will not close.

Gillian chooses homeopathic remedies because the medicine is natural, gentle, and effective without the rebounding or side effects of other types of treatment. To find a homeopath near you, go to wchs.info, homeopathicdirectory.com, or homeopathy.org.

How much to take?

Take the best-suited remedy in a 30c potency, repeating every 20 to 30 minutes for severe problems&otherwise every two hours&for three doses (3 to 5 pills dissolved on the tongue). Continue only as needed, stopping as symptoms improve.

A healthy diet and good eating habits cannot be replaced by remedies. Instead of wolfing down yesterday's cold leftovers in front of the television just before bedtime, spend a few minutes making something fresh to prepare your digestion and your mind. Digestive trouble is your body's way of telling you, "Pay attention to what you eat and how you eat it."

Skeptics of homeopathy should review the 1994 study of childhood diarrhea in Nicaragua published in the medical journal Pediatrics, which showed remarkable outcomes using remedies, proving homeopathy's efficacy in treating acute illnesses.

Nicole Duelli, CCH, RSHom(NA), enjoys sharing her love for homeopathy. She began as a naturopath in Germany and is now a certified classical homeopath who’s been practising in Vancouver for 11 years. Reach her at editorial@alive.com.

Source: alive Web Exclusive, March 2007