It's February 2012 already, and I thought this would be a good time to write to you with some ideas for pepping up your New Year.

NEW YEAR THOUGHTS

Here's some research that might cheer you up or keep you positive about any goals you've set yourself for this year:

The 80-20 rule states that roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes (also known as the Pareto Principle). Put another way, you get 80% of your results from 20% of your efforts. In other words, you don't need to be perfect. This helps people who think that if they haven't put in 100% they might as well just give up.

Don't stress, but keep busy - it's important for human beings to feel purposeful. I have taken the stress out of my "To Do List" by changing my approach to it - instead of treating it as a list of things I must do, I now see it as a memory jogger. It's useful to stop me forgetting things and deadlines, but I don't feel bad that I never tick everything off. I would probably be bored if I ever managed to clear that list off completely!

Likewise, if you're slave-driving yourself to an exercise class because you want to lose weight, try looking at it another way. There are so many benefits to exercise that are not about the inches round your tummy. It produces endorphins in the brain that really give you a lift. It tones and shapes you up, and it improves your cardio health. If you're really not enjoying your regular exercise routine, find a class that you do enjoy instead, and do your exercise for pleasure first and foremost, with any healthy side effects being the cherry on the cake!

To sum up, you probably set yourself goals because you thought they would make you happy - so remember, the end result you want is your happiness, not a tick on a list.

DELIVERY TIMES FOR HOMEOPATHIC REMEDY KITS

I usually post remedy kits by first class mail either the day I receive the order or the day after, providing it's a weekday. So you can expect your kit within a couple of days of ordering unless it's a weekend or Bank Holiday. Especially for the Childbirth Remedy Kits, a lot of women are leaving it too late in the pregnancy to order one. You need to get your remedy kit by 35 weeks pregnant to give you time to familiarise yourself with the contents and what they do. Trust me, if you're in the middle of labour or baby comes early, you will not want to be reading the leaflet trying to differentiate remedies. For this reason, it's a good idea to get your birth partner to clue up on the kit contents and frequency of dosage etc so they can help you with that.

Buy here: http://homeopathyresource.com/remedy_kits_for_sale.shtml.

GREAT RESOURCE FOR HOMEOPATHS AND STUDENTS

I like this database on the Natural History Museum's website: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/homeopathy/index.html.
They've listed all the plants and fungi used in homeopathic remedies complete with photographs. It's really interesting for students of homeopathy. The remedies used in homeopathy are mostly derived from flowering plants, though some conifers and ferns as well as fungi, lichens, brown and red algae are also used. Other homeopathic remedies derive from animals and minerals, but these are not in the database.

ACONITUM NAPELLUS

A very good remedy to mention during what is a very cold snap in the UK, Aconite will help when you have a cold or cough brought on by exposure to dry, cold winds. You have to take it at the first signs that a cold is coming on so it's a good idea to have some already in your home. Aconite is in the Basic 18 Remedy Kit.

HOMEOPATHY FOR SINUSITIS

A lot of people seem to be suffering from this at the moment, and homeopathy shows positive results in helping them (there's a study that shows relevant improvements lasting for 8 years in patients seeking homeopathic treatment because of sinusitis).

Homeopathy, being a holistic therapy, lays emphasis on the onset and on the actual symptoms, type and odour of discharge, temperament and emotional factors of the individual, rather than just the source of infection.

For example, yellowish-green mucous that comes out in strings calls for Kali Bichromicum. Yellowish-green mucous, which is offensive, calls for Mercurius Solubilis. Likewise, an irritable individual with sinusitis may find Hepar Sulphurica helpful, whilst Pulsatilla would be more useful for a mild-tempered person.

SKYPE SESSIONS

These are growing in popularity with the assistance of webcams - it's as good as a face to face session and you don't need to leave the comfort of your own home. I can take your case and get your remedies posted out to you if you're in the UK so distance is no object. Skype to Skype calls are free so there is no telephone charge.

I'll be in touch again soon with more health tips and news about homeopathy, EFT and Matrix Reimprinting. Till then, I wish you happiness and health.

Go to www.homeopathyresource.com for newsletter archives, useful articles, and information about consultations with me.

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SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

No doubt about it, the brighter warmer days and the sight of daffodils and tulips gives everyone a lift. People generally have a "spring" in their step!

Have you ever wondered why the health magazines are full of articles and suggestions for de-toxing at this time of year?

It's because Spring is the season of your liver in Chinese medicine. Our livers are amazing organs which filter absolutely everything that goes into our bodies and onto our skins. According to the Chinese system, the liver gets a boost in the Spring time and so the season supports a cleansing process, making it the optimal time of year for a de-tox.

WHAT IF YOU'RE JUST NOT "FEELING IT" - TIRED FOR NO REASON?

Obviously constant fatigue might have a health-related cause, or even be down to pregnancy, but inexplicable tiredness is a common problem. Assuming you've checked out your tiredness with the doctor and there's no underlying cause, then it could be down to poor sleep quality.

Do you know someone who says "but I get 8, 10, 12 hours a night and I still waken unrefreshed"?

We have a sleep cycle which is on average 90 minutes long, and understanding this can really help to avoid feeling groggy and disoriented when you wake up. Try sleeping for periods in multiples of 90 minutes and see if this helps.

If you're kept from going through this regular sleep cycle, for example by sleeping beside a snorer, you don't get the deep restorative sleep you need.

One emotional reason you might feel constantly exhausted is that you're just not happy. It makes a big difference to your mood first thing in the morning if you've got something exciting planned that you're looking forward to - suddenly tiredness is not an issue! Think about when you're tired - for example, if you get a sudden boost of energy at the weekends, it might be simply that you've had a lie in, or it might be that you don't have to drag yourself through another day at a job you dislike.

SIX QUICK FIXES

Oxygenate yourself! Take a deep breath or three and notice how you feel more awake instantly. Being too hot is tiring so open a window and get the fresh air as well as cooling down a little.

Hydrate yourself! Do drink plenty of water to wake up a sluggish system.

Shake up and wake up! Get up and move around, do a couple of exercises like touching your toes or just have a good stretch.

Listen to some upbeat music! It's amazing how something that gets your toes tapping can liven you up both emotionally and physically. If you have a little dance around you've also moved so that's two birds with one stone.

Speak up! Being bored can feel the same as being tired. Contributing to a conversation or discussion, or giving somebody a quick ring, can liven you up and get you interested again.

Have a laugh! Fun and laughter are great emotions to counteract tiredness, plus you move a few muscles and re-oxygenate.

SPRING CLEANING

Freshen up by using natural cleaning products - there are some great internet sites advising on things like the use of sodium bicarbonate as a fridge cleaner and smell absorber; citrus extracts for cleanliness and a lovely smell; and natural aromatherapy oils like tea trea to kill germs and citronella as an insect repellant, which also smell much nicer than artificial scents. These products are also safer to use in the house and don't add to your chemical toxic load.

This is a great time to de-clutter. Have you ever heard that the state of your house reflects the state you are in? Someone told me once that if your loft or attic is full of old stuff, then so is your head! Interestingly, I was also told that plumbing problems can occur if there is unresolved grief in a family member - the house does the crying for them. Likewise, electrical disturbances can be caused by someone running a lot of energy, such as anger.

Sarah ban Breathnach, in her lovely book "Simple Abundance", tells us that she went through a period when her house simply wouldn't "behave" - no matter how much tidying and cleaning she did, the house was always in a mess and felt uncomfortable. She had a space clearing consultant visit, who said that the house was trying to tell Sarah something. It turned out that her husband was having an affair, bringing the other party to their home during the day when Sarah was out.

I have teamed up with a psychic and medium and we now offer house clearing and space clearing services. This doesn't mean we will do your housework for you! If you think something is wrong energetically or spiritually with your home, we will visit personally if you live in the Bucks or Herts area, but this can also be done by distance. Please get in touch if you think we can help.

GET RID OF THE BAGGAGE

Making the connection with clearing out old stuff reminds me of Matrix Reimprinting, a really great way to de-clutter mentally and emotionally.

In Matrix Reimprinting, we learn that there are many ECHOs of ourselves, created at moments of trauma. Trauma varies in severity, from living in a war zone (and some homes/families can feel like that), to a car accident, to a horrible moment where there was an emotional shock. Whatever the cause, if it is still playing out in your life, it can be helped with Matrix Reimprinting.

ECHO stands for "energy consciousness hologram". Karl Dawson, the founder of Matrix Reimprinting, believes that these holograms are versions of our younger selves who have split off to hold the pain of the trauma for us, yet they are still running traumatised beliefs such as "I'm all alone in this world, the world is not a safe place, I'm helpless, I need to be perfect to be loved". If a belief like this is still running, it can really limit you.

In a Matrix Reimprinting session, we go back in time to heal and reintegrate these younger selves using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). The client sits with their eyes closed, re-imagining the scene when the trauma occurred and intervening to help their younger self by tapping on them and releasing the trauma at the time it happened. At the same time, the practitioner taps on the client to assist them to release the trauma from their body.

Once the client has stopped running those old beliefs, their current life is able to shift and expand. It heals the present by healing the past.

For example, a lady had constant dreadful nightmares about her pets becoming ill and dying, or being neglected by the people she'd left to take care of them while she was away. She had reached the point of being unable to go away for a few days in case any of this came true. She had developed a constant anxiety about her pets, getting into a dreadful state if anything appeared to be wrong with one of them.

In the session, she recalled that she and her parents had gone to stay with her grandparents, taking their pet dog with them. Whilst there, the dog ran out into the road and was killed by a car. By reimprinting this event, she came to feel at peace with the loss and all her nightmares and anxieties in the present day just vanished.

I'll be in touch again soon with more health tips and news about homeopathy, EFT and Matrix Reimprinting. Till then, I wish you happiness and health.

Face to face consultations
Telephone/Skype consultations
Email consultations
EFT/Matrix Reimprinting consultations

HAVE YOU JOINED US ON FACEBOOK?
You can keep up to date and even interact with me at the Homeopathy Resource page on Facebook.
This now has over 900 members and keeps growing. Always topical, so you can keep up with the world of homeopathy as well as learning useful tips.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME ON TWITTER? My user name is Linda_Homeopath.

NEW YEAR THOUGHTS

Happy New Year! I hope it's a big and bright one for you.

I won't go on about resolutions, goals and changing yourself - I'm sure you've seen plenty of articles to help you with these!

Instead, I suggest you focus on the positive. Some things are bound to happen this year that you enjoy! Have a look at this list and see what's sure to come your way at least a few times in 2011:

- a really enjoyable meal;
- a happy occasion or celebration;
- new books, films, music;
- a weekend break or a holiday;
- a fun party;
- going somewhere new, doing something you've never done before;
- meeting someone who turns into a good friend;
- a picnic;
- a really good laugh;
- giving and receiving gifts;
- seeing a rainbow; and
- I'm sure you can add more to the list.

If you really think nothing nice will come your way, then maybe your resolution could be to make sure it does somehow, even if you have to make it happen!

RESTING PROPERLY MAKES YOU MORE PRODUCTIVE

Children and animals sleep when they need to - and have bags of energy when they're on the go!

One proper day of total down-time makes you more productive for the following 17 days! We're more likely to keep going with our resolutions if we give ourselves regular days off. One pyjama day a fortnight will do you the world of good and help you get more done on your busy days.

Try scheduling your day off into your calendar. Sunday is traditionally a day of rest and it works well if you use Saturday to get chores out of the way, because then you can rest and relax in a clean, tidy space. It also means you won't feel guilty or try and catch up on your day off.

While you're shopping, buy some healthy snacks to dip into on your "me day".

While you're cooking make double quantities so all you have to do on Sunday is warm the food through.

If all you feel like doing is lying in bed snoozing and reading, go ahead and do it free of guilt! Yesterday was busy, tomorrow will be busy, so have a break.

HOME PRESCRIBING

Most of you are interested in home prescribing. I quite often see people who have had some success with homeopathy by themselves, and know that it works, but don't do so well when they try remedies for bigger health problems.

I recommend that home prescribers stick to acute conditions like coughs and colds, first aid uses and occasional temporary infections like cystitis, boils or mouth ulcers. Indigestion, tummy bugs and the odd headache can also be treated at home.

If you have a chronic condition, such as asthma or eczema, or any long term problem, you're unlikely to treat yourself successfully and this is the time to see a professional for a proper case take and constitutional treatment.

WHICH POTENCY TO USE?

They are 6c and 30c - so which one do you need?

6c is one of the lowest potencies homeopaths use. It is recommended for small pets. Think of it as a tiny nudge to the body to get better, which makes it appropriate for elderly people in frail health. Many homeopaths also use this potency for tiny babies. It's also useful when your energy is very low after a long illness. I recommend using a 6c one to three times a day until you see an improvement.

30c is more often prescribed. If you are using it for an acute condition like a cough, a rough guide is to take it once or twice a day for 3 days. If it hasn't helped by then, it's likely the wrong remedy.

Never keep taking a remedy if it isn't helping - you can end up aggravating your condition or creating symptoms you didn't have before.

HOMEOPATHIC FIRST AID ABC

If you ask a homeopath which top remedy they use for the shock and bruising of a fall, it would be Arnica.

Not so well known is how it relieves joint and muscle problems from excessive exercise - so if you've started a new exercise regime for the New Year, take it after you've been to the gym and you won't suffer nearly as much the next day.

I highly recommend it for backache or stiffness after a hard day's gardening or Yoga practice.

As an ointment, it is applied topically to soothe and heal bruises, sprains and pain, but don't use it on open grazes, cuts or wounds. You want Calendula for those - see below.

With its myriad of uses, from childbirth to dental work, exercise stiffness to a bump on the head, Arnica tablets and ointment should be in every first aid kit.

B is for Belladonna

Another home emergency is sudden fever. Whilst a lasting fever requires the correct medical attention, Belladonna can help while you're waiting for the doctor.

Typical symptoms would be a high fever with dilated pupils and flushed dry skin. The head will throb and there can be hypersensitivity to light, noise and touch.

Belladonna is useful in the recovery stages of sun stroke so take some with you on holiday.

This type of fever can accompany a child's teething pain and Belladonna often relieves the pain as well.

C is for Calendula

Calendula (marigold)is excellent for healing small cuts or wounds, having an antiseptic effect and controlling bleeding.

Typical uses would be for an accident in the kitchen with a sharp knife, or a cut when shaving. Those annoying, sore paper cuts are instantly relieved by drop of Calendula tincture or cream.

It has a soothing effect on insect bites and stings and can also calm and heal a troubled teenage skin.

Calendula cream is also available for the sore nipples of breastfeeding.

ARTHRITIS PAIN

Rhus Tox is brilliant, if you have certain symptoms. These are:

- your arthritis pain is worse when the weather is damp and cold

- you stiffen up in bed or after sitting down for a while. On first moving, it is painful, but once you have been up and about for a few minutes, you feel better

- a change of position, rubbing the sore part, a warm application such as a heat pad or hot water bottle, and stretching out your limbs help the pain.

Arnica, Belladonna and Rhus-Tox are in the Basic 18 Remedy Kit sold on my website. If you require Calendula as well, you will need the larger 36 Remedy Kit - please email me if you want more details. The 36 Remedy Kits are better value - twice as many remedies for only £10.00 more.

I'll be in touch again soon with more health tips and news about homeopathy, EFT and Matrix Reimprinting. Till then, I wish you happiness and health.

Face to face consultations
Telephone/Skype consultations
Email consultations
EFT/Matrix Reimprinting consultations

HAVE YOU JOINED US ON FACEBOOK?
You can keep up to date and even interact with me at the Homeopathy Resource page on Facebook.
This now has over 800 members and keeps growing. Always topical, so you can keep up with the world of homeopathy as well as learning useful tips.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME ON TWITTER? My user name is Linda_Homeopath.

Read the materia medica here, this is a useful free online resource providing Boericke's materia medica.

Also check out Dulcamara and Belladonna - both remedies that can be worse from becoming chilled.

Winter heralds the coughs, colds, sore throats and 'flu season. Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy have a comprehensive article helping you identify and differentiate the remedies for these common ailments.

Santa says "What do you want for Christmas? HO-HO-HOMEOPATHY!"

Three handy remedies for those little Christmas emergencies: indigestion, nerves, sleeplessness, exhaustion …

The build-up to Christmas can create feelings of overload and irritability which, together with extra alcohol and rich foods, will upset a sensitive system.

NUX VOMICA

COFFEA CRUDA

ARNICA

Dr Bach's Rescue Remedy

It's not a homeopathic remedy but a combination of several flower essences which cover emotional states from getting a fright or bad news to those kind of upsets that are perhaps more likely to occur over Christmas when the family all gets together, so very useful just in case there's an argument or any disappointments.

You just add six drops to a glass of water and take it two or three times a day.

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE!

If you're starting to get stressed by the preparations for the festive season, or dreading the family get-togethers, have a read of this fantastic reminder of the many benefits of seeing the funny side.

Keeping your sense of humour when all about you are losing theirs will pay dividends for your mental, emotional and physical health. Not only that, but on a spiritual level, joy and gratitude are key states for attracting more good into your life!

If you're having trouble with keeping a good frame of mind or feel you have real blocks to happiness, please investigate the following techniques.

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT, or "TAPPING")

I introduced EFT to my practice in 2007 when I saw how quickly and easily clients could learn and use it for themselves to control pain, overcome phobias and traumas and manage stressful situations - no drugs required.

Here's a 7 minute, must-see video where the founder, Gary Craig, introduces and explains EFT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-k-wsBXGdU.

If you go to eftuniverse.com, you can learn the background, the self-help techniques, watch free demonstration videos, read a wealth of articles relating to your problem, and sign up for the free newsletter.

MATRIX REIMPRINTING

November's SOUL AND SPIRIT magazine, available in Tesco and WH Smith, carries an article about Matrix Reimprinting on pages 28 and 29.

Shock and trauma live on in the mind-body creating distress and illness. Did you know that permanently cold hands and feet can be linked to the "freeze response" of a traumatic birth for example? How can you release this type of trauma - drugs won't work!

EFT'ers do this by tapping on key points on the body at the same time as using phrases that tune the body into what needs to be released and reassure it that the trauma is over.

Karl Dawson, one of the few EFT Masters, evolved Matrix Reimprinting, based on EFT. It combines EFT with the latest understandings from quantum science to create RAPID personal change. It is noted for its ability to quickly transform our relationship to our past, creating shifts in our emotional and physical well-being in the present.

When I first came across Matrix Reimprinting it made complete sense to me and I am one of the first 100 Matrix Reimprinting practitioners trained in the UK. The results of using this technique with clients have been astonishing and heartwarming.

Some of the benefits of Matrix Reimprinting include:

- very easy to use and gentle on clients
- quickly finds core issues, related trauma and beliefs
- locates pre-conscious trauma (pre 6 years old)
- allows client-driven reframes and cognitive shifts
- locates psychological reversal, secondary gains etc
- creates positive beliefs
- successful with non-visual clients
- forgiveness and wisdom can be gained from past events
- sends a message to the body/cells/DNA that the trauma is over
- resources the client and rewrites the past
- naturally utilises the law of attraction in a powerful way

My practitioner page on the Matrix Reimprinting site is here.

You can follow me at my EFT and Matrix Reimprinting page on Facebook.

I'll be in touch again soon with more health tips and news about homeopathy, EFT and Matrix Reimprinting. Till then, I wish you happiness and health.

Face to face consultations

Telephone/Skype consultations

EFT/Matrix Reimprinting consultations
Apologies that this page is slightly out of date: I have been a Level 3 EFT practitioner and Matrix Reimprinting practitioner for well over a year now. You can see me face to face, by phone or by Skype. Consultations are £60.00 per hour.

Email consultations

HAVE YOU JOINED US ON FACEBOOK?

You can keep up to date and even interact with me at the Homeopathy Resource page on Facebook.
This now has over 800 members and keeps growing. Always topical, so you can keep up with the world of homeopathy as well as learning useful tips.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME ON TWITTER?

My user name is Linda_Homeopath.

I often feel as if September is the beginning of a fresh start. Perhaps it's all the renewed activity after the summer, as people return to their normal routines.

So it seems a good time to announce a new service from me! I am now offering Skype sessions. My Skype id is Homeopathy_Resource if you wish to add me to your contacts. To arrange a session, you just need to email me and we'll set up a date and time to suit.

Skype sessions are £50.00 per hour plus £5.00 for remedies if I post those out to you.

KEEPING IN RHYTHM

Taking a slightly different view of health maintenance, you might want to consider how connecting with the natural rhythms of the seasons can bring you into balance.

A simple thing like getting enough sunlight can make huge differences to your well-being. This will obviously vary depending where you live in the world, but researchers are suggesting that for most populations north of the equator, the health benefits of sunshine outweigh the risks of skin cancer.

Most importantly, we need sunlight to manufacture Vitamin D in our bodies. This in turn protects us from certain cancers, rickets, diabetes and osteoporosis.

It's also beginning to look as if 'flu is just a sign of Vitamin D deficiency: the 'flu virus is always present, but tends to become epidemic in the winter months when there is little sunshine.

Sunlight is also crucial in the prevention of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which I call the "winter blues". For those of you who get down in the winter, light is far better than anti-depressants to cheer you up again. Try and get out as often as possible and you may wish to consider buying a SAD lamp if things are really bad.

High blood pressure can be reduced by half an hour in the sun every day, and a study showed that people who can see green trees on their daily commutes have lower blood pressure!

My winter survival tips are to take a Vitamin D supplement and get as much exposure to sunlight as you can. It doesn't rain as often as we think, so make the most of the bright, clear days even if you do need to wrap up against the chill.

If you catch a cough or a cold after exposure to a cold, dry wind, the homeopathic remedy Aconite 30c will often clear the problem up.

VITAMIN C

You'll almost certainly benefit from taking a Vitamin C supplement, especially through the winter. It's believed that most of us are already deficient in Vitamin C because human beings, unlike most other mammals, can't naturally produce Vitamin C in their bodies. We have to get it from our food and drinks. You're even more likely to be deficient if:

- you smoke
- you're under stress, physically or emotionally
- you drink alcohol
- you have allergies
- you have a fever or viral illness
- you're taking antibiotics, cortisone, aspirin or other pain medications
- you're exposed to toxic chemicals
- you suffer from recurrent infections
- you're a woman taking the oral contraceptive pill
- you're over 60 years of age

You might be wondering if you can take too much Vitamin C. Because the body can't store it, any excess will be eliminated, so some doctors recommend taking it up to "bowel tolerance". That means, if you get diarrhoea, you're overdoing it.

As a rough guide, 1000 mg or less per day will be sufficient without doing any harm.

WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO?

If you want the latest news, join me on Facebook!

With nearly 600 members, it's a lively page with frequent updates and posts that you would miss otherwise. All are welcome, whether homeopaths, students or just interested. At the moment we're discussing people's favourite ways of boosting their immune systems.

I'm highly qualified as a homeopath, with two post-graduate diplomas and a wealth of experience and knowledge.

I come from a family of homeopaths: my great-grandmother studied and practised in India, and my mother is a practising homeopath and naturopath who is still teaching Yoga at the age of 71!

I have been studying and practising homeopathy for 20 years, ever since a well-chosen remedy cleared up my baby daughter's asthma for good.

In keeping with my "whole person" philosophy I believe in staying creative, purposeful, dynamic and learning, and I try to practise what I preach!

Over the last few months I have continued running my homeopathy practice (though I took a break from producing these newsletters while I progressed other projects). I helped my daughter launch her gorgeous handmade chocolates and we had a lot of fun along the way. I'm also now running workshops on personal and psychic development with a friend.

I also took part in a lobby of the UK parliament to ask the government to continue providing homeopathy on the NHS. I think it's important that people have freedom of choice, not just the patients, but the doctors who want to practise homeopathy themselves or refer patients to homeopaths. Fortunately the government announced that it would continue to allow the NHS to make the decisions.

I did advanced training in my other therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). I am also now offering Matrix Reimprinting to clients. I'll explain more about these therapies in my next newsletter.

Meantime, if you want to know more, visit www.eftuniverse.com and www.matrixreimprinting.com. UK readers can also buy the book on Amazon (Matrix Reimprinting by Karl Dawson and Sasha Allenby).

I first introduced (EFT) into my practice about three years ago, when I discovered how fantastic and effective it is. Also known as "tapping", it's quick and easy for clients to learn and use for themselves when they are overcoming phobias, recovering from trauma and shocks, managing stress, controlling pain and many other uses.

Most recently I have been helping children who were chronic bed-wetters to become dry at night, showing people how to manage their anxiety attacks and fears, and assisting a mother to stay calm and loving around her children even though she was abused by her own mother.

EFT fits with homeopathy as we believe that many of our physical problems arise from emotional imbalances and habits of thought. If you can tackle the emotional/psychological problems with EFT, obviously many physical ailments can clear up as a result.

My Skype sessions are also for those of you who want EFT so email me if you'd like to know more or arrange an appointment.

I'll be in touch again soon with more health tips and news from the world of homeopathy. Till then, I wish you happiness and health.

Email consultations

Telephone consultations

Face to face consultations

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ALL CONSULTATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE BY SKYPE

http://www.surveymethods.com/Preview.aspx?9D83979AC9D3CAD8DC97919A91DFCACC9CD9&

The homeopathic world is reacting to the negative outcome of the Scientific and Technological Committee's Report on Homeopathy which was published on Monday. A small group of MPs wants the Government to stop homeopathic treatment being available on the NHS. The Report has been described by the Faculty of Homeopathy as narrow, cursory and irresponsible.

I attended the mass Lobby of Parliament yesterday, organised by the HMC21 group. There was an excellent turnout: 220 estimated, a number of whom did manage to speak to their MPs. I met Jenny Seagrove briefly, as she attended in person to support homeopathy. David Tredinnick, the Chair of the Integrated Health Committee, spoke to a few of us and mentioned MPs' concerns about this report. He has already started an Early Day Motion (EDM 908) questioning the Report's findings:

"That this House expresses concern at the conclusions of the Science and Technology Committee's Report, Evidence Check on Homeopathy; notes that the Committee took only oral evidence from a limited number of witnesses, including known critics of homeopathy Tracy Brown, the Managing Director of Sense About Science, and journalist Dr Ben Goldacre, who have no expertise in the subject; believes that evidence should have been heard from primary care trusts that commission homeopathy, doctors who use it in a primary care setting, and other relevant organisations, such as the Society of Homeopaths, to provide balance; observes that the Committee did not consider evidence from abroad from countries such as France and Germany, where provision of homeopathy is far more widespread than in the UK, or from India, where it is part of the health service; regrets that the Committee ignored the 74 randomised controlled trials comparing homeopathy with placebo, of which 63 showed homeopathic treatments were effective, and that the Committee recommends no further research; further notes that 206 Hon. Members signed Early Day Motion No. 1240 in support of NHS homeopathic hospitals in Session 2006-07; and calls on the Government to maintain its policy of allowing decision-making on individual clinical interventions, including homeopathy, to remain in the hands of local NHS service providers and practitioners who are best placed to know their community's needs."

It has 18 signatures so far; a minimum 120 MP's signatures are required before it will be heard in the House. Please, even if you are not normally a political animal, email your MP with this link requesting them to sign the EDM: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40517. It could easily become an election issue.

There is a good chance that your MP will be sympathetic to your cause; 206 MPs (out of about 650) signed EDM 1240 in 2007 in support of homeopathic hospitals, and the spokesman for the Department of Health (which will provide a full response in two months) commented on the Report that "the local NHS and clinicians, rather than Whitehall, are best placed to make decisions on what treatment is appropriate for their patients - this includes complementary or alternative treatments such as homoeopathy."

The Minister for Health on 1 Dec 2009 told the Science and Technology select committee that cutting the NHS spend on homeopathy is not justified and that a body of reputable people, including doctors, believe in it. He said cutting the funding would be "illiberal" and "a denial of personal choice". He also said there were a range of opinions amongst clinicians and scientists which could not be ignored and he told the committee that there was "justification for more research" in homeopathy.

He reiterated that it is up to individual clinicians to decide on the best treatment for their patients and that it was not his job to tell GPs whether or not to prescribe homeopathy. He also clarified that the NHS spend on homeopathic medicines is only £152,000, from a total NHS annual drugs budget of £11 billion.

It is very easy to email your MP: the address will be their surname, followed by initial@parliament.uk. For example, Cheryl Gillan is the MP for Amersham and Chesham (as well as Shadow Secretary of State for Wales) - her email address is GILLANC@parliament.uk. You just need a few short lines explaining why you think it's important for your MP to sign this motion.

HMC21 also delivered a Declaration that "Homeopathy Worked For Me" to Downing Street at 4pm yesterday afternoon. They are aiming for that to be 100,000 signatures by June. If you haven't already signed it online, anyone of any age can do so: http://www.hmc21.org/.

Lastly, there is a new petition and apologies if you've already been directed to it, but it would be great if you could take five seconds to sign it: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Homeopathy1/ and/or forward it etc.

Thank you very much for your kind attention and my very best wishes to you.

It's a New Year, and a New Me!

So time constraints mean that this newsletter is going to have to take a back seat, I'm afraid, though I will try to notify you when I have added any new articles to my website, where you can also find my archived newsletters. As long as you stay subscribed, you will receive any newsletters and updates I send in future, so you don't need to do anything.

Join Us on Facebook!

This now has over 250 members and is growing on a daily basis. I regularly post items of interest and interact with members there.
Recent topics have been:
- the dangers of cell/mobile phones and how to minimise those;
- why Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, was an excellent scientist;
- a remedy hint for the cold weather;
- responses to the 10:23 campaign against homeopathy in the UK; a website resource on vaccine information;
- a link to a two page summary of evidence showing positive research in homeopathy;
- hot news of a European Parliament investigation into the scandal of the Swine Flu; and
- the latest report that chronic fatigue/ME is unlikely to be linked to a virus after all.

If you don't want to miss out on these news items and keep up with the world of homeopathy, plus the chance to link up with a big, interactive community of homeopaths and people who are interested in or use homeopathy themselves, please do join us at Homeopathy Resource. You will be very welcome!

If you are on Twitter, do come and find me: my user name is Linda_Homeopath.

What am I up to?

Often the result of healing is change; in fact I remember one of my tutors at homeopathy college saying that deep healing could not, did not and would not occur until change manifested in the patient's life. My experience has been that when the time to change arrives, you will know. It becomes increasingly impossible and difficult to stay the same. It feels like struggle, wading through treacle, and it drains you because you are using a lot of your energy just to cling on to how things have always been. That's what's happened to me over the last few months and I am glad I've been squeezed until I acknowledged my need to start creating again.

New Year Resolutions

So at the beginning of a New Year, remember that's really what those traditional resolutions are about: our intention to change and be happier with ourselves as a result. It may have been difficult to keep your resolutions, but nobody finds it easy to make big changes overnight and stick to them. Habits die hard! Take baby steps, don't give up, persist and just do one thing every day that takes you closer to what you want and further from what you don't. Acknowledge yourself for every little thing you achieved and remember that you are working towards your own success and happiness: you made those resolutions for you, because you want to be happier or healthier or more successful, so don't let yourself down! At the same time, don't go at it so hard that it becomes a chore or you'll become disillusioned and lose your motivation. Give yourself a break, take some time off, but remember it's just a break, not a complete lapse back into your old ways!

Therapist Networking Event Open to Public

Brand New Website

If you are a landlord/lady with specialist space to rent in a clinic, shop or salon, www.alt-let.com allows you to post your premises with all the details, including photographs, absolutely free.

Therapists can also search for free. You can conduct the search by postcode or by facility.

It's a kind of match-making service to link up the people who need a treatment space with the people who'd like to let one out. Posting a premises and searching are absolutely free; you only pay a small fee when you find a match.

The website is brand new and you're the first to hear about it!! If it's going to grow into a fabulous resource for everyone concerned, we need to get the ball rolling with visitors and premises for them to find. Please have a look at Alt-Let and start using it, especially if you have a space to let - you may not get instant results in these early days, but we've got to start somewhere! At the moment there is nowhere on the web that puts all these premises together on one searchable database so it will be a very useful site when it's populated, so please include alt-let.com in the list of places you advertise and search even if you might not get immediate results in its early days. I welcome feedback on this site as well as I'm always seeking to improve the service.

Please Ensure you Get my Messages!

There are numerous sites explaining how to do this for the most commonly used email services and programs: this is one that might help you safesenderslist.com.

That's it for now! Take good care of yourself and I hope 2010 brings you much more of what you want! And if you've got a spare moment right now, please add linda@homeopathyresource.com to your safe list, and maybe pop over and add www.alt-let.com to your Favourites list so you can be sure of finding it again when you need it!

All the best to all of you!

REMEDY TIP

Last time I wrote it was in anticipation of summer holidays, but now we are back to school and there's a distinct chill in the air.

If you ever get ill from a sudden change of temperature, for example, going from hot weather into air conditioning or vice versa - from a centrally heated house into the cold outside - a remedy worth trying is Dulcamara.

Dr Ramakrishnan recommends this for any ailment caused by sudden change of temperature, whether it's an upset tummy or a cold. I once used it with great success for a frozen shoulder, where the lady concerned had blow-dried her hair and rushed out on a winter evening with her head and neck still very warm from the hairdryer.

Don't forget Aconite as it is a great remedy when you've caught a sniffle from being exposed to a cold, dry wind. Take it as soon as you notice the symptoms.

HELP WITH THERAPY FEES

Some of my clients claim back a good percentage of their therapy fees through health insurance schemes. I'm not a Financial Adviser and don't recommend any particular course of action or company, but if you get in touch I can send you a list of the schemes I am aware of that will help pay for homeopathy fees.

Also, I've rearranged my fee schedule so that you can choose between different lengths of appointment and there is a substantial discount if you opt for a block booking scheme. Children under 16 are low cost. Details will be updated on the website in the next week or so - meantime, please be in touch if you need more information.

READER QUESTION

Thought I'd publish this question in case more of you are wondering!

Q: I signed up for your newsletter, great info. Just one question though: for certain problems (like motion sickness) are you supposed to take all the recommended remedies or just the one that's best suited?

A: You're supposed to take the remedy that describes your symptoms most closely. But with things like motion sickness and hayfever, for example, I quite often combine 4 or 5 remedies in one pill to make sure it's covered.

When you find that the person has symptoms of more than one remedy, say in 'flu, and you really can't decide which one they need, you can put the pills you want into a glass of water, dissolve and stir. This gives you a mix which can be sipped and gives the patient some fluid as well.

Homeopaths differ on whether it's okay to take more than one remedy at a time. Ideally, you find the "simillimum" or exact match of remedy to person/symptoms. However, in acute situations like travel sickness, I'm very practical and I want to give the person relief as soon as possible, and I often find that they have symptoms of more than one remedy.

INJURY MIX

One useful tip is to prepare a "trauma bag" to take with you on outings in case anyone falls and hurts themselves. Pop a few pills of injury remedies such as Arnica, Calendula, Hypericum and Ledum into a packet and let them mingle together. If there's a minor accident, you can then give the person several tablets from the bag at once. (Please note: if someone is unconscious, never put anything in their mouth as they could choke. This advice is for minor injuries and obviously if anything really bad happens you need to call the emergency services.)

COMPETITION

I enjoyed answering that question which gave me an idea!

To thank you for reading my newsletters and your interest in homeopathy, I'm running a COMPETITION to win a Basic 18 Remedy Kit from Helios.

I'd love to hear from you - please email me and either:

(a) let me know why you like my newsletters, or

(b) ask a question about homeopathy

and I will publish the best email in my next newsletter. The writer will win a Basic 18 Kit!

SWINE FLU VACCINE

Whilst the virus has been described by official sources as mild, proving severe in a relatively small number of cases, I have noticed some alarming headlines pointing to the damage the vaccine could cause, and unpleasant side effects associated with Tamiflu. It is of course your choice.

I have previously advised on ways to boost the immune system naturally - the full article is in the archives here: http://homeopathyresource.com/newsletter/archives/resisting_viruses_advice_on_hpv_vaccine.shtml.

I would start these measures now. As people return to work and school the exposure to infection increases.

And the experts at Helios have written a comprehensive guide here: http://www.helios.co.uk/swine_flu.html.

CHANGE OF VENUE AND DETAILS FOR BUILD YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Build Your Own Business, the workshop for therapists who want to begin their own practice or get some invaluable tips on how to increase business in the current economic climate, is running again on Sunday 27 September. Please note, this is now in CHESHAM, BUCKS.

The programme for the day has also been amended to cover:

Pros and cons of working from home v premises
Self-employment and the tax office
Magnetise yourself and your practice
Creating a leaflet that sells
Get resources, free stuff, discounts
Fee-setting: what makes you special?
Tapping in to success with EFT

So if you're wondering what you can do to survive and thrive in tough times, let me know or check out the booking details. We guarantee you'll be inspired, and see an increase in business income by applying what you've learned - or your money back! (The website hasn't yet been updated to reflect these changes.)

I'll be in touch again soon - meantime, if you'd like to

win a Basic 18 Remedy Kit,

I belong to a network of therapists and recently we put our heads together to come up with handy summer holiday tips, which I've listed below for your convenience.

Nutritionally, taking a pro-biotic for a couple of weeks before leaving as well as whilst away will increase the 'friendly bacteria' in your gut, so you're more able to fight off any tummy bugs. Garlic capsules (or in food) plus a Vitamin-B complex changes the 'taste' of your blood, making you less appealing to mosquitoes.

You can also use citronella oil and/or neem oil topically on the skin - those biting insects really don't like the smell. Make sure you get your ankles and feet covered as well, people often forget those!

It's useful to have some Citricidal grapefruit extract with you - you can add it to drinks to kill tummy bugs, and dilute it as a wash for fruit and veg, or to wipe surfaces. It's a bit like an edible antiseptic with loads of uses!

Aloe vera gel is another useful addition to the packing, as it covers a multitude of sins: scratches, scrapes, spots, rashes and sunburn are all soothed.

Rescue Remedy now comes in a handy mouth spray for the handbag, giving you instant relief for nerves, stress, emergencies, anxiety and shock.

All the above are readily available from your chemist or health food store.

There are a couple of useful articles free on my website that you might like to read:

Remedies for Motion Sickness

and

Remedies for Bites and Stings

and finally,

Travellers Notes: Prevention is Better than Cure

Whether at home or abroad, we tend to do things on holiday that expose us to different risks. This is why I never go anywhere without my travel kit - in fact, I've got one in the house and one in the car.

This is why I love my traveller's remedy kit so much:

• all the homeopathic remedies you need in one place

• ideal for first aid and health problems on your travels

• neatly packaged in small sturdy box - no breakages or spills

• handy prescribing guide lets you treat with confidence

• not just for holidays - invaluable for home and family use

• twice as many remedies as a basic home kit = fantastic value

Full details are on my website, where you will find a list of the 36 remedies and their uses, plus many free articles and health tips. The p+p charge quoted applies to the UK only.

For example, the kit contains Arnica. Arnica is helpful with jet lag if you take it before, during and after the flight, because it helps your stamina. It also makes you less likely to develop a DVT on a long flight, because it has a slight blood-thinning effect. But it's also brilliant for bumps and bruises and they can happen any time, anywhere. It's fantastic for muscle stiffness and the kind of aches and pains you get after a long day gardening, or an exercise class. Besides all that, if you take it after you've been to the dentist, it will reduce the tissue swelling from dental treatment. So you can see how Arnica is well worth having, and lots of the other remedies in the kit also have multiple applications. I keep one in the house and one in the car so I've always got a good range of remedies nearby, as accidents and illness can strike at any time.

Don't let your holiday get spoiled by insect bites, sunburn, travel sickness or food poisoning. Prevention is better than cure, but you should be prepared.

Talking of the website, previous newsletters are now all archived so you can catch up on anything you've missed.

I've also created a page for Homeopathy Resource on Facebook which I update periodically with articles about current affairs and items of interest relevant to homeopathy. These are different from the content of the website and newsletters, for example new provings of medicines, a fabulous resource for homeopathy students at the Natural History Museum's website, homeopathy in the NHS and so on. Please feel free to join the Homeopathy Resource group on Facebook so you don't miss out on the latest news.

Lastly, I'm again running Build Your Own Business with my colleague Di Belton on September 27th in Surrey, UK. Whether you're already in practice but need some fantastic ideas on how to improve your business, or a recent graduate who is wondering where to start, this workshop will inspire you with practical ideas and energy to build a successful therapy practice without wasting time or money while you re-invent the wheel. Di and I have been there, done it and are itching to help you, happily sharing our ideas and what worked (and didn't work) for us. Book here.

That's it from me this month - wherever you are and whatever you're doing, have a happy, healthy summer!

They are offering a new, free service called Heart Matters with a package of support and information for people looking to improve their heart health.

Later in this newsletter I will describe the warning signs of a heart attack (they can be different for women than for men) but, as it's the season of love, let's look at the heart as an emotional centre first.

How many expressions are there to do with the heart? We talk about:

- breaking our heart
- wearing our heart on our sleeve
- putting our heart into things
- speaking from the bottom of our heart
- having a heart of gold (or of stone)
- being young at heart

And dozens more I could mention.

In homeopathy, this type of language is very meaningful. Our heart is the centre of love, forgiveness and honesty with ourselves.

Case of a Grieving Heart Causing a Cough

A lady came to see me with an irritating, constant cough. She'd had it for a year and coughed all night as well as all day, so she was really desperate for some sleep, because quite often she'd cough until she retched and vomited. The cough was so bad, she'd developed a hiatus hernia from the strain on her diaphragm.

Needless to say, the doctors couldn't tell her what was wrong and none of the examinations or medicines had done anything to help.
As usual, I took her case thoroughly, and learned that her father had died about a year before. She wasn't able to grieve for him properly, because there were so many issues to deal with after his death, and she just had to keep coping. She caught a cold which went onto her chest, and the cough developed from there.

It isn't too much of a stretch of the imagination to realise that if we are full of unshed tears, a cold can be our body's way of releasing grief and sadness. And if we continue to suppress the tremendous grief that follows the death of someone beloved, the cold or cough will linger until we have to pay attention.

The remedy Ignatia is our first choice for the grief of bereavement. This lady had other keynotes that indicated Ignatia, such as a constant feeling of a lump in her throat.

As she tells the story:

"I have known Linda for just a very short time but immediately thought she was extremely approachable and by this stage it was my last resort.

My complaint was a continuous cough that started with 'flu and had lasted near on a year. It went on throughout the night and neither I nor my husband were getting any sleep. My GP and hospital visits were becoming a drag as I saw no improvement and the situation was getting worse.

Linda's support and diagnosis helped me get through a very distressing and frustrating time leading to dealing not only with my cough but with my emotional stress regarding my father's death.

In the space of three months I have transformed from someone that was continually coughing and losing sleep to the present. I am not coughing, I have no reflux issues and at last I am sleeping again. I cannot say how truly grateful I am for my health to be back to normal and no more trips to the doctors/hospital with no further way of finding a cure. To me she has worked a miracle!

I may not need to have consultations with Linda now but I will not lose her as a contact as I feel whatever dips or problems I have both physically and emotionally Linda will have the cure." - Linda Ware, Support Analyst, Bucks UK

It may seem strange to say we cured a cough by addressing the underlying grief, but this is how homeopathy differs from conventional medicine.

Having said that, a heart attack is a medical emergency and time is of the essence, so please heed the warning signs and act on them quickly as this could save a life.

Warning Signs of a Heart Attack

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense - the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the centre of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light-headedness.

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs and remember: even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out. Time is of the essence! Talk to your doctor or medical helpline and if in doubt call an ambulance anyway.
Should a heart attack occur, you should seek help immediately. There are some homeopathic first-aid remedies that may be useful while you are waiting for an ambulance or while on the way to the doctor. These include:

Aconitum napellus: When you have difficulty breathing. You are anxious, but feel better sitting up.

Cactus grandiflorus: You feel as if something is "squeezing" the heart or the pain is severe enough to make you cry, shout or whimper.

Digitalis: When your symptoms include blue skin, numbness and weakness of the left arm, a slow pulse and great fear.

Caution: These remedies are not meant to be used as a treatment for heart attack. If you suspect a heart attack, seek emergency medical treatment immediately.

Heart disease is a manifestation of a chronic condition that should not be treated by homeopathy alone. A homeopath, on the other hand, may be able to provide you with some complementary medication.

Some homeopathic remedies useful for cardiovascular conditions include:

Aconitum napellus: Useful when you are anxious and impatient. You imagine the worst happening. You feel that a strong pain envelops the heart and left arm. The problem is worse at night and when you are warm, and feel better with rest and fresh air.

Argentum nitricum: Useful when you are impulsive and fearful. Chest pain is stronger at night, after eating and with stress.

Aurum metallicum: Indicated when you are depressed, feel worthless and are very sensitive to pain. Other symptoms include depression and night-time chest pain.

Baryta carbonica: Useful when you are suffering from hypertension, palpitations and confusion, made worse with exposure to dampness or cold.

Cactus grandiflorus: When you are sad and in great pain. The pain seems to be "squeezing" the chest, making it difficult to breathe. You feel worse around noon and with exertion, but better with fresh air.

Carduus marianus: Useful for cases with a history of alcoholism and a propensity for drinking beer. This remedy helps regulate the heart and can slowly reverse symptoms.

Crataegus: A general remedy that helps regulate the heart.

Wishing you health and happiness in all matters of the heart!

Take care until next time,

Linda

I've found a nice little treat for some special friends of mine this Christmas.

If you'd like to join me in buying a rose quartz crystal heart as a unique stocking-filler or special token for a loved one this Christmas, I've found a lovely website where you can buy a heart for either £3.00 or £5.00 (plus p+p) - and they donate 100 percent to their charity of the month.

I don't get any commission from them by the way! I just thought I'd give you notice in time for Christmas of a lovely chance to buy a really nice present and donate to charity at the same time.

It’s here: http://www.theblessingsbook.com/index.cfm?Id+273.

New at The National History Museum Website

The Natural History Museum now has a database of plants and fungi used in homeopathy. It is very detailed and fascinating, with beautiful watercolours, botanical drawings and photographs of the plants.

Look at Aconite for example: http://tinyurl.com/Aconitum. It's worth being able to recognise it as it is still one of the most deadly poisonous plants known to man! It is of course entirely safe in the highly refined homeopathic dose.

The main two reasons I prescribe Aconite are for colds and coughs brought on by a cold, dry wind; and for states of anxiety and fright. It's very useful to help people who are anxious about an exam or driving test.

So Why Smell the Roses?

A bio-frequency monitor developed by Bruce Tainio of Tainio Technology has been used to determine the relationship between frequency and disease.

Every living thing has an electrical frequency and the average human body ranges between 62 to 68 MegaHertz.

The research showed that negative thoughts lower a person's frequency by 12 MHz.

It also found that bacteria and viruses start to thrive in an environment of 58 MHz or lower.

The higher your frequency levels, the less likely you are able to catch a cold or 'flu!

Interestingly, positive thoughts were found to raise the measured frequency of the test subjects by 12 MHz, whilst focused prayer and/or meditation raised levels by 15 MHz.

This may be the 'science' behind these practices which have traditionally always been held to have healing powers.

Pure essential oils resonate from 52 to an amazing 320 MHz in the case of rose oil (which is very precious and expensive, and usually sold diluted to keep the price affordable).

This could be another reason why essential oils have such a great reputation for healing, calming us down or cheering us up. Perhaps just smelling them or allowing them to absorb through our skin actually raises the human body's electric frequency?

Usually when we say "stop and smell the roses" we mean, slow down, take time to look around and enjoy life - sounds like it's a good health tip too!

A Possible Threat to Your Freedom to buy Herbs, Vitamins, Minerals and Food Supplements

Sorry to sound a depressing note, but I need to draw your attention to an official petition that will be presented to the UK Government.

The petition could prevent the above products from being defined as drugs and only available on prescription in future.

It's a big controversy that's been raging for years, and I go into more detail in a blog here: http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=117838.

For now, here is the petition and a link to take you straight there and sign it.

"The principle of self-medication with herbal/vitamin/mineral food supplements would be restricted to 'prescription only' status, if the Codex Alimentarius is applied in this country. Since the National Health Service priorities are ill health diagnosis and treatment, the good health preservation that supplements provide will be inaccessible to the majority of our population and the cost to the NHS will increase, and the health of the population will decline."

If you feel guided to sign the petition, please go to:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Vitamins/.

FINALLY - Happy Christmas!

I'm signing off now until next year, so I send you my very best wishes for a wonderful festive season and much joy in the New Year.

PS - If you want to get your therapy practice off to a flying start in 2009, it's not too late to book for Build Your Own Business, running on Saturday 10 January in Epsom, Surrey, UK.

1. Why is influenza both seasonal and ubiquitous -- and where is the virus between epidemics?

2. Why are influenza epidemics so explosive?

3. Why do epidemics end so abruptly?

4. What explains the frequent coincidental timing of epidemics in countries of similar latitudes?

5. Why did epidemics in previous ages spread so rapidly, despite the lack of modern transport?

A theory gaining weight in the scientific community explains influenza epidemics as a result of a dormant disease, which becomes active in response to vitamin D deficiency. This theory provides answers for many of the above questions. A disease that remains dormant until vitamin D-producing sunlight exposure is reduced by a winter or rainy season would explain a widespread seasonal disease with a rapid onset and decline.

There is compelling epidemiological evidence that indicates vitamin D deficiency is just such a "seasonal stimulus". Recent evidence confirms that lower respiratory tract infections are more frequent, sometimes dramatically so, in those with low levels of vitamin D. Researchers have also found that 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day abolished the seasonality of influenza, and dramatically reduced its self-reported incidence.

Sources: Virology Journal 2008, 5: 29, CBCNews.ca October 22, 2008

Patients have been telling me recently that they are resistant to having a 'flu vaccine and are wondering what they can do instead. As well as appropriate homeopathic remedies for any cold or flu you might succumb to in the coming weeks and months, it sounds as if a Vitamin D supplement would be a wise move, in addition to the following which can improve your immune strength and thereby increase your resistance catching them in the first place:

- 1,000mg to 2,000mg of Vitamin C daily;

- 15mg of Zinc daily;

- a course of Echinacea in tincture or tablet format;

- taking a course of pre- or pro-biotics: these are 'good' or 'friendly' gut bacteria such as the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria found in live yoghurt, and acidophilus which you can purchase in the chemist or health shop; and

- taking a broad spectrum digestive enzyme supplement

At first signs of a cold, the following remedies can help avert its progress if you start them early enough and take them every three to four hours for a day or two:

- when you first get that 'feeling' in the throat and the back of the nose, take Ferr Phos 30c.

- after exposure to a chill wind, take Aconite 30c.

- if you got your feet soaking wet, Pulsatilla 30c.

- if it's the result of going from a hot environment to a cold one, eg central heating to outdoors, or you always get a cold with the change of seasons, Dulcamara 30c is very good. Dulcamara also works where you get chilled from air-conditioning after you've been outside in a hot climate.

- Oscillococcinum 30c may be taken as a daily preventative if there is 'flu going round.

HPV VACCINE

There is at present a huge campaign to push an extremely controversial HPV vaccine onto adolescent girls and young women all over the world. If you are thinking about obtaining this vaccine for yourself or your daughter(s), please also consider the following.

Why Is Your Risk of Dying from Cervical Cancer So Low?

Because your immune system is usually strong enough to clear up this kind of infection on its own, and does so in more than 90 percent of all cases.

And, as long as you're getting regular PAP smears, cervical cancer can be caught in its early, and easily treatable, stages.
There seems no apparent reason for this vaccine to be pushed so vigorously when:

1. it prevents a type of cancer that is very rare to begin with

2. it protects against a virus that, 98 percent of the time, is not the cause of cervical cancer

3. it prevents a type of cancer that can be easily caught and treated by promoting regular gynecological exams

4. it offers less protection than what promotion of safe sex practices could accomplish

5. it is promoted to girls years before becoming sexually active, even though the vaccine may only offer about three years worth of protection

6. it prevents just 4 out of more than 100 strains of HPV; all of which your body can clear up on its own in 90 percent of all cases anyway

7. it has not been proven safe. No one knows if it can cause cancer or infertility, for example

In my personal opinion, the best advice for our young girls is this:

There is absolutely no reason to risk the serious side effects of this vaccine to prevent an infection that goes away on its own 90 percent of the time. And there's no guarantee that you'll be protected anyway, since you can still get HPV once you've had the vaccine.

Of course, you can radically reduce your risk of getting HPV in the first place if you follow safe-sex practices, or wait to have sex until you're in a committed relationship. Then, keep your immune system in tip-top shape, and it will be more than able to shake any HPV virus that comes its way.

I am entirely indebted to Dr Mercola for the above summary.

EVENTS

The new materia medica course in Cairo was very well-received and I have posted the new feedback at the bottom of this page. The course will run again in February and further details provided in this newsletter soon. I was also privileged to see some patients in Egypt and continue to monitor their cases by email.

I also co-ran Build Your Own Business on Saturday 15 November in Surrey, UK. This is designed for recent graduates and 3rd/4th year student homeopaths and complementary therapists who are wondering how to build a successful therapy practice. Feedback from Saturday included the comment: "The course was excellent. I'm glad I came." This workshop will run again in Surrey in January 2009 so email me at Linda@homeopathyresource.com to register your interest in the next date.

I look forward to being in touch again soon and meantime, my best wishes.

It has been a long time since I wrote to you and in that time my website designer has been very busy. Among other things, she has overhauled the www.homeopathyresource.com website - and created a baby boy! Congratulations to Candi at www.nohassledesign.net.

The new design and additional features have earned the recognition of Editor's Choice Award from the Natural Health Journals. The award acknowledges the quality of my site in terms of its mission/purpose, content, aesthetics, customer focus and interactivity. This award is bestowed only on web sites that embody excellence in the field of Natural Health.

I am changing the way I contact you in future. From now on, you will be notified by email whenever I add new information to the Articles page or have something topical for you. I hope this will be quicker and more spontaneous than a long newsletter, and should mean that you hear from me more often with tips and updates. You will just need to check whether the subject matter interests you and follow a link in the email to read it.

On this occasion I am alerting you to the campaign "Homeopathy Worked for Me". If you have ever taken a homeopathic remedy and it has helped you, and you want to support the campaign to maintain choice and promote homeopathy, please take two minutes to sign the online declaration here.

The so-called 'vaccine against cervical cancer' (Gardasil, or Cerverix, depending which country you live in) has caused more controversy than any previous vaccine. If this issue concerns you, you will find articles of interest at http://www.theoneclickgroup.co.uk/.

There is a new article posted:
Working with Indigo.

Excerpt: In my homeopathic practice in the UK I am always delighted to work with children and their families. Over the last few years, more and more of these children could be called indigo - even crystal and, in one case, rainbow. - Read more...

I will soon be in Cairo teaching Egyptian homeopaths. The details of the course are here. I will not be able to take on any new clients whilst I am away, but if you leave me a message on +44(0)1494 416376 or send me an email, your enquiry will be dealt with promptly after my return on 5 November.

In these "interesting times", I am reminding myself that the only constant is change. We can leave matters to chance, but we always have a choice. Exerting choice is more empowering than feeling victimised by circumstances. Quoting from my friend Ian Watson's recent newsletter: "One way of arguing with reality is wanting things to stay the same when they clearly need to change. Another is to hold on to something that seems to want to be let go of. Yet another is to insist that your life moves in a particular direction, which doesn't seem to be the way it wants to go. Each of these popular strategies will create inner turmoil of one kind or another."
www.ianwatsonseminars.com

Ian suggests that we find what works for us in keeping ourselves centred and inwardly peaceful. That may be a yoga or meditation practice, or it may simply be doing some weeding in the garden, taking a nap, keeping a journal, walking in nature or baking some biscuits. The best things in life are free, as they say, and I wish you joy in your free moments over the coming days.

In light of tuning inward to find balance and harmony in our surroundings, my friends at Khandro Holistic Boutique are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of their online emporium. They specialise in offering natural, sustainable organic products, hand-picked from around the world to support your holistic lifestyle. Click the link below for a special preview and sign up to receive 25% off your first order at www.khandroholisticboutique.com.

• Immune Boosters for the Autumn Term
• Help for SAD Sufferers
• Recipe of the Month: Get more fruit in a good way!
• What Can Homeopathy Do For You?
• NEW - FREE SURVEY! Complete my quick, multiple choice survey to help me make the Homeopathy Resource newsletter even better for you - and you'll be redirected at the end to a website which lets you conduct your own survey for your clients and readers completely FREE!
• Birthday Clients Find out about the special birthday surprise you might receive from me!
• EVENTS I'm running several workshops over the next couple of months: is one of them for you?

Immune Boosters for the Autumn Term

Here in the UK the sun is at last blessing us with a few days of summer following an unusually wet and chilly July and August. The children are all back at school now, adjusting to new timetables and new teachers, and being exposed to all those germs again!

Viruses tend to hit some folk harder than others. The ancients thought such illnesses were caused by cosmic conditions. Hence the word 'flu', which is short for 'influenza' - this actually means 'being under an astrological influence'.
Thanks to Jonathan Cainer, astrologer, for this information - http://www.cainer.com.

The homeopathic view is that some people are more susceptible than others depending on several factors, like age and the state of the immune system, as well as inherited tendencies. To give yourself the best chance of resisting viruses, a healthy lifestyle is the obvious route to take, but we all have times in our lives when we just "go under" and seem to catch every bug that goes round - and that back-to-school period is definitely one of those times.

I think it's a good idea to get children started on an immune-boosting regime for about a month before they go back to school in September, when the exposure to lots of people and the change of weather seems to mean time off school sick before they ever get as far as October half-term.

A course of homeopathic treatment will put you back on your feet, and I've noticed that since beginning regular treatment myself some years ago, I have caught far fewer colds than I used to.

Give your immune system an instant boost by taking Echinacea for about a month - it's widely available in both tablets and tinctures, and child-friendly versions. Follow the dosage instructions on the packaging.

Vitamin C is essential, and human beings don't store it in their bodies so we need a fresh supply every day. I reckon on 1000mg a day if you're fighting something off - which means you'll need it in supplement form.

Check your fingernails - do you have those little white spots? That isn't always due to zinc deficiency, but it very often does indicate that you could do with a top-up. Vitamin C and zinc together are reputed to improve resistance to colds.

Even if your child hasn't gone down with a cold or a tummy-bug yet, it might be an idea to pop in some extra Vitamin C and start them on a month's course of Echinacea now, to improve their resistance. Zinc is a useful supplement given alongside Vitamin C. For kids aged 12 and over (and adults of course), I recommend 500mg of Vitamin C and 10-15mg of Zinc a day, with Echinacea tincture 15 drops a day in water as an immune booster. For younger children, there are appropriate supplements in the health shops and chemists which are presented as chewable or soluble to make them more palatable for the children.

Vital Information for SAD Sufferers

I'm also expecting that people who get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) will be suffering badly this winter, because they've already been deprived of normal quantities of sunlight through the summer. If this is you, please be aware that light therapy is effective in 85 percent of cases, and you are strongly advised to begin that therapy immediately, or certainly by the time the clocks change in October and we lose another hour of light in the evenings. You will need a light box in the home, and these are not available on the NHS but have to be purchased from specialist retailers: because they are for medical purposes, they are free from VAT and start at just under £100. Just Google "SAD" or "light box" to get all the information you need to go shopping for one online.

The SAD fact is that most anti-depressants aren't effective for this condition and the only other thing on offer is counseling to help you relax and cope with the limitations of the illness. The recommended anti-depressants are the non-sedative SSRIs, such as Prozac, Lustral and Seroxat but most people who read this newsletter probably don't want to go down that route.

The usual homeopathic remedies for depression can be helpful of course, and many people have been helped by St Johns Wort, a herbal remedy for mild to moderate depression.

If a light box is way beyond your means, get outside as much as possible especially when the light is brightest around noon. The light needs to enter your eyes unfiltered, which is why you need to get outdoors beyond the glass of your windows, and it also means ideally popping your glasses in your pocket or taking your contact lenses out for half-an-hour or so while you absorb the rays.

But my honest opinion is that you should see the money spent on a light box as an investment in your physical, emotional and mental health, which will also increase your productivity in the winter because of the benefits for your energy and mood, and can prevent the weight gain that is often associated with this disorder. If you're already dreading the winter months because you know how you'll feel, please do something about it now - and pass this information on to anyone else who might need it!

Recipe of the Month

My VITAMIN C PACKED RECIPE this month is a great way to get the kids to eat loads of fresh fruit without noticing - in fact it's a naughty but nice treat!

It couldn't be easier. Just get some good quality chocolate and let it melt slowly by your usual method.

Meantime, get the kids involved in preparing lots of bite-sized chunks of their favourite fruits such as apple, Satsuma, kiwi, strawberries and bananas.

Once they realise they're allowed to dip the fruit in the melted chocolate, let the fun begin! You'll hopefully be amazed and delighted when you see how much fresh fruit they can get through!

What Can Homeopathy Do For You?

Several people have recently asked me why the doctors don't tell them about homeopathy as a real and safe alternative to antibiotics and surgery. Probably it's because many of them don't know just how much homeopathy can do. The doctors I've come across who do know are always happy for their patients to use homeopathy if it works for them, and encourage them to carry on using remedies that help them. The following people all avoided the use of antibiotics and/or surgery and have been through my practice in the last few weeks:

- a lady who delayed and then cancelled exploratory surgery for endometriosis because all her period problems stopped after a course of homeopathic treatment;

- avoidance of surgery to insert grommets in a four-year-old's ears because homeopathic treatment cleared the congestion and repeated, painful infections that had led to the same eardrum perforating five times in this child's short life - Mum now also has the remedy to clear any recurring infections and can avoid antibiotics from now on;

- avoidance of surgery to drain a Bartholin's gland that had filled with pus to the size of a golf-ball (bartholinitis is an infection/swelling of the gland(s) that supply lubrication to the vagina);

- an 11 year old boy who is now off inhalers for his asthma after four months of homeopathic treatment (although his Mum is also a therapist and was knowledgeable and responsible enough to monitor him weaning off the inhalers, this can still be accomplished but I would insist that this is done with the advice and cooperation of your doctor or consultant. I definitely would not encourage you to decrease or stop using inhalers for asthma unless you are doing so with good homeopathic treatment alongside your doctor's considered opinion).

Free Survey Website (click here)

This is a great website by the way, allowing you to create your own professional 10-question survey completely free. You can email it out to your clients or have it as a permanent feature on your website. Or you could even play with it for fun - survey your friends and family about their summer holidays, or find out what they thought of the Christmas presents you gave them last year!

I'm really looking forward to getting your responses and wish you a very happy month - till next time!

All the best,
Linda

PS - Birthday Clients!

I've introduced a birthday surprise for two or three of my clients every month - if it's your birthday, it will go into the monthly "hat" and if you're chosen you'll get a birthday card from me with £10 off your next appointment. So watch the post if your birthday is coming up!

EVENTS

Build Your Own Practice: Aimed specifically at therapists who have just graduated and are wondering what to do to build up their client bases and get started, this workshop is a blend of practical information and resources, and a holistic approach to personal blocks to success. The feedback is inevitably excellent and our participants go away feeling empowered and knowing what their next step will be. The courses are run in Chesham (Bucks, UK) and in Surrey (UK).

Dates and Details:
Saturday 10th November in Chesham (Bucks, UK), 9.30-5.30 in Chesham, Bucks

Bookings and Enquiries: Call me on 01494 416376 or email linda@homeopathyresource.com.

There has been so much interest in this workshop that we will be making it available as a tele-class and eventually as a downloadable information booklet, so watch this space!

Energies Workshop: This is about becoming familiar with, integrating and learning to use energies in your practice. If you've ever been bewildered by all this "New-Age" jargon about energies, this is the day for you. I actually go back to the kind of chemistry and physics you might remember from your school days to help you ground and understand what's really going on. I also talk very briefly about the Chinese and Ayurvedic models of how energy flows in the body. There's an introduction to dowsing and to the seven chakras, and a fair bit of practical and experiential work to help you really get the hang of it. Don't worry if you think you haven't got a clue, this day is for you!

Dates and Details:
Saturday 6 October 2007 in Chesham (Bucks, UK), 10am till 5pm

Saturday 27 October 2007 in Allanton (near Duns, in Berwickshire, UK)

Bookings and Enquiries: Call me on 01494 416376 or email linda@homeopathyresource.com.

Flower Essence Day: Essences are very simple to use. They are gentle and holistic and are complementary to any medication regime or therapy. They assist the body by working on unhealthy or destructive negative emotions and thoughts. They work on people of all ages from babies to the elderly as well as animals.

Anyone can use them for themselves and loved ones. If you are a therapist, you will love the essences as an adjunctive treatment that continues to help your clients between appointments. As a lay person, flower essences empower you to cope with moods, times of transition and habitual mental patterns.

The Flower Essence Day will give you:

• An introduction to some of the many ranges of Flower Essences now available - we will look at Bach, Australian Bush, and Bailey Essences, Alaskan Essences (including Gem Essences), the Indigo Essences and the Greek Tree Essences ~ how they're made, what they're good for and when to use them
• You'll learn about dosage
• You'll learn how to use a crystal pendant to dowse
• Flower Essences will be available for you to try and you will receive your individual combination to take away with you.

I also provide handouts, including resources, websites and recommended reading. Essence therapy is not a new method of healing by any means.

It has been used by different civilizations for hundreds of years. Edward Bach, a Harley Street doctor, rediscovered this ancient art in the 1930s and brought it to the attention of the modern world. He believed that nature was essentially benevolent and contained everything humans needed for their healing. He did not believe that healing needed to involve the use of traumatic, toxic, poisonous or invasive products. Basically, he believed that the essences "flood our bodies with the beautiful vibration of our higher nature, in the process of which disease melts away like snow in the sunshine".

I can't imagine a nicer way to attune ourselves with nature so I very much hope you can join me for the next one.

Please register your interest in this course here - send me an email and I'll ensure you're kept informed about the next one.

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