A. Yes, I have seen and treated complaints similar to yours. It sounds like you are experiencing a form of neuritis i.e. an irritation of the nerves that go to your skin. It may be related to hormonal changes in your body. It could also possibly be a side effect from a medication or cosmetic you are using. I suggest you try a homeopathic remedy called Urtica Urens 30C. Take 3 pills under your tongue 3 times a day. Do not put anything in your mouth i.e. no food or drink for 15 minutes before and after each dose, and try to avoid coffee for the period that you are taking the remedy. If you notice a slight improvement after a few days you should continue the remedy 3 times a day until your symptoms are all gone, after which you may take the remedy as needed if symptoms reappear. If you do not notice any improvement after a week you will need to see a homeopathic practitioner for an in-depth assessment and constitutional treatment.

Think for a moment of all that you can accomplish in a day, all the opportunities that will cross your path in one day, opportunities that will present themselves in all kinds of ways and in different aspects of your life. The career and financial opportunities, we are usually quick to see. But are we able to see opportunities for personal growth and transformation that present themselves to us everyday? Are we able to think outside the box with respect to our everyday experiences and appreciate the new lessons that we can glean out of each moment and each encounter in the day? That is the challenge in these five words.

Faith, hope and charity have long been considered the highest of virtues in the Christian religion. I had often thought that I could understand how practicing one’s faith and love for one’s fellow man could be considered virtues, but I could not quite understand hope as a virtue. If one understands a virtue to be a desirable human quality to which one aspires, then hope, by definition might not be a logical candidate to be considered a virtue. But the words, “Today is a new day”, paints hope in a different light, as an assurance of the ever-present opportunity to reinvent our vision and our lives. So that, no matter how difficult or desperate a situation one is in, this moment, every moment, is a new opportunity for change, for appreciating everything and everyone around us with new eyes. Starting your day with the affirmation of these words can work miracles and fill you with renewed enthusiasm for the challenges before you. Today, you will be given innumerable chances to reinvent yourself and your life, in every thought you have, every word you say, every look, frown or smile, because every moment for you today is the mother of your next moment and your tomorrow. Your every thought, word and act today already determines what your tomorrow will be. One can say, “Instead of looking forward to tomorrow, look directly at today, then you are assured of hope for tomorrow.”

We can also teach our children to use these simple words, which can hold much more meaning for them than any formal prayer that they could recite. Today holds all kinds of opportunities for your child to make new friends, discover ideas, learn new skills and forget old hurts, and all he or she needs is to be reminded of that each day.

When we meditate, practice yoga, Qi Gong, or pray we are acknowledging a part of ourselves that needs replenishment in order to continue with life’s struggles. Children, being human, are no less in need of this replenishment than are adults. Children as young as three can be guided to learn more about themselves and find that solace that comes with self-awareness. Yes, children can learn to meditate for very short periods and practice mindfulness especially if they are given an opportunity to connect with nature.

A few minutes of quiet time outdoors before or after playing in the park or in the back yard suffices to bring a child’s internal compass to balance. It helps open the child up to the wonder of life which is very far removed from the daily societal pressures that we have created and live in, almost like mice on a wheel. One can also create a ritual of five to ten minutes of quiet time before bed to allow a child to ask and receive answers to questions that may be on his or her mind. These are very brief but extremely valuable moments for your child’s spirit. Try it and see the result for yourself!

I have never had dry eyes in the past not during the pregnancy. Three months after giving birth i began experiencing severe dry eyes, I only nursed three months after giving birth then I stopped. Out of nowhere I developed keratitis on my both eyes. My ophthalmologist then told me it’s cured. The Keratitis did cured in one month, but more than one year from then, my eyes still feel dry and hurt very often. I stopped wearing contacts and my vision did not changed, but the eyes always feel painful, itchy and tired. And my life has been changed upside down because this obsession feeling of uncomfortableness on my eyes.

I been seeing more than 7 ophthalmologists in 3 countries, (not that I am crazy, my eyes turn red and yellowish after a long flight trips), all of them would told me “well, your eyes look fine, they are dry but not too bad, we don’t know what ‘s the cause,” and then prescribed artificial tears (the one without preservation) . When I asked if this could be the cause of imbalance of hormones with pregnancy or breast feeding, they did not explain.

I did some internet research and found its supposed to be due to hormonal changes. But how long could it last? Who could help? As much as we are thinking about a second baby, I am afraid my eyes will getting worst. And the quality of life will be not the same.

It has been quite a struggling year with this dry eyes and I felt very frustrating and alone with this issue. Any sharing or advice will be highly appreciated.

A. Dry eye syndrome following pregnancy is not as rare as you may think. It is often caused by the drop in estrogen that follows the delivery. Changes may occur in the mucus membranes of your eyes, and sometimes in the mouth, which persist beyond the immediate post-partum period. Do not despair of a cure. You can help yourself with a homeopathic remedy called Natrum Muriaticum 30C, which you can buy at most health food stores. You should put 3 pills under your tongue 3 times a day and let it dissolve. Do not take eat or drink anything, including water, for 15 minutes before and after each dose. I also recommend that you avoid coffee while taking a homeopathic remedy since coffe tend to antidote the remedy. But you can drink tea of any kind. You should notice an improvement after a few weeks, at which point you can go to taking the remedy once a day or as needed. This problem may not necessarily occur with your next pregnancy. But if you’re worried, you can start taking the same remedy after your next delivery if you notice any signs of dryness at all. Homeopathic remedies are safe during pregnancy and lactation, and do not require a prescription.

A. It is possible that both your children have asthma or an allergy. Ask your doctor about testing for milk or dust allergy. You may also try eliminating cow’s milk products from their diet for about a month and see if the cough stays away. If you reintroduce milk products and the cough returns you will have your answer. But regardless of the cause of the cough, you can still give a natural remedy for croupy coughs in addition to what ever your doctor prescribes. You can buy Sambucus Nigra cough syrup made from elder berries, at any health food store, and give a teaspoon at bedtime. It will help with the cough and allow your child to sleep better. Sambucus Nigra will not interfere or react with any cough or asthma medicine your doctor prescribes and is quite safe for children as well as adults. Try it and see for yourself.

A. If you have cardiomyopathy, you will need to take all those medications your doctor has prescribed. You can still help yourself with homeopathy, at least to make your body work more efficiently on lower doses of medication. BUT YOU NEED THE MEDICATIONS. You probably would do best to see a homeopath in your area. You can find a homeopath in your area by going to the website of the National Center for Homeopathy at www.homeopathic.org. You can also find at your health food store or have them order for you the remedy, Ammonium Carbonicum 30c and take 3 pills under your tongue 3 times a day until your symptoms improve. Then you can go to once a day in addition to your medications. Do not eat or drink anything for 15 minutes before and after each homeopathic dose. Please be aware that a the remedy is not a cure. It is only a complement to what your doctor is giving you.

I am happily looking forward to our “Women~Fairies~Angels~Goddesses” retreat on April 10, at Dominican University. It is intended to be a special time for you to clear a space for yourself, so you can objectively look at your life, your world, and your whole person, spirit, mind and body. This is your time to discover and explore a whole new dimension in yourself. What you find out about yourself and your world is personal and it is up to you, how much or how little you will wish to share with the other attending women. Bearing that in mind, I would like you to please take some quiet time to contemplate some questions in preparation for the retreat.

• What is the vision you hold for yourself?
• What is the reality you see, of who you currently are?
• What is your intention(s) in your life?
• What is your assessment of where you currently are?
• What do you like about your life?
• What do you not like about your life?
• What is stopping you from making the changes you would like to make?
• What is limiting you from being the woman of your dreams?
• What is stopping you from being the woman you yearn to be?
• What problems or obstacles do you keep locked up inside you that you are unable or unwilling to talk about?

Thank you for taking the time to do this inner search as honestly as you can so that it will be a richly rewarding retreat for you. Please share the word with other women!

~ Dr Ifeoma Ikenze

* For registration info and directions to this event, please follow this link »

In February 2010, I made a very short visit on a speaking tour to the city of Hyderabad in India (only 5 days!). It was a most wonderful and educational visit. I was overwhelmed by the warmth and beauty of the people, especially the women, and also the richness of their history, culture, and awe-inspiring architecture. Many happy hours were spent in homeopathic consultations with women and children.

I had the rewarding experience of speaking to a people of different ages and religious backgrounds, i.e. Hindu, Christian, Buddhist etc, about the deeper questions that touch us all as human beings. After that, I had a session for women, which was attended by 56 women and following that, a session for young university students.

These are some of the questions that they presented:

• Why is there so much poverty and suffering in the world?
• Why does God allow natural disasters and where was God when terrorists attacked in New York and Mumbai?
• Why are there so many religions?
• Does God values some races or some people more than others?
• Does God value men more than women?
• Why do good people suffer?

These sessions allowed us to explore and discover the justice that lies in the Natural Laws of Creation which are embodied in the Law of Sowing and Reaping, and how these Laws manifest in all personal as well as global events. These same principles are the fundamental principles that determine our physical as well as mental emotional and spiritual health. A more in-depth explanation of the fundamental principles of Life, or better said, the Laws of Life is in the book In the Light of Truth, The Grail Message. Everyone seeking answers to these and similar questions owes it to himself to read this book which speaks to the spirit of man no matter what continent he lives on.

Needless to say I fell in love with India! See my photos!

Once you know, this it helps to look at what is going on with you that you may not be consciously aware of when your child is irritable or moody for no good reason. Taking the time to work through your own angst will often bring immediate relief to your child. Try it and see for yourself how well and quickly it works!

Don’t throw all those chicken, beef or lamb bones left after a meal. Save them in the freezer until you have enough to make a pot of bone broth. You can also save all your vegetable ends, especially mushroom stems. Mushroom stems add a lot of flavor to the broth. Put the bones in a pot with enough water to cover them. Add your vegetable ends and some onion, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer on the lowest setting for at least two hours or more until you have a rich golden brown broth. Pass the broth through a fat separator to remove all the fat. Now you have a liquid that contains pure protein, no fat, and is very high in calcium. You can store it in small containers in the freezer and use it for all your cooking instead of water. Voila!