The Start of Infection

Though complementary remedies are naturally very specific, the very start of infection calls for a relatively straight forward prescription, to be refined when the first individual symptoms appear. These should then be prevented or minimized by the rapid use of appropriate treatment.

Standard anti-infective treatment

To be started as quickly as possible at the first abnormal symptom:

• Start with Aconitum-Homaccord@ (Heel) which contains Aconitum 02, 019, 030, 0200, Eucalyptus 02, 010, 030 and Ipecacuanha 02,010,030,0200:
  - Available in drop bottles containing 30 and 100mi
  - Generally 10 drops to be taken three times daily. Initially 10 drops every 15 minutes.
• Add copper as a trace element with silver and gold in colloidal form.
• Six tablets of Pyrogenium 5c, once a day in a single dose, for a few days.
• Twenty drops of Lehning@ L52 in a little water, three or four times a day, if the patient already has a temperature.
• Vitamin C: one gram a day for adults, 0.5g for children, for a fortnight

Aconitum napellus

- Vegetable origin: the plant aconite, also known as wolf's bane because the poison it contains was once used in hunting
- Homeopathic remedy for infections that are sudden in onset

Pyrogenium
- Animal origin: prepared from putrefied beef
- Homeopathic remedy for the prevention or treatment of serious infection.

• To this standard treatment composed of three homeopathic remedies, one to three trace elements, and a vitamin, the homeopath may add remedies that are specific to each illness and fundamental for each personality.

Dietary advice

Essential:

• Stop all heavy, greasy foods, particularly dairy products, fried food, and dishes with sauces
• Drink plenty
• Choose foods rich in vitamin C and copper
• Supplement your diet with wheat germ and brewer's yeast, which are rich in group B vitamins and trace elements
• Take royal jelly
• Eat plenty of garlic and onion
• Make free use of herbs and spices such as thyme, cinnamon and oregano, known for their anti-infective properties.

Garlic/Onion

Native to Central Asia, garlic has been cultivated for centuries. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and the Gauls ate large amounts, mainly for its invigorating and antiseptic qualities. The onion originated in Asia too: it has been an excellent food throughout history, a symbol of health, longevity, and indeed, eternity. In the Renaissance, its smell came to be considered offensive, and only the peasantry continued to use it.

Some foods rich in vitamin C

Citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), green vegetables (celery, green cabbageH, cress, spinach, sorrel. parsley, horseradish). fruit, especially red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, red currants ), and also other types (pineapple, blackcurrantst+, guava, kiwi++). potatoes, green peppers, tomatoes...

Some remedies based on vitamin C.

• Synergisti-C (Thorne) which contains 650mg ascorbic acid, 400mg Echinacea angustifolia, 100mg Baptisia tinctoria and 100mg hesperidin:
  - Available in containers of 60 capsules - Take one to two capsules twice daily.
• Biocare vitamin C (citrus free) 500mg containing magnesium ascorbate and bilberry
  - Available in containers of 180 veg capsules
  - Take one to two capsules daily

Lamberts@. Rutin +C +bioflavonoids (containing vitamin C 500mg, citrus bioflavonoids IOOmg, rutin 50mg and hesperidin complex 30mg):
- Available in containers of 90 capsules
- Take one to two capsules daily

• You can take natural Vitamin C in chewable form - Lamberts@ Vitamin C 100mg:
  - Sold in containers of 90 tablets
  - One to three tablets daily

Sea buckthorn/Dog roseIBatbados cheny

The sea buckthorn, a shrub with ornamental foliage and fruit, is very rich in natural vitamin C. This is also the case with the Barbados cherry from the West Indies, and the dog rose.

Some foods rich in copper

Seaweed, almonds, avocado, cocoa, cereals (especially whole wheat and whole rice), mushrooms, shellfish, oysters, crustaceans, calf and sheep liver++, dried fruit, nuts, fish roe, plums, tea...

Royal jelly

Origin and Composition: The virtues of this luxurious honey, secreted by young worker bees during their second week of life, have been known since the 17th century. It prolongs the life of the hive queen. Royal jelly is one of the foods richest in trace elements and group B vitamins. It contains the three antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E), and vitamin D, as well as calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, potassium... and some essential amino acids, which impart general invigorating properties as well as stimulating immunity.

Method of use: if you are lucky enough to live near a beekeeper you may obtain it fresh. Take only a little at a time because, as you will have gathered, it is very concentrated. You can buy sealed vials, airtight because the jelly deteriorates easily. Take one vial at breakfast for a few days, at intervals of a few weeks.

Two plants to combat:

Infection

Anti-infective Echinacea, very stimulating ginseng.

Prescription: Ask your herbalist to prepare a 30ml bottle of a mother tincture of each of these two plants: take 25 drops of the first in a little water three times a day, 25 drops of the second, twice a day.

Although it may seem to taste very alcoholic, the mother tincture contains very little alcohol: 100 drops are equivalent to about a centimetre of wine in the bottom of a glass.

Echinacea

Echinacea or coneflower is very effective against snakebite, stubborn wounds, fevers... it comes to us from Native American tribes, who were using it long before the arrival of antibiotics.

Ginseng

By opening China's doors to the world, it ensured the universal spread of ginseng, a mythical plant known and venerated for 4,000 years and, because of its value in prolonging life, long the exclusive reserve of the emperor and nobility.

• You can use Echinaforce (Bioforce). a tincture of Echinacea purpurea:
  - Available in 50ml and 100mi bottles of oral drops
  - Fifteen drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day by adults, seven drops three times a day by children (6-12 years old)
• And Lamberts@ Korean ginseng 600mg:
  - Sold in containers of 60 capsules
  - Take one to two capsules daily

Essential oils to combat infection

Spanish oregano, mountain thyme, common thyme...

Prescription: Obtain a 2ml bottle of one of these essential oils from your pharmacist or health-food store; take three drops in a little honey, two or three times a day.

Oregano

Oregano prefers to grow on chalky soils on the coast. The flowers have digestive properties and its essential oil is an antiseptic.

Thyme

Thyme is best known for its aromatic qualities, and is greatly appreciated by bees. The essential oil is a powerful anti-infective agent.

Winter savory

The Latin name for savory, Satureia montana is linked to the word satyr, strongly suggesting psychic and physical stimulation.