Nux vomica is one of my favorite remedies for digestive complaints as well as for ailments from stress. Read on to learn more about how you can use this wonderful remedy!
First, some basic information:
- Full Latin name: Nux vomica
- Abbreviation: Nux-v.
- Common name: Poison Nut
- Keynote: Overindulgence
This remedy is an example of how substances found in their natural form to be toxic can be turned into a medicine using homeopathic preparations (remember, the remedy no longer contains any of the original substance). Just use it in C potencies (not X!) and you’ll be using it wisely. Now let’s explore some ways Nux vomica can be used for mind, body, and heart!
Mind (Mental Symptoms)
Nux vomica is especially effective for an overworked mind. Think about what happens when you haven’t gotten enough rest and you’ll know when to use this remedy! You may get a dull headache, get impatient with others, become angry from lack of control, or even get offended by statements that wouldn’t normally bother you.
Irritability is a common symptom of someone in need of Nux vomica and can be a result of a few different things (such as being overworked as stated above). The irritable reactions may also be due to increased sensitivity to what is going on around you. Loud noise, strong smells, or bright lights may just be too much for you to handle, and this triggers an emotional response.
Sleep is so important that I like to touch on how each remedy can help you achieve better rest. The patient needing Nux vomica will often suffer from insomnia after midnight — likely starting at 2am or later. This can be caused by eating before bed or (you guessed it) from an overworked mind! If you wake at night after finishing a difficult work project, give Nux vomica a try!
Body (Physical Symptoms)
Nux vomica is a lovely remedy for anything related to the liver. If you overindulge in something that might make your liver need to work harder (such as alcohol, a lot of fat, or a diet high in sugar), Nux may bring some much-desired relief. Other symptoms of an overworked liver that may be helped by this remedy include dull, pulsing headaches, fatigue in the afternoon, and indigestion or heartburn.
Another (slightly awkward) situation to keep in mind for Nux vomica is constipation. This remedy can help chronic constipation (used in a low potency for several weeks), especially if you have frequent urging to pass stool but only a little bit comes out. Or the stool is so large that you feel “plugged up” when trying to go.
Lastly, this is a great remedy for “plugged up” sinuses as well! If you have a cold that produces an annoying stuffed-up feeling, reach for Nux vomica. Try it out especially if you have an accompanying headache that matches the sensitivity descriptions above.
Heart (Emotional Symptoms)
What sometimes happens with Nux vomica is that you will choose it for physical symptoms and emotional issues you didn’t know you had will clear up! That’s because we tend to live in this imbalanced mental state so long that we get used to it and don’t realize it’s a sign of imbalance. One of these emotional symptoms, as mentioned above, is irritability. You may not even notice that you are being impatient until you start to regain your patience! Examine yourself to see if simple things trigger an emotional response and try Nux vomica in a low potency to see if it helps.
Another emotional symptom to keep in mind is STRESS. I know that is a broad word, but have you ever spent several months working hard (such as during a semester of college or your busy season at work) and never caught so much as a cold, and then the minute finals are done or your project is handed in, you get sick and crash for a week? That is stress! Keep this remedy handy if you aren’t feeling well after a big emotionally or mentally stressful season.
Finally, if you tend to hold strong emotions in until they feel like they get “stuck” (much like the earlier difficulty of passing stool), Nux vomica may help you release those emotions and help you to be more balanced in your expression of how you feel.
Here’s a quick dosing tip to take with you:
We use Nux vomica weekly in our house, usually because we are overindulging that often! It is hard to live in this world and not eat or drink something that doesn’t sit well with you. We can do our best, but when we do have that bagel or piece of pizza that makes us crabby or gives us indigestion, Nux vomica is a great remedy to use for support.
When purchasing Nux vomica, I do not recommend getting it in X potencies (remember, X potencies are too close to the original substance and could cause aggravations); C potencies only!
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