Guest Speaker: Carole Yeh-Garner, LCSW, HBCE

These are some tips from a local San Diego Homepath regarding the fires.
Here are some simple aids that can be used for yourself, your family,your children and your animals. Most of these aids can be found atyour local health food store:

For acute anxiety, fear shock or grief:

* Rescue remedy drops or spray: Take under the tongue or pour intoa water bottle and sip throughout the day. See dosage information onthe bottle Rescue remedy be used together alone or together with any of thefollowing homeopathic remedies:

* Aconite 30c/200c: for any illness that arises from fright

* Ignatia 30c/200c: for acute grief or loss.

* Pulsatilla: for anxiety in children (or adults) who are weepy,clingy and want to be held.

* Calcarea carbonica: for undue fear of calamities or naturaldisasters. They cannot sleep due to the fear of losing their homes orloved ones.

*Phosphorous: for anxiety in open, excitable types who want to beable to help everyone and get ill seeing the suffering of others.

* Natrum Muriaticum: These types are equally as sensitive to the suffering of others, especially if they see any injustice. They are more serious or closed than Phosphorous types. This is also useful forgrief, especially long-standing or silent grief, where they are notable to cry, or hide their tears behind a brave face.

For smoke inhalation:

The air is very dry. Use a humidifier or place bowls of water around the house. Try to stay indoors as much as possible. Use an air purifier in the home. When going outdoors, use a dust mask, ventilator or a wet cloth.

* Carbo veg: for severe exposure to smoke where patient is unableto breathe and has blue discoloration of the lips and skin, thebreathe feels cold. (This type of situation requires immediateemergency care in addition to the remedy)

* Spigelia: difficulty breathing and suffocating feeling with palpitations. Accompanied by a violent headache with piercing painbehind the right eye.

* Bryonia: dry cough after inhalation of smoke. Thirsty for large quantities of water. Even the slightest movement makes the patient feel worse.

* Euphrasia: cough accompanied by red, burning, tearing eyes. Eye irritation from smoke:

* Try to use goggles when outside to protect your eyes.

* Use saline solution to rinse your eyes.

* If redness continues use Euphrasia eye drops or take homeopathic Euphrasia orally.

* For tearing, burning eyes that feel like you've been peelingonions, use Allium cepa (Especially if you also have a watery, burning nasal discharge)

For sore throats from exposure to smoke:

* Echinacea and goldenseal throat spray: take as directed on thebottle

* Home-made ginger tea: Cut up fresh ginger root and add to water. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer. Drink throughout the day. (This will also help with mucus)

* Zinc or Propolis throat lozengesGeneral advice:Smoke exposure increases your need for Vitamin C, thus I recommend increasing your intake of Vitamin C during this time. Grapefruit seed extract can help your immune system deal with the airpollution.

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