As the Christmas season unfolds with festive songs, twinkling lights, mulled wine, mince pies and a jam packed calendar, Registered Homeopath Cheryl Peavoy explores the best homeopathic medicines to try to take care of our well-being amidst all the excitement and busyness.

Equipping yourself with a few homeopathic remedies for the overindulgence, stresses and illnesses that may arise will help you to have the energy to soak up and embrace the Christmas cheer fully. And if Santa will oblige, why not ask for a Homeopathic remedy kit to be put under the tree!

Here are a few key homeopathic remedies to have in arms reach over the festive period and beyond:

Nurturing Emotional Well-being: Stress, anxiety and grief

Ignatia – Christmas can often evoke a spectrum of emotions, from joy and happiness to sadness and grief. If you are grappling with the grief of missing someone special or feeling strongly disheartened and disappointed for any reason then this remedy can help restore balance, support processing of feelings, to help you feel more comfortable and able to deal with the festive season.

Argentum Nitricum – for over worry and anxiety anticipating all of the upcoming events that are a plentiful at this time of year. Worrying and obsessing over all the things that may go wrong and all the details of Christmas. There is a great sense of urgency, hurriedness and often restless sleepless nights when one requires this remedy.

Sepia – helpful for when you feel you’ve spent too much time cooking, cleaning, serving people and you just want some time on your own away from all the chores! You are feeling utterly worn out angry and you want to escape the family. Taking this remedy can help you feel better about the duties that may be required to keep your family life ticking over so you can embrace the joy and love.

Staphysagria – perhaps all the extra duties, requests, and relationship expectations are making you feel a little resentful deep down. However you suffer in silence, or have difficulty saying no to requests and then you can’t help but feel taken advantage of as you are doing more than the lion’s share of everything. This remedy can help those feelings to stop festering, to have the courage to manage boundaries so you can relax and truly enjoy the celebrations.

Alleviating Winter Ailments:

Allium cepa – ‘Tis the season for snug scarves and…yep sniffles. Allium cepa, derived from the common onion, is a noteworthy remedy for alleviating cold and flu symptoms such as discomfort of a runny nose and persistent sneezing.

Aconite – great for the ‘I’m just coming down with’ feeling that can come after being outside in the cold Christmas air and wind. Take it straight away and it should nip those early signs of colds in the bud.

Ferrum Phos – a great remedy for when your cold has settled in, perhaps a low grade fever is present, ear ache and weakness. The body needs some extra support and energy to throw the virus off as quickly as possible so you can enjoy the festivities.

ABC – Aconite, Belladonna and Chamomilla – can be a fabulous combination to have at home for any sudden onset of high fevers, painful ear aches, sore throat, flu’s that you or little ones might get over the festive season. Give at the first sign of illness or fever to help ward off the virus or continue to give to help speed up the healing time and provide some comfort and pain relief.

Overindulgence/digestive complaints

Nux vomica – our number 1 Hangover remedy! When it’s the morning after the night before, your head and digestion are feeling iffy, you’d usually reach for the Nurofen or alka-selzer – STOP – instead give Nux Vomica a go! This remedy helps symptoms that arise after overindulgence and excess in food, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, coffee. You might feel nauseous; have bloating, burping, indigestion, constipation and hiccups after overeating or consuming the wrong things (alcohol, coffee). That feeling that “If only I could vomit I would feel better!’ sums up how you might feel. You may also have headaches and be irritable and impatient. A great liver remedy that will help cleanse toxins out of the system.

Lycopodium – a great remedy if you have overindulged with food or alcohol and are feeling full and boated, gassy, and can’t stop belching, with a loud gurgling tummy, acid reflux and heartburn. Symptoms are especially troublesome between 4pm-8pm and you might be extra irritable. You probably have a sweet tooth and have demolished too many chocolates or desserts! This is just one of many homeopathic antacid’s and also supports the liver.

Arsenicum – for when you are vomiting from eating the wrong thing, too much alcohol, food poisoning, or you’ve picked up the dreaded tummy bug! Symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting, wretching, cramps and you may have burning pains and intense thirst. You may feel overly anxious and restless too.

Carbo Veg – useful after over indulgence where you have a lot of belching, flatulence, extreme bloating, hiccups, indigestion. You are hungry for air – whether fresh air or to fan your face. If you have a very bad headache after too much alcohol then this can be a very useful remedy!

Pulsatilla – also useful for over-indulgence and the stomach problems that arise as a result. Suitable for where there is a desire for butter, cheese, cream, ice cream which can cause abdominal bloating or nausea, there could also be an aversion to these foods and indigestion from rich foods in general (hello Christmas spread!). You can often feel hot, preferring cool open air rather than closed stuffy rooms. You may really want company, clinging to someone and feeling emotional and weepy.

Sleep – Encouraging Restful Nights

Coffea cruda – if the anticipation of Christmas Eve disrupts yours or your kiddies sleep then a dose of Coffea cruda may provide the tranquillity necessary for a restful sleep. Good for when the excitement is too much, with lots of restlessness and over thinking all of the details of whether Santa is coming, what presents he might have or if you’re adequately prepared for Christmas dinner!

Kali phos – is perfect for when you are feeling frazzled and overwhelmed from all the running around and duties, you feel wired but very tired. This remedy helps your nervous system to calm down and reduce the feelings of overwhelm, leaving you to enjoy a restful deep sleep and be full of sparkle the next day.

In the midst of the Christmas chaos and fun, be assured that you can nurture your well-being with these natural, effective and gentle homeopathic remedies. Here’s to a season of contentment, enjoyment and a love filled Christmas.

Cheryl Peavoy is a registered Homeopath and Homeobotanicals practitioner that helps people feel better via consultations both online and in person in the Manchester/Cheshire area.

Material published in this section of the website does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Society of Homeopaths.