With Summer here, at least for some of the time, we need to take care with the strength of the sun. Even on days when it feels overcast, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays increase the risk of us getting sunburnt. It’s always best to avoid staying out in the sun for too long, and taking precautions to protect yourself. Remember, prevention is better.

However, that’s not always possible. Sometimes we forget, and sometimes we underestimate the strength of the sun. Anyone who has been sunburnt knows how uncomfortable it is - hot to touch, feeling sore and painful, followed by flaking and peeling some days later.

Homeopathy can help the healing process. It’s an holistic system of medicine that works on the principle of "like cures like", and uses highly diluted substances to stimulate the body's own healing mechanisms. Remedies are tailored specifically to the individual, so it’s always better to consult a registered homeopath at findahomeopath.org if you can. However, if you prefer to try a remedy at home first, there are a number of commonly used remedies for sunburn.

Belladonna is a remedy for sunburn where there is intense redness, throbbing pain and heat in the affected area. The skin may feel dry and hot to the touch, and the person may be restless and irritable. Calendula officinalis is used when you have sunburn with open blisters, or raw, sensitive skin. Calendula has soothing and healing properties, promoting skin repair and reducing the risk of infection.

While homeopathic medicines can help relieve the symptoms of sunburn, it's essential to practice sun safety measures and seek medical attention for severe sunburn. or when it’s accompanied by symptoms such as blistering, fever, chills or extreme pain. In these instances, you may require medical attention. It’s important to monitor your symptoms and seek professional advice if needed.

We all know how painful and uncomfortable a bite or sting can be. With warmer weather here, and Summer on the horizon, make sure you’re fully prepared. Don’t let a bite or sting ruin your family picnic, days out and leisure activities.

Whether it’s wasps, hornets and bees, or fleas, spiders and midges, what usually follows is a red, swollen lump on the skin, which may be painful and is likely to be very itchy. Sometimes, this can cause a mild allergic reaction and a larger area of skin around the bite or sting becomes swollen, red and painful. 

If you get a severe allergic reaction, causing symptoms such as breathing difficulties, dizziness, and a swollen face or mouth, you should seek urgent medical treatment.

However, for everyday stings and bites, homeopathy is a natural, safe and gentle option which you can try for your whole family. It promotes the body’s natural ability to heal., and is kind to your body and the environment.

Ledum is perhaps the most important remedy for insect and animal bites, and can relieve the discomfort and protect against complications. A bite requiring Ledum is likely to be a pale swelling, although it may feel hot.

If the area around the sting is red, hot, stinging and puffy, then Apis is the remedy to try. Bites that need Apis are sensitive to touch and heat, and better from cold applications. If the pain and itching is relieved by warmth then this is not the remedy.

You could even get a homeopathic remedy kit to keep at home so you’re fully prepared for bites, stings, and a range of other ailments, which can be bought from the homeopathic pharmacies.

If you prefer to consult a properly registered practitioner in your area, who can tailor your treatment to you individually using their training and experience, you can find one here on the find a homeopath website.

Sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, congestion - yes, you guessed it, it’s hayfever season again. For millions of people, the beautiful emergence of Spring’s flowers and trees comes with a price, with the increased pollen levels bringing discomfort and distress.

The NHS estimates that 20% of the population suffers from hayfever, although some surveys put that number as high as 49%. That could be 30 million people. It’s a common condition which can be debilitating and affect your ability to carry out everyday tasks. 

Homeopathy is widely used for a range of allergies including hayfever. Many people report vast improvements in symptoms and use it whenever they get problems, and even preventatively. Homeopathy is a natural, safe and gentle system of medicine, which promotes the body’s natural ability to heal. It is kind to your body and the environment.

There are a number of very good remedies that can be used for hayfever. which is why it’s better to consult a registered homeopath to make sure you get the right one for you, especially when symptoms can go far beyond the normal ones to include headaches, tiredness and even earache. A registered homeopath may decide that you need a combination of remedies for your specific symptoms. You can easily find one here on the Find a Homeopath website.

If you do want to try a remedy at home first, then one of the most commonly used remedies for hayfever is Allium cepa. The symptoms which indicate this remedy are lots of sneezing with streaming eyes and nose, when the nose discharge is making the skin sore and the eyes aren’t too bad. Nux vomica is better suited when the sneezing and streaming of the eyes and nose is accompanied by an irritable mood, made worse in dry air.

Whatever you try, don’t suffer needlessly. Seek help today.

A recent survey of the traditional, complementary and natural healthcare sector revealed that homeopaths and other complementary therapists and practitioners were experiencing a 63% increase in patients presenting with mental health related issues, including anxiety and stress. With April being Stress Awareness Month, let’s look at what homeopathy can do to assist with this growing problem.

Physical and mental health are intrinsically linked. Poor mental health can lead to a range of physical issues, like insomnia, digestive problems and immune issues. If you’re feeling stressed, perhaps the most important thing to do first is to talk about it. Share how feel with friends, family or colleagues. Then look at what you can do to address the underlying causes of the stress, and how they are manifesting themselves.

As a complete, whole-person system of medicine, homeopathy offers the opportunity to get to the root cause of mental, emotional and physical illness. Medicines are chosen to fit the individual characteristics of the patient. Homeopathy promotes the body’s natural ability to heal, and is a natural and sustainable healthcare option which is kind to your body and the environment.

If you prefer to try homeopathy for yourself at home before seeing a homeopath, then you could consider Gelsemium. It’s a good option to try for apprehension and anxiety where the particular symptoms are trembling and physical weakness on being exposed to an anxiety provoking event. 

Alternatively, Aconite is a homeopathic remedy often recommended for managing anxiety. The key indications are intense, sudden anxiety, panic, or restlessness, which may occur after a trauma. Symptoms could include dry skin, dry mouth, trembling and fast heartbeat. If your stress and anxiety is manifesting itself in this way, then Aconite could be worth trying.

Whatever you decide to try, don’t do nothing. Take this opportunity to tackle stress before it creates other physical and mental health problems.

With World Sleep Day taking place in March, what better time to remind ourselves that sleep is the essential foundation to good mental and physical health. It supports immune health, brain health and helps maintain our bodies and energy levels. If you find that you’re getting poor sleep, it doesn’t just make you feel tired all day and harder to perform everyday tasks, it has been linked to obesity, diabetes and can lower your immune response, making you more susceptible to illness.

Surveys have shown that the vast majority, nearly three quarters of people, do not get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night, with one in seven surviving on limited amounts of sleep, under 5 hours. That is without even looking at the quality of sleep which people are getting.

If you want to improve the level and quality of your sleep, and prefer to avoid sleeping pills, then homeopathy could be an option to try. It is a natural, gentle, and sustainable system of medicine which will work in harmony with your body. In a consultation, a homeopath will look at you as a whole-person, consider whether there are any underlying factors impacting on your sleep, and choose a homeopathic remedy specifically for you. You can find a registered homeopath close to you here on the Find a homeopath website.

Alternatively, self-help is an option if you prefer. You could try a remedy at home first. Nux vomica is a common remedy for sleeplessness caused by worry when you wake up and can't get back to sleep. There are many others though, depending on the nature of your sleeplessness and the factors behind it, so it's always better to seek professional help if you can.

We all don’t sleep well at times, but if you feel that you are regularly getting poor sleep, then don’t ignore it. The possible effects on your future health could be significant.