Nat Mur: Sea Salt
Nat Mur is one of the most commonly prescribed constitutional remedies in homeopathy, and yet it's often underestimated. People hear "sodium chloride" and think, that's just salt, how could that do anything? But in homeopathic form, Nat Mur acts deeply and specifically on a particular type of person, and when it fits, it can be genuinely life changing.
This remedy comes up frequently in my clinic, particularly with women. It's searched regularly on this site too, which tells me many of you already have a sense it might be relevant to you. Let's look at it properly.
The Nat Mur picture
Nat Mur is a remedy of retention. The body and the emotions hold on: to fluid, to grief, to feelings that never quite get expressed. The Nat Mur person tends to be private, independent and self-contained. They don't like fuss. They may be the person in the family who holds everything together, who others lean on, who would never dream of burdening anyone with their own struggles.
They cry in private. They dislike sympathy and may actually feel worse when someone tries to console them, which can confuse and hurt the people who love them. They are often deeply loyal, deeply feeling, and deeply reluctant to show it.
The emotional picture: grief and what we hold onto
Nat Mur has a profound relationship with grief. Not just the grief of bereavement, but all kinds of loss and disappointment that haven't been fully processed. A relationship that ended badly years ago. A childhood that was difficult. A loss that was never spoken about. Nat Mur is indicated when old grief is still influencing the present, even if the person has convinced themselves they're over it.
This is the remedy for the woman who teared up unexpectedly at something years later. For the person who lives with a quiet background sadness they can't quite explain. For the child who is sensitive beyond their years and carries the weight of the family's emotional atmosphere.
Physical indications for Nat Mur
The physical symptoms of Nat Mur reflect the same theme of retention and dryness:
- Hayfever with watery, egg-white discharge, violent sneezing, and eyes that water constantly
- Dry skin, dry lips and dry mucous membranes, often with cracking at the corners of the mouth or a cold sore triggered by sun, grief or stress
- Headaches, often throbbing, often on waking or from the sun, sometimes described as hammers beating inside the head
- Menstrual irregularity, particularly scanty or suppressed periods, often connected to emotional stress
- Low back pain with a desire for something firm to lean against
- Constipation, with dry, hard stools
- Craving for salt and salty foods
What makes Nat Mur worse and better
- Worse for: heat of the sun, sympathy and consolation, the seaside (for some), grief and emotional upset, around 10am
- Better for: open air, being alone, fasting, cool bathing, perspiring
That worsening from the seaside is an interesting one that surprises people, given how much the Nat Mur person often loves the sea emotionally. The body and what we love aren't always aligned.
Nat Mur in children
Children who need Nat Mur are often the old-soul types, serious beyond their years, sensitive to atmosphere and to injustice, and intensely private about their inner world. They may have few close friends but those friendships are deep and loyal. They tend to withdraw when upset rather than acting out, and they hate being teased or laughed at.
In the physical picture, hayfever and recurrent cold sores are common, as are headaches and a tendency to retain fluid.
Is Nat Mur a constitutional remedy?
Yes, and a deep one. It works most powerfully when the full picture fits, including the emotional tendencies, the physical symptoms and the modalities. It's available as a single remedy in various potencies, and is also one of the key remedies in the Hayfever blend for those whose hayfever fits the Nat Mur picture.
If you recognise yourself strongly here, a constitutional consult is the best way forward. The right potency and the right timing matter with remedies like this, and the results when it's well prescribed can be profound.
Think Nat Mur might be your remedy?
Book a consult with Bianca →
Or if hayfever is your main concern, try the Hayfever blend.
Please note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Homeopathy is a complementary therapy and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for any persistent or serious health concerns.
