Tagged with 'cell-salts'

Homeopathic cell salts, also called tissue salts, are made from the twelve minerals found in human tissue. These twelve minerals work at the cellular level and are essential to your body’s functions. Forms of these minerals include: calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, and silica.

There are 12 individual cell salts, labeled cell salt #1, cell salt #2, etc., and each is geared toward healing specific emotional and physical symptoms and ailments. You also have the option of taking a combination of all 12 mineral cell salts in one tablet, called “Bioplasma.” Taking all 12 cell salts together supports overall cellular health and function. 

Taking Bioplasma daily is used for relief of colds, headaches, simple nervous tension, digestion, increased energy, improved healing rates, and better handling of emotional and physical stress. Bioplasma is also thought to help with absorption of other nutrients at a cellular level.

Because Bioplasma contains all 12 minerals, it may help with remineralization of your teeth if applied topically.  

Cell salts are tiny, chalky tablets that quickly dissolve under the tongue or dissolve in a glass of water.

Bioplasma cell salts are a homeopathic medicine generally considered safe, generally lacking side effects, and can usually be taken in conjunction with other medications without complications. Find out how to take cell salts.

Bottom Line: Cell salts are a natural approach to medicine that stimulates the body's curative responses so the body heals itself. Give it a try!

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

How do dilute homeopathic remedies work? This is the question that brings up a lot of controversy between believers and nonbelievers of homeopathic medicine.

Homeopathic remedies are often diluted to the point where there may be no molecules of original substance left. One of the leading theories for how such extreme dilutions work is that water is capable of storing information about substances with which it has previously been in contact¹, sort of like a ‘memory.’

1^st Theory: The Structure of Water
Recent research on hydrogen bonds in water provides some support for this ‘memory’ theory. The Swiss chemist, Louis Rey, found the structure of hydrogen bonds in homeopathic dilutions of salt solutions is very different from that in pure water². Through research, he concluded that the phenomenon happens because of the vigorous shaking of solutions that takes place during homeopathic ‘succussion’. Along with this, other researchers have found different homeopathic medicines and different dilutions of the same medicine can be distinguished from each other, even though all should contain nothing but water³.

2^nd Theory: Molecular Clusters
An alternative theory comes from the results of research from South Korea. Studies on molecular clustering in water solutions show as a solution is made more and more dilute, very stable and larger ‘clumps’ of material develop in dilute solutions rather than in more concentrated solutions⁴.  This means that residual molecular clusters of the original substance might just be present in homeopathic dilutions. As with the first theory, succussion might also be responsible for creating very tiny bubbles (nanobubbles) that could contain gaseous inclusions of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and possibly the homeopathic source material³.

What do you think about all this? Is homeopathy truely effective or is it a placebo effect? I'm happy to hear your thoughts.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References
1. Bellavite P, Signorini A. The Emerging Science of Homeopathy, 2e. 2002: North Atlantic, Berkeley.

2. Rey L. Thermoluminescence of ultra-high dilutions of lithium chloride and sodium chloride. Physica A, 2003; 323: 67–74.
3. Rao ML, Roy R, Bell IR, Hoover R. The defining role of structure (including epitaxy) in the plausibility of homeopathy. Homeopathy, 2007; 96: 175–183.

4. Samal S, Geckeler KE. Unexpected solute aggregation in water on dilution. Chem Commun, 2001; 21: 2224–2225.
5. British Homeopathy Association. How does homeopathy work? http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/how-does-homeopathy-work/

Luyties Pharmacal Co., Bioron, and Hyland’s are three very reputable companies with a focus on homeopathy. Homeopathy is a system of medicine that originated over 200 years ago by a German doctor. Homeopathic medicine is still practiced today, with the aim of triggering the body's natural system of healing. Homeopathic remedies are highly diluted substances, prepared by a careful process of dilution and agitation. Patients are treated with the theory of "Like Cures Like". This means a substance that has a specific symptom in a person who is well, can be used to treat those same symptoms in someone who is unwell. 

Who Oversees Homeopathic Medicine? 

Two organizations are involved in the standardization and overseeing of homeopathic production: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the US (HPUS). The HPUS establishes the tests, standards, assays and production methods for each remedy it incorporates. The FDA uses HPUS monographs plus the same rules and regulations it applies to other forms of medicine to oversee and scrutinize homeopathic manufacturing, production and labeling. 

History of the Homeopathic Companies

Hyland’s Homeopathic: Founded in 1903 by eight Los Angeles physicians. In 1995, Hyland’s acquired Luyties Pharmacal Co.  

Luyties Pharmacal Co.: Established in 1853 by a physician out of St. Louis.  1-800 Homeopathy was founded in 1998, and started as a mail order catalog. 

Boiron: Founded in 1932 in Lyon, France, by twin brothers and pharmacists Jean and Henri Boiron. Boiron offers more than 800 homeopathic medicines. It is best known for Oscillococcinum, a top-selling flu medicine, and its Arnicare line of pain relievers.

The products sold by all three companies have many similarities when it comes to treating ailments. They all make single ingredient medicines, specialty combinations with one or several active ingredients, and cell salts. Cell salts are made from the basic mineral compounds critical to cells in the body, such as calcium and potassium compounds.

Arnica Montana for Muscle Pain and Stiffness

Arnica Montana is a popular homeopathic remedy sold by all three companies. It’s used to temporarily relieve muscle pain and stiffness due to minor injuries, overexertion and falls. It reduces pain, swelling and discoloration from bruises.

Hyland’s Arnisport Tablets

Boiron Arnicare Gel 

Luyties Arnica Montana Tablets

Cold Remedies

Another common product sold among all three companies is a specialty remedy for cold symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and minor sore throat. There are cold remedies for adults and infant/children, and they’re available as tablets or a syrup.

Boiron Coldcalm Tablets

Boiron Children’s Chestal Honey Cough Syrup: A remedy with a combination of homeopathic ingredients used to relieve chest congestion, a dry cough, nighttime hacking cough, and loosing thick mucus. For children 2 and up. 

Boiron Chestal Adult Honey Cough Syrup: A remedy with a combination of homeopathic ingredients used to relieve chest congestion, a dry cough, nighttime hacking cough, and loosing thick mucus. 

Hyland’s Defend Cough Syrup 

Hyland’s Tiny Cold Tablets for Children and Babies

Flu Remedies

A homeopathic remedy that temporarily relieves flu-like symptoms such as body aches, fever, and chill. Hyland’s makes a flu remedy for adults and kids.

Boiron Oscillococcinum: The active ingredient in this remedy is to reduce the duration and severity of flu-like symptoms.

Hyland’s Complete Flu Care and Hyland’s Complete Flu Care 4 Kids: This mix of homeopathic ingredients helps with body aches, fever, and chill.

Luyties Cell Salts – Fever Tissue M: This remedy is for anti-inflammatory and fluid balancing. It supports the body’s ability to heal fevers and inflammation.

Sleeplessness and Restless Sleep Remedies

Temporary relief of simple nervous tension and insomnia (sleeplessness). No drug hangover, no sedatives, and non-habit forming. Wake up alert and refreshed.  

Boiron Quietude 

Hyland’s Calms Forte for Adults  

Hyland’s Calms Forte 4 Kids:

Luyties Cell Salts – Insomnia Tissue A 

Nervous Tension and Stress Remedies

These remedies are used to support emotional and physical stress such as tension, fatigue, growing pains, cramps, and daily stress.

Luyties Cell Salts - Nervous Tension Tissue P: A combination of remedies specific for supporting relieving emotional and physical stress such as tension, fatigue, growing pains, cramps, and daily stress.

Luyties Cell Salts Tonic Tissue E: A combination of ingredients for those needing a vitality boost or to reduce the effects of stress or fatigue. E is for energy!

Hyland’s Cell Salt #6 (Kali Phos 6x): An individual remedy used to relieve symptoms of stress and nervous tension, feeling worn out following a heavy work or study period, trouble concentrating, occasional sleeplessness and headaches.

Boiron Sedalia Tablets: A specific homeopathic remedy for stress, hypersensitivity, nervousness, or irritability due to stress.

As you can see, you have a lot of options between several companies for treating many different ailments. If you haven't ever explored the art of homeopathy, I encourge you to do so!

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods 

References:

Darbre PD, Alijarrah A, Miller WR, Coldham NG, Sauer MJ, Pope GS (2004). Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumors. Journal of Applied Toxicology 24:5-13. http://www.maxgreenalchemy.com/images/ParabenReportDarbre.pdf

I’m really looking forward to the focus of January’s Health Buzz—Homeopathy! Homeopathy is a system of medicine founded in the early 19^th century by a German physician, and is based upon three principles, which you'll learn more about.

I’ll explore what homeopathy is used for, how it’s being used to improve health, and the controversy behind its use. For an overview of this topic, check out our video blog about The Basics of Homeopathy.  

If you have any specific homeopathy questions or would like to share any homeopathic remedies, please leave me a comment.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

If you're considering using cell salts or you bought them and are asking yourself, "now what?" hopefully this information will steer you in the right direction!

Tablets vs. Liquid:

Cell salts are minerals combined within a matrix of lactose (milk sugar). The lactose content is relatively small and for most people with lactose intolerance, it would take ingesting 25 to 30 tablets at a time to cause a flare up. However, if you want to avoid the lactose, you’re in luck…you can use the liquid form of cell salts. It’s the same cell salts but in an alcohol solution with no lactose. The alcohol acts as a preservative and creates the solution necessary to keep the cell salt in liquid form.

The medicine is infused throughout the tablet and is quick dissolving and very digestible. Cell salts are safe to use with other supplements or medications as there are no known contraindications.  

Here are the two most common methods for taking your cell salts. You choose what suits you.

Option 1: Dry Method, In Mouth

Dissolve the cell salts under your tongue. Let the pill dissolve or suck on it, but do not chew. By putting the cell salts under your tongue, it bypasses the digestive juices in your stomach and goes directly into your bloodstream. The cells recognize this form as useable and immediately suck it into the cellular membrane. Once enough of the cell salts have been accepted and the body is balanced, an intake of more cell salts will not do any harm and will be excreted from the system.

Do not eat, drink, or brush your teeth 15 minutes before and after taking the cell salts. Cell salts work best when taken in a “clean” mouth.

Follow the instruction on the bottle regarding dosage. 

Typical suggested use for the cell salts are the following (in tablet): 

• Adults and Children 7-12 years old: 4 tablets
• Children 2-6 years old: 2 tablets  

Dissolve under tongue 3 times a day. Use more frequently (every 15 minutes for up to 8 doses) with acute conditions.

Option 2: Wet Method, Drinking

Cell salts can also be added to your water. Mix 25 tablets in 1 Liter of pure, filtered water and drink this throughout the day. You can mix your individual cell salt or mix your combination of cell salts in the liter of water. An advantage to the wet method is obtaining the benefit of the cell salt all day long while hydrating yourself. One disadvantage to the wet method is the cell salts take longer to be absorbed because they enter the stomach before being absorbed (vs. under the tongue).

How long do I take cell salts?

Stop on improvement; however, it will not harm you if you continue taking them. Take them less often if there is moderate improvement, and stop taking them when there is significant improvement.

Repeat as needed: repeat the same remedy if it helped but then the symptoms return—starting and stopping as needed until completely better.

Stop the remedy if it clearly isn’t working. Select another cell salt or seek the advice of a professional homeopath.

For more information about cell salts, consider reading my previous blog, "What are Cell Salts???" Go here to view the entire cell salt collection.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1. http://catalog.proemags.com/publication/b1ecfe2a#/b1ecfe2a/1

Silicea is the twelfth of twelve cell salts. It is also known as Silicic acid or silica. This cell salt is made from rock crystals.

Where is Silicea found?

It is found in our bones, teeth, hair, nails, glands, skin, and mucus membranes.

What is Silicea used for? 

HOMEOPATHIC LANCET:

#1 remedy for removing foreign objects from the body. Silica has a reputation as the “homeopathic lancet” because it hastens the pus-formation process. For example, boils or abscesses that are painful but not discharging yet. Give after a splinter has become embedded, and it will help the foreign body to be “evicted!” It helps with infections and post-surgical scars that are inflamed, painful, and slow to heal. Helps with acne with a lot of pus, leaving pock marks. Dental abscesses and infections of the gums.

STAMINA:

Use after surgery to help get strength back. Someone who has a short energy expenditure range, such as feeling exhausted after only 1 to 2 hours of waking in the morning. Silica is a great energy manager. People needing it delegate their energy...for example, manage their energy and time because of their concerns about running out of energy.

SWEATING:

Sweating is a key indicator a person needs Silica!  Horrible foot sweat and foot odor, and the sweat eats through socks.  Silica people sometimes wash their feet multiple times a day.  The worst thing you can do is use foot powder to suppress the sweat because anytime you suppress sweat in a silica person it makes them worse.  This remedy is used for athlete's foot.  Also works on sweaty hands or armpits.  Perspiration stains yellow. 

BODY TEMPERATURE:

Lack of heat...people needing Silica tend to get cold easily.

HAIR AND NAILS:

#1 cell salt for nails that break easily. Cracking nails, brittle nails, toenail problems with fungus, ingrown toenails, nails with white spots on them. Hair and nails are weak, brittle, thin, and break easily.

CHILDREN:

Teething babies take forever to produce teeth and get sick with diarrhea, cough, or a cold with every tooth.

BONES: 

Silica is also useful for building the health and strength of bones after a fracture—take in alternation with Calc fluor and/or Calc phos.

CONSTIPATION: 

Silica may be indicated for constipation with large, hard stools and lots of straining.

HEADACHES:

Headaches after a heavy period of work or with a sinus infection. These headaches settle over the eyes and make the forehead feel heavy.

CONFIDENCE:

Feelings of lack of self confidence. Feelings of a lack of "grit." Feelings of shyness or timidity.

How do I take cell salts?

To learn how to take cell salts, go here.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1. Chapman, J.B. The Biochemic Handbook: How to Get Well and Keep Fit With Biochemic Tissue Salts. St. Louis: Formur, 1994.

2. Chapman, J.B. Dr. Schuessler's Biochemistry. London: New Era Labs, 1973.

3. King, S. www.homeopathy-help.net. 2004-2008.

4. Saul, A. Fire Your Doctor. Laguna Beach: Basic Health, 2005.

5. Weintraub, Skye. Natural Healing with Cell Salts. Pleasant Grove: Woodland, 1999.

Kali Sulph, also known as Potassium Sulphate, is the seventh of twelve cell salts. 

This cell salt is associated with the color YELLOW! Whether it be yellow discharge or mucus from a cough, cold, or earache or a yellow-coated tongue, Kali Sulph will help.

Where is Kali Sulph found?

It primarily effects the skin and the mucus membranes. It carries oxygen to your cells. It is the remedy for the late stage of inflammation.

Here are some of the many uses for Kali Sulph:

LUNGS: 

When coughing up yellow mucus, such as a chest cold or with sinusitis. A good remedy for children with bronchitis. The cough is loose but the mucus is difficult to cough up. A change of weather from cold to warm can bring on symptoms. A cough, cold, or joint pain that move around the body and are worse with heat and better for a walk in the fresh air.

SKIN:

Helpful for treating psoriasis and eczema. There can be much itching which is worse at night. Also used for pimples and blemishes or other eruptions of the skin, such as poison ivy and poison oak.

EARS: 

Earache or eardrum inflammation. During an earache, the person has crackling in the ears when chewing and temporary hearing loss from mucus in the middle ear.

HAIR: 

Kali Sulph is a famous dandruff remedy. Can also be used for ringworm of the scalp.

MENOPAUSE:

Try Kali Sulph for those uncomfortable hot flashes.

How do I take cell salts?

To learn how to take cell salts, go here. 

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

References:

1. Chapman, J.B. The Biochemic Handbook: How to Get Well and Keep Fit With Biochemic Tissue Salts. St. Louis: Formur, 1994.

2. Chapman, J.B. Dr. Schuessler's Biochemistry. London: New Era Labs, 1973.

3. King, S. www.homeopathy-help.net. 2004-2008.

4. Saul, A. Fire Your Doctor. Laguna Beach: Basic Health, 2005.

5. Weintraub, Skye. Natural Healing with Cell Salts. Pleasant Grove: Woodland, 1999.

Kali Phos, also known as Potassium Phosphate, is the sixth cell salt of twelve.

Where is Kali Phos found?

It is found in all cells, especially the gray matter of the brain, nerves, muscles, blood cells and plasma. All oxidation processes use this. 

How can Kali Phos help you?

BRAIN AND NERVES:

Kali Phos is especially effective for use with the brain and nerves. Someone who is nervous and restless will benefit from Kali Phos. Good for nervous exhaustion.

MEMORY AND BRAIN FATIGUE:

Kali Phos is great for sharpening the memory and brain fatigue. It can be used for those who are worn out following a heavy work or study period. Consider it a stress buster for students during exam time and those with mentally-taxing occupations, such as accountants and software engineers. Good for someone who is stressed and worn out from taking on too much. 

INSOMNIA:

This remedy is also lovely for the simple insomnia that follows a period of excitement or intense work or mental strain, when a person feels worn out but cannot sleep. This works well for people who work irregular hours.

OTHER SIGNS KALI PHOS MAY HELP YOU:

People who need this remedy feel better with—and desperately need—warmth and rest, and a healthy diet to build themselves up again. They feel emotionally sluggish and can become mildly depressed. They get one-sided headaches and may be sensitive to light and noise, and be easily startled. 

How do I take cell salts?

To learn how to take cell salts, go here.

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

Some of the content in this cell salt blog was originally written by Erika Correnti, ND, and posted on the Healthy Goods blog in July 2010.

References:

1. Chapman, J.B. The Biochemic Handbook: How to Get Well and Keep Fit With Biochemic Tissue Salts. St. Louis: Formur, 1994.

2. Chapman, J.B. Dr. Schuessler's Biochemistry. London: New Era Labs, 1973.

3. King, S. www.homeopathy-help.net. 2004-2008.

4. Saul, A. Fire Your Doctor. Laguna Beach: Basic Health, 2005.

5. Weintraub, Skye. Natural Healing with Cell Salts. Pleasant Grove: Woodland, 1999.