By Victoria Bowmann, PhD

What's in your first aid kit? Other than not having Body Mend inside, ours are probably much alike. However you might want to add Body Mend, a combination homeopathic that is designed for the treatment of minor injuries, such as sprains, strains, and bruises, and as an aid in the recovery from surgical procedures.

First let's understand a little bit about homeopathy.  It is a safe alternative medicine system developed in 1796 by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. The basis is that like cures like and that a substance that in a large dose causes a symptom, if used in a homeopathic dose would promote a cure.

I like to use Homeopathic Apis (honey bee) as an example. Two steps are in the process. First is to mix the bee with a carrier such as milk sugar or alcohol. Then, second, it is pulverized or shaken (called "succussion") a specific number of times. This is diluted by a specific ratio and succussed, numerous times. Dilution, succussion, dilution, succussion. If it is diluted 6 times, the potency (energy level) would be 6X. Each time it is diluted, the amount of the original substance is less, however there is greater energy because of the succussion.

Now let's ask: When would we use the remedy Apis. Well, if we were stung by a bee, we would probably have pain, swelling, and redness at the sting site. So, if we had a reaction to something, perhaps an ant bite or some other stinging bug where there was swelling, pain, and redness, we could use Homeopathic Apis. It doesn't have to be exact, such as Apis only for a bee sting, but for any situation that is expressed as pain, swelling, and redness. Rather we look for similarity of symptoms.

Some remedies are only one substance, called single remedies. Others are a combination of substances. Body Mend is a combination remedy, which is why it has such broad action on injury and recovery.

Years ago, one of my friends stood of the top of a ladder to put holiday decorations on the house to excite his three-year old daughter. You know, the step that says, "don't stand here." Well, he did and the ladder collapsed, twisting his arm in the cross supports and the legs of the ladder. He didn't break his arm, but wrenched the ligaments and tendons severely. There was nothing for the orthopedic doctor to do, as nothing needed to be pinned back together; the arm simply needed rest. He was put in a brace and told to "take it easy." He started Body Mend at my insistence.

Six weeks later at his doctor's appointment, the physician said, "You've healed more in six weeks than I expected you to by the time I released you. Keep doing what you're doing!"  I consider that the value of Body Mend.

I keep a bottle out in my barn where my horses reside. Sometimes I hit my head on a rail as I duck in and out of pens, sometimes these big beasts push me around and I push back. If I have a concern, I take a dose of Body Mend.

You can put a few drops under your tongue and hold for 30 seconds or you can add it to a bottle of water and sip on it throughout your day. This is great after dental appointments or to aid healing after surgery.

Homeopathic remedies are also safe and effective on animals. I use Body Mend in the water of a dog or cat that is hurt. It will aid the healing after the veterinarian has sent them home to recuperate.

One of the most valuable aspects of homeopathy is safety. If the bottle were to spill and the dog lap it up, it would not cause harm, because of the dilution of the substance. It is the combination of this dilution with the increase of vibrational energy that promotes the body to begin its healing process.

Check out my website for Body Mend and other homeopathics. www.MyRealHealthcom