Homeopathic medicine is a valuable addition to the family medicine cabinet. These gentle, natural remedies are an excellent first-line treatment for many common childhood conditions and often resolve a number of issues without the need for stronger medicines. In this article, I describe how to create a family homeopathy kit so that you can use natural remedies to treat common ailments with confidence.

3 Steps To Create A Family Homeopathy Kit

Step 1: Familiarize Yourself With A Feasible Number Of Remedies & How To Use Them

There are thousands of homeopathic remedies available on the market, but the average family only needs to have a couple dozen on hand. Of these remedies, there will likely only be a handful that you reach for again and again.

There are a couple of ways to get started. The route that is right for you will depend on your learning style, level of interest, and resources (time and money). 

There are many online homeopathic resources, affording parents sufficient information to get started. For those with a keen interest, purchasing homeopathy books or online courses might be the best bet. Some books I recommend are Homeopathic Medicine For Children & Infants by Dana Ullman and The Homeopathy Bible: The Definitive Guide To Remedies by Ambika Wauters. Those who learn best through experience may wish to purchase a ready-made kit containing a few standard remedies and a brief guide.

For further study, I highly recommend the work of homeopathic writers Dana Ullman and Joette Calabrese. For information about how to administer the remedies in a homeopathy kit, see How To Use Homeopathic Remedies – A Quick-Start Guide For Families – Dr. Green Mom.

Step 2: Purchase Homeopathic Remedies

There are a couple strategies for purchasing remedies when building your family’s homeopathic medicine kit. 

One popular option is to purchase a large family kit. This option is ideal for people who are particularly interested in homeopathy and perhaps considering a homeopathy course. For those with average interest in homeopathy, however, these large kits may be overwhelming and are often underutilized. 

Some people may prefer to purchase one or two remedies as the need arises. This works well for people who have a local apothecary that is well-stocked; however, most people do not and therefore they must wait for a remedy to arrive.

The middle road consists of purchasing a few remedies to start and over time adding to your collection as a need arises. It may be useful to purchase the most common remedies first. Then, add first-aid remedies for injuries followed by remedies for coughs and colds, vaccinations, travel, emotional wellness, and more.

Below, I discuss the remedies that I most often prescribe to patients and use to treat my family members. Keep in mind that other professionals may recommend different approaches and remedies.

Step 3: Keep Your Remedies Accessible & Ready To Use

Home remedies of any kind don’t do any good sitting on a shelf. Small, homeopathic tubes are especially easy to get lost in the shuffle. I find that employing a carrying case significantly increases the likelihood of finding and using a remedy when the need arises. A search on Etsy or Amazon will bring up ample options. 

That being said, for some remedies it makes sense to keep extras in other places. For example, if your kids frequently get carsick, keeping extra tubes of Ipecac, a remedy for nausea, in your glove box or carry-on bag could be useful. I like to keep an extra tube of arnica, a remedy for bumps and bruises, in my purse so I’m prepared for playground outings. I also like to keep a box of Oscillococcinum, a homeopathic remedy used at the first sign of a cold or the flu, with my Elderberry Elixir and the rest of my immune supporting supplements. 

Dr. Green Mom’s Top Homeopathic Remedies

Listed below are the remedies that I most frequently use at home and recommend in my clinical practice. Please note, your needs may vary depending on the ages and health issues of your family members.

1. Anas barbariae (brand name: Oscillococcinum). This is by far my favorite homeopathic remedy. Dosed at the first sign of colds and flus, this remedy can be taken preventatively or to speed healing. It comes standard in a potency of 200C. 
2. Arnica montana. This is the remedy that I use most often. Arnica can be used for bumps, bruises, and injuries of any kind. It is especially good for head injuries and acute emotional shock. I use it in either 30C or 200C potencies. 
3. Nux vomica. This is the remedy to reach for when people have overindulged and are feeling the effects of a hangover, sugar crash, or tummy ache. It’s also helpful for constipation, especially when there are frequent urges to pass a bowel movement without success even while straining. I use this in either 30C or 200C potencies.
4. Ipecac. Ipecac is an old fashioned medicine used to induce vomiting after ingesting poison. In its homeopathic form, it is used to stop nausea or vomiting. I find it especially helpful for motion sickness, stomach flu, and sometimes morning sickness. It is also useful for morning sickness that lasts all day. I use this most often in 30C form, but 200C is also good. 

Other remedies that I frequently use include hypericum, silicea, gelsemium, belladonna, rhus toxicodendron, aconite, ruta graveolens, staphysagria, chamomilla, bryonia, ignatia, bellis perennis, apis mellifica, ledum palustre, arsenicum album, allium sepa, euphrasia, natrum sulfuricum, hepar sulfuricum, spongia, ferrum phosphoricum, magnesium phosphoricum, and colocynthis.

To learn more about the dosage and potency of homeopathic remedies, see: How To Use Homeopathic Remedies – A Quick-Start Guide For Families – Dr. Green Mom.

Summary

Homeopathic medicine is an invaluable part of a family’s medicine kit. If you’re keenly interested, dive in with an online course or detailed book. If you don’t have much time or energy to devote to learning about homeopathy, a gradual approach may be best and there are many free resources available online. To begin building your family homeopathy kit, you can purchase a large ‘family kit’ containing several remedies, a few common remedies, or individual remedies as the need arises. It’s important to keep homeopathic remedies accessible and employing a carrying case may increase the likelihood of finding and using a remedy when an ailment hits or accident occurs.

For more information about how to get started with homeopathic medicine, check out this article: How To Use Homeopathic Remedies – A Quick-Start Guide For Families – Dr. Green Mom.

 

References:

Thakur, J. H., & Katre, A. N. (2022). Comparison of the Efficacy of Homeopathic Drug Arnica and Ibuprofen on Postextraction Pain in Children: A Triple-blind Randomized Controlled Trial. International journal of clinical pediatric dentistry, 15(3), 332–337. https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2379

Travagin, D. R. P., Balbueno, M. C. S., & Coelho, C. P. (2022). Use of Homeopathic Arnica montana 30cH for Postoperative Analgesia in Female Dogs Undergoing Elective Ovariohysterectomy. Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy, 111(2), 134–138. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-1732352

Knackstedt, R., & Gatherwright, J. (2020). Perioperative Homeopathic Arnica and Bromelain: Current Results and Future Directions. Annals of plastic surgery, 84(3), e10–e15. https://doi.org/10.1097/SAP.0000000000002043

Iannitti, T., Morales-Medina, J. C., Bellavite, P., Rottigni, V., & Palmieri, B. (2016). Effectiveness and Safety of Arnica montana in Post-Surgical Setting, Pain and Inflammation. American journal of therapeutics, 23(1), e184–e197. https://doi.org/10.1097/MJT.0000000000000036

Arnica. (2021). In Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Gaertner, K., Baumgartner, S., & Walach, H. (2021). Is Homeopathic Arnica Effective for Postoperative Recovery? A Meta-analysis of Placebo-Controlled and Active Comparator Trials. Frontiers in surgery, 8, 680930. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2021.680930

Colombo, G. L., Di Matteo, S., Martinotti, C., Oselin, M., Bruno, G. M., & Beghi, G. M. (2018). The preventive effect on respiratory tract infections of Oscillococcinum®. A cost-effectiveness analysis. ClinicoEconomics and outcomes research : CEOR, 10, 75–82. https://doi.org/10.2147/CEOR.S144300

Aouina, H., Bamri, A., Vesin, A., Danno, K., Aubry, E., Faure, C., & Boujedaini, N. (2021). Oscillococcinum® for upper respiratory tract infections and exacerbations in COPD: an observational, prospective study (OXITUNIS). Drugs in context, 10, 2021-4-2. https://doi.org/10.7573/dic.2021-4-2

Rossi, E., Bartoli, P., Bianchi, A., & Da Frè, M. (2012). Homeopathy in paediatric atopic diseases: long-term results in children with atopic dermatitis. Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy, 101(1), 13–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.homp.2011.09.003

Relton, C., Cooper, K., Viksveen, P., Fibert, P., & Thomas, K. (2017). Prevalence of homeopathy use by the general population worldwide: a systematic review. Homeopathy : the journal of the Faculty of Homeopathy, 106(2), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.homp.2017.03.002

Höjer, J., Troutman, W. G., Hoppu, K., Erdman, A., Benson, B. E., Mégarbane, B., Thanacoody, R., Bedry, R., Caravati, E. M., American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, & European Association of Poison Centres and Clinical Toxicologists (2013). Position paper update: ipecac syrup for gastrointestinal decontamination. Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 51(3), 134–139. https://doi.org/10.3109/15563650.2013.770153