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Sharon Ackland - The Family Homeopath, Bournemouth (2025)

11/11/2025

Tips For November .
It is late in the season to be posting out a reminder to start taking Milk Thistle drops for a few weeks . A drop in temperature is forecast for next week so offer your liver some support now as it works hard to thicken up your blood and ensure that you don't feel the cold too much . The liver does a wonderful job in thickening up the blood in autumn and thinning it again in the spring thus ensuring comfortable seasonal adaptation on our part . It's tiring work for the liver so go easy on alcohol and fatty foods at these two seasonal junctures and you will definitely feel less fatigued .
The spluttery , sneezy colds are still doing the rounds but not causing too many problems or needing much in relation to prescribing remedies . However the cough that is following on from some of these colds is responding well to Kali Carb .
The Kali Carb cough is dry and not productive . If anything is coughed up it is with a lot of effort ( and coughing ) and as the aggravation time for Kali Carb is around 2 to 3 am , this remedy is a blessing . The remedy will quickly loosen the cough , expectoration will be easy and the chest will be clear of catarrh .
If the Kali Carb state has already progressed beyond the initial phase of coughing then there is likely to be a stitching , stabbing pain on coughing , more of a wheeze to the cough and a marked aggravation from lying on the painful side of the chest . Many remedies are better for lying on the painful side as it keeps the area still and supported . Not so Kali Carb .
This is a hard sounding cough with a lot of dryness , often producing hoarseness of the voice or voice loss . Leaning forward can relieve the sore chest and cough and although the right lung is usually affected ( and worse for lying on the right side ) the left side can still call for this remedy if the other key indications are present .
I have noticed over the years how I prescribe Kali Carb far more frequently for women than men and only infrequently for children . The exception here is asthmatic children , as Kali Carb is a leading remedy for asthma and asthmatic coughs in any age group .
Kali Carb is known as one of the 3 Queens ( Sepia and Natrum Mur being the other two ) and Sulphur Calc and Lycopodium being the 3 Kings . Kali Carb often presents as Sepia in its emotional / mental aspect meaning that the patient with a dry , unproductive Kali Carb cough is often tired out , irritable and over - stretched . In my experience this is a state more commonly found in women particularly in the last weeks of the year as Christmas approaches and the workload increases at home . So if you are a woman and start to feel like an overstretched elastic band you may well benefit from some Sepia but if you also have a dry cough that wakes you at 3am , you will definitely receive benefit from Kali Carb !

17/10/2025

The Homeopath's Week .

Plenty of spluttery , watery colds around at the moment , sore throats and sinus problems .
Most of the watery colds have resolved themselves without remedies but a few have moved into the throat and Phosphorus has been the indicated remedy every time . Here is the Phosphorus sore throat picture - dryness of the mucous membrane with some swelling of the tonsils and / or cervical glands . A burning thirst for cold water , preferably iced and sparkling and yet a general sensitivity to the cold with a desire to keep wrapped up and warm . Juicy fruits , ice cream and fruit pastille type sweets are generally craved with the typical Phosphorus sore throat .
A few colds have thickened up and produced sinusitis with the main remedy being Kali B**h - stringy , viscid catarrh , worse on the left side .
Many enquiries have been coming in about the flu vaccine ( spray ) that has been rolled out to most schools in the past few weeks . Most of the parents have been asking if Gelsemium would be the remedy to give if their child stays away from school on the day of the spray vaccine but then develops flu symptoms from the vaccinated children ' shedding ' .
The answer is yes , Gelsemium would be the correct remedy if it is a Gelsemium flu . This is the most common type of flu and here are the typical symptoms . Shivery and cold with drained energy and difficulty even sitting up in bed without slipping down from weakness . Thirstless . Chills up and down the spine and a deep aching all over . The headache is a dull , heavy pain .
Fortunately many children will be having the vaccine the day before the half term break so this will greatly reduce the risk of flu symptoms spreading to those who don't take the vaccine .
Do children need the flu jab ? Absolutely not . In 30 years of practice I didn't have a single case of flu in children and then the jabs/ spray became a yearly occurrence creating a susceptibility in children that wasn't previously there . This would be true of any vaccine if given year after year . It is madness that children who would not naturally be susceptible to flu ( it is mainly an acute illness that afflicts adults ) are not only receiving the jab but in many cases experiencing flu . I now regularly treat children with flu in the winter months .
If a child is susceptible to respiratory complaints , is asthmatic or has a suppressed immune system , there are many ways to build up the child's immunity and improve their overall health including the use of constitutional and acute remedies . This is the best way to stave off winter acutes or to keep the symptoms mild .
Each year the flu jab is created by an informed 'guess ' based on the previous year's flu symptoms - it is by no means an exact science and leaves many questions unanswered .

09/10/2025

Ecchinacea - Continuing The Story .

Black Elk of the Lakota Sioux tribe of Native American Indians shared with the Swiss naturopath , Vogel , many stories about the uses of Ecchinacea by his ancestors .
There are tales of Ecchinacea being curative for poison arrow wounds , snake bites and for averting sepsis in birthing women . Without scientific research to identify the components of the Ecchinacea plant and its healing properties , Native People were able to understand that this plant contained the therapeutic properties to neutralise bacteria and thus prevent blood poisoning and sepsis .
Science has since confirmed this and today Ecchinacea is one of the most researched herbs of all . By strengthening the immune response to invading bacteria by increasing the number of phagocytes there is an almost immediate boost to the immune response .
Ecchinacea tincture can aid in the resolution of boils , pustules and abscesses . It is sp*edy in correcting bites and stings that are threatening to turn nasty and is essential medicine in the case of blood poisoning and sepsis - both their prevention and resolution and cure .
Ecchinacea tincture taken once a day for a week or two whenever the winter acutes start to surface ( colds , coughs , flu ) will more or less keep these acutes at bay but if you do succumb because you have lost your natural balance and alignment with nature's restorative energy , Ecchinacea will quickly cleanse the blood of any invading bacteria or viral matter and health and harmony will be yours once more . One of Black Elk's great teachings to Vogel was that we get sick because we lose balance by overtaxing our body and mind and thus become susceptible to illness . I think Black Elk was a homeopath !

06/10/2025

Ecchinacea - The Story .

Following my post on Ecchinacea the other day I was asked if the leaves or the root of the plant were of most benefit . So I dug out some of my dusty old tomes from the bookcase and found a lovely story that Vogel would tell when he was asked about the origins of his wonderful range of tinctures including of course his trusty Ecchinaforce .
Alfred Vogel , the renowned Swiss naturopath ( 1902 - 1996 ) met the great Black Elk of the Sioux Lakota tribe during his travels in the US in the 1950's . The men bonded over their shared love of plants and their medicinal properties . A deep friendship was formed and Black Elk introduced Vogel to a plant regarded as sacred by the Lakota Sioux : Ecchinacea Purpura and Angustifolia . He told Vogel that both plants were equally potent in their healing capacity and that leaves or root were also equal in their therapeutic powers .
Vogel took some of the plants back to his native Switzerland and established them in his garden noting that it took several years for them to properly acclimatise to the cooler environment and high altitude .
After cutting his foot with a scythe as he cut back long grass one day , he neglected to clean the wound and a blue line became visible from the wound up the entire length of his leg - blood poisoning . The lymph gland in his groin began to swell . Remembering Black Elk's advice to chew some of the leaves and root , swallow the juice and then place the masticated plant over the cut , he was amazed to observe that in a very short period of time the blue line faded and the swollen lymph gland was no longer visible . He continued to chew the plant and swallow its juices for a few more days , just as Black Elk had advised .
This is a lovely story to remember when we dispense our 10 drops of ready prepared Ecchinacea tincture from the dropper bottle with no need to dig up a plant and chew on the leaves and root !
Thank you Alfred Vogel for creating your trusted line of tinctures which we have come to rely on in our daily lives , and in particular the wonderful Ecchinacea .
Next post ; more on the properties of Ecchinacea which Black Elk shared with Vogel .

04/10/2025

The Homeopath's Week .

Another really busy week with the seasonal complaints dominating all else . There are even a few cases of early flu out there !
If you are in an environment where colds and coughs are prevalent , remember Ecchinacea tincture ( 10 drops in a little water for a week or two ) is a supreme blood cleanser and will help to flush out both bacterial and viral matter from the blood .This is good protection used on and off throughout the autumn and winter months for teachers , students and those working in small office spaces .
Kali Phos 6 or 9x , taken twice a day will help you to bounce back when energy levels remain low after an acute illness . Phos Ac 6c , taken twice a day for 5 days will help in cases where there is a real depletion of energy .
Last week and this week I have had quite a number of teeth - related cases so just a reminder that homeopathy can be of such help not just for teething in babies but for extractions and problems afterwards . A common complication is when there is a stubborn level of inflammation following an extraction and here Belladonna will greatly reduce the inflammatory levels . Emerald given before the extraction and Arnica , Hypericum and Staphisagria afterwards will rapidly heal the cavity . If the jaw becomes painful or misaligned as a result of the force required to remove the tooth ( more common with wisdom teeth extractions ) then Phosphorus 30c given twice a day for 3 days after Arnica etc has done its work , will relieve much of the pain .

29/09/2025

Mens' Health - The Prostate .

It is common from late mid - life onwards for many men to experience problems with the prostate gland . Although treating these problems is beyond the scope of home prescribing , I would like to outline a few key remedies to help men understand that homeopathy can be of real help in this area of mens' health .
Sabal Serrulata or Saw Palmetto as it is also called is by far the most commonly prescribed remedy for symptoms of a weak urine stream , a need to get up in the night for a p*e and for the dribbling of urine at the end of urination .
Thuja is indicated when the stream of urine flows in a forked stream and can be a key remedy for the retention of urine , a potentially serious situation which should not be ignored . The need for Thuja can arise as a result of either active gonorrhoea or as a result of its suppression ( and not cure ) in the recent or distant past . I have seen over and again how powerfully curative this remedy can be in cases of gonorrhoea / urinary tract infections and prostatitis. As a student homeopath in London at the height of the Aids epidemic I saw first hand in the teaching clinics how frequently Thuja was dispensed and the extraordinary results from these prescriptions .
Chimaphila is a little known remedy but one that comes in very useful for when the prostate has enlarged and the urine can only be voided by leaning forward .
Conium , a remedy associated with many complaints of advanced old age , is most helpful when it becomes difficult to start urinating . This remedy can lessen the need to strain and be a great blessing for those who need it .

14/09/2025

The Homeopath's Week .

The darkening of the light summer evenings which we so relished this year has brought with it a keen dampness to the air and so no surprises that the Pulsatilla 30c remedy stock has had to be replenished not once but twice this week .
Pulsatilla , our great remedy for catarrh and chesty , loose coughs is a mainstay of prescribing once the autumn rain and dampness arrives .
First come the sniffles in the little ones at nursery and kindergarten and then the heavier colds present in the older children . Pulsatilla will be the remedy for both of these age groups if the catarrh has the Pulsatilla signature - bland and not excoriating , a small or very moderate thirst and an increase in the child's sensitivity which often means a tearful child .
Adults tend to express the catarrh as a chesty cough rather than a cold because their vital energy is less robust than that of a child and so the symptoms are expressed on a deeper level .
This is a useful remedy to remember for catarrh that develops after returning from a holiday in a warmer , drier climate . The autumn half - term holidays abroad frequently produce Pulsatilla symptoms as the cold , damp UK weather bites at the journey's end .
Myristica , a small remedy in our Materia Medica has been dispensed a few times this week for infection around the roots of teeth . Sometimes Hepar Sulph and Silica don't resolve the suppuration fully and this is where Myristica will finish their work . For such a small remedy of limited use , it really is powerful when symptoms indicate its use .
I have had three cases of sciatica this week and one of them was clearly a reaction to the damper air of September . The remedy which helped was Rhus Tox , a remedy like Pulsatilla which comes in for symptoms caused by or aggravated by the damp .
Bryonia helped the second sciatica case as it was a right - sided pain which was better for very hard pressure being applied to the area and relieved by lying on the painful side .Colocynthis was the remedy for the third sciatica case and this was a very interesting example of how Colocynthis will help to reduce cramps , shooting pain and tearing pain which starts as a consequence of anger and indignation . An altercation at work had infuriated this patient and later that evening a shooting pain developed down her leg along the sciatica nerve . Colocynthis was given that same evening , continued for two days and the improvement set in very quickly .

10/09/2025

Viola Tricolar and Acne .
Used in the tincture form , Viola Tricolar acts as both an internal cleanser for the skin and drainage for the lymphatic system .Together with other remedies this tincture can clear up acne eruptions quickly .
Calc Sulph 6x or 9x taken morning and evening for 3 to 4 weeks will encourage pustules to discharge and heal up .
The indicated constitutional remedy will further encourage sp*edy resolution and later on if the skin texture needs smoothing , Berberis Aquifolium in tincture form will be very helpful . This tincture is also useful for reducing troublesome scars and pigmentation .
Thiosinaminum 6c will further reduce stubborn areas of scarring .

03/09/2025

Emerald - A Heart Remedy .
For physical pathology Emerald is prescribed in low potencies as a drainage remedy to cleanse the blood ( and lymph ) and improve sluggish circulation . In combination with Crataegus and Kali Mur it forms a therapeutic triad which acts as a tonic to the heart .
On a more esoteric level this is a remedy of profound benefit to those who have lost their inspiration and find that their creative expression is blocked . The common refrain during the consultation is that , ' something isn't right with me ' . Often the patient cannot elaborate on that ; it is a feeling and intuition and it will be well noted by the homeopath . What might be going on here for this person ? The essential question to ask will be one that tries to understand and explore when this feeling started .
Oftentimes when Emerald is the indicated remedy , the onset will be after a general anaesthetic .This is something that Emerald shares with the remedy Phosphorus . The patient may say that their energy feels blocked or that they can no longer paint or write poetry or sing . Something in the heart chakra has closed down and the normal flow of expression from the heart to the throat chakra ( the centre of communication ) cannot find a healthy expression . This is not uncommon as an effect of anaesthesia and it is the creative personality that feels the limitation the most acutely . Interestingly both Emerald and Phosphorus are known as ' creative , artistic ' remedies .
The very essence of Emerald as a remedy has to do with creative expression and at its highest level creative energy is spiritual energy . The esoteric function of the heart chakra is to be open to the highest and purest energy , that of the spirit . It is no wonder then that a person needing Emerald will feel that something intangible ' isn't right ' . The remedy will gently open up the heart so that life force and inspiration can flow again and the person can express this in their unique way . Emerald is a remedy for reconnection in this sense .
In my earlier post on Emerald we saw how a tooth extraction or the surgical removal of a body part can create a trauma of pathology where the healing energies get blocked . In this post we are looking at something that is harder to grasp and understand . There may be no physical problems at all but a loss of joy in life will be evident . Heart work is needed and Emerald is extraordinary in its ability to open up the creative and spiritual pathways so that the person feels lifted and in flow with the vital life energies again .

30/08/2025

Emerald and Extraction .
Emerald , a type of Beryl , is one of three types of Beryl that have been made into homeopathic remedies through trituration and succusion .The other two are Aquamarine and Golden Beryl .
Emerald is an exceptional remedy to use in cases of dental extraction and the removal of organs ( gallbladder , kidney etc ) and fibroids , tumours and polyps .
The 30c potency taken immediately before the extraction of a tooth will reduce the pain , bruising and swelling . After the procedure Arnica and Hypericum 30c given in two hourly alternation will complete the healing in a remarkably short space of time .
The 200c potency is preferable in surgical cases and when other post - surgery remedies are given such as Arnica , Hypericum , Staphisagria and Calendula , the chances of complications are minimised , emotional trauma is reduced and the incidence of scar tissue and adhesions is greatly reduced .
Emerald is a wonderful remedy for the ' closed heart ' and shut off emotions and I will look at this aspect of the remedy in my next post .

24/08/2025

Buddleia and Synchronicity.
Beyond the art and science of homeopathy lies a magic and mystery that all homeopaths come to know and many patients too . I could give so many examples from my own practice over the years but here is one example : a case of synchronicity that occurred as I was composing my posts on Buddleia .
A dear friend and colleague on reading my post , sent across a poem on Buddleia that she had written that very week . Incredible synchronicity and a chance for me to share a more poetic version of my post ! You just couldn't do this with penicillin or paracetamol could you ?! The beauty of our remedies and their energetic outreach .

https://www.instagram.com/sue_kullai_poet?utm_source=qr&igsh=YjhydGF4eXMyaWZh

21/08/2025

Buddleia ,
With Buddleia we are looking at a remedy that can lift the burden of the effects of trauma and shock and bring in its place a strength and serenity .
Although the shrub springs up easily in gardens and self - seeds readily this belies its resilience and ability to not just grow but thrive in inhospitable urban environments . It can shoot up to nine feet and seems able to draw its nourishment from stony , dry land , appearing alongside railway sidings and emerging from crevices and cracks on pavements and building sites . In an ugly urban setting , lush , purple flower cones with the scent of honey bring nourishment to bees and butterflies and an upliftment to us in an otherwise grey sprawl of urban life . The colour purple is linked to spirituality and the crown chakra and like the lotus which has its roots in muddy waters but produces white and pristine blooms , the Buddleia throws up these almost divine flowers from the most unlikely growing places .
In the person who needs Buddleia as part of their healing journey , this signature of sweetness ( the honey scent of Buddleia ) and beauty of expression ( the lushness of the flowers ) flourishing against the odds ( a small crack in the concrete ) reflects the deep trauma , the inhospitable circumstances that the person needing Buddleia has experienced and the healing response of peace that awaits them as the remedy works its way back through the layers of unexpressed emotion , the shock and the trauma . It has been described by patients as an almost spiritual - like awakening from a dark and hostile place . The patient literally blooms after this remedy and there is often a realistic acceptance that the trauma was part of the growing process and that although the memory of the trauma cannot be erased there is a promise from the remedy that it can be transmuted into something higher and beautiful that will nourish the person and welcome in joy .

Sharon Ackland - The Family Homeopath

11/11/2025

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