We all have occasional bouts of feeling sad every now and then. However when sadness turns to apathy, loneliness, loss of joy and a withdrawal from life, it is no longer just sadness. Depression is a serious condition that affects a person’s feelings, behaviour, thinking and energy. In Ireland depression affects 1 in 3 of us at some point in our lives with an estimated 400,000 people experiencing depression at any one time. (1) What is depression? While the diagnosis of depression is becoming more and more common, the causes and onset are many and varied. Symptoms of depression can come on so gradually,...


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This week sees the commencement of World Homeopathy Awareness Week (WHAW) which runs from 10 –16 April 2013.   The chosen theme for 2013 is Homeopathy for Trauma & Disasters.  Trauma comes in many shapes and sizes and occurs in all corners of the world. Whether from natural disaster, contagious disease, emotional distress, accidents, emergencies, destructive relationships or the trauma of separation in those first days at school, homeopathy can assist the healing process. WHAW (World Homeopathy Awareness Week) was created to promote homeopathic awareness around the world. During this...


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Anyone who has ever suffered from poor sleep whether for one night or for prolonged periods, will appreciate that it affects every aspect of your life.  While lying awake at night is a frustrating experience, it is the next day that we really begin to feel the effects.  Our energy is down, our moods are changeable, our work and family life suffer and the worry about whether we will get to sleep tonight sets in.    Sleeping Tablets In desperation many people resort to sleeping tablets which can be a welcoming respite in the short term. But consider this statistic from an informative study...


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Has the terrible twos turned into the terribles, threes, fours and fives in your house? If you feel like your home has become more like a war zone than a love zone, then know that many parents worldwide are coping also with their little angel turning into a regular little devil! What are temper tantrums? Temper tantrums are often explained away as an "age thing" that will go in time.  For the child unable to communicate their needs a tantrum becomes the child's way of venting their distress and frustation. In time with development and improved verbal skills the tantrums generally...


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The sun is out – it must be exam time again! At this time of year my practice is busy with students who come for help with a range of problems that occur around study and examination time.  The pressure and anxiety of upcoming exams, long hours of study and anticipation of what the future might hold, are all stress factors that can affect our well-being.   The anxiety can be accompanied by symptoms such as headaches, diarrohea, nausea, digestive complaints, sleepless nights, difficulties concentrating and appetite changes.  Emotionally, confidence and self-esteem issues may become...


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The menopause is not a disease. It is a natural progression in a woman’s life. It occurs where menstruation ceases for a period of 12 months most commonly between the ages of 45 - 55 years old. While some women sail through this transition period with no great difficulties, for others the menopause can be a hormonal rollercoaster and a particularly unpleasant time. Symptoms of the menopause Symptoms such as hot flushes can cause huge emotional distress, undermine confidence and affect a woman’s quality of life. Night sweats can mean endless nights of tossing and turning, with bedcovers on and off wreaking...


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With all the talk of romance in the lead up to Valentine’s Day I couldn’t resist looking at the links and associations with Love, Health, the Heart and Homeopathy.  While we often think of the heart in physical terms and its role in keeping us alive, the heart is also intimately connected with processing our emotional experiences of life.  Look at the poignant phrases we commonly use to describe emotions of the heart. Heart broken Broken heart A heavy heart Cry your heart out Cross my heart and hope to die A man after my own heart To one’s heart is content Wear your heart on your...


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Although the exact definition of PCOS is still being determined, it is estimated that five to ten percent of women in their childbearing years have PCOS.¹ A woman’s reproductive health is an integrative part of her being, and while the physical implications of PCOS are challenging, the emotional distress of this condition is just as big an issue. The diagnosis can create huge stress, anxiety, affect self-esteem and confidence and be quite a daunting journey in a search for a solution. Many women rely on conventional medicine to treat their PCOS, but in some cases this may not be enough, the side...


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Looking forward to a fresh start and with plans to improve our health this year, many of us are keen to “detox” after an extended period of over indulgence. Most people will attempt to detox by “giving up” rich foods, cigarettes, chocolates and alcohol and perhaps introduce more healthy organic foods as well as drinking lots of purified water. While this is a great start to a detox and often enough to get some people back on track, for many it will be insufficient in creating dramatic change due to an accumulation of toxins that the body is already unable to process. The blame does...


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Is the lead up to your period like being on emotional roller-coaster that fills you with sheer dread? Does the physical discomfort mean you are out of action for days on end beforehand? Do you loved ones make plans to avoid you and appear to be walking on egg shells before your period? If so, this monthly ordeal of not feeling in control can be addressed on many layers with Homeopathy. I see many women in my practice who suffer from premenstrual syndrome to varying degrees.  Here is how some women explain their experience of it. “I’m like an anti-christ” “Everyone and everything...


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