Homeopathy and toxic chemicals

You never know!

We never know what challenges life will throw at us each day. That was also the case for the people of East Palestine, Ohio, after the catastrophic train derailment and the dangerous chemical plume that subsequently settled over the town.

No one there had the slightest idea that they would soon face an unimaginable exposure to vinyl chloride while going about their daily lives.

Indeed, we never know.

That is why we must be prepared! We must develop the ability to think homeopathically and have all necessary homeopathic remedies in our home medicine cabinet so we can get through any eventuality.

As I said, I am not a medical doctor and therefore cannot offer medical advice to those affected after a chemical exposure.

Responding appropriately – homeopathically too

If the situation is not highly acute, we can sleep on it, gather more information and draw up a plan for further action. However, it is human nature to want to act as quickly as possible in a crisis. That is why it is important to learn how to react appropriately, especially when we do not know exactly what has happened.

Dear readers, the first step towards an appropriate response is to learn and regularly practise how to think homeopathically. And that is why I am here — as your homeopathic teacher.

We orientate ourselves to the symptoms in order to decide which remedy is best suited to a patient's complaints — regardless of the aetiology. In other words: it does not matter whether the apparent symptoms are caused by a chemical leak, a bee sting or contact dermatitis. The person thinking homeopathically uses the symptoms to select a suitable remedy.

In the case of the Ohio derailment, the symptoms currently seem to range from hives (skin rash) to breathing problems. We do not yet know the long-term effects. It is still too early for that. But we do know that chickens, fish and pets have died.

Making the right decisions

In a blog post I certainly cannot tell anyone which homeopathic remedy is best for them personally. But I can show you how to acquire the information you need to make an informed decision for yourself.

For this you need a homeopathic repertory — a comprehensive compendium of all possible complaints that can befall a person. A repertory is a hefty tome of a book, printed on very thin parchment paper, in which almost every conceivable symptom and ailment is listed, together with the homeopathic remedies indicated for a specific rubric.

Robin Murphy's Clinical Repertory

My current favourite is Dr Robin Murphy's Clinical Repertory of Homeopathy. In a situation like this chemical accident, I would first look in the 'General' chapter at the back of the book. If you own this book, you will find in the column under "TOXINS, Poisons, Chemicals, Drugs, Pollutants, Complaints from" more than 70 homeopathic remedies that can be considered if an exposure to chemicals should lead to illness.

How do we proceed in selecting a remedy?

The potentially relevant homeopathic remedies are listed in different typefaces to highlight the most frequently indicated remedy. Some remedies are printed in bold, others in CAPITALS.

The remedy that has been most successful in countless prescriptions for complaints after chemical exposure is printed in bold and underlined; here it is ARS (short for Arsenicum album). We do not know whether this remedy is specifically indicated for the chemical released in this case. However, we do know that Arsenicum album has proven so broadly useful (with regard to health complaints following chemical exposure) that it should be among the first remedies we consider.

So let us assume we decide to use Arsenicum album after an exposure. How do we know which potency to use? That always depends on the circumstances and is a matter of learning.

Using Arsenicum album correctly

Arsenicum album 3, for example, is more suited to treating stomach problems. Arsenicum album 6 mainly affects the nose, while Arsenicum album 30 is more helpful for diarrhoea. And Arsenicum album 200 (one of my favourite potencies for this remedy) is generally given for chronic problems. More information on dosing and potencies can be found here.

With a chemical exposure I tend to give Arsenicum album in the 30 or 200 potency. But ultimately everyone must decide for themselves, and it always depends on the symptoms.

Please remember: Homeopathy is medicine. If we use it thoughtlessly, it can trigger what is called a drug proving (i.e. taking the homeopathic remedy temporarily causes a particular symptom that it is meant to treat; this usually happens when someone accidentally takes the wrong remedy). There is no need to be afraid of a possible proving, but it should be kept in mind when working with homeopathic remedies.

It is also important that you look in the repertory for other symptoms that may occur — in addition to the general symptoms for the chemical's toxicity. So if a homeopathic remedy such as Arsenicum album appears in several different but still relevant rubrics, that is a good sign that it could be a well-chosen remedy.

Arsenicum is known for successfully treating anxiety. It also helps with diarrhoea, breathing difficulties, skin conditions, liver inflammations and poisonings. With so many possible indications, Arsenicum will generally play an outstanding role in the present situation. But again: it is not an absolute hit — not 100% — but it is a good starting point.

Confirming the symptoms in the Materia Medica

As with any illness, however, we should not rely on a single remedy without carefully observing the symptoms. If the first chosen remedy does not work, we switch to another. As I have already written, there are more than 70 remedies in the rubric on toxic chemicals alone from which you can choose! The best way to continue orienting yourself is a remedy book, a so‑called Materia Medica. There you can read about the remedies listed in the rubrics in detail.

A Materia Medica could be described as a companion book to the repertory. (Dr Robin Murphy's Clinical Materia Medica contains more than 1,500 homeopathic remedies and is an excellent choice). While a repertory lists diseases and individual symptoms, the Materia Medica describes the individual homeopathic remedies with all their facets and clinically observed effects. Together they form a whole picture that helps us make better decisions.

Act wisely and competently

I repeat: I am not telling you what to do. I only want to show you how to THINK differently through these remedies. Competence and confidence — especially in emergencies — depend on having adopted and furthered a homeopathic way of thinking. This naturally also includes a homeopathic medicine cabinet. Keep as many homeopathic remedies in stock as you can. As I mentioned at the beginning of my blog post, we never know what we will need tomorrow.

Dear readers, whatever life has in store for us, we will get through it. We have our remedies, our trained minds and our prayers. That is an almost unbeatable combination!

My team and I will continue to keep the Ohio region in our hearts. And as always, we ask you to pass on the good news to all those affected! Because homeopathy helps.

Sincerely,

Yours

Source: https://joettecalabrese.com/blog/homeopathy-and-chemical-exposure/