Kitchen Homeopathy:

Remedies Taken from Everyday Food

By Vinton McCabe
Vinton McCabe, 2010

Since Samuel Hahnemann, the Father of Homeopathy, created the basic

homeopathic pharmacy from the herbal pharmacy of his day, it should come as no
surprise that many of the most basic and most important of todays homeopathic
remedies are taken from source materials that each of us would find in our kitchen
cupboard.
Among these are: Allium Cepa, which is taken from the red onion, and which is
among our most important remedies for those who suffer from colds and seasonal
allergies; and Allium Savitum, which is made from garlic, and which is very helpful
for those with colitis and/or intestinal parasites.
Common vegetable have also been made into homeopathic remedies. Among
these are: Asparagas Officinalis, which is made from asparagas, and which is very
helpful for those with urinary troubles and their associated lower aches and pains in
the region of the lower back; and Pastinaca, taken from parsnip, which helps those
who are in withdrawal from alcohol or drugs. Even common parsley, which, in our
century has been largely reduced to a bit of green foliage on a diner plate, when
potentized into the remedy Petroselinum, is of great help to those with digestive and
urinary troubles.
In fact, dozens of common fruits and vegetables are part of the
homeopathic pharmacy, as are common nuts, including the cashew, which, in the form
of the remedy Anacardium Occidentale, is used as a medicine for those with a wide
range of skin conditions, from corns and warts to ringworm and to long-lasting ulcers
on the skin. (It should be noted that, historically, the nut itself was said to have
healing powers for the skin and ladies who applied the juice of the nut to their skin
were said to extremely youthful in their appearance. This is particularly odd in that
the cashew is related to the rhus family of plants, including poison ivy and poison
sumac, and those who fail to wash there hands after handling the nuts often develop
an itching and burning wherever their hands touch their skin.) As a remedy,
Anacardium Occidentale works wonders for those who complain of itching and
burning of the skin (as does the related remedy Rhus Toxicodendron), as well as for
those who have painful cracking of the skin.
Seeds, as well as nuts, may also be potentized into homeopathic
remedies. Pumpkin seeds, for instance, when prepared homeopathically as the
remedy Cucurbita Pepo, are an excellent medicine both for those who are seasick and

for women who experience nausea during pregnancy.

But by far the most important category of kitchen homeopathy belongs
to the spices and herbs that we daily use to season our foods. A quick look at even
the most basic Materia Medicathe book used by homeopaths worldwide in the study
of their remedieslists some sixteen different remedies taken from these condiments:
from black pepper to cayenne and to table salt; from anise to nutmeg to cinnamon to
ginger and cloves; from peppermint to spearmint; from wild thyme to sweet marjoram
to sage and saffron. Even cane sugar has been shaped into a potent homeopathic
remedy.
Now, most of those foods listed above, especially those under the
category of herbs and spices, are already well known for their medicinal impact on
the human system. They have been part of the herbal cannon of medicines for
thousands of years. But homeopathic medicine, although it comes from the same
materia medica of plant substances as does herbal medicine, is not the same thing as
herbal medicine. In fact, herbal medicine is categorized as allopathic medicine, and
has quite the opposite effect on the human system from homeopathic medicine.
Hahnemann and the Development of Homeopathy
Two hundred years ago, when he was in medical school in the University
of Vienna, Samuel Hahnemann noticed again and again that the patients in his clinic
were actually being harmed more by the medicines that were used to treat them then
they were by the ailments that had caused them to seek treatment in the first place.
And it was Hahnemanns search for a form of medicine that could have the impact of
herbal medicines like belladonna or aconite, but without their toxic effects, that lead to
the creation of what would ultimately be known as homeopathy.
In seeking a new method of working, the first thing that Hahnemann tried
was simple dilution. He took at toxic substance, like aconite, and dissolved it in water
or alcohol. Those things that would not dissolve he ground with milk sugar. He then
took one part of this dissolved substance, called a Mother Tincture, and mixed it with
nine parts water. This he called a 1X remedy, using the Roman numeral X for 10
since the total mixture had ten component parts. He then took one part of the 1X and
mixed it with nine parts water to make a 2X and so on.
In further experimenting with his medicines, Hahnemann also developed
a technique that he called Succussion. By this, he meant the mixing or shaking of the
medicines after they were diluted. Thus, the process of potentizing his medicines
ultimately had two parts: dilution and succussion.
Over the years, Hahnemann developed different scales of dilution. He

added a C scale, again using a Roman numeral, this time for 100 to refer to the
potency level. One part of substance was mixed with 99 parts water in order to create
a remedy that was far more diluted than was the X scale. Again, this scale was
continual, with the 30C remedy that can so easily today be purchased in a health food
store, considered an extremely high dilution, in that it referred to thirty levels of
dilution, each containing 100 parts of dilution. Therefore, the creation of the remedies
by hand was a time consuming work for Hahnemann, but one that paid off very well.
Because, in working with his potentization process, Hahnemann found that, as the
remedies were diluted and succussed, instead of becoming weaker, as one might
reasonably think that they would, they actually became stronger and stronger in their
medicinal action, but contained none of the toxic dangers of the original substance. In
fact, as we can prove today with modern technology, they contained none of the
original substance. This disappearing of all the molecules of the original substance
takes place at the level of 12X in Hahnemanns original X scale of dilutions, and at the
level of 4C in his second scale. It is at these levels that none of the original substance
remains, although remedies at these levels and above still retain the full medicinal
impact of the remedy.
In fact, Hahnemann found, again and again, that, as he diluted and
succussed his remedies, that they actually became more powerful with each level of
dilution. That, as the material dose of the actual substance fell away, its echo, its life
force remained and was capable of more and more impact on the human system.
Therefore, the remedy at a level of 12X potency is far more powerful than is the 4X.
And the 30C is more powerful in its action than is a 9C. And that same 30C would
have far more impact than that 4X.
Today, again thanks to modern technology, dilution has gone much
further. A third scale of potency has been developed, again borrowing a Roman
numeral to give it is name. The M scale, diluted to the 1,000s, is actually a
continuation of the C scale. When you reach the 999C level of dilution, the next level
is called 1M, referring to 1,000 levels of dilutions. From that point onward, dilutions
are done to the 1,000 and they are called 1M, 2M and so forth. This is our highest
level of dilution, and also our most powerful level of homeopathic treatment.
Therefore, Hahnemann, with his potentization process created exactly what he set
out to create: a pharmacy of medicines with full medicinal impact and no toxic side
effects.
The Philosophy of Homeopathic Treatment
It was an American homeopath, James Tyler Kent, who said that

homeopathic remedies are homeopathic in two ways: in the way in which they are
made and the way in which they are used. By this he refers to homeopathic
philosophy--which, like the remedies themselves, was largely shaped by Samuel
Hahnemann, and which determines the manner in which the remedies are used.
There are specific rules--what Hahnemann called the Three Laws of
Cure--that shape the process of homeopathic treatment. In addition to this, there is
what is known as Herings Law that gives an indication to both patient and
practitioner as to just how the healing process should take place.
Now, Herings Law perhaps should not be referred to as a law at all.
Instead, it is a description of the way in which healing most generally takes place.
Hering tells us that the healing process most often moves from the inside outward
(which is to say that physical manifestations of illness will usually move ultimately to
the skin in the form of rashes. Should these rashes be left alone to heal and not again
suppressed with allopathic treatment, then healing will be complete). In the same way,
he indicates that healing most often starts at the top of the head and moves
downward. That it moves from more vital organs to organs of lesser import (again,
ending with the skin, which is considered, in homeopathy, to be the least important
organ). Finally, Hering tells us that the symptoms will disappear in reverse order. In
other words, the symptom that came on first will be the last to leave, and the symptom
that was the last to manifest will be the first one removed.
Not all healings will take place as Constantine Hering described them, but
his law gives us a general pattern to look for in homeopathic treatment.
Unlike Herings Law, Samuel Hahnemanns Three Laws of cure are
immutable. They are the principles that define the philosophy of homeopathy and
inform its practice.
The First Law of Cure is called Similar. This is the heart of homeopathy.
It states that like cures like. But this I mean that the homeopath will, in treating a
patient, give that patient a remedy whose action it is to create a group of symptoms in
a healthy patient that are as similar as possible to those being experienced by the
patient. In this way, the homeopath works with the symptoms and with the patients
own Vital Force (think: immune system) in clearing away the symptoms of illness.
By working with the patients symptoms in a manner that actually strengthens the
patients ability to heal himself, all traces of the illness are completely removed and
nothing is suppressed into his system.
The Second Law of Cure is called Simplex. This law states that we must
use only one remedy at a time. This is important because, in managing the case, it is
vital to know what a remedy is capable of doing. And if more than one remedy is
given at the same time, it is impossible to know what each remedy is doing. It is also

impossible to know what the combination of the two remedies might do while
working in concert with each other. Only by giving a single remedy at a time can we
be sure of its impact upon the case. This is not to say that more than one remedy will
not be ultimately used in a given case, only that they should be given one at a time and
allowed to work fully before another remedy is used to follow up.
Finally, there is the Law of Minimum. This tells us that we want to use
every remedy in the same wayin the lowest effective potency and the fewest
number of effective doses. In other words, it is never the goal of homeopathic
treatment to over-medicate the patient. Nor is it ever the goal of homeopathic
treatment to manage diseases with open-ended treatments. It is always the goal of
homeopathic treatment to work with the patient and to stoke the patients own Vital
Force to allow his body to totally and completely heal itself.
This having been said, let us look at some specific remedies taken from food
substances:
Remedies Taken From Food Substances
Science has always had a difficult time deciding just what should be
classified as food and what should be classified as medicine--in other words, just
where is the line between nourishment, the function of food, and improvement, the
function of medicine? Just look the words up in the dictionary, food is defined as,
any nourishing substance eaten, drunk or otherwise taken into the body to sustain
life, provide energy, promote growth, etc. Medicine is defined as any substance
used in treating disease or illness. Therefore, food sustains life while medicine
combats, as the dictionary says, disease or illness (although what the difference is
between the two is, I do not know).
Which makes is largely a matter of preventative medicine versus
intervening medicine, and just where the line is between those two, much like food
and medicine, I also dont know.
Any of us who has been alive for more than twenty years should
remember the arguments on the floor of Congress over just this matter, as some
Congressmen felt that it was time to control the American publics access to so-called
medicinal herbs (a list that should include garlic and onion), and others felt that, as
these medicines were by and large considered to be foods and not medicines by the
general public, it was best to drop the whole thing. And so it was dropped, at least for
now.
In homeopathy, we have no such issue with a substance being a food or a
medicine, because, in the process of becoming potentized into a homeopathic

medicine, all molecules of substance ultimately fall away, leaving only the energy
imprint of the substance behind, making homeopathy a form of energy medicine, as
opposed to both herbal and modern chemical medicines, all of which are, by virtue of
the substance used in combating disease or supporting health, to be categorized as
allopathic treatments.
But homeopathy comes from the same folk tradition as does Western
herbal medicine, and many of the remedies available are taken from traditional
herbals, many of which (like garlic and onion) have come to be considered foods that
have some medicinal impact, rather than medicines that can be fully digested (sort of
like an actor who sings as opposed to a singer who can act). But while homeopathy
shares a common history with herbal treatments, both the manner in which the
medicines are used, and the way in which the medicine acts upon the human system
are dramatically different.
With this in mind, let us consider some homeopathic remedies.

ALLIUM CEPA:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy. The remedy is made from the
common onion, belonging to the natural order of Liliaceae. The common food
product is found all over the planet.
The remedy is made from the fresh red bulb of the vegetable. A
tincture is created from either the onion bulb or the whole plant and then potentized.
The plant is gathered in either July or August. The remedy Allium Cepa was created
by Constantine Hering in 1847.
Situations that Suggest Allium Cepa: Allergies of all sorts. Hay Fever.
Seasonal Allergies. Colds. Coughs. Inner Ear Infections. Upper Respiratory
Infections. Headaches. Sore Throat.
Remedy Portrait: Think of how your body reacts when you slice an
onion and you have the usual portrait of Allium Cepa. Your eyes are running, as is
your nose. Moisture seems to run from every part of your face. Morrison says that
the profuse watery discharge is like a faucet. Look for the patient to have to stuff
Kleenex into their nose to stop the flow.
With Allium Cepa colds and allergies, the water coming from the eyes is
bland, that is, it does not burn or itch the eyes. They tear and tear, and the flow is
very watery. The discharge from the nose, however, causes irritation. The skin
around the nostrils is red and sore and, often, cracked. These are the colds in which
the nose becomes so sore that you do not want to blow it.
Allium Cepa is so effective when dealing with allergies that Morrison
warns us that we have to be a little careful with using it. He writes that the remedy
will help with allergies in up to a third of all cases for at least that season. But
Morrison tells us that seasonal allergies are never truly acute situations, and that a
remedy that is deeper acting and more specific to the case is usually called for in order
to clear the allergies away for all time. If we are to use the Band-Aid approach with
Allium Cepa, we will find that, although the allergies will grow better for one season,
in the next the remedy will be of much less help. Morrison even warns that using this
acute remedy for a constitutional situation can ultimately suppress the allergies into a
deeper condition like asthma.
But this aside, the wise use of this remedy, when the symptoms match the
remedys action, will be a great blessing to all involved, as Allium Cepa is perhaps our
most important acute remedy for persons with colds.

It is interesting to note that those needing this remedy will usually reveal
themselves by the fact that they crave onions. They will refuse to eat cucumbers.
Allium Cepa is helpful with headaches, especially headaches that
accompany colds or allergies.
The patient will tend to also have symptoms involving the eyes. The eyes
will burn, will ache, will feel as if they were tearing from smoke. The patient will
want to rub their eyes.
The throat also has symptoms. The patient will have laryngitis. This loss
of voice may or may not accompany a cold or allergies. The throat will also be sore,
and the pain will be made much worse by coughing. The patient will have to grasp
their throat and hold it still when they cough, in that the coughing makes them feel
that they are going to tear their throat open.
Keynotes: Sore and raw are the two words that best sum up the
pains of Allium Cepa. In some cases, the patients whole body will feel raw during
their cold.
The allergies in Allium Cepa tend to come on every year in August. The
remedy is also very useful for spring allergies, especially those that come on after
damp weather, or from northeasterly winds. These allergies cause discharges from the
nose that burn both the nose and the upper lip. The nose drips so much that drops of
watery discharge will drop off the tip of the nose.
Aggravations: There is a general aggravation from being in a warm
room. Aggravation also from getting wet.
The Allium Cepa patient who has a headache will find that the headache
is made worse by closing his eyes.
The patient is worse by having to sit still.
The patients allergies tend to be worse in the late afternoon. The patient,
however, will have a general aggravation in the evening.
The patient will also be worse for eating salad, which they will not be able
to digest well. The same is true for peaches.
Ameliorations: There is a general amelioration when the patient is
outside in open air. Even if the allergies are made worse by being outside, the patient
will want to be outside.
The patient is better for moving about. They will want to go outside and
walk.

Dosage and Potency: This is a light, quick-acting acute remedy. A dose

will last from a single day to a week. The lower potencies are most commonly used.
The potency 30C is most common for the treatment of colds. Higher potencies work
best in single doses, although the lower potencies may be repeated as needed. Allium
Cepa in general does not take repetition too well, and should be repeated with
reservations.
Relationships: Allium Cepa is complementary to both Phosphorus and
Pulsatilla. In cases of allergy that have been helped by Allium Cepa, Phosphorus
should be considered for a constitutional remedy.

ALLIUM SATIVUM:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: All-S is taken from a tincture
which is created from a fresh bulb of garlic.
Garlic has been used as both a medicine and a condiment since prehistoric
times. As a medicine, it has been used as a treatment for worms, for fevers and for
high blood pressure.
As a homeopathic remedy, some of the same conditions apply. Certainly
garlic, as either an herbal or homeopathic, acts to purify the human system and to
eliminate pathological flora in the digestive tract.
As a homeopathic, it may be used in the treatment of diverse conditions
including insect stings and bites, colitis, headache and tuberculosis.
Situations that suggest Allium Sativum: Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds,
Cough, Sore Throat with Hoarseness; Chronic Indigestion, Colitis, Constipation,
Diarrhea; Skin Rash, Ringworm; Fevers; Headaches; Diabetes; Worms and Parasites.
Remedy Portrait: In the acute sphere of treatment, we often think of
All-S as a remedy that is very helpful in treating those who have been bitten by
insects, especially those who have not done well since they were bitten. Those who
become pale and lifeless, whose Vital Force seems drained away. They will not want
to walk, and feel special weakness in their legs, which they feel will not or cannot
support them. These patients will also share the digestive complaints common to the
remedy listed below.
All-S is also a great remedy with which we can ward off insects. Those
taking the remedy will be far less likely to be bitten or bothered by any insect,

especially mosquitoes and ticks.

All-S also acts as a cleanser for the system and will cause the digestive
tract to expel worms and parasites of all sorts. It will eliminate intestinal flora that can
create symptoms of digestive distress, including colitis. (Note that garlic is also
available in the form of a flower essence, a sort of zero-potency homeopathic,
which will act as both a cleanser and an insect repellent without also having the
deeper impact of the fully potentized homeopathic remedy on the human system.
That essence must be used daily for at least three or four weeks in order to be
effective. The potentized homeopathic form will act much more quickly in most
cases.)
In patients in either acute or chronic states, digestive symptoms always
figure strongly in the disease picture. Look for the patient to belch frequently and to
complain that the belching leaves a burning sensation in their throat and stomach.
This is a patient who constantly complains of a burning sensation in the stomach, and
who is very sensitive to any sensation of pressure in the area of the stomach, whether
the pressure comes from too tight clothing or from human touch. A sensation of
weight or pressure may also have no apparent cause and may be disruptive enough to
keep the patient from sleeping. (Although the patient will become very sleepy after
each meal.)
As this is a remedy for colitis, look for the patient to complain of a
constant, rather dull pain in the intestines. The pain is especially great during periods
of constipation. The constipation alternates with sudden diarrhea, which is preceded
by a sudden, cutting pain in the abdomen.
The headaches of this type may accompany colitis, especially the
constipation stage, and will involve a sensation of weight and/or pressure in the head,
especially in the forehead.
This is a patient who will regret any change in their diet, or any dietary
indiscretion, no matter how small. In chronic cases involving colitis, look for
gluttony on the part of the patient. The usual patient needing this remedy will have
worked his way into illness through gluttony, or through constantly eating foods that
disagree. For patients who eat too much meat, and who do not drink enough liquids.
Keynotes: The burning belch is keynote, as is the onset of indigestion by
any small change in diet.
It is also keynote that the patient will not want to walk at all, as every step
causes a terrible pain in the bowels.
Aggravations: Worse from any change in temperature.

Worse from any sensation of weight or pressure.

Worse from any change in diet.
Perhaps we can sum these up with the idea that change of any sort is very
difficult for this type.
Also worse from movement, especially walking.
Worse from overeating.
Ameliorations: Better from sitting down, especially from sitting down
while bent over.
Dosage and Potency: All-S tends to be given in lower potencies,
beginning with 6C, although 30C is perhaps most common. It may be repeated as
needed.
Relationships: Although Allium Sativum is related to Allium Cepa in
source material, the two remedies have little in common, and are often in fact thought
to be incompatible.
All-S is considered compatible with Arsenicum.

LYCOPERSICUM:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: The Tomato, also called the Love
Apple. Full name: Solanum Lycopericum, it is native to North America. It is part of
the family Solanaceae N. O., a group of plants that form the foundation of many
important homeopathic remedies, several of which will be considered here.
The remedy is made from a tincture of the ripe fruit.
In folklore, the tomato was used in the treatment of obesity.
Situations that suggest Lycopersicum: Seasonal Allergies, Sore Throat;
Obesity and Gout; Headache; Back Pain, Rheumatism; Diabetes.
Remedy Portrait: In acute situations, this is often used as a remedy for
those with seasonal allergies. Like Allium Cepa, this is considered a basic, wideaction remedy for the symptoms of allergy, but look for those symptoms to be better
when the patient is outdoors in fresh air. In that the Allium Cepa symptoms are made
much worse when the patient is outside, the two remedies can be considered
alternative for each other in the particular circumstances of seasonal allergy.

On a deeper level of treatment, Lycopersicum is most often used for the

obese patient, one who is also very gassy. Look for the patient to suffer from
flatulence in the later morning, between 10a.m. and noon. They will suffer violent
belching which leaves them with the flavor of food in their mouths. Look for the
patient to also complain of a burning sensation in their stomach that begins in the
early evening and continues all night. This is a thirsty patient, one who wants large
quantities of water.
They tend toward the diseases of obesity, especially to diabetes and to
gout. They have poor circulation and tend to be chilly, especially at night. Look for
the evening chill to be proceeded by a great thirst for cold water. They may also be
sweaty, especially when they are asleep at night, but sweat is confined only to the
patients back.
Listen for their voice to become hoarse every evening. The patient will
complain of a constant tickle in their throat and will constantly clear their throat.
There are also common eye symptoms: the eyes ache and feel heavy. The
lids are heavy and swollen. The patient will have trouble reading, as all letters seem to
run together. The patients eyes water as they try to read or do close work. Look for
them to constantly have to wipe their eyes.
Keynotes: It is keynote to the type that their thoughts seem to just
suddenly disappear, they forget everything. This is particularly true if they lean their
head against anything.
Aggravations: The patient is worse from noise or from any motion.
Ameliorations: They are better when in a warm room. Better from the
application of heat. When the patient has a headache, he is better from smelling
tobacco smoke.
Dosage and Potency: All doses, low to high, as needed.
Relationships: Lycopersicum is antidoted by the remedy Coffea and by
the substances coffee and vinegar.

SOLANUM TUBEROSUM:

Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: Solanum Tuberosum is taken

from the common potato, and is made from a tincture created from the green potato.
It may also be created from a tincture taken from the berries of the potato
plant, which have long been known to have toxic properties.
These toxins, which are shared among the members of the Solanacaea
family, including Dulcamara have been isolated in the creation of a separate but
related remedy called Solanium, which is used in cases of symptoms including fever
with shivering chills, vomiting and convulsions. It is keynote that the patients skin is
tinged yellow.
It should be noted that the remedies within the Solanum family are all
rather small remedies, with Solanium being the dominant remedy of choice.
While this is a related remedy, its use is somewhat different.
Situations that suggest Solanum Tuberosum: Cramps; Stammering;
Colic.
Remedy Portrait: This remedy is often used for cases involving
cramps, especially cramps in the calves, or in the fingers and thumbs. Cramps may
also involve the tongue, which the patient will find to be heavy, and will have
difficulty in moving, especially in order to speak. Therefore, the patient will have
indistinct and slurred speech. Some needing the remedy will have such difficulty that
they will refuse to speak at all.
The picture of the remedy also includes dilated pupils. The patient will
complain that their vision is blurred, that they cannot make things out. The patients
eyes tend to stare and the eyes seem sunken in their sockets.
This is a patient who tosses about a good bit in bed, although they are
weak and tend to feel faint when they rise up out of bed. Their respiration is shallow
and quick.
Keynotes: The patient will have a good deal of frothy, rather thick
phlegm in their mouth. They tend to have so much saliva that they spit when they
speak.
Aggravations: from lying still and from rising up.
Ameliorations: from rest, from breathing slowly, from loose clothing
Dosage and Potency: Used in all potencies, repeated as needed.

Relationships: Complementary to Solaninium and other related

remedies, especially Dulcamara. Also complementary with Mercurius, especially in
cases of slurred speech.
Note on the Solanaceae Family of Remedies:
As has already been stated, there are several remedies in this group, all of
which share a common toxin. In fact, it could be argued that more remedies are made
from this group of plants than from any other. (Certainly Compositaea remedy
group containing Arnica, Eupatorium, and Chamomilla, among othersis the only
other group that comes close.)
Among the remedies in this group are:

SOLANUM CAROLINENSE (Horse Nettle): which was first considered a

remedy for epilepsy, and has since been used as a remedy for different cases involving
convulsions of all sorts, including whooping cough.
SOLANUM MAMMOSUM (Apple of Sodom): is used in cases involving
stupor, sleepiness without the ability to sleep and an ongoing sense of unease during
which the patient is unable to keep still or quiet.
SOLANUM NIGRUM (Black Nightshade): which was used topically as an
herbal treatment for inflammations, has been used homeopathically for cases
involving headache which is accompanied by giddiness and sleepiness. Also for skin
conditions, including burns and ulcers, which mirrors the herbal application. While
the folk name for the plant suggests some relationship to Belladonna, which belongs
to the same family of plants, there is, in fact, very little in terms of homeopathic use.
SOLANUM TUBEROSUM AEGROTANS (Rotten Potato): taken from a plant
with potato murrain, which is characterized by an infestation of peronospora on the
leaves. The tubers will have brown spots as well.
This remedy was actually created by Mure during the great potato famine
in Ireland in 1846. He created the remedy from the whole potato. In keeping with the
homeopathic adage that, the stronger the poison, the stronger the cure, this remedy
is actually a more vital tool for healing than is the remedy taken from a healthy
potato. It is used for the same sort of symptom picture--combining digestive,

eliminative and exhaustive symptoms--that Solanium is used to treat.

DULCAMARA (Woody Nightshade): An excellent remedy that for patients who
cannot bear cold and damp. While this symptom appears in many different remedies
of this type, it is utterly central here. This remedy is often needed by those who
cannot bear the time of year in autumn when days are warm and nights chilly and
damp. It is an excellent remedy for hay fevers, colds and rheumatic pains that occur at
this time of year.
Other remedies in this group: Capsicum, Hyoscyamus, Stramonium and Tabacum.

APIUM GRAVEOLENS:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: This wonderful little remedy is
made from common celery.
As a folk remedy, the substance was used in a couple of different ways.
The root was injested by those who were retaining urine. It was also said to be useful
for those who tended to fidget, who could not keep still.
The seeds were known to have the ability to creating heartburn and
belching that tasted of celery. They were said to also induce vomiting.
Situations that suggest Apium Graveolens: Heartburn, Queasy
Stomach; Retention of Urine; Headache; Post Nasal Drip; Fidgets; Toothache.
Remedy Portrait: This is one of the remedies that pretty much mirror
the herbal remedy in terms of symptoms and usage.
The patient needing this remedy will tend to have headaches that are
accompanied by heartburn. Look for swelling of the hands and throat as well.
Pain in the area of the stomach often alternates with a skin rash, which is
very itchy--and which also have a stinging sensation--and changes location on the
skin frequently. Pain and pressure in the stomach will precede the rash, and will
disappear as soon as the rash appears.
The patient will crave either apples or oranges. May also crave oatmeal.
Consider this remedy for toothache that is located in the left molars and
which is made better by holding cold water in the mouth.
Keynotes: The patient alternates between lethargy and energetic

behavior. At times, they may feel both at once, and become very fidgety as they
emotionally are dull and depressed by are physically very hyperactive.
This is a remedy that contains a unique picture of sleeplessness. The
patient has sleep that does not refresh, he awakens from 1 until 3 every morning, yet
is not tired in the morning from his lack of sleep.
Aggravations: Aches and pains are worse if the patient lies down.
Ameliorations: Most symptoms are made better by eating, especially
headache. Insomnia, however, is not improved by eating.
Dosage and Potency: All potencies used as needed.
Relationships: none found.

Remedies Taken From Herbs And Spices:

Here we have a very long medicinal history. Most of the substances
included here, such things as cayenne pepper, ginger and parsley, have all been used
historically as medicines. And when potentized and added to the homeopathic
pharmacy, they prove to be valuable healing tools.

NATRUM MURIATICUM:
Remedy Source: Mineral Remedy: Natrum Muriaticum is made from
sodium chloride, or regular table salt. Because this chemical compound is so common
to our environment and is, indeed, a natural part of our own bodies, the remedy taken
from it is one of our most benign and curative. This is one of the most important
remedies for both acute and chronic conditions.
Natrum Muriaticum is one of Samuel Hahnemanns first remedies.
Situations that Suggest Natrum Muriaticum: Emotional Distress:
Grief. Suicidal States. Depression. Also: Sexual Dysfunction. Allergies and
Chemical Sensitivities of all sorts: Environmental Illness, Chronic Fatigue. Hay Fever
and Rhinitis. Asthma. Also: Herpes and Aphthae. Contagious Diseases: Cold and
Flus, Sore Throat, Fever and Fevers of Unknown Origins. Whooping Cough.

Digestive Disorders: Dyspepsia, Gastritis, Constipation, Colitis, Ulcer. Hemorrhoids.

Obesity. Edema. Goiter and Graves Disease. Addisons Disease. Joint and Muscle
Pain: Low Back Pain. Sciatica. Painful Conditions of the Spine. Skin Conditions:
Eczema and Psoriasis. Rash. Ringworm and Warts. Eye Troubles: Myopia, Eyestrain.
Headaches and Migraine. Heart Disorders: Arrhythmia and Hypertension. Varicose
Veins. Anemia.
Remedy Portrait: Among the many uses for Natrum Mur are cases that
involve fever, especially intermittent fever; hay fever and colds--Natrum Mur is one of
our best remedies for colds that begin with sneezing; headache, especially chronic
migraines and headaches that come on from studying and overwork; and digestive
ailments that can be traced of an overuse of salt. Among the many chronic conditions
for which Natrum Mur is a frequently indicated remedy are thyroid problems,
especially hyperthyoridism and diabetes.
Natrum Mur is a grief remedy. It is often considered to be the chronic
equivalent of Ignatia. When patients cannot remain at the emotional pitch of Ignatia,
they tend to evolve, over time, into the more stoic emotional plateau of Ignatia. It is
keynote of Natrum Mur that, when faced with any pain, emotional or physical, the
patient will want to just go and lie down on their bed. They will want to be left alone,
and they will not want to be consoled by anyone else--this, in fact, is the single worst
thing that anyone can do. Keep this in mind as we take a look at the acute and home
uses for Natrum Mur.
This is perhaps the single most useful remedy for colds and for hay
fever. Consider this remedy whenever either condition comes on with sneezing as the
first symptom. The patient will then experience a flow of mucus from the nose that is
like raw egg white in consistancy--clear and somewhat thick. In a cold, this flow will
last for one to three days, in hay fever, it may last a good bit longer. The patient will
have violent attacks of sneezing. Patients will complain that the inside of their nose
hurts, that their nose feels overused and tender. They do not want to touch it or blow
it, but the mucus just keeps on flowing. The patient will lose all sense of smell.
Listen for them to have the nasal voice of a patient whose nose is entirely blocked.
They will be unable to breathe through their nose at all.
As the cold or allergy continues, patients will complain of a cough. This
cough will seem to come out of the pit of their stomach. The patient will complain of
a tickling in the pit of their stomach that makes them feel that they have to cough. The
coughing will bring on an increase of all of the patients aches and pain. Patients will
complain that their head aches when they cough. They will complain of pains in their
abdomen when they cough. This is a remedy that should be considered in all cases of

whooping cough in which the patients eyes stream with tears as the patient coughs.
The eyes give many indications of the remedy. The patient will say that
their eyes feel weak and bruised. This is a remedy for those whose eyes feel tired
from overwork. For those whose eyes feel weak after they read too much. Look for
the patients eyes to tear and for their eyes to smart from tearing. Look for the
patients eyelids to be swollen. Look for the patient to complain that their sense of
vision is diminished. The patient will feel that they cannot bear to look when they are
outdoors in the bright sunshine. They will have pain in their eyes when they are
looking downward. They may say that they see firey halos around all objects.
The patient will also complain that they have lost their sense of taste as
well. Look to the patients tongue as an indicator of the remedy. Their tongue will
have a frothy coating, and will have small bubbles on the sides. The patient will
complain that their mouth and throat feel dry. They will say that they have a sensation
of numbness in their mouth, particularly in their tongue. This numbness may extend
to the patients lips and even to their nose. Look for the patients lips to be dry. It is
keynote of this remedy that the middle of the patients lower lip will be cracked.
The Natrum Mur patient will be very thirsty. They are among the thirstiest
patients. They will want cold water. This symptom is so strong that its absence will
counter-indicate the remedy.
The patient will crave salt. They will not want baked things, especially
bread. They will be repulsed by anything that they consider to be fatty or slimy. This
is an excellent remedy to consider in cases of simple indigestion and hear burn. The
patient will be hungry, and yet will not be sure if they want to eat. They will still be
thirsty. They will complain of a throbbing pain in the pit of their stomach. They may
experience a cutting pain all across their abdomen.
Consider this remedy for patients who are chronically given to
constipation or to diarrhea or to both in alternation. Consider this remedy for those
who are given to constipation in which the stool is dry and crumbling in nature, but
who, from time to time experience a sudden pinching pain in their abdomen that
drives them into the bathroom. This will be followed by a sudden, painless bout of
diarrhea. They will at this time have a large evacuation, which will again be followed
by a period of constipation.
In the same way, Natrum Mur should be considered for the woman who
experience an irregular period. The patient will experience a bearing-down pain
before her period. And that period will mirror the symptoms of elimination:
sometimes scanty, with other flows being profuse. The patient will feel hot during the
flow of the period.
This is an excellent remedy for patients with acute or chronic back pain.

Think of this remedy for those who want to go and lie down when they have back
pain. The patient will want to lie on something very firm, perhaps on the floor. They
may feel a numbness that extends from their back into their arms or lower extremities.
Also consider Natrum Mur for the patient who experiences cracking in all
their joints when they move. Who experiences weakness in their legs, especially in
their knees. Also for the patient who has a chronic weakness in the knees or ankles.
Consider this for the patient who has injured their ankles or knees in the past and now
has a chronic tendency to re-injure the joint. The patient will complain that their legs
are cold, but that their head and chest feels congested and hot.
Look at the patients skin and hair for an indication of the remedy. The
patient will have skin that is greasy. Their hair will be oily. This is perhaps the most
important remedy that we have for those with fever blisters, especially fever blisters
that accompany a cold. Think of this remedy for cases of eczema in which the skin is
raw, red and inflamed.
Also look at the patients hands for an indication of the remedy. Consider
Natrum Mur for the patient who has warts on their hands. Especially on the palms of
the hands. Look for the patients hands to be hot and sweaty.
Keynotes: Look for the symptoms of Natrum Mur to always follow the
sun. As the sun rises over the horizon, the symptoms begin. This is certainly true of
the headaches common to the remedy, which will come on while the patient is in bed
in the morning. If the Natrum Mur patient is moving into a migraine, she will know it
upon awakening.
The symptoms will grow worse as the sun rises in the sky. The patient
will begin to feel better as the sun begins to set. By evening, she will be much
improved.
In the same way, the Natrum Mur patient is worse for sunshine and better
for lying down in a dark and quiet room.
The Natrum Mur patient wants to be alone. They do not wish to be
consoled. Often this will be an irritable patient, who will fly into tantrums over
nothing. The Natrum Mur will also often be a weepy patient, who will cry for no
apparent reason.
Look for the patients face to be shiny and oily, it will look as if it has
been greased.
Look for a general loss of taste and smell. Look for a crack in the middle
of the lower lip. Also herpes on the lips are very common. This is a major remedy
for herpes.
The patient will be very thirsty for cold water. They will also crave salt.

The Natrum Mur patient will be averse to bread and to any food that they consider
slimy. Most often, this will include oysters. The Natrum Mur patient will sweat
while eating.
Aggravations: Look for a general aggravation of all symptoms from 10
until 11 a.m.
The Natrum Mur patient will also be aggravated at the sea shore or from
sea air. They will also, however, crave the sea and desire to go there.
There is a general aggravation also from the sun and from sitting out in
the heat of the sun.
The Natrum Mur will also be aggravated by any mental exertion. And,
although the patient is weepy, there is an aggravation from crying.
Amelioration: The Natrum Mur will be improved by open air. They are
also made better from cold bathing. They are further improved by skipping regular
meals and by lying on the right side.
Dosage and Potency: This is another remedy that was adopted by
Schuessler in his cell salts. He gave the remedy in 6C potency. But homeopaths make
use of Natrum Mur in all potencies, from the very lowest to the highest. Many used
this wonderful remedy in 30C, and find that potencies lower than this are not as
effective.
The low potencies are given as needed. Higher potencies are given in the
single dose, and, if they need to be repeated, will work best if another remedy is given
before the Natrum Mur is repeated.
One dose of Natrum Mur will hold for up to 6 weeks.
Relationships: Natrum Mur is complementary in action both to Apis and
to Ignatia. In fact, Natrum Mur can often be considered to be the constitutional
equivalent of Ignatia. Both Ignatia and Apis should be given before Natrum Mur.

PIPER NIGRUM:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: This remedy is taken from black pepper,
from a tincture created from the dried peppercorns, to be exact. The plant is from the
Natural Order Piperaceae.
The plants are tropical climbing shrubs. The fruit of the shrub is

considered ripe when it is red. It is gathered before it is fully ripened and is then
spread on mats in the bright sunshine. The peppercorn then loses its red color and
becomes black and shriveled.
Note that white pepper is taken from the same plant, but, in this case, the
outer skin of the peppercorn is removed by maceration in water and by subsequent
rubbings.
Situations that Suggest Piper Nigrum: Headache. Toothache, tooth decay.
Irregular periods in women, uterine cramps. Constipation.
Remedy Portrait: This patient is usually one who is sad and apprehensive. They
lack the ability to concentrate and are easily startled. They are startled by any noise.
They often exhibit the unusual fear that they are being poisoned.
Look for this patient to complain of the sensations of burning and
pressure in their body. It may occur anywhere in the body, but is commonly worse on
the left side. It will also be worse in the head, as this is an important headache
remedy. This is a full, heavy headache that is accompanied by a sensation of burning
along with the pain.
A leading homeopath of more than a century ago, Clarke, noted that he
had personal experience of this headache, in that he would get a headache every time
he ate highly peppered foods. Those headaches would lift with a dose of this
remedy. He said that his head felt heavy with this headache, and he also felt as if his
temples were being pressed in, as well as pressure in the nasal and facial bones.
The patient's face will often be bright red during the headache. They will
be very thirsty and will have dry lips and mouth. (Those chronically needing this
remedy will most likely have cracked lips that are very dry.)
Women will often require this remedy for irregular periods. Their period
will be difficult and capricious, with severe cramping and a flow that is either too
lacking or too heavy.
Other conditions that are common to the Piper type include heart
conditions with palpitations and irregular pulse. Also those who chronically feel a
burning sensation during urination. Burning in bladder and urethra. Commonly, the
patient feels that his bladder is full, and even swollen. He has the strong urge to
urinate, but is not able to.
Note that is this also a common cough remedy, especially in cases when
the patient has severe bouts of coughing when he tries to go to sleep. Coughing is
very violent. The patient may even cough up blood. This is a loose, croupy and
hollow kind of cough. The patient may also have bouts of suffocation, especially on

going to sleep.
Keynotes: Diet is commonly the keynote. This is a very thirsty patient who loves
and craves rich and extravagant foods. They love spicy--especially, peppery--foods,
which do not agree with them. Look for all symptoms of all sorts to be aggravated by
the patient eating spicy things.
Aggravations: Worse from spicy or too-rich foods.
Worse when the weather drops in the evening, especially during damp or
wet weather.
Worse from motion.
Ameliorations: Better from rest.
Potency and Dosage: Piper Nigrum works best in low potency, and may be
repeated as needed. It will usually need to be repeated fairly often in chronic cases.
Relationships: There are no remedies that are not compatible to Piper Nigrum,
nor any the work particularly well with the remedy.

CAPSICUM:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: Capsicum Annum is also known
as Cayenne Pepper. It belongs to the family of Solanaceae, which makes it a relative
of the potato and tomato, which were considered previously. The plant is native to
South America and the West Indies.
The remedy is created from the pods of the plant.
In that the source plant is taken from Solanaceae N. O., this remedy in its
use and action, belongs along side such other remedies as Belladonna, Stramonium,
Hyosamus and Dulcamara, as well as those taken from the potato and tomato. Because
of the rather fixed topic explored in these pages, I have placed the remedy here.
Situations that suggest Capsicum: Aches and Pains, Neuralgia,
Rheumatism and Rheumatic Pains, Sciatica; Coughs, Asthma, Whooping Cough;
Diarrhea, Dysentery, Heartburn; Obesity; Measles; Fevers; Homesickness; Delirium
Tremens.

Remedy Portrait: Think of cayenne and you have the indications for
the remedy. Burning pains that occur anywhere in the body. It may be considered the
remedy of choice in all cases involving burning pains, even if they lack any other the
other characteristics of the remedy, as long as those burning pains are made worse if
the patient makes the mistake of dowsing those burning parts with cold water, which
will greatly aggravate any Capsicum case.
As this is a rheumatic remedy, the patient will greatly react to cold and
damp, but especially to cold. They are terrified of getting cold, because that translates
into pain for them.
In fact, this whole remedy picture combines the redness of the original
pepper with coldness. Burning combines with coldness. Redness with coldness. The
patients face will be both red and cold (a unique combination among homeopathic
remedies.)
The pains tend to run along the nerves of the body, especially in the legs.
Pain will run from hip to foot and will be worse if the patient coughs (and, as this is a
cough and whooping cough remedy, that can be likely). They left leg is particularly
likely to be affected. The left leg may be so painful that the patient limps when he
walks, or even staggers as if drunk.
Drunkenness runs through this remedy as well. The patient may seem
drunk, both in action and in behavior. And it should be remembered as an important
remedy for those who suffer withdrawal from alcohol.
Mentally, this is a patient experiences many changes of mood, who may
be singing one moment and angry the next. They seem vague and confused as well.
Often, they very much want to be left alone. The mental symptom that is most
common is home-sickness. The patient will also be sleepless and will tend to have a
bright red face when homesick. They will be sentimental and very emotional.
Those chronically needing this remedy will tend to have poor muscle
tone. They are said to be weak, lazy, indolent, fat, red, clumsy, awkward and of
unclean habits. Certainly this is a mouthful, but those who need this remedy
constitutionally tend to be those who do not exercise, and who have exhausted their
energy, leaving them disinclined to perform any physical or mental labor. They tend
to have troubles when they become cold, and they are usually fearful of getting cold.
The remedy also acts with great strength on all the mucous membranes of
the body. It also acts on hard tissue and bones.
Keynotes: This is a patient who shudders. They shudder when in pain
or in the open air. They will avoid cold air above all else.
Burning, however, is the most important keynote, a burning pain that is

made worse by cold.

Aggravations: Worse from drinking, especially cold things. Worse also
from empty swallowing.
Worse especially from becoming cold, from open air, from any draft.
Even a warm draft will aggravate symptoms. Worse from bathing or from becoming
wet. Worse during damp weather.
Worse from motion in times of headache, it makes the patient think that
his head will split.
Amelioratons: Better from continued, very gentle motion.
Better while eating.
Better from warmth in general.
Potency and Dosage: One dose is said to act for a week. It is
commonly used in potencies up to 200C. It may be repeated as needed.
Relationships: Capsicum is most compatible with Belladonna, which is
taken from a related plant source. Belladonna acts especially well when used before
Capsicum.
Other remedies that precede well include: Lycopodium, Pulsatilla, and
Silica. The remedy Chinchona follows well. Sulphur and Chinchona antidote
Capsicum.

ZINGIBER OFFICINALE:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: The remedy is taken from ginger
and is created from a tincture of the dried rhizome.
As a spice, and as is common to spices, ginger has a distinctive action on
the digestive organs. It can cause symptoms associated with indigestion, including
flatulence and pressure in the region of the abdomen. As a homeopathic, it speaks to
these symptoms when they re naturally occurring.
Situations that suggest Zingiber: Digestive Disorders, Bad Breath;
Diarrhea, Intestinal Colic; Retention of Urine; Food Poisoning; Asthma; Anxiety and
Nervous Disposition.

Remedy Portrait: The action of the remedy impacts especially upon the
urinary and respiratory organs. Symptoms can come on after eating bad food or
drinking impure water, from eating melon or bread.
In the urinary sphere, the patient will complain of a dull ache in the
region of the kidneys, and a frequent desire to urinate. Urination produces a sharp,
stinging pain. Urine continues to drip and burn after urination complete. Look for a
great increase of urine, or almost a complete cessation of urination. Urine may be
thick and dark in color, almost brown in color.
In the respiratory sphere, the patient will also have pain on breathing.
Asthma. The patients throat feels scraped, chest aches on breathing. There is also
commonly a chronic cough that produces phlegm in the morning but is dry the rest of
the day.
As with the spice, the remedy is helpful for a wide range of digestive
symptoms: for diarrhea, and for nausea especially. The patient has a reduced
digestion, the patient says that it feels as if there is a stone in their stomach. The
patient reports rumbling in the stomach as well.
The patient may be chilly or hot, or the two may alternate. Commonly,
the patient says that he feels hot and cold, both at the same time. Look for nausea
especially to combine with the sensation of hot and cold combined.
Keynotes: This odd combination of hot and cold is keynote, as is the
fact that the patient needing this remedy tends to have diarrhea after drinking warm
water.
The odd sensation that the patients own head is too large for his body is
also keynote.
Aggravations: Worse from being touched. Worse from pressure of any
kind.
Worse when lying down. Worse also from any motion, especially upon
rising.
Worse from laughing or talking.
Ameliorations: Better when sitting or standing.
Better when uncovered.
Potency and Dosage: This remedy tends to be given frequently in low
potency doses. It is a quick acting remedy, whose actions fade fairly quickly as well.
Potencies up to 30C are most common, starting with the 6C and 9C potencies. All

potencies, however, may be used.

Relationships: This remedy is most compatible with Sulphur. It is
antidoted by Nux Vomica.

PETROSELINUM:
Remedy Source: Vegetable Remedy: Taken from Pretroselinum
Sativum, common parsley. A tincture is made from the whole plant in the spring
when the plant is first in flower. This tincture is potentized into the homeopathic
form.
This remedy was used by Hahnemann himself, who considered it an
important remedy for those with gonorrhea, when the patient experiences a frequent
desire to urinate.
As a folk remedy, it was also used in herbal form to combat gonorrhea.
For this, it was used in the form of parsley tea. Parsley was eaten after meals because
it acted as a solvent for uric acid in the system and promoted urination.
Parsley tea was also a Scottish remedy for those with chronic urinary and
bladder diseases.
Parsley and butter were also combined together and used as a topical
treatment for bruises.
Situations that suggest Petroselinum: Gonorrhea; Cystisis, Retention
of Urine; Fevers; Night Blindness.
Remedy Portrait: Most of the symptoms for the remedy occur in the
region of the kidneys. There will be a sudden urge to urinate. Often, this urge is
fruitless. Patient may feel the need to urinate every half hour. If they do not attempt
to urinate, the patient may feel sudden pain in the region of the kidney.
In cases of gonorrhea, the patient feels intense itching in the urethra.
Discharge will be of milky white or yellow fluid. Look for the orifice of the urethra
to be agglutinated with mucus.
Keynotes: Sudden desire to urinate. Painful urination, but also pain if
the patient does not urinate.
Bethmann, who created the remedy, found some 36 distinct symptoms in
the genito-urinary tract, making it a very specific remedy.

Also considered an excellent remedy for babies who have trouble with
urination, especially when accompanied by fevers.
Dosage and Potency:

All potencies, especially low potencies, as

needed.
Relationships: Most similar in action with other gonorrheal remedies,
such as Mercurius, although it has pains in common with Causticum and Aconite.

Other Remedies From Herbs And Spices:

ORIGANUM (Sweet Marjoram): has a strong impact on the female sex organs.
It also impacts the breasts. It is considered a major homeopathic remedy for
nymphomania.
SALVIA OFFICINALIS (Sage): The herb is said to increase all the senses and
mental acuity. Improve memory. As a homeopathic it is considered a remedy for
those with depression. Used as a homeopathic it is most often associated with coughs,
especially dry coughs that are of a tickling nature. These coughs are often associated
with night sweats and fever.
ROSMARINUS OFFICINALE (Rosemary): This is a small remedy that is most
often used by female patients who experience pain during and after miscarriage, with
fainting spells, spasms of pain in the chest, cold hands and feet, and a weak and
irregular heartbeat. The patient also usually experiences a headache, with sensations
of weight in the head. The patient experiences memory loss and depression.
THYMUS SERPHLLUM (WildThyme): is an excellent small remedy for those
with respiratory infections, whooping cough and asthma. It is keynote that all these
conditions are dry in nature, with no expectoration. The patient will also experience
ringing in the ears and a sensation of pressure in their head. This is a remedy most
often used with patients who are children.
PIMENTA (Allspice): Is an excellent small pain remedy. It is especially effect in
pain that runs along the nerves of the body. Pimenta is especially useful in one-sided
neuralgia, in which some parts of the body are hot while other parts are very cold.
CINNAMONUM (Cinnamon): This spice is considered a powerful homeopathic
remedy for those with cancer, especially uterine cancer. In female patients, it is also a
remedy associated with morning sickness during pregnancy (it is an excellent remedy
for nausea in general). It is also an excellent remedy for women who bleed
excessively during their period.
In Conclusion
In the study of homeopathy and its pharmacy of remedies it is important

to remember that, in the search for new remedies, by Hahnemann and by those who
have followed him, nothing has been overlooked.
Sometimes the most benign substances, salt being perhaps the best
example, yield amazing results and become powerful remedies. But most often, it is
the remedies taken from toxic substances, including poisonous plants, that yield the
most powerful tools for healing. But that is a story for another day.

About Vinton McCabe

Vinton McCabe has studied homeopathy for the past thirty years, and served as the president of
the Connecticut Homeopathic Association from the establishment of that non-profit organization in
1985 until his move to rural Connecticut in the year 2000. As the chief educator for that organization,
he has been responsible for training thousands of lay persons and medical professionals alike in the
basics of homeopathic philosophy and in the proper uses of homeopathic remedies.
In addition, McCabe has served on the faculty both of the Open Center of Manhattan
and the Wainwright House of Rye, New York as a homeopathic educator. He also taught homeopathy
at the Learning Annex, the Omega Institute, the New York Botanical Garden and the Seminar Center in
Manhattan. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Hudson Valley School for
Classical Homeopathy, for whom he also developed educational materials. He has appeared
nationally as an advocate for alternative health care on such programs as The Gary Null Show. He
also traveled throughout the United States, teaching courses in homeopathic philosophy and the uses
of homeopathic and Bach Flower remedies. In the early days of the Internet, he hosted a popular site
dedicated to homeopathy and related subjects at Simile.org.
McCabe has worked with medical professionals, including acupuncturists, naturopaths and
chiropractors, as a homeopathic consultant. He also is a trained vision therapist, and practiced vision
therapy for seven years (1993-2000) at the Rye Learning Center in Rye, New York.
In addition to his work in vision therapy and homeopathy, Vinton McCabe has won
awards for his journalism, as well as for poetry and theatrical writing. He is a published novelist.
Recently, he was awarded an individual artist grant by the Connecticut Commission on the Arts for
the creation of his first full-length drama, Appassionata. In 1990, he was given the Dewars Young
Artist award in poetry.
Vinton McCabe has also worked as a producer, a writer and a host in both television
and radio. He was producer and host of the PBS series Artsweek, and creator and Executive
Producer of Healthplan, an award-winning health care special produced by Connecticut Public
Television. On radio, he has acted as a film and theater critic and hosted his own daily talk show.
As a print journalist, Vinton McCabe has done features work for many weekly and
daily papers, as well as monthly publications, including New England Monthly, The Stamford
Advocate and The New York Times. He acted as Arts Editor both for the Fairfield County Advocate
in Connecticut and for Corpus Christi Magazine in Texas.
Vinton McCabe credits much of his understanding of the healing process (and his
insistence that the quest for healing is far more important to patients than is any attempt at curing
disease), as well as his background in electronic and print journalism to the time he spent with
evangelist and faith healer Oral Roberts. McCabe is a 1976 graduate of Oral Roberts University.
After graduation, he went on to become Roberts head writer for his television show Oral Roberts
and You. Says McCabe of the experience, you can only watch so many people getting up out of
wheelchairs and running around to come to the conclusion that we have a far greater capacity for
healing than we ever suspect. That search for healing ultimately lead me to homeopathy.
He lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut.

Books by Vinton McCabe (All Books Available at Amazon.com):

Let Like Cure Like (released in paperback with the title Homeopathy, Healing & You in 1998),
published by St. Martins Press (1997).
Practical Homeopathy, published by St. Martins Press (2000).
Greater Vision, Co-authored by Dr. Marc Grossman, published by Keats Publishing/McGraw
Hill (2002).
Household Homeopathy, published by Basic Health Books (2005).
The Healing Enigma: Demystifying Homeopathy, published by Basic Health Books (2007).
The Healing Bouquet: Exploring Bach Flower Remedies, to be published by Basic Health
Books in January 2008.
The Healing Echo: Discovering Cells Salt Remedies, to be published by Basic Health Books in
January 2009.