Natural Remedies
It is best to use fresh remedies which have been commercially prepared to approved standards and formulas, using sterile equipment. But sometimes, when you have run out of a remedy, it can be extremely useful to ‘doctor up’ your existing remedy to make it go further, at least until you can purchase a new bottle of your liquid homeopathic remedy.
Here is how to do it:
The most important thing to remember is not to contaminate your original remedy in any way. When you remove the dropper to add vodka to the remedy, make sure not to touch the inside of the dropper apparatus. This is best done by having a sterilized spoon handy on the bench: You can rest the inside of the dropper on the spoon which you have just dipped into boiling water, so that you can add the vodka to the remedy.
So – select your homeopathic remedy which needs reconstituting. Use the same bottle which should have a little of the old remedy left in it. Just a few drops will do. Even if the bottle is empty, the remedy can be reconstituted again so long as the bottle has not been dry for too long and has not sat in the sun.
Do not wash out the bottle which had the old remedy in it. Simply fill it up with vodka straight from the vodka bottle. I keep vodka on hand for reconstituting remedies or making herbal potions, although I never drink the stuff these days. Be careful not to touch the dropper inside the bottle of homeopathic medicine, and do not rest it anywhere else except on the sterilized spoon you have ready.
Return the dropper to the remedy which now has the vodka added to it. Put on the lid if it has one. Now succuss your remedy to release the active force within it. This is done by shaking the remedy repetitively, accentuating the downbeat. Succuss 100 times.
Your remedy is now ready for use. Use as needed in exactly the same way as you did before reconstituting it.
Method Two: The above method is the best one for reconstituting remedies, as there is least chance of contaminating the remedy, so long as the dropper is placed on a sterilized utensil, such as a spoon, and so long as you do not touch the inside of the dropper while you add the vodka.
However, it is possible to make up a fresh remedy by using some of the remedy from the original remedy. If you do this, you must use a sterilized bottle and be sure not touch the inside part of the dropper. Put the dropper on a sterilized spoon while you add the vodka to the new bottle.
Use one part of remedy to nine parts vodka, OR one part remedy to 99 parts vodka. Succuss in the same way as above.
It is also possible to make up a remedy using tablets, but this is not the best method. Tablets do not keep as well as a liquid remedy, and they do not have such an immediate effect as using a liquid remedy, so I avoid them if I can.
However, sometimes a tablet remedy is all that is available. You could reconstitute the remedy by grinding up a few tablets using sterilized glass bowl and pestle, then using your sterilized spoon, ladle the powder into a sterilized bottle and dropper, add vodka, and success in the usual way.
I find tablets generally weaker in effect compared to liquid homeopathics. They also need to be stored carefully, away from heat, damp and light, else they lose their potency very quickly. So, the resulting reconstituted remedy using tablets might be a bit dubious in effect.
Liquid homeopathics, although more resiliant than tablet homeopathics, also should be kept in a cool, dark place. They will last for years if they are looked after.