Did Charles Poldark need Asafœtida?

In Winston Graham's Poldark book, Charles Poldark was the squire of Trenwith manor, the head of the Poldark household ... and he also had some significant physical ailments. He could not control his belching (which made dinners with female guests an embarrassment) and he had several 'heart strokes' which finally killed him. In Season One of the most recent PBS Poldark series, Warren Clarke (pictured above) did a wonderful job of portraying the squire. And if Charles Poldark had gotten Asafœtida, perhaps Grambler mine could have remained under his management and wouldn't have been lost in a card game ... but then Poldark wouldn't be Poldark.

In Lectures on Materia Medica, James Tyler Kent, homeopathic physician in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, writes, "There is one class of patient you will find who will trouble you. Those cases that come into your office with puffed, venous, purple faces ... It is a dark red, dusky face; such a face we shall cure sometimes with Asafœtida.

... (the face) shows more or less cardiac disturbance and venous stasis. The venous side of the heart will often be involved, or be about to be involved, when you have this kind of face. I never like to see them come into my office, for they are hard cases to manage.

... in the stomach troubles, if you have ever seen a typical case of Asafœtida, you will wonder where all the air comes from; it comes up in volumes ... it is a condition that the patient has no control over."

It's fun for me to think of characters (or real people) when reading about a remedy. It helps to firmly secure some of that remedy's key symptoms in my memory. I will forevermore connect Asafœtida to Charles Poldark and Warren Clarke's portrayal of him. Another way to remember a remedy is to learn more about the substance. What exactly is Asafœtida? It is a plant that has yellow parsley-like foliage and produces a gummy resin, from which the remedy is made. The plant grows high above sea level, mostly in Iran and Afghanistan, and has a sulphurous odor. In powder or paste form it can be used as a substitute for garlic (in Indian cuisine, 'hing' – as it's referred to – is frequently used in curries). The plant is used for digestive issues and asthma in Chinese medicine, which is similar to how it is used in homeopathy.

Charles Poldark had no access to Asafœtida and ended up dying from his ailments. The characters in my trilogy have access to homeopathic remedies that help to keep them healthy and happy! If you haven't read the Castlewood books yet, I hope you'll give them a try.

Best wishes,

Lucille

Magical, Beautiful Snow

Even if slushy streets, missed engagements, and higher heating bills annoy, you must admit that snow is the prettiest thing about Winter. I took all the photos you see here a few years ago in the Greensboro Arboretum, one of my favorite places to take walks. I hope we get at least one good snowstorm in North Carolina this year. Even Texas got more snow than we've gotten! My memories and photographs will have to suffice until Old Man Winter grants my wish.

There are 30 remedies under the symptom, "Dreams; Snow" in the Complete Repertory 2023 (a homeopathic book of symptoms). Looking at repetitive dreams is one way that a homeopath can hone in on a remedy for someone. A good homeopath will not recommend a remedy based on that one  symptom, but it can be a solid clue if the dream is repetitive and other symptoms match.

Please write to me if you want to share your favorite thing about Winter. I'd love to hear from you! And if you want a fun read on a wintry day in front of a crackling fire, try one of the Castlewood books!

Stay warm!

Lucille

Introducing Homeopathy: The Film

Roll out the red carpet! On April 18, 2024 a movie about homeopathy entitled Introducing Homeopathy: The Film will premiere in Virginia, a day before (and at the same venue as) the 2024 Joint American Homeopathy Conference. This professionally produced movie will give insights into homeopathy, explaining it in terms that someone unfamiliar with homeopathy can understand, and giving many examples of homeopathic success stories. Click the image above to watch a trailer about several animals whose homeopathic treatment improved their quality of life. Visit the movie's website to see a second trailer about a woman, Casey, whose homeopathic treatment allowed her to conceive after standard medicine provided her with no solutions.

A primary goal of the producers is to get the film into a major streaming service so that the number of people who hear about (and begin using) homeopathy expands exponentially. Since you, dear reader, are on my mailing list, I know you've heard about homeopathy through my books ... but have you used it yourself? Have you experienced good results from it and wished that more people knew about it? If your answer is 'yes' to any of the above questions (or even if it's not), you can take part in this exciting project! You can go to the film's website and give a donation that will contribute to its final stages. Your gift, small or large, will be much appreciated!

Returning to the Regency period for a moment, where my characters reside, Fiona and Lord Featherstone (Henry) try their best to get the word out about homeopathy in their era of no movies, no internet and no telephone. Henry gives talks in London about homeopathy, and in Love from the Past Frederick agrees to take part in one of Henry's talks after his back injury is healed with Arnica. Fiona uses homeopathy whenever the need arises, and her successes reach people's ears through word of mouth. Fiona and Henry both recognize that homeopathy is an excellent healing modality, and they do their best to see that as many people as possible get the homeopathic help that they need.

How wonderful it would be if the understanding and use of homeopathy could become widespread today; if the chronic illness seen nowadays could begin to decline with the help of homeopathy. This film, the brainchild of Kim Elia, homeopath and founder of WholeHealthNow, is a huge step towards making that happen!