THE rains are in full bloom, wetting the fields and forests, cooling the air and returning to the rivers and oceans from where the sun had pulled water up as water vapour. When I think of this event, I see behind it the great hand of Mother Nature’s Law of Giving and Taking. The earth gives, the earth receives. And this gives us the residents of this planet the blessings of more food, as the crops sprout in the fields and fish mushroom in the rivers and seas, and a cooler weather which compensates for the heat of the past few months which was, in fact, respite from the pounding of the bygone rainy months. I sometimes wonder how beautiful Nigeria our great country may have become if, as children, today’s adults had been taught always not to TAKE without GIVING! I wonder, also, about what Nigeria may have been like if, like the common folk, politicians did not have to empty the public treasure into the pockets of their clothes and give nothing in return to their looted country. But can you blame them? Aren’t they merely leaders of their people? And aren’t leaders merely people who, among a people, carry deep within them the strongest of the abilities for goodness or evil prevalent among a people? Aren’t shop girls and boys, like corporate chief executives, emptying the till as well? Someday, perhaps when the “beautiful ones” are “born”, this Law of Nature which the rainy season teaches us, would be given more respect in our lives, and our country would glow in beauty.
Meanwhile, as students of Nature follow the seasons to learn what deep lessons of life each season’s wishes to teach, and falling in tune with the great Universe, there are many people who always appear left behind. These are the people whose health deteriorates in one season, picks up in another only to dip in yet another season. This has led doctors to classify a family of seasonal health problems as SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISEASE or SAD. The rainy season can, indeed be a sad seasons for many people, such as asthmatics, arthritics, or sufferers from intestinal troubles. Largely, the troubles come from the cold or damp environment and the wind which, in many cases, announce the coming of rainfall. The wind blows dust everywhere and, with the dust germs which cause air borne diseases. Rain water may also bring water borne diseases and the floods all sorts of germs. Many people are not lucky enough to live in upland parts of town. So, their homes and neighbourhoods are always flooded or damp. Dirty habits of the city dweller do not help matters either in upland area. Government failure to provide safe, drinking piped water for everyone has led to the growth of a gigantic private sector drinking water industry which sells its products in plastic bottles and cellophane sachets. These packages are dumped anywhere once their contents are consumed, and find their ways into drains. Rainfall time is an opportunity for many people to empty their waste at home in the gutters for the rain water in the open drains to carry them wherever in this case, means downstream, and flooding of downstream neighbourhoods. I felt bad one day two years ago wading through the floods at Ikeja Under bridge in Lagos. When I arrived home, I emplied a large quantity of table salt into the bath tub to give my toes, feet and other exposed parts of the body a salt scrub. After that I took herbal antibiotic teas. I do not know if many people take this kind of trouble to protect themselves after an exposure, such as this, to the water–borne germs. I will mention a few of the common rainy season problems which require protection against this rainy season to avoid a SAD, before I come to cell or tissue salts and some of the health troubles they have been known to help prevent or revent.
Malaria
Pools of water are collecting almost everywhere. Mosquitoes will breed, in them, bite their victims and, most probably, give them Malaria fever. It is rare to find a person who drinks lemongrass tea every day and comes down with malaria. The chemicals in this plant kill the plasmodium (malaria causing parasite) in the bloodstream. Chanka piedra (Phyllanthus) does it, too I guess a proprietary product named PARACLEANSE will act likewise. It is a combination of many herbs, including wormwood, which is an anti–malaria. The proprietary blend SPECTRAGREEN, blend of over 40 green since these two plants are used to treat malaria fever; plants including pawpaw (Papaya) leaves and lemon grass leaves may have an anti – malaria action. As Plasmodium damages red blood cells, creating Oxygen shortage, which causes pains all over the body, blood building herbs such as Nettle, Yarrow and Chlorella may help. So should Oxygen tablets which not only supply Oxygen indirectly but also burn to death diseases causing parasites. So does JOBELYN a Nigeria antioxidant herbal blood formula. in the cell salt family, Ferrum phosphate (Ferrum Phos.) and Potassium Sulphate (Kali Sulph) do this beautifully.
Gastroenteritis
This is trouble in the intestinal tract. Add to it diahrroea and Colitis, which is inflammation of the colon. The trouble comes from bacteria in dusty air and in water, and may be water or food borne. Think of the many food canteens which keep plates and cutlery in open baskets outdoor, and of those service girls who do not rinse the plates (at best, they merely wipe them with dirty napkins) before they serve your meal in them! In gastroenteritis, one is unable to eat or drink. An intense burning sensation develops after meals, and there may be blood (dark or fresh) in the stool. Blood indicates ulceration or laceration of the intestine, which may provide a habitat to germs and, if care is not taken, damaged further to a point at which the cells may become cancerous. The intestine may also suffer from diverticulosis or polyps and other diseases.
The amino acid L, – Glutamine, Zinc, Vitamin S, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Selenium and Bioflavonoids may help to heal intestinal tract injuries. Cell salts also have a major role to play.
Asthma
Like Bronchitis, Asthma is a respiratory system disease. Many suggestions have been given for its cause. They range from allegens to Magnesium deficiency. Allegens include Cocknacles, furry animals such as cats, dust mite, smoke e.t.c. Some researchers have linked the condition to infestation of Candida and mould, deficiency of essential fatty acids, Magnesium and Vitamin A, and dehydration. For me, if two people are exposed to the same allegens and one goes down but the other does not, there must be something other than more allegens in the equation. Is this a constitutional weakness of the lungs, in which case, nutritional deficiencies as listed above and cell salt deficiencies may be underlining causes? In bronchitis and asthma, cell salt practitioners watch out for the colour of phlegm or mucus, and the colour of the tongue… pinkish red, which is normal, or grayish and patched which is not the colour tells them which cell salt is missing or not enough in the system. When they supply it, the ailment goes!
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Unlike osteoarthritis, which is degeneration of bone cartilage, growth of bone spurs, rubbing bones, inflammation, pain and stiffness, rheumatoid arthritis is an immune disorder in which the body is attacking its own joints. Both conditions hate damp and cold weather and worsen in such conditions. The good old hot water bottle helps but there are not many good ones in town in these days in China-Made products. I often order direct from England when I have need for it. Those ones come with factory made jackets for women who are treating Uterine fibroids and need heat in that region, under camphorated castor therapy or not, find it useful to improve blood circulation in that region. It helps RA people, too, as it does people with arthritic fingers or atrophic fingers.
Pneumonitis
This is inflammation of the lungs triggered sometimes by the invasion of fungi, including, Candida, mould or, simply, inhalation of dust. If the cause, is fungus or mould, the organisms produce antigens against which the body produces antibodies. Caught in the crossfire, lung tissue inflames. Cell salt practitioners prescribe remedies for it.
Fibromyalgia
This is a condition of inflammation and pain in fibrous tissue in muscle, tendons, other connective tissue principally in the neck, shoulders, upper chest, rib cage, lower back, the arms and elbows.
The 12 Cell or Tissue Salts
Dr Wilhelm Heinrich Schuessler (1821 – 1898) developed these 12 salts while condensing or simplifying Dr, Hahnemann’s over 200 Homeopathic remedies. He came to some conclusions, including that
(1) If the human body was burnt to ash and the ash was analysed, it would yield 12 different biochemic salts which constitute all tissues in varying proportions peculiar to particular tissues.
(2) Disease does not occur in a cell in which metabolism is in order.
(3) Metabolism is normal if the cell has enough adequate mineral tissue or cell salts.
(4) The cell’s ability to absorb nutrients and excrete wastes is disturbed by a deficiency of tissue salts.
(45)Supply of specific tissue salts to the cell may restore normal metabolism.
The 12 cell salts are numbered 1 – 12 in the following order:
No 1: Calcium Flouride
This biochemic salt ensures suppleness throught the body. A deficiency causes slackness which may result in swellings and hardening such as is evident in swollen gums and loose teeth, piles, enlarged heart, enlarged blood vessels (Varicose Veins), wearing of enamel of the teeth. Its value in supporting elasticity of tissue recommends it for such other conditions as muscle weakness and weakness of tendons, ligaments and fibrous tissue, and rigid joints (gout or arthritis).
No2: Calcium Phosphate
This is the regulator of healthy cellular activity. In its presence, other cell salts intensity their action. It is a great restorative in run – downs conditions. It is a major constituent of all cells and fluids. Cyril Scot names its shortage in the eye as a cause of eye troubles. Also known as the Phosphate of Lime, good gardeners are said to know Calcium Phosphate is a major constituent of most productive soils, and, so, enrich the soil with it. It is probably for this reason that it features in the remedies of Children who are not growing properly, and in cases of infertility. It cannot be ignored in the building of healthy bones and bone joints. When it comes to cramps, Calcium Phosphate, with Magnesium Phosphate, calm the muscle.
No 3: Calcium Sulphate
A great blood purifier, it is a cousin of Silica (No12) in cleansing the blood of toxins, helping with liver detoxification and the healing of some skin ailments, including an acne and pimples and supports the formation of new skin cells.
No 4: Ferrum Phosphate
The body requires Oxygen to burn diseases, and here comes an Oxygen carrier. It oxygenates the outside of cells while Potassium Sulphate, another cell salt, oxygenates the inside. It fights congestions and inflammation. Of value in anaemia, Ferrum Phosphate delivers iron to the cells in small, homeopathic but effective doses, which does not cause iron build–up in the system or cause constipation as many Pharmaceutical iron pills do. This cell salt strengthens the walls of blood vessels, may stop abdominal bleeding and, when in short supply, has been identified as cause of fever and inflammation.
No 5: Potassium Chloride
Here comes the famous Kali Mur, an important constituent of muscles, nerve and brain cells without which the brain is said to be unable to form, a great destroyer of poisonous wastes, especially when the body is fighting off a fever or other infections, a blood thinner and, like ferrum phosphate,, a remedy for cold.
No 6: Potassium Phosphate
Kali phos is the most important of the three phosphate salts and is said to be the soother of jangled cells. It is plentiful in the gray matter of nerve cells, and complements magnesium phosphate which is active in the white matter of these cells. A shortage of one affects the functions of the other. Potassium phosphate is used worldwide as a natural tranquiliser and is reputable in the treatment of psychological problems, irritability, memory loss, dementia, sudden brain fog and rapid decomposition of the blood.
No7: Potossum Sulphate
Like ferrum phosphate, here’s another oxygenator of the blood and cells. It promotes the health of the lungs, is useful in asthma and bronchitis and skin health. Nicknamed the “Anti-friction” and the “Cellular Building Block,” kali sulph acts like a lubricant and helps to create new cells to replace those damaged or killed by disease. Its deficiency causes oil in the body to thicken and clog the pores of the skin. Such oil is often expelled, also, as a yellowish sticky discharge from any office of the body (the nose, vagina etc) or from a cancer, swollen gland or abscess, including boils.
No 8: Magnesium Phosphates
An antispasmodic, mag phos is good news for people who suffer from cramps, including foot and menstrual cramps, and palpitations of the heart. Nerve and muscle spasms of asthma, like these which cause premature ejaculation, also benefit from it. The same goes for twitches of eyelids. Magnesium Phosphate works even more powerfully when combined with the other two phosphate salts, Calcium Phosphate and Potassium Phosphate. Together they build nerve tone. Magnesium helps to stop nerve pain, such as is experienced in neuralgia or sciatic nerve problems. A deficiency may cause nervous, convulsions, epilepsy, flatulence from, indigestion, and other nervousness, system disturbances.
No 9: Sodium Chloride
This is by no means your table salt. It is Natrium Muri it is the “pre–eminent headache remedy”. Its main job is to set up and maintain osmotic pressure through which fluid enters the cell with nutrients and leaves with wastes. Another of its functions is to regulate fluid balance throughout the body, preventing dryness or water – logging.
No 10: Sodium Phosphate
This is the body’s biochemic antacid. It is fund everywhere in the body… blood, nerves, eyes, muscles, blood, brain, lungs and lympth… everywhere, to decompose acids and to balance body pH. People who suffer from ulcer, heartburn, heat in any part of the body benefit from sodium Phosphate (Natrium Phos) therapy. So do people who suffer from other problems caused by excess acids such as back pain, arthritis.
No 11: Sodium Sulphate
This is the cell salt for asthma. While Sodium Chloride attracts water to the body, Sodium Sulphate takes away excess water. It is especially friendly to the mucus membranes, which makes it good for asthma, sinus discharges, influenza, cold, and the bowels. It helps liver cleansing, and supports blood sugar metabolism and, by extensions diabetes therapy.
No12: Silica
Known as “the remarkable cellular cleanser” and “homeopathic surgeons, Silica dissolves boils and abscesses supports hair, skin and nail health, makes calcium deposit appropriately in bone, hardens bones, connective tissue, eliminates toxins and dissolves congestions and swellings. In the days before antibiotics were discovered and surgery was not rampant, Silica was named the homeopathic surgeon because it helped to solve most of the problems for which surgeon’s advice surgery today. In cases of hernia, for example, silica may so strengthen tissue fabric connective that makes a prolapse impossible. Beyond these and more, it is good for digestion and cleansing of the blood.
Cell salt therapy is often described as “well kept secret of Alternative Medicine this column will continue to discuss it, even outside the rainy season.
