What is inflammation?
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Inflammation is the nonspecific response to a harmful stimuli (i.e. injury, pathogens, damaged cells, irritating chemicals, etc.). It is a defensive reaction aimed to eliminate the initial cause of cell injury, clear out any dead cells and initiate tissue repair. There are four cardinal signs of inflammation: pain, heat, redness and swelling. 
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The inflammatory process begins with the release of chemicals including histamine and kinins by immune cells. Those chemicals are responsible for:

• causing blood vessels of affected area to dilate (resulting in redness and increased heat)
• activating pain receptors
• causing capillaries to become more permeable, allowing plasma proteins and fluid into the tissue (resulting in swelling)
• altering the blood vessels to permit the migration of leukocytes into the affected area

 
Those responses are created to prevent the spread of damaging agents to nearby tissue. In this sense the inflammation is beneficial to the body.
 
There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic. Acute inflammation has rapid onset and is of short duration (lasting for hours or a few days). Inflammation is terminated when the harmful agent is eliminated from the system. Chronic inflammation usually has insidious onset and it lasts longer. When the inflammation gets out of control it becomes harmful to the body, resulting in damage to the healthy tissue. There are many diseases caused by chronic inflammation, for example: autoimmune diseases, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, acne, atherosclerosis, lung fibrosis, hypersensitivities (sometimes life- threatening), celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, depression and many more. 
Chronic inflammation can be caused by number of factors, for example: stress and anxiety, excessive body weight, environmental toxins, microorganisms, lack of sleep, diet (including: sugar, trans fats, dairy, red meat and processed meat, alcohol, artificial food additives, refined grains, etc.) Inflammation can often be resolved by dietary changes, the use of herbs and homeopathic remedies. Some of the anti- inflammatory foods include: turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, oregano, omega-3 fats, green tea, extra virgin olive oil (not heated), blueberries, leafy green vegetables, fermented vegetables, garlic, coconut oil and many more. 
 
Some of the most commonly used homeopathic remedies in inflammatory stages include:

• Aconite- First stages of any inflammation. Rapid onset accompanied by acute pain. The person often feels intense fear, anxiety or restlessness. 

• Belladonna- Inflamed area is hot and painful with sensation of throbbing or pulsating. Symptoms have great intensity with high fever, redness and dilated pupils.

• Bryonia- Fevers have slow onset. Intensely painful conditions with great sensitivity and marked aggravation from slightest movement. Sensation of dryness throughout the system (i.e. mucus membranes) with great thirst.

• Ferrum phosphoricum- Good general remedy for early stages of any inflammation (i.e. throat, lungs, ears) accompanied by fever. Increased thirst with sensitivity to cold. 

• Mercurius- Great weakness with over-sensitivity to heat and cold (person is easily chilled or overheated). Swollen glands, increased perspiration, offensive and thick yellow-green discharges. 

 
Inflammation is generally a healthy immune response. But once it gets out of control it can pose real danger to the body’s own healthy tissue. Prolonged low-grade inflammation can trigger a whole range of chronic and potentially life threatening diseases. 
 
As mentioned, there are many natural ways to reduce chronic inflammation, like herbs and homeopathy. 
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To get the best results I always recommend using them under supervision of a qualified practitioner. 

Christmas is coming and we are all looking forward to it! It’s the time to be together, time to relax, time of joy and time of…overindulgence. During the festive season we tend to eat more than usually (not just the healthy stuff!) and more importantly- we drink more alcohol. I am personally a big advocate of balance in life and I do believe that everything is good… in moderation.
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Below I have listed few tips that can help you feel better this festive season (in case “moderation” doesn’t work) :

• Nux Vomica- No. 1 homeopathic liver remedy. Indicated after overindulgence in food and drink. Major remedy for hangover, headache, irritability and indigestion. I suggest taking couple of Nux Vomica 30c pills in the evening and another couple in the morning. It should ease off the symptoms of hangover.

• Lycopodium- homeopathic remedy that supports liver, indicated for flatulence, bloating, acidity, constipation and ailments from eating too much sugar. I suggest taking couple of Lycopodium 30c pills after big meal when you feel bloated and suffer from heartburn.

• Carduus marianus (milk thistle)- liver tonic, which stimulates the flow of bile and strengthens the liver. I suggest buying it from health food shop and following the dosage on the bottle (usually 10-15 drops in little water as a dose). This will help your liver process everything that you have decided to put in your stomach that evening- be it fatty food or alcohol.

• Water- alcohol, coffee and tea make you dehydrated, which may result in headache and irritability. Make sure you drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day (yes, caffeine- free tea counts as water). After you drank alcohol it’s always wise to have at least 500ml of water before going to bed.

• Digestive enzymes- they assist the breakdown of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fibre. They will simply aid digestion and work magic if you take them before big, heavy meals.

• Magnesium- important mineral, which you loose when you consume alcohol or caffeine. My favourite form is Ionic Magnesium. It will help with the headache, tension and irritability. Simply take some magnesium with 500ml of water before going to sleep. You will feel much better for it in the morning!

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Look after yourself and have a fantastic Christmas!
 
 

Your liver is one of the most vital organs and the largest gland in your body. It makes up about 2.5% of your total body weight.

It is located under the diaphragm, slightly more to the right side of the body.

The liver plays a huge role in regulatory, metabolic and digestive processes. Some of the liver’s functions include bile production, nutrient processing, detoxification, protein synthesis, mineral and vitamin storage, hormone production, blood waste disposal- to name just a few.

Thanks to this magnificent organ, we are able to clear out a huge range of potentially harmful substances. Unfortunately our liver hasn't changed for thousands of years, whilst our lifestyle has. In today’s world we are exposed to more dangerous toxins than our ancestors ever were. The food we eat is full of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. The water we drink is full of fluoride, chlorine and lead. The air we breathe is full of benzene, sulphur, lead and a lot of other nasty stuff. On top of that we take more chemical drugs, we put parabens and petroleum on our skin, we consume alcohol, we use potentially dangerous chemicals on a daily basis, we drill mercury into our teeth…we went so far that we even put neurotoxin into our chewing gum! The list is so long it can go on and on…

Some of the symptoms indicating that out liver is not very happy may include:

• tiredness and sluggishness
• constipation
• skin symptoms such as acne, boils or abscesses
• sleep disturbances
• poor concentration
• frequent colds and flu
• joint pains and muscle aches of no apparent cause
• mood changes

It’s easy to see how busy our livers really are. In fact, the liver performs more functions than any other human organ! Day in and day out it works hard just to keep us alive. A person’s entire blood supply passes through the liver several times a day. Luckily for us, the liver possesses a remarkable capacity to regenerate itself (given the opportunity to do so). 

From holistic perspective (i.e. Homeopathy or Traditional Chinese Medicine) the liver is associated with eyes, ligaments, muscles and tendons. It is also linked to emotional states like anger, irritability, resentment and bitterness (hence the expression 'feeling liverish'). Unacknowledged and unexpressed anger causes depression and shame- the background for most addictions. But on the contrary, a healthy liver encourages enthusiasm and inner strength.

There are many natural ways to support your liver. First of all you need to minimize your exposure to toxins. Secondly, ensure that you have enough nutrients in your diet. There are a number of great herbs and homeopathic remedies to aid detoxification as well as toning-up the liver. Some of the most commonly used herbs are:

• Carduus marianus (milk thistle)- liver tonic which stimulates the flow of bile and strengthens the liver.
• Taraxacum officinale (dandelion)- liver and kidney tonic with diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal)- tonic which strengthens and invigorates liver, supports immune system. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-catarrhal, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.

Some of the commonly used homeopathic remedies for liver support include:

• Nux vomica- No. 1 liver remedy. Indicated after overindulgence in food and drink. Major remedy for hangover, headache, irritability and indigestion.
• Lycopodium- supports liver, indicated for flatulence, bloating, acidity, constipation and ailments from eating too much sugar.
• China officinalis- liver remedy indicated for ailments from food poisoning, indigestion, flatulence, loss of vital fluids and general weakness with dehydration.
• Chelidonium majus- indicated for liver pains, right-sided headaches, jaundice, stomach pains, fatigue and irritability.
• Phosphorus- remedy indicated for weakness of the liver, headaches, vomiting or flatulence. There is characteristic sensitivity to all external impressions- noise, light, etc.

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I always recommend using herbs or homeopathic remedies under supervision of a qualified practitioner.

So be good to your liver and remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Below you can find the link to brand new research investigating the nature of homeopathic remedies.

http://www.homeopathyjournal.net/article/S1475-4916(15)00062-4/pdf
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