If you only pack one natural medicine for your holiday it better be .....

URTICA - The Stinging Nettle. This is the perfect plant for sunburn, heat rash and bites and stings.
If you have ever had an encounter with a stinging nettle, you will know all about the stinging, burning, itching red-and-white eruptions that it can cause. This makes it the perfect homeopathic medicine for similar problems. I use neat Urtica tincture on bites and stings, and for burns, scalds, sunburn, heat rash, hives or other itching eruptions, it can be diluted 50:50 with water, or you can mix 10 drops per teaspoon of Aloe gel. Apply liberally. It really is the most magical treatment for minor burns - keep a bottle in your kitchen or near the braai.

8-Day Healing Bush - a little bush with big powers!

Lobostemon fruticosus is an amazing indigenous plant belonging to the Borage and Comfrey family. It is a common little shrub in the Cape Floristic Region, with tough hairy leaves and flowers that range from pink through purples to blues, often on the same bush and in the same flower at the same time.
Chew some fresh leaf and you will see why it is also called 'Pleisterbos' - a gummy mass will quickly form!

Tips for Spring

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Spring, when the new growth starts to appear on trees and other plants, is said the be the Wood time of the year, i.e. Spring is governed by the Wood Element (as opposed to Fire, Earth, Metal and Water). Each Element is also linked to a major organ system and in TCM this is the Liver and Gallbladder. Spring is therefore one of the best times to address Liver issues and to ensure that your liver and gallbladder is in optimal health. Now is the time to address this and also to assist the shift in metabolism from the quiet, slow winter mode to the more expansive and active summer mode.

Exciting New Research on Cancer Cells and Homeopathic Medicine

A common criticism of homeopathy is that we use medicines that are diluted beyond the point where any of the original molecules of the substance are left in the prescribed medicine. These 'ultra-molecular dilutions' are controversial to some and often considered to be no more than placebo!  An interesting new piece of research would have us believe otherwise. Published in the International Journal of Oncology in February this year, it shows how ultra-molecular preparations of 4 medicines commonly prescribed for cancer patients had a selective effect in killing cancer cells in test tubes while not affecting normal cells, proving that highly diluted homeopathic medicines can in fact have a measurable effect and are not simply water / placebo.  See below for more information on this study:

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a complete system of medicine devised in its modern form in 1796 by a German physician—Samuel Hahnemann. Homeopaths work with the body’s own natural healing mechanisms to stimulate a person back to health. This is done by prescribing small doses of substances that would, in a larger dose and in a healthy person, cause symptoms similar to the ones that the patient is currently experiencing.

Geometry in Nature

I have really been struck by this beautiful short video showing how nature uses geometry in its constructions! It is a wonderful display of Fibonacci sequences, The Golden Mean & Phi etc. Have a look and see what I mean: http://www.etereaestudios.com/docs_html/nbyn_htm/movie_index.htm

With the Cape winter on its way, its time to think about ways to protect yourself from winter problems.


The Cape winter is cold and wet and one of the best herbs to to help you through this time is the warming, drying and cheering daisy - Calendula officinalis.

Research in Homeopathy. What's the Evidence?

Research into many areas of homeopathy is continually being done. This is contrary to some reports in the media that there is no evidence that homeopathy works! It is just bad journalism, really - lazy journalists mindlessly repeating misinformation that has been given to them... 

Eating Advice for Vata, Pitta and Kapha Types

It is always important to eat foods that are good for you as an individual. In practice, when giving advice to patients, I often call on Ayurvedic principles to help me give a particular patient individualised advice. Ayurveda has the oldest 'eat right for your type' diet!
In Ayurveda, all things are considered to have one or more of 6 universal flavours. All foods and medicines can be classified as sweet, sour, salty, pungent (spicy), bitter or astringent (drying / puckering) or a combination of these flavours. There are 3 good flavours and three bad flavours for each constitutional type. The suggestions given below are aimed at trying to include more of the 3 good flavours of foods in your diet and less of the 3 bad flavours. If you have determined which of your 3 doshas are predominant - Vata, Pitta or Kapha, then you can have a look at the guidelines below to help you to adjust your eating style:

The Case for Homeopathic Medicine: The Historical & Scientific Evidence

American author and long time advocate of homeopathy Dana Ullman has written an excellent article about homeopathic medicine for the respected Huffington Post - its well worth a read! Have a look at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/the-case-for-homeopathic_b_451187.html

What Type are You?

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian system of medicine. In Ayurveda, there are three constitutional types (called doshas). These are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Knowing which type you are allows you to change your diet and your lifestyle to help to decreased the dosha that is in excess and in doing so, improve your health and wellbeing. Which type are you? Basically, Vata types are cold, dry and underweight, Pitta types are hot, fiery, irritable, burning and Kapha types are large, slow and damp. There are many quick tests that you can do to determine which is your predominant dosha. Have a look at Pukka Herbs' test here: http://www.pukkaherbs.com/file/18493d0dce9126383774a3dc1327277e/discover-your-ayurvedic-type.html

The next post will include dietary tips for the 3 types

Practical no-nonsense information about health and wellbeing coming soon...