Homeopathy Works For Me: Michelle Collins

British actress Michelle Collins, best known for her roles in EastEnders and Coronation Street, has been chosen as the ambassador for this year’s ‘Homeopathy Works for Me’ campaign. Michelle is a long-term advocate of homeopathy for her own personal healthcare and that of her daughter, Maia.

Brand new images of Michelle are unveiled, showing her decorated with flowers, some used in everyday homeopathic remedies, to reflect that homeopathy is a natural choice for healthcare.

While 1 in 8 Britons use homeopathy, a majority don’t know anything about this very useful complementary medicine. That is why Michelle is raising awareness for homeopathy by talking about her long-term personal use of homeopathy for both herself and her daughter, and encouraging the British public to learn more by visiting www.findahomeopath.org.uk. She has used homeopathy to treat many ailments including anxiety, concentration and hay fever, everyday health problems affecting millions of people but problems which can be helped by the homeopathic approach.

Michelle says “I am passionate about personalised and approachable healthcare. Homeopathy treats the individual as a whole, taking into account mind and body which is important. You feel in control of your health when using the remedy and other complementary medicine.” Michelle was initially introduced to homeopathy when her daughter Maia was a baby and subsequently used homeopathic remedies to treat all manner of childhood health issues including teething, chesty coughs and colds, bumps and bruises. Michelle explains: “Maia is soon off to university and still using homeopathy herself for anxiety when dealing with exam stress and hay fever.”

For personal use, Michelle often uses homeopathy to calm her anxiety before live shows. Currently starring in The Glass Supper at the Hampstead Theatre until the end of July 2014, Michelle says “I was getting anxious about the opening and it really helped settle my nerves and keep my concentration”. Michelle’s experiences with homeopathy mirror the experience of millions of others who use homeopathy and reflects the growing body of research evidence in the field. Speaking ahead of her appearance in hospital drama Casualty in July, Michelle believes homeopathy treatments should be more widely available on the NHS: “Homeopathy is very important to healthy living. It empowers you to take control of your health. The NHS should be looking to things like this to help manage spiraling costs as it is so inexpensive and effective, plus conventional drugs can have horrible side-effects which make things worse.”

Interview with Michelle Collins

How were you first introduced to homeopathy?
I was first introduced to homeopathy by Maia’s nanny who was very much into healthy living and complementary healthcare. She suggested homeopathy for some of Maia’s childhood illnesses and it worked well. I ended up taking Maia to a homeopath for a consultation and Maia got a medicine for the chesty cough and cold she was suffering from, and I got a little kit of homeopathic remedies which was fantastic. Maia got better and I had a stock of homeopathic medicines to help with teething, bumps and bruises, and all manner of normal childhood health issues.  I think every new mother should get such a kit when they leave hospital!

What do you like most about homeopathy?
I am passionate about personalised and approachable healthcare. Homeopathy treats the individual as a whole, mind and body and that is important. You feel in control of your health when using homeopathy and other complementary medicine.  It is important for people to take control of their health. People seem to be looking for a quick fix for serious problems, just look at the amount of anti-depressants that are being prescribed.  Homeopaths work with you, really listen to you and then prescribe a homeopathic medicine and quite often provide advice about diet and general health too.  It isn’t quick but it gets you healthy.

What do you use homeopathy for?
I naturally use Arnica for bumps and bruises, as well as Gelsemium and other homeopathic medicines for anxiety and nerves.  I am currently in a West End play called the Glass Supper at the Hampstead Theatre and I was getting anxious about the opening and homeopathy really helped settle my nerves and keep my concentration. I have also used homeopathy for pre-menopause symptoms and that was unbelievably helpful.

Did you use homeopathy to treat childhood illnesses when your daughter was younger? And if so what were those illnesses?
I really did not want to feed my daughter antibiotics for every infection. It was important to me not use antibiotics unless it was really necessary. It’s interesting to see now how the government  is very concerned about the overuse of antibiotics and that they are no longer working like they used to!  Just another reason why using homeopathy and other alternative medicine is so important. I used homeopathy throughout Maia’s childhood and now she is soon off to university. She still uses it herself for anxiety and hay fever.

You are appearing in the hospital drama Casualty (from July 2014). Do you believe that homeopathy should be more widely available on the NHS?
Definitely!  Homeopathy and other complementary therapies should be available on the NHS. People should be made more aware of their health and the importance of diet, exercise and natural approaches to staying healthy.  So many people don’t know about the basics of being healthy. Homeopathy is very important to healthy living.  It empowers you to take control of your health. If only the wealthy can access good homeopathic and other complementary care, there is something wrong. Healthy living should be available to us all!  The NHS should be looking to things like homeopathy to help manage spiralling costs as it is so inexpensive and effective.  Conventional drugs are great when needed but don’t need to be the first approach in every case, plus they can have horrible side-effects which make things worse.

There are vets who use homeopathy in their practice. Have you ever used homeopathy to treat your pets?
I had the most wonderful dog called Jingles. Near the end of his life he was suffering horribly from severe arthritis which is common for his breed. He was in great pain and it was horrible seeing him that way.  I took him to a vet who did homeopathy and with the homeopathy and hydrotherapy his arthritis pain decreased and his mobility increased.  By using homeopathy, Jingles’ last months were far happier and easier for him than they otherwise would have been.

Would you recommend that more people look into how homeopathy can benefit their health?
I would highly recommend homeopathy and a natural approach to health.  Homeopathy helps you get back to health and stay healthy.  Health is so important.  My motto is ‘without your health, you haven’t got anything.’