January

Active Hope

January is a bit of a sad month. The excitement of Christmas is over, the anticipation for the New Year might already have disappointed. We all think that something good is just going to happen in the New Year, but come January that feeling is gone. It is "same old, same old". Nothing happens. 

The best thing that could happen is boredom. The worst is sadness and fear. But if you watch the news, you'll see that a lot of things are actually happening. They are things we don't want to see, never and definitely not in January when the days are dark and cold with constant rain or snow.  But can we afford to look away? 

It is not only the impending danger of war and devastation, there is also the destruction of nature and our living environment. This is not only happening in distant parts of the planet, it is not only the rainforest which is hacked down for profit. 

This happens right in front of our door. It is not the badger coming into my front garden digging up my tulip bulbs, my front garden is in the park where the badger used to live. It is not the squirrel coming into my back garden and stealing my nuts and apples, my back garden used to be a dense forest. 

If my house is in their home, what are they suppose to do?  Where are they suppose to go? The destruction doesn't stop here. Every bit in town which is green is being built on. Can we really lose any more trees? People think if they cut down a mature tree, it is ok just to plant a new one, but it will take years for the young tree to absorb the same amount of carbon as the old trees. Some trees never make it into maturity. 

I'm not saying that we all should move back into caves and live in the woods but we all should think about what we can DO. There is nobody who can rescue us, no super hero who will set the world right and we can live happy ever after. So lose all hope? Hoping for something or somebody who will come to our aid and make everything good again is passive hope and will gain nothing apart from disappointment. 

We need to  do something, even if it is very small. Leave the car at home every now and again, plant a tree, avoid a bit of rubbish, darn your sock, nothing is too small. If everybody does a small bit it will amount to a big junk. That give hope, that is active hope because you are doing something. 

Homoeopathy is active hope as well because it treats the whole person with powerful remedies which are derived from minerals and the plant and animal kingdom. There are no nasty chemicals in them and they are sustainable and clean to produce. And there is also something to take if despair overwhelms you. So give it a try and call me on 07813 195468 to book your appointment. 

The beginning of the year

Snow And Ice

So it is January again, and we have to expect snow and ice. 

Well, our garden path was really icy when I dared to go out the other day. The mean thing is that you do not always see where the ice is and only notice when you slip. 

And while I was out there I couldn't resist doing some work. I knew that I couldn't stay too long because I had a cake in the oven. But as always, I stayed out longer than I intended to. 

It was quite tricky to move around because it was so slippery.  I nearly fell 3 times and then I remembered what you should do when it is slippery out there. 

You should walk like a penguin. That means lean slightly forward and shuffle from side to side. And keep your hands out of your pockets! I tried to do that. It must have been a funny sight to see me shuffling through the garden. But it worked and I didn't fall. 

You can try it too, if the weather gets worse again and you have to go out, or even get caught in inclement weather. 

If you DO fall, remember Homoeopathy. Arnica is the Homoeopathic remedy you need in case this happens. You can take it up to 6 times, every half an hour or until the symptoms get better. You can also use Arnica cream externally if the skin is not broken. 

And if you need Homoeopathy for any other health issue, give me a ring on 07813 195468 to book your appointment. Looking forward to hearing from you.  

Happy New Year

Have A Happy New Year

It is not only that Christmas with all its glory is over. No, there is a whole new year looming over us. I don't know about you, but I always feel very sad about that. I don't really know why, because I feel sad even if it was not a particularly good year. Maybe it is because another year of my life is gone, something nobody can bring back. 

Keeping in mind that time is only an extension of space, I try to concentrate on the positive things the New Year might bring. And of course, there will be lots of New Years Resolutions. My New Years resolution for this year will be that I try and be more positive and happy whatever life will throw at me. I think that this is important but might almost as difficult to achieve for me like running a Marathon. 

But there are other important things in life, like looking after your health and taking it into your own hands. I think I'm pretty good at that already with using Homoeopathy.

So why not make the pledge to be healthier in the coming year? Have a little walk every day, come rain or shine? Eat more fruit and vegetables? Take up a new sport? Why not make the pledge to try Homoeopathy? 

Homoeopathy is a natural system of medicine which is free of side effects and not addictive. Minute doses of substances derived from minerals and the animal and plant kingdom are used to stimulate the healing process within the body. It is safe for people of all ages including babies, and even for pregnant women. Homoeopathy works by supporting the immune system to restore itself to complete health. No long waits for getting your prescription, and Homoeopathy is sustainable medicine without any negative impact on the environment.

I feel so fortunate to have this tool to help people with all their health issues. Homoeopathy has always an answer, there is nothing you can not treat with Homoeopathy. Of course, you have to have the right remedy. Although I've been a qualified Homoeopath for 12 years, there's always more to learn about Homoeopathy. My pledge for next year is to learn even more to be the best I can be for you. Let me help you on your path to health in the new year. If you want to give it a go, contact me on 07813 195468. Looking forward to hear from you and have a happy start to the new year.

A new year is like the foggy path into the unknown.

It is Christmas

 Fatty Christmas

When I think of Christmas today, the homoeopathic remedy Nux-vomica comes to mind. You might ask why this is the case. 

Well, Christmas doesn't seem to be the season to be jolly anymore. There is no talk of peace on earth anymore. Often it is the time when family life becomes more violent than ever because of high expectations which cannot be fulfilled. And there is the anti-climax when all the hard work is done and all the worry is over and you suddenly realise that you have been working so hard for weeks for the sake of two days. 

Lets face it. Nowadays Christmas is about food and drink. Most shops will be closed for one or two days and this seems to be a reason for most people to panic. So the question is: "Is there ENOUGH food in the house?" In so many cases there is too much food in the house and therefore there is pressure to eat it. So we have a big, festive breakfast and shortly after that, the Christmas lunch when all the family are coming. If we are lucky we might fit in a walk between lunch and the mince pies and Christmas cake before we move over to supper. And of course, there will be nibbles and plenty to drink. We usually eat and drink too much and do not feel well at all. 

We do not really want lunch after the festive breakfast but it has been bought and cooked, so we eat it. We think that the walk will do us good after lunch and make room for the mince pies but it was not really long or strenuous enough. But we do love mince pies and after all, they are still truly seasonal because you cannot buy them all year round, so you have to make the most of them. They will be shortly gone from the shops and you cannot have them till next year, which is only a week away, unless you have a big freezer with lots of space you can fill with mince pies. Yes, and it is Christmas so having prosecco with breakfast is fine, and anyway alcohol is allowed almost from the moment you open your eyes in the morning, and this for two full days. I could carry on like that, and yes, I do the same. I have a Christmas pudding and I want it with brandy butter, which my loving husband will make with lots of brandy. I do not know why I still have a Christmas cake and a Stollen every year but they'll get eaten as well, I do not understand when. I didn't make any Christmas cookies but we do have nibbles and sometimes I wonder how we eat all of that in just 24 hours.  

That is when Nux-vomica comes in handy. It helps when you have been living the good life. It can also help with hang overs but that depends on what you have been drinking. And don't forget that Homoeopathy is a very individual medicine. It needs to fit YOU. So if you need any help please contact me on 07813 195468. And a very happy Christmas to you all. 

Christmas at Stourhead. Photograph by Roger Giraud-Saunders

Advent

The Weeks Before Christmas

It is time to put the wreath on the door again. 

Every year I try to use only natural materials so that the wreath can go directly on the compost heap without me having to fiddle around. I always use the decorations more than once, in fact I try to use them every year. But that means that I have to rummage around prickly stuff to get them off.  

So I came up with the idea to use materials which could go on the compost heap in one go but I never managed it entirely because I like a bit of glitter in my wreath. It looks so nice in the dark evenings. There is no way you will get some natural glitter, apart from frost, so I came up with the idea to use little fairy lights. Yes, I will have to get them off after Christmas, but at least this might be easy. The idea with the fairy lights didn't work out because the old one were broken and as I wanted to be sustainable I didn't by new ones. I managed to stay all natural, just without the sparkle, apart from a red bow. But that will be easy to take off..

Natural stuff matters a lot to me. This is the reason why I try and eat as naturally as possible and only use cosmetics I made myself. I never managed to make a good shampoo myself so I would use my old bottle and have it refilled with a very natural product. And, of course, I use HOMOEOPATHY. 

Homoeopathy is a natural medicine which is sustainable. Homoeopathy is made from substances derived from minerals and from the plant and animal kingdom. It is without side effects and is not addictive. Homoeopathy can be used with all health issues, acute and chronic. If you want to go all natural with your health issues as well, give me a ring on 07813 195468 and book your appointment for the New Year. Looking forward to hear from you. 

Silver and gold

Talking Is Silver

I have been to a wedding recently. It was a very nice event. Beautiful couple, beautiful location and the food was superb. The weather could have been better but it is November, so what do you expect? 

It is always interesting to meet new people at events like this and I always realise that I never have enough time to talk to all the people and get to know them. It would be good if the wedding would last 3 days, like it does in some cultures. And I also always realise that I'm not very good at making small talk. 

As soon as I start to talk to someone I go straight into Homoeopath-mode. It might feel a bit strange to some people to get interrogated by me but I always leave them the possibility to leave. I'm not nosy, I just want to get the picture of the person opposite me. I'm actually not a talker, I'm more of a listener. 

This is a very good characteristic if you are a Homoeopath because you might listen to something somebody has never talked about before. So I would listen to you as well, and there would be no rush. My initial consultations can last up to 2 hours so that you have enough time to tell me everything you want me to know. No, I'm not nosy and I do not judge. Everything you will tell me is treated with confidentiality. I just want to match you up with the remedy that might help you. So if you have something you want to talk to me about, book your appointment by calling me on 07813 195468. Looking forward to hear from you. 

Hochzeitsturm, Darmstadt, Germany.

 

 

In The Dark Of November

The year has passed so quickly and now it is November again. November with the Remembrance Day when we will remember all those people who lost their lives in conflicts. Even though the war which should have ended all wars is over for 107 years, there are still wars today. It is time that we learnt to solve conflicts without anybody getting hurt.

November is the month when we remember not only the victims of wars, but also all people who have passed away, the same year and earlier. In Germany we used to visit the graveyards on the first Sunday in November. November is a month of grieving, people who have lost somebody dear to them might feel it particularly acutely when the skies are grey and the afternoons are cold and dark.

Homoeopathy can help in situations like that. Homoeopathy has almost as many remedies for different sorts of grief as there are words for snow in the Inuit language. There is a remedy for the grief when somebody has lost a very young child. There is a remedy for old grief and for the grief for the loss of a spouse. There is also the "funeral" remedy which helps to contain the raw grief of a recently bereaved person without taking it away. 

There is a remedy for grief about the earth and nature, the loss of natural spaces, and grief from a very young age. Another remedy deals with ailments from grief, and if somebody has never been well after the loss of a dear person. There is even a remedy for people who grieve not the loss of a person but the loss of their job, their property, their status or a limb.

Homoeopathy can help you to get over this essential but debilitating feeling. You don't have to bear your grief any longer all on your own. If you want to know a bit more about Homoeopathy and how it can help you, please get in contact on 07813 195468.

We will never forget.

In the darkest wilderness

 The Land Of Legends

I was quite excited to go on holiday to Scotland. This is the land of myths and legends, the land of the red squirrel, the eagle. 

Here it is where you might spot the wild lowland haggis or find a highland haggis swimming in the whisky pools. 

Scotland is the land where you find Loch Ness, which is 38 km long, up to 230 meters deep and holds more water than all the lakes and reservoirs combined in England, and its monster Nessie. 

This is the land of Ben Nevis and beautiful landscapes. The land where you get wonderful porridge and delicious shortbread (and malt whisky). Oh and not to forget the Heilan'coos.

So, yes, naturally, I was very much looking forward to go to this wonderful place. And I was not disappointed. The landscape was breath taking, the porridge was wonderful and so was the shortbread. We saw red squirrels, Loch Ness und Ben Nevis, waterfalls and the sea. Oh yes, and 3 Heilan'coos. 

Unfortunately we didn't see any eagles, any haggis, not even in the deepest forest, or Nessie. 

But haggis and Nessie might be a legend anyway, who knows. 

What definitely is not a legend in Scotland, is Homoeopathy. I know many people say that it is a legend, a placebo, that cannot work. But in Scotland people seem to be of a different opinion. In every health food shop, which we found in every town we visited, we found at least a small selection of Homoeopathic remedies. Talking to the shop assistants we found that they were in great demand. 

Well there's no need to convince me. I know that they are working but let me remind you that Homoeopathy is a very individual  medicine and can only work if you have the right remedy for YOU. You don't have to do that on your own, that is what I'm here for. If you want me to find the right remedy for you, give me a ring on 07813 195468 and book your appointment.

Looking forward to hear from you. 

Where is the monster?

The change of season

When The Wind Blows....

..it seems to blow the rainclouds away. So now it is officially autumn again. All in nature looks so tired but that is unfortunately not down to autumn but to the lack of water. We still have had not enough rain. 

We were driving through the country side at the weekend and I was amazed that the elderberry were lush and ripe hanging in big bunches off the bushes inspite of the lack of water.  The elder bush is a particular favorite of mine and it is so versatile. You can pick the flowers in May and make a refreshing cordial out of it or even something sparkling and slightly alcoholic if you a very careful. I've heard that it has a tendency to explode.  You can also use the ripe berries at this time of year to make a juice which helps you with colds in winter. Again you have to be careful because you need to boil the juice or there might be some poisoning if you use it raw. 

Even though I do love the plant, I do not like the flavor of the elderberry juice very much. Sometimes I mix it with apple and/or blackberry juice. So it is much easier for me to use the Homoeopathic remedy of the elder which is called Sambucus nigra after the botanical name of the elder bush. This remedy is particularly suited for people with breathing problems. 

I'm sure that you might have experienced the stuffed nose which closed up completely when having a cold as soon as you were lying down. It can really ruin the good night sleep so much needed when having a cold. Well, I have used this remedy many times with great success to solve that problem. But it can do more for you when indicated. 

Don't forget that Homoeopathy is a very individual medicine and that you need to know what you are doing if you want to be successful. I have studied for 5 years in order to help you with your health issues, so no self prescribing please. Give me a ring on 07813 195468 so I can give you a hand. Looking forward to hear from you. 

Never ending

 The Elephant In The Room

It is me again writing about water. Or rather, the lack of it. The summer has been too dry and nature is looking as if it's going into autumn too early but in fact, the plants are suffering from dryness. 

There was some rain, our water barrels in the garden are not all empty, but it was not enough to keep the water table at a safe level. The fact is that we take too much water out of the system. We all need to save water. We all think that we are not using too much water but since I saved water in the kitchen and ran the water I use to wash fruit, vegetables and salad into a bucket, I noticed how much it actually takes to prepare a meal. That can easily amount to 40 - 50 liters, depending what you are cooking. I must admit, that it is hard work and uncomfortable to slog the buckets out into the garden but then I imagine how uncomfortable it would be if I would turn my tap on and nothing came out.

Another area where we are using too much water is washing and showering. Nobody wants to be smelly wearing dirty clothes but do you need a shower 3x a day? Or even every day? Would not a wash do it? 

I will tell you about my grandfather. My mother told me the story how he used to wash. With one washbowl of water he would clean his teeth, dunk his comb in to comb his hair (that was all that it got), then he would wash his body and in the end he put the bowl on the floor to wash his feet. I don't know how clean he actually was afterwards, but the water was definitely dirty and well used. This definitely saved a lot of water but I'm not sure if this is the way to go about it.

Well, everybody has their way of feeling comfortable but I'm quite sure it will not be a problem to use a little bit more water for your personal hygiene. 

The other end of the spectrum is when people wash too often. Compulsive handwashing has nothing to do with hygiene, it means that it is time to see me.