How to Take the Remedy
When to Repeat the Remedy
Antidotes to homeopathic remedies
How to Take Care of Remedies
How to administer the remedy
All homeopathic remedies are taken internally. Each remedy is available in liquid or granular form. There is no difference in the quality between the two. One dose of granules is 5 to 6 granules – let them dissolve under the tongue. Shake liquid remedies very well, by hitting the bottle into the palm of your hand. Then take two dropper fulls from and add this to two tablespoons of water. Hold this solution under the tongue for about ten seconds to aid in its absorption. Do not eat or drink or use toothpaste fifteen minutes before or after the remedy is taken. For the optimal effect after an injury, the remedy should be given as soon after the injury occurs as possible. Take one dose in 30c potency, often this is all that is needed for an acute injury. For an acute illness the remedy may need to be taken once a day. For a chronic illness the remedy will most likely need to be taken about once a week to begin with.
When to repeat or change the remedy
After one dose, there should be a positive change within 12 hours for a first aid ailment, 24 hours in the case of an acute illness and within three days for a chronic illness. As long as improvement continues after this first dose then do not repeat the remedy. Repeat if symptoms begin to return. There is no possibility of harm if the remedy is repeated when the symptoms begin to return. To gain the optimal effect of the remedy, it can also be repeated if some of the symptoms persist and there is no further improvement for two or three days in a row.
If there are no positive changes after the initial dose, do not repeat this first remedy choice. Look for more symptoms and report these to your homeopath to try a second remedy. Repeating an incorrect remedy too often can lead to undesirable side effects.
Antidotes: What to avoid when taking a remedy
Remedies may be antidoted (become ineffective) either partially or completely by various substances or other forms of treatment. Antidoting can greatly complicate treatment; therefore it is essential to carefully avoid these influences. The following is a list of the more common ways in which the remedies can loose their effectiveness.
Caffeine: Coffee frequently antidotes remedies. The antidoting effect can occur after only one cup, in some people, and after months of regular consumption in others. As there is no way to predict this, it is essential that homeopathic patient avoid coffee altogether. Even after you feel much better and have stopped taking the remedy, it is important to not drink coffee. Water processed decaffeinated coffee, caffeinated soft drinks and black tea also contain caffeine and should all be avoided. Some alternatives, which do not contain caffeine, are herbal teas, freeze dried decaffeinated coffee, hot chocolate and decaffeinated black tea. These are safe to drink to ensure the effectiveness of the remedy..
Camphor: Avoid anything that has camphor in it, such as deep heat liniments, Tiger Balm®, Vick’s®, shaving cream with camphor, Noxzema® products, many lip balms, cough lozenges, essential oils of eucalyptus, menthol, etc. A rub of camphorated oil, as well as long exposure to the odor itself will antidote remedies.
Allopathic drugs Avoid antibiotics, cortisone, and over-the-counter pain medicines. These common drugs can suppress specific or local symptoms and weaken the patient. Therefore, these should be avoided except when prescribed by your MD and in an emergency or life-threatening condition.
Dental work: The drilling, and possibly the anesthetics, used in dentistry are antidotes for homeopathic remedies, but only for chronic conditions. Take the remedy at least two days after or before dental work.
Chemicals: Avoid paints, solvents, and sprays for pest and insect control as these are known to antidote.
Vaccinations: Take any required vaccinations at least a month after a homeopathic treatment. If the vaccination causes a relapse of symptoms, then repeat the remedy.
Electric blankets: Avoid the use of electric blankets (there appears to be a detrimental interaction of the electric field of the blanket with the body).
How to care for and handle the remedies
Store the remedy away from direct sunlight, electrical appliances and strong odors. Avoid placing it in a place where the temperature rises above eighty degrees Fahrenheit. A cool neutral environment, such as in a cupboard, alongside glass or paper products is an ideal storage place.