KEY SYMPTOMS

Profuse diarrhea, vomiting with exhaustion, cold perspiration, blue-tinged skin, fainting, hyperactivity or melancholy.

REMEDY PROFILE

Veratrum alb. is thought to work best on those who appear restless, self-righteous, overly critical, haughty, melancholy, and solitary, or who loathe being alone. A hyperactive or manic state, possibly with repetitive behavior, may be evident in people who are best suited to this remedy.

Typical physical symptoms include a poor immune system; extremely cold skin and perspiration, with chilliness possibly
extending to the breath and tongue; a blue pallor; a rapid pulse; weakness; anemia; extreme thirst; or cravings for fruit or ice cream.

Symptoms tend to become worse for damp cold, at night, following a bowel movement, and after eating fruit. The remedy is usually given for debilitating gastrointestinal problems with severe vomiting and diarrhea. It is also used to treat collapse and some psychological problems.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Grows in mountainous areas, damp meadows, and open woodlands in central and southern Europe, northern Asia, and north Africa.

BACKGROUND
Reputedly used by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates to cure a young Athenian who had contracted cholera.

PREPARATION
The fresh root is dug up before flowering, chopped, macerated in alcohol, and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
White hellebore, false hellebore.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Warts and polyps, feeling of being unlovable, complaints that develop after vaccination or gonorrhea, delusions, nail problems, catarrh.

REMEDY PROFILE

Serious, sensitive people who are easily upset and feel that they are unlovable respond best to Thuja. They may try to present a pleasing image to the world but, if reactions are negative, they neglect their appearance, becoming secretive and depressed.

Delusions about the body may be evident, as may fanatical ideas or paranoia, with a feeling that others are trying to manipulate them. They tend to sleep badly. Thuja is used for skin and urogenital disorders, headaches, and respiratory or menstrual problems.

Typically there is localized pain, exhaustion, and rapid weight loss. Symptoms may be due to health changes following a vaccination, or date back to a bout of gonorrhea.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Native to Canada and the eastern US, but now also widely cultivated as an ornamental tree. Prefers swamps and other wetlands.

BACKGROUND
Featured in the US Pharmacopoeia until 1894. Used in modern herbalism to treat warts, cancer, catarrh, and other conditions.

PREPARATION
The fresh leaves and twigs of the oneyear- old plant are chopped finely and macerated in alcohol, then filtered, diluted,
and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Arbor vitae, tree of life, white cedar.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Iirritability, overly critical nature, tendency to be highly driven and ambitious, chilliness, desire for rich foods and stimulants, indigestion and constipation, sleeplessness.

REMEDY PROFILE

Nux vomica is chiefly linked to workaholic personalities who drive themselves to stress and excess. Ambitious and pushy, they thrive on challenges, and often work in entrepreneurial or managerial jobs. The typical pattern is of someone who is
oversensitive and intolerant of criticism, yet perfectionist and often very critical of others. Such highly driven people tend to overload their bodies at play as well as at work. They tend to have high sex drives, consume too much rich food, coffee, and alcohol, and abuse drugs. This indulgence can create tension and sleeplessness, and often leads to digestive disorders (most seriously, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, or liver problems when the body can no longer keep up with the lifestyle).

If the profile matches, Nux vomica is given for irritability, insomnia, digestive symptoms, colds and influenza, asthma, cystitis, and menstrual or pregnancy problems. Typically symptoms are worse for cold, noise, light, and odors.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Native to southeast Asia, the tree grows in sandy soil in dry forests of India, Burma, Thailand, China, and Australia.

BACKGROUND
A rat poison in medieval Europe, and also used to treat the plague. Indian herbalists use the bark to treat cholera, and in Nepal it is prescribed for menstrual problems, rabies, and paralysis.

PREPARATION
The dried, ripe seeds are steeped in alcohol for at least five days, before being filtered, diluted, and succussed.

COMMON NAMES
Poison-nut tree, Quaker buttons (seeds), nux vomica, vomit weed.

KEY SYMPTOMS

Conditions that are affected by weather changes from hot to cold, domineering nature, sensitivity to cold and damp, asthma, urticaria in humid conditions.

REMEDY PROFILE

Dulcamara is typically given to people who are sensitive to cold and damp, with symptoms caused by rapid temperature changes or cold, wet weather.

In the symptom picture for Dulcamara, these physical factors outweigh psychological traits, but some confusion, irritability, impatience, and restlessness may be evident, possibly with a domineering attitude, notably toward family members.

Susceptibility to respiratory infections causing thick, yellow mucus is typical. Hay fever and other allergic reactions are also
common, as are head and joint pain, eczema, and diarrhea.

SOURCE DETAILS

ORIGIN
Native to north Africa, Europe, and northern Asia, and naturalized in North America. Grows in moist, shady soil.

BACKGROUND
Has a long history of use as an antiinflammatory and a liver tonic. Stem extracts have been used for warts and eczema.

PREPARATION
Fresh green stems and leaves are picked just before the plant flowers, then finely chopped and macerated in alcohol.

COMMON NAMES
Nightshade, woody nightshade, bitter nightshade, felonwort.