I am not a Homeopath Professional but have used them for years and taught on the subject many times. The following might help you should you decide to use them:
Any Homeopathic Remedy someone uses must be taylored to their specific need and overall physical and mental/emotional makeup. What works for one person might not help someone else.
This is the text I provide those that are interested in Homeopathic Remedies.
Remember that the use of herbs and other natural helps is not the same as using Homeopathy.
Title: Using Homeopathic Remedies – Taking and Caring For Your Remedies
My concern has been for those who purchased a homeopathic remedy or homeopathic remedy kit and not found success with the remedies; usually because they were without clear instructions on how to take and store those remedies.
[My intent is to relay what my research or personal use has shown me. I am not a medical professional and am not intending to prescribe anything for anyone or as a remedy for any malady. If you are ill I would suggest you consult a professional.]
When we take ‘normal’ allopathic medications that have been prescribed by our physician the medications usually come with specific instructions like the frequency to be taken, time of day to be taken, taken with or without food, not combining them with things like grapefruit, milk products or alcohol, temperature range to store them, etc.
Homeopathic Remedies are similar and therefore have similar instructions. If the guidelines for taking and storing your homeopathic remedies are not followed there is a chance that they will no longer be effective.
The first and biggest hurtle we need to cross is finding the correct remedy for our need. For instance, the remedies for headaches or the common cold are many. One remedy might be for a slightly runny nose with a sore throat; another for a stuffy nose with tiredness, another for a very runny nose with coughing; the list goes on. If we take a remedy for a slightly runny nose and sore throat when our symptoms are a very runny nose with coughing, the chances are good that our selected remedy will not work.
Okay, back to my subject: There are several very important guidelines for storing and taking homeopathic remedies.
+++++ IF A REMEDY WORKS FOR YOU, YOU ARE JUST WASTING THE REMEDY IF YOU TAKE A GREATER QUANTITY OF IT. THESE REMEDIES ARE NOT MEASURED BY QUANITY LIKE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO AN ASPRIN WHERE TWO MIGHT BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ONE. IF A REMEDY IS WORKING FOR YOU, DON'T TAKE MORE UNTIL YOU NEED IT. TAKING A REMEDY WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT CAN ACTUALLY WORK AGAINST YOU. IF THE REMEDY SAYS TO TAKE ONE TO FOUR TABLETS/DROPS, DON'T TAKE MORE IN HOPES OF HAVING GREATER SUCCESS WITH THE REMEDY; REMEDIES ARE NOT MADE MORE EFFECTUAL BY TAKING A GREATER QUANTITY OF IT. +++++
* Keep them in a tightly closed container away from sunlight and strong or close electrical fields (TVs, radios, electric blankets, cell phones, cell phone chargers, computers, table lamps, etc.).
* Additionally the homeopathic remedies need to be stored in a tightly closed container far away from anything strong smelling, even if the strong smelling item is within a closed container. Things like perfumes, camphor creams, room deodorants, etc. Exposure to these things will inactivate the homeopathic remedy.
* Two things seem to instantly neutralize homeopathic remedies once we take them. The first is anything with mint in it like mint tea, breath mints, mint flavored foods, and most importantly toothpaste flavored with mint.
The second is coffee. Some homeopaths debate coffee being a problem, but it seems the majority of them say to stay completely away from coffee if at all possible while taking homeopathic remedies. If you must have your coffee try not drinking any within an hour before or after taking your homeopathic remedy. (In my opinion, by drinking coffee when using homeopathic remedies you are taking a good chance your remedies will be ineffective.)
* The remedies need to be taken when the mouth is free from any taste of food. Therefore the reference sources say to take your remedies at least a half hour before or after a meal.
* If you are taking an homeopathic remedy in the form of an oral pill try to completely dissolve the pills under your tongue before swallowing. If the remedy is a liquid intended to be taken orally the guideline is the same, keep it under the tongue for a minute or so before swallowing. If the pill does not automatically disolve under your tongue then keep it there for several minutes before slowly crushing it with your teeth before swallowing.
* The references sources I have checked say to try and keep the remedies away from excessive heat or cold. (However I had ours stored for a number of years in the desert where they were yearly exposed to temperatures below zero and above 110’ Fahrenheit. When recovered the remedies worked just fine.)
* Lastly, if at all possible do not handle your remedies, rather shake the remedy tablets from the bottle into the bottle cap and then toss them from the cap into your mouth. Never handle the unused remedies that are to stay in the container for future use.
Are there any exceptions to these guidelines? Yes, to all of them. For instance, if you’ve just eaten or have just brushed your teeth with a mint flavored toothpaste and then receive a bee sting or you’ve hit your finger with a hammer, ignore the guidelines and take your remedy right away. Then repeat the remedy as needed.
As side notes: The reference sources say that there should be no problem taking necessary physician prescribed medications at the same time as you are taking homeopathic remedies. If you have a concern about this you should consider consulting your physician. Remember though that most, but not all, in the medical and pharmaceutical professions have been told that homeopathy is nothing more than a placebo and therefore they do not believe in homeopathy; sometimes even strongly advising against the use of them.
My concern has been for those who have purchased a remedy or homeopathic remedy kit and not found success with the remedies because they were without clear instructions on how to take and store those remedies.
Footnote: My intent is to relay what my research or personal use has shown me. I am not a medical professional and am not intending to prescribe anything for anyone or as a remedy for any malady. If you are ill I would suggest you consult a professional.