‘In all my birthday photos throughout primary school I’m holding a hankie and have a big red nose!’ Kat sighed. ‘I remember inhalers and cough mixtures. I was off school so much and Dad had to stay with me all the time. I couldn’t breathe.  Respiratory problems dogged me all through primary.  In the winter it was bronchitis, croup, sore throats, and colds. In the summer it was hay fever, sinusitis, and more colds. Nothing worked.  My tonsils were removed at 11. And here I am on the inhalers still; two puffs in the morning, two puffs in the evening.’

One reason for people exploring homeopathy is to avoid using conventional drugs unless or until they are necessary or, as in Kat’s case because they never seem to have worked.  To ensure that they will work when we really need them to and to keep our immune systems primed, it is wise to use drugs sparingly.

People are often taken by surprise when I ask them to list their medication intake and to calculate how long they have been on each drug. This is something I always check before taking on anyone new. Indeed, I often suggest a review of their prescription drugs with their GP before embarking on homeopathy.

Conventional medicines can and do save lives, and deal with all kinds of diseases that were formerly beyond the scope of medical doctors. However, the over-use of both prescribed and over-the-counter medicines, especially for minor complaints, is a concern.

All drugs are chemical stresses to our bodies and toxic to some degree, even when they alleviate symptoms. Drugs may cause side effects, and these will vary from one person to another depending on their vitality and their susceptibilities. It is common for antibiotic treatment to cause nausea in one person, diarrhoea in another and depression and weakness in a third. Mostly the side effects are transient, and the person recovers.  But some end up with lingering symptoms for which they are prescribed further treatment. In this way people may find themselves taking one medicine to offset another and the cycle continues.

Over time pain-relieving drugs such as aspirin and paracetamol may also mask more serious diseases as they do not deal with the underlying reason the person fell ill in the first place.

There is no such thing as a homeopathic headache or sleeping pill, just as there is no homeopathic steroid or antihistamine or laxative.

The approach is to consider the sleep disturbance as one element of the overall picture, as Kat explains.

I came to homeopathy because I don’t like taking drugs, even paracetamol, unless I really must. It probably stems from a childhood of asthma, chest infections and tonsilitis and having to take many medications to find one that worked.

I came to Chris because I’d been diagnosed with chronic insomnia and didn’t want to take conventional medication such as sleeping tablets as a quick fix.  I wanted a wider, more holistic approach to my treatment.

Chris has helped me with a range of interrelated ailments from the insomnia, through to the menopause and she has helped me to better understand the linkages between my problems as well as being a calm and understanding ‘go-to’ in my life.

I always recommend homeopathy to friends (my brother is a homeopath) and I have no hesitation in recommending Chris.

These are the success stories of some of my clients. They appear with the consent and approval from the individuals concerned.

Always check with your GP or other health professional if you have any concerns about your health.