What 'alternative' remedies have you tried that really work?

[Magscat]

I swear by Arnica for bumps & bruises but have been disappointed with some other remdies (e.g. pulsitilla for conjuncivitus).

I use lavender oil loads & a few others.

What remedies have you used and which work best - especially on children?

just treated dd conjunctivitis very sucessfully with homeopathy first tried euphrasia (eyebright) didnt do a lot then tried one called hepar sulph (in case it was infected) didnt do much then tried pulsatilla (using this for her teething too) and it cleared up in a couple of days -with not an antibiotic eye drop in sight (scuse the pun !)
if the remedy is the right one it should be pretty obvious as it will start to work fairly quickly-if it has not worked /improved the condition within a couple of days its not the right remedy (it can be a bit costly finding the right one) and qualified homeopaths dont always get it right either
i just use good books or this site

Her dad was one of 15 kids who survived to maturity. All 15 had kids, too. I can't imagine there are many 7th sons of 7th sons left b/c can you imagine being pregnant that many times? Uggggh! Not to mention that many smelly wee boys. Eewww!

my Mum is 7th child of a 7th child

is she gifted in the psychic realms eidemay ?

I thought it was only 7th sons of 7th sons. They're either healers or seers. Hmm, I'm confused.

Some seers, of course, are born to families of seers.

Lunachic - thanks for the link - will have a look at that.

Expat - what's your recipe for fabric softener? DP hates me using it because he says it makes the clothes all slimy and stinks (I know what he means about it coating them but I like the smell!) - I'm sure I could get away with a more natural one though.

chinese herbs for eczema - amazing

I'm currently trying manuka honey for dd's molluscum. will let you know how it goes (started yesterday, already surrounding area less red and sore)
breastmilk for conjuncitivitus (is that alternative?)

ps great thread, Magscat

By the way, if anyone's really wanting to find out about more remedies and 'super foods' this book is great

Magscat (and anyone else thinking of getting it) - I've got this book and it's great!

I never go anywhere without arnica! I always keep a small bottle of arnica pills in my handbag and they have come in handy on more than one occassion. the other homeopathic remedy I swear by is Arsenicum Album for diarrhoea (sp?). Honestly - it never fails.

We use lots of other homeopathic remedies but as others have already said, different remedies might work for different people even for the same problem. DS gets passiflora every night because he used to wake every night (sleeps really well now). Belladonna and Ferrum Phos are both good when the kids have fevers (along with the calpol - very much in favour of using these as "complimentary" rather than "alternative" treatments). Pulsatilla and Nat mur for colds (one is for streaming noses and one is for congestion but I always forget which is which).

I also had acupuncture for neck pain a couple of years ago and it worked a treat.

I didn't know about passiflora but a few of you have mentioned it on here. Where do you get it from? How do you give it (i.e. is it a pill or in liquid form ? My dd has bever been a good sleeper so anything that helps naturally would be great.

countess dracula my ds2 6mths suffers from eczema. what do you have to do with these herbs? Am very interested as concerned about the amount of hydrocortisone it seems to take to keep the condition at bay.

Magscat - try freemans.uk.com. You can order from them even if you're not in the uk they ship all over the world. In comes in a variety of homeopathic forms - tablets, pills, granules if your dd is very young.

One word of caution about passiflora -unlike remedies like arnica and arsen alb, it might not work for everyone. It's a good one to try first but if it doesn't do the trick you might need to experiment a bit. There's lots of homeopathic remedies that can help with sleeping problems and Freemans is very good at giving advice.

Probiotics for allergies and gut problems, also helps with food poisoning.

Flax seed oil for excema.

Zanta click for insect bites.

TENS machine for pain.

Thanks Sugarmag. DD is only 7 months so I don't want to dose her with medicines or anything to get her to sleep. It's just that she hasn't learnt not to wake up several times a night yet and it's exhausting me now I'm back at work full time. I'll read up a bit & give it some thought before I try anything. Was looking for something mild, natural & soothing - lavendar hasn't helped but haven't tried chamomile yet.

I think I'm just a bit surprised by her sleep (lack of) habits because ds slept wonderfully from 2 months but dd is hopeless

Like Sugarmag, I've found Arsenicum to be fantastic for DD1, if she gets a bug. IMO it's amazing, I've never seen anything work so quickly or effectively.

I do think that Arsenicum (as with most homeopathy) is effective only with specific types of people though, unlike Arnica.
It did nothing for a friends son.

At home, I keep Arsenicum, Arnica (pills and cream), Belladonna, Gelsemium, and some 'New Era' mixes. Some other creams, Calendula, Hypercal and my Helios birth kit (Aconite, Arnica, Bellis Per, Calendula, Carbo Veg, Caulophyllum, Chamomilla, Cimicifuga, Gelsemium, Hypericum, Ipecachuana, Kali Carb, Kali Phos, Phytolacca, Pulsatilla, Secale, Sepia, Staphisagria) comes in handy occasionally, though they are all @ 200c.

I use Aromatherapy daily, I have a friend who's an Aromatherapist and she makes up some fantastic creams! I do Reiki.

Echinecea and Rescue Remedy are often in use!

Thanks for the Mimulus tip, Beccalanismum! My DD1 tends towards anxiety, I might give this a go

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is Rescue Remedy? Is it one thing, or a range of products? What does it do?

I am trying to become a little less dependent on the old pills since having DS but dont really know where to start, so this has been a good thread for me.

This is Bach 'Rescue Remedy'. It is one of a range of products (Bach Flower Remedies), good for times of stress in general and before/during/after any particularly stressful event.

Click on 'Bach flower remedies' on the right of the page to see other remedies and their uses, you might see one more specific to your needs

badger (or anyone else) please could you recommend a flower remedy for someone who is a new mum -feeling anxious and a little bit over emotional ?

find the right bach flower remedt here found this

der ive copied wrong adress hang on
remedy finder here

Bach's Rescue Remedy did absolutely nada for me. It must work for some, b/c it seems popular, but the only things that made a dent in my anxiety were - unfortunately - Zoloft and Diazapem.

that's a shame...rescue remedy works everytime with me - perhaps it depends on your anxiety ? I can be quite claustrophobic, so if I feel like I'm losing it, a couple of drops on the tongue to the trick. I always feel 'safe'if I have it in my bag

Have also used to with good results on DD.

Panic attacks involving a lot of shortness of breath and chest tightness here. Feels like an asthma attack.

I have some Bach's, but I'm gonna give it to a pal b/c it does nothing for me.