Arsenicum alb 30c: The focus of this medicine is on rapidly developing, intensely painful gastric complaints.
In the Gourmet Health Kit: this medicine is often needed for gastric complaints brought on by eating watery fruits such as watermelon and grapes, frozen foods such as ice cream and sorbets, contaminated foods leading to food poisoning, drinking iced drinks and/or alcohol, and living and eating in unsanitary conditions.
Common symptoms are nausea, retching and vomiting (often soon after eating or drinking), burning and distressing stomach pains, and diarrhoea which leaves people feeling very weak.
People who need this medicine often feel highly anxious, and are restless, pacing back and forth, or moving a lot in bed. They may also be very irritable. Symptoms often start, or are worse, after midnight till 3am.
Other uses: Arsenicum is a medicine with many uses especially for complaints worse between midnight and 3am, with anxiety, restlessness, burning pains and weakness. For example, fever with these characteristics may call for the medicine.
Carbo veg 30c: This medicine is well matched to a slow, sluggish digestive system.
In the Gourmet Health Kit: Carbo veg is best used by people who feel tired all the time and whose overall system is sluggish. This may be due to recent illness (such as flu or glandular fever) or surgery. Other causes include excessive partying and/or overeating. It helps people who have committed debauchery!
Common symptoms are slow digestion, where it feels like food is putrifying before it is digested, and bloating of the abdomen, even after small amounts of food. Accompanying this bloating is severe and regular belching and excessive flatulence. (They may even feel faint from belching). Foods that trigger reactions could be rich and fatty or plain and simple.
People often look pale and complain of feeling chilly, yet they do not want tight clothes or bedding covering them, and like to have lots of fresh air.
Other uses: Feeling sick from exposure to wood smoke or traffic fumes.
Nux vomica 30c: The focus of this medicine is excess, overwork and overstimulation.
In the Gourmet Health Kit: This medicine is used for complaints brought on by overindulgence in food and drink (e.g. alcohol, coffee), long hours of demanding but sedentary work, excessive partying and/or lack of sleep. It is useful for people who have indulged in debauchery (like Carbo veg) and suffer hangovers.
Common symptoms are acid regurgitation, a sense of weight (or a knot or stone) in the stomach after eating, and retching or vomiting (although this is sometimes difficult). The abdomen is very sore, and it feels tender and sensitive to pressure. There is also a frequent desire to open the bowels but this too is often unsuccessful, or incomplete.
People who benefit from this medicine may be described as 'driven' or 'Type A' personalities.
Other uses: Hiccoughs. Constipation while travelling.
Pulsatilla 30c: The focus for this medicine is overindulgence with loathing of food and excessive nausea.
In the Gourmet Health Kit: Complaints are triggered by rich, heavy foods such as pork, pastries, pancakes, eggs, oils, oysters, chocolate, ice cream and sweets, as well as potatoes, onions, sour foods, bread, fruit, fish, other meats, alcohol and hot drinks.
There are feelings of heartburn, with belching that tastes of food eaten, and a sensation of heaviness and fullness in the stomach. Nausea can be persistent, with a sudden loathing of food. Vomiting may occur some hours later. Diarrhoea may result from even minor indulgences in food.
Other uses: Pulsatilla is used for many complaints. Symptoms can change easily, which in itself is characteristic of the medicine.
