Cough medicines don’t work for children under 6yrs old.

This week Government health experts (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) have admitted that popular cough and cold medicines which have been used for years to treat children probably do not work. It was said that over-the-counter medicines 'were not specially designed for children' and that the possible side effects - although not dangerous - could include sleep disturbance, allergic reactions and hallucinations.

As a local homeopath I would like to reassure parents that they do have other safe options. Homeopathic remedies are a natural form of medicine that works very well for treating coughs (chronic and acute), for all ages and without side effects. Unlike some conventional medicines that suppress the symptoms, homeopathic remedies will only work with the body not against it.
It can be counter productive to suppress a cough with cough medicine as this may prevent the person from coughing up mucous, and if the mucous is not expelled, a more serious infection may develop.

There are many homeopathic remedies that you can self prescribe which can be bought in a pharmacy, health food shop or by mail order (Helios or Nelsons pharmacy).
A common and easily available remedy that is often used is Bryonia. The symptoms for this would be a hard dry, painful cough which causes the patient to hold his chest or head, it would be worse on movement, eating, swallowing and the patient would be thirsty for cold drinks.
Two other remedies (not so common so try mail order) that have been useful for recent coughs that I have been treating are: Drosera in which case the patient would have a violent, tickly cough with retching and gagging, pain below ribs, and is worse at night and outdoors. Also, Coccus cacti the symptoms of which would be a hard, short, hacking cough that ends in copious stringy thick mucous. The patient would be worse in a hot room or for having hot food or drinks and better for cold or open air, cold drinks and food. Worse 6-7am or after 11.30pm.

There are many thousands of remedies, but the latter are a few that have been useful recently. These remedies can be taken in 30c dose two to three times daily. If coughing is associated with difficulty breathing, blue tongue or lips, unusual drowsiness, fast breathing or difficulty speaking then consult your GP. Recurrent or persisting coughs require treatment from a professional homeopath.
For more information contact Cathy Morris-Adams at The Remedy Centre, Wells on 01749 677 555 or homeopathy.cathy@gmail.com

Homeopathy Awareness Week

Homeopathy Awareness week

Next week is National Homeopathy Awareness Week, which means you will find local homeopaths out and about or in the media promoting this natural system of medicine.

In the light of recent media slur on homeopathy this is very good timing. As a practitioner I can testify that the recent attempt at bad publicity from some eminent doctors has backfired. Many people who have had good results from their homeopathic treatment are frustrated by this narrow mindedness and are coming out of the closet and proclaiming the success of homeopathy. My practice has never been busier.

Cathy Morris-Adams RSHom

National headlines ask for cuts in homeopathy funding

Local Homeopath Cathy Morris-Adams responds to this weeks national headline about Complementary/alternative healthcare.

On Tuesday this week, some of Britain's leading doctors urged NHS trusts to stop using complementary therapies and to pay only for medicine "based on solid evidence". About half of GPs are thought to refer patients to alternative therapists. In a letter, reproduced in the Times, the doctors (organised by Michael Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at University College London), raised concern that the NHS is backing "unproven or disproved treatments", like homeopathy and acupuncture. The letter described homeopathy as an "implausible treatment for which over a dozen systematic reviews have failed to produce convincing evidence of effectiveness".

This was headline news on the same day Prince Charles was due to make a speech in Geneva urging foreign ministers to back complementary therapies. He was putting forward the case for alternative medicine in the fight against serious disease, in a speech to the World Health Assembly.

Perhaps these doctors are forgetting the horrors of the recent drug trial that went horribly wrong. Yes conventional medicine can show immediate effects on the human body as it works against the natural processes. Whereas complementary health care works with the body giving perhaps slower, but longer lasting improvement and without side effects.

BBC tv and radio interviewed 93-year-old Jane Gilchrist, homeopathy advocate. "It has been in the NHS since 1948. It's the best kept secret in Britain," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. She said it was difficult to collect data because it was hard to prove the effectiveness of a therapy "based on people, not on symptoms".

Doctors are criticising the fact that much of the evidence for homeopathy is anecdotal. The Daily Mail has been running an Internet poll on homeopathy’s effectiveness, at present it stands at 83% of voters say yes it works. The reason homeopathy claims it’s success by word of mouth is that there is a fundamental problem with scientific tests on homeopathy. It will not fit into orthodox medical models where a particular ailment is treated by a specific medicine.

However, in trials that allow for a treatment of the person not the symptoms, then homeopathy is shown to be very effective.

A recent six-year study at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital shows over 70% of patients with chronic diseases reported positive health changes after treatment. More than 6,500 patients took part in the study with problems ranging from eczema to menopause and arthritis. The biggest improvements were seen in children - 89% of under 16s with asthma reported improvement. Theses types of studies also dismiss the placebo effect, as tiny babies also show vast improvements in health.

With the current growth in the organic food market we will also see more evidence of the effectiveness of homeopathy in animals that cannot have improvement in health due to the placebo effect.

This group of doctors who hit the headlines are claiming that much needed money is being wasted on complementary health. What is so frustrating about this is that most complementary health therapies are also forms of preventative medicine, which could therefore in the long run save billions of pounds to the NHS.

I am not suggesting that complementary health care should take over from conventional (it’s name alone says it all), but it should be embraced as an extra tool in the search for good health. Most complementary therapies are based on hundreds of years of clinical evidence why throw it all away?

Perhaps David Cameron was right this week. "It's time we admitted that there's more to life than money, and it's time we focused not just on GDP, but on GWB - general well-being," he said.

If you are have a point of view about this complementary health issue that you would like to share publicly, please contact Cathy Morris-Adams on 01749 899 228.

menopause

Menopause- How to help yourself by Cathy Morris-Adams

It’s summer at last and we are looking forward to balmy warm days. However, there is a significant proportion of the population who will be dreading it- menopausal women whose hot flushes are exacerbated by the summer weather.

If you are one such lady, don’t panic and go charging of to your GP for HRT as there is a lot you can do for yourself and there are natural treatments that can really help you to sail through this period of your life and come out rejuvenated at the other end.

The things that you can start doing for yourself straight way are exercise and change of diet. Increasing foods that contain phyto- oestrogens (soya products are rich in these) and reducing the protein in your diet, may check osteoporosis. By taking Vit E and avoiding hot spicy food and red wine, you may reduce hot flushes and by drinking fewer caffeine- rich drinks, you can reduce anxiety and palpitations.

Weight bearing exercise, such as walking or jogging, is great for maintaining the health of your bones and swimming and yoga will maintain joint mobility.

During the menopause, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which control the menstrual cycle, are produced in lower quantities until periods stop altogether.

The conventional view of the menopause is that it is like a disease that needs to be treated. By replacing the ‘lost’ hormones, using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the form of pills, patches or creams, the medical profession believes it offers one simple answer to the problems women face. But natural methods of treatment, which work on a much deeper level are available too.

We now know that replacing the missing hormones is not a risk free option. Artificially replacing oestrogen and progesterone in a constant dose is like driving a car in one gear; you may have more energy but there are serious long-term implications for health. New clinical guidance recommends GPs offer HRT in only the worst cases and for a period of only five years. Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the British Medical Association discourage GPs from prescribing HRT to prevent osteoporosis.

If you do not wish to live with the side effects of orthodox treatment such as HRT, then homeopathic treatment is an ideal alternative. It is especially beneficial as it also prepares women emotionally for the changes and it has no side effects.

The menopause is the change of life that signals the end of childbearing years. For many women this also corresponds with other changes, such as children leaving home. As homeopathy works on all levels, not just the physical, it prepares the woman emotionally for this change by helping her deal with symptoms such as poor memory, poor concentration, tearfulness, anxiety and loss of interest in sex and many more individual symptoms.

On a physical level homeopathy greatly alleviates the typical menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.

The menopause is an important natural stage of life, which if addressed properly, can help women to move onto their next stage energised and ready to engage in new opportunities that come about at that time in their life.

For more information or to book an appointment with Homeopath Cathy Morris-Adams RSHom, please call Pithers Yard Clinic, Castle Cary on 01963 350 405.

flu compilation article

Midsomerset Series Newspapers

Complementary Health Section

Copy deadline date 22/12/05

Cathy Morris Adams Contact 01749 673300/899228

PICTURE

See attachments

Subject

FLU

Flu

Flu or influenza is caused by many different strains of virus and is spread by droplet infection. It affects the respiratory system causing sore throat, cough and sometimes chest pain, but also produces muscular aches, headache, and fever. Incubation period is 1-2 days, fever lasts 2-3 days and full recovery may take 1-2 weeks. Provided there are no complications (if temperature is not back to normal within 4 days then do contact your doctor) a GP would usually suggest bed rest and plenty of fluids. Antibiotics are not appropriate unless there is a secondary infection.

In the column this week, we have four suggestions of natural treatments that can be preventative or speed up recovery.

Homeopathy.

If the symptoms fit, the following remedies can be taken in 6c potency, every 2 hours for up to 10 doses:

Chills up and down the spine, feeling tired, weak and shaky, but not thirsty, bursting headache and passing urine seems to relieve symptoms. Gelsemium.

Symptoms come on suddenly, especially in very cold dry weather and the person is very apprehensive. Aconite.

Feeling dried out, hot and irritable, especially when moving about, tremendous thirst at infrequent intervals, headache made worse by coughing, wanting to be quite in own home. Bryonia.

Symptoms come on very suddenly, very high temperature, excited state, Dilated pupils and very flushed face. Belladonna.

Prolonged depression and /or debility after flu needs to be treated by a professional Homeopath.

Cathy Morris-Adams (RSHom ), 01749 899228.

Acupuncture.

In simple terms, Chinese Medicine views the symptoms associated with Colds and Flu as a reaction to the invasion of an exterior pathogenic factor known as ‘Wind-Cold’. This usually occurs when the body’s energy has been temporarily weakened, by say overwork or emotional stress, giving the pathogen the upper hand, allowing it to enter the body and begin wreaking it’s havoc.

The principal aim of treatment under these circumstances is firstly to select Acupuncture points that have the ability to help purge the system of the Wind-Cold pathogen and then usually to support with points that will gently warm and tonify the lungs.

In addition it may be helpful to induce sweating to enhance the expulsion process. This can be achieved with the help of certain foods and herbs, but there are also a number of Acupuncture points which have this function.

Acupuncture can also be utilised as a preventative measure to insure that the body is in the best possible condition to fend off any attack before it can really take hold. If however, we are unlucky enough to have already succumbed, it can be of great benefit for the alleviation of symptoms and helping to ensure a speedy recovery instead of a long drawn-out battle.

Ben Taylor (Lic.Ac.), 01749 860036.

Nutrition.

I would recommend an increase intake of non-sugar fluids, such as filtered water, fruit juices, herbal teas, or green or white tea for antioxidants. 1-4g Vit.C daily, and echinacea in tincture or tablet form, which increases the production of white blood cells in the body to help fight infection.. For sore throats a local or manuka honey taken with warm water and fresh lemon juice is very soothing and healing. If a cough develops a herbal Cough remedy will help lift any mucus and soothe the throat, I recommend Potters Vegetable Cough Remover or their Chest Mixture, both have proved to be very beneficial with my customers.
Sue Gallagher. Nutritionist. Cheddar Organica , 01934 741 644.

Herbal Medicine.

Your best chance of fighting flu successfully and making a quick recovery is to keep healthy and build up your immune system. Herbal medicine can help your immune defence, as well as the symptoms of flu. It makes sense to look after yourself now. Make a special effort to get enough sleep, avoid stress, eat healthily ( plenty of fresh fruit and green veg, fresh garlic, at least 2 pints water a day), take regular exercise, avoid chills. Herbs such as echinacea, eleutherococcus, astragalus and withania all boost the immune system, but need to be taken responsibly, as pill popping is not the answer. If you do catch flu, bed rest and plenty of liquids (not sugary drinks, more than 50g sugar a day reduces white blood cell action) are essential. A hot herb tea made with elderflower yarrow and ginger ( I dessertspoon of each brewed for 10 mins in a medium teapot) one cup 4/5 times daily, with one to 6g Vitamin C and 900 mg echinacea purpurea root will help your symptoms If you're not confident about dosages, or are already on prescription drugs, or are pregnant, be sure to consult a qualified medical herbalist

Cresten Boase, MNIMH, 07866 300306.

………..if you didn’t hear enough bad Christmas cracker jokes, here’s just one more….What's the difference between a photocopier and the flu? One makes facsimiles; the other makes sick families.

Wells-based practitioners, Cathy Morris-Adams, Homeopath, and Stacey Camfield, Osteopath, are co-ordinating the Complementary Health Section. If you are a local practitioner and would like to contribute, please contact them on 01749 673300.

ENDS

lancet report 2005

Re: National media coverage on Fri 26^th August of The Lancet report - Is Homeopathy just a placebo effect?

A report in the respected medical journal The Lancet said that patients treated with homeopathy fared no better than those treated with a dummy, "placebo" therapy. This sparked debate on TV, newspapers and radio, over whether complementary therapies should be provided on the health service.

Several days prior to this, the Prince of Wales, a passionate campaigner for integration of complementary therapies into general medicine, hit the headlines with news that he has commissioned a report into its benefits, reportedly in an attempt to persuade the Government to offer more of the many therapies on the NHS. The report is expected to claim that providing alternative therapies could save the health service up to £3.5bn in drugs bills.

The Lancet claims that it is the placebo effect of the amount of time spent talking to the patient during a homeopathic consultation that makes it work and that there are no real biochemical changes due to the pills.

In support of homeopathy, firstly, it has to be stated that the randomised control trials that scientists’ use for conventional medicine will never show true results of homeopathy. It is an energetic system of medicine that treats the whole individual not the disease name, so giving the same pill to many people with a particular condition in a trial, just wont work. In defence of Homeopathy with regard to the placebo effect, what about all the animals being treated and babies who cannot possibly just improve due to a chat in a consultation

I have to say before I go any further, that I am a Homeopath, so my view will be biased. I must make clear that I am in no way anti orthodox medicine, I think of homeopathy as a ‘complimentary ‘ not ‘alternative’ medicine.

My reason for writing this letter is that I think it is a shame that reports such as The Lancet will only slow down the process of movement towards making this natural system of medicine available to all on the NHS.

Somerset is particularly an enlightened area of the country with respect to use of complementary therapies. I would like to think that due to the slower pace of life, we are not looking for the quick fix at all costs.

There are now more than 47,000 practitioners of alternative medicine in the UK, more than the number of GPs. Despite suspicion from some quarters of the medical establishment, many family doctors are embracing alternative therapies, with some practices now offering acupuncture and homeopathy within their own surgeries and almost 50% of GP’s in England are referring patients to Homeopaths and almost 80% in Scotland.

Homeopathy will only become widely available on the NHS when there is demand for it, which will in turn provide more clinical evidence that it works.

I coordinate the complimentary health section for this paper and I would be very grateful to receive some stories from local people who have had homeopathic treatment and had results that show Homeopathy can’t just be a placebo effect. I would then like to publish them in the column in the near future),

Cathy Morris-Adams RSHom, can be contacted on 01749 899 228 or cathy@homeopathic-medicine.info.

hay fever

It’s that time of year again, dreaded by nearly a fifth of the UK population who suffer from hay fever.

Many over-the-counter drugs work by suppressing symptoms, bringing short-term relief. However, they do not reduce underlying susceptibility and may produce side effects such as drowsiness or in the case of corticosteroids they can suppress the immune system. Alternatively, there are more natural approaches to the problem of hay fever.

The homeopathic view of hay fever is that it is a sign of an imbalance in the immune system. Ideally this should be treated ‘constitutionally’, which means a full homeopathic treatment is given which will tackle an underlying predisposition to hay fever by boosting the immune system and strengthening the body as a whole so reducing sensitivity to environmental factors like pollen. This approach usually reduces severity of hay fever during the first year, with significant results and very often elimination of this allergic reaction in the second or third season.

A visit to a homeopath is needed for a constitutional treatment, but you can alleviate your symptoms this hay fever season with a bit of self-help. See if your symptoms fit any of the following commonly used hay fever remedy pictures.

Allium Cepa- nose dripping like a tap, discharge feels burning and can lead to very sore nose or upper lip. Eyes watering, and are worse for light. Lots of sneezing and nose feels blocked. Throat hoarse and feels as if there are hooks in it. Worse late afternoon or evening, and late summer. Also worse for warm food/drink. Better out of doors. Symptoms often begin on left side and go to right.

Euphrasia-Eyes inflamed, swollen, extreme irritation with burning and itching. Wakes with crusty eyelids. Intense sneezing and coughing up phlegm with tickly cough and retching on waking. Worse morning and worse indoors.

Sabadilla- Violent sneezing, nose dripping with very watery discharge and nostrils stuffed up. Nose constantly itching and sometimes bleeding. Redness, swelling and watering of eyes. Frontal headache. Symptoms worse in open air, and better for heat and warm drinks.

Gelsemium- Non-stop sneezing, worse morning. Discharge as if hot water passes through nose. Eyes heavy, puffy and watering. Feeling of heaviness, apathetic, listless, dizzy and shaky. Feels worse if overheated or in humid weather.

If one of the latter descriptions matches your symptoms then you could get the remedy in 6c and take it as often as necessary for up to 10 doses.

There are many homeopathic remedies, and if the right one for your symptoms is found it can greatly help to alleviate your symptoms without side effects. However, this type of ‘acute’ treatment is unlikely to cure the hay fever problem long term, so sometime before the next hay fever season it would be beneficial to have a ‘constitutional’ treatment to try to eliminate the problem in the future.

Cathy Morris-Adams is a registered homeopath working in Wells and Castle Cary. She can be contacted on 01749 899 228.