Packing for the holidays can be a daunting task, particularly if you going for an extended period of time or are packing for a large family. One important thing that is often forgotten or not thought about is the first aid kit. The following is advice on natural holiday essentials that can ensure that you and your family make the most out of your holiday.
Travel Sickness
You’re on your way and even before you get there you may need first aid. Travel sickness is something that doesn’t just necessarily affect children. Whether you are travelling by plane, train, ferry or car there are remedies that can help prevent and/or treat travel sickness. The classic herbal remedy is ginger. Ginger is known as an anti-emetic and can prevent nausea and vomiting. Try sucking on crystallised ginger, drinking ginger tea or looking for it in capsule form. The classic homoeopathic remedy for travel sickness is Petrolinum 30C, three times a day. This can be picked up from any homoeopath. Pulsatilla 30c may be useful for sick clingy children. Nat.Sulph is an acute tissue salt for nausea and vomiting. Homoeopathic remedies should be taken away from food and drink into a clean mouth.
Travel bugs
For those travelling to destinations with poor water quality such as Spain or Galway, travel bugs are an issue. Besides bringing along Crypto Boy, there are some natural and powerful remedies to again prevent and treat travel bugs. Take an acidophilus or bifidus supplement before and during your stay. The good bacteria will prevent over proliferation of the bad bacteria. For specific infections such as giardia or cryptosporidium, remedies such as citricidal, golden seal and caprylic acid are powerful gut anti-microbials that can be taken as directed.
Things that bite
Even in Ireland there a pesky critters that bite including midges and jellyfish. For flying foe there are natural alternatives to insect repellents such as Jungle Formula with natural essential oils. Citronella is an essential oil that is a powerful mosquito repellent. Essential oils need to be mixed with a carrier oil for children such as olive or almond oil. Of course the best protection is a long shirt and long pants at dusk and dawn. For jellyfish stings the best remedy is vinegar. Carry a small bottle. A good homoeopathic for any bite is Ledum 30C. This can be taken every 10 minutes up to 3 times then every hour until symptoms subside.
Hangovers
Of course the sensible thing to do is moderate your alcohol consumption, drink water in between drinks and eat. For the times we drink in excessive amounts there are remedies to ease our suffering the next day. Methionine is an amino acid that helps our liver detoxify alcohol. This can be taken before and after drinking. Milk thistle is an herbal remedy that will also help metabolise alcohol and protect the liver from damage. The classic homoeopathic remedy is Nux vomica. Nux is a powerful and natural hangover cure.
Sunburn
In Australia the advice is slip, slop, slap. Slip on a shirt; slop on the sunscreen and slap on a hat. The suns rays are the strongest between 11am and 3pm so to prevent skin cancer it is best to avoid sun exposure during these hours. The same applies here too. There is plenty of sun bathing time before and after these hours but remember the sunscreen. If you do get burnt, Aloe Vera cream is a natural after sun cream that can take the sting out of sunburn. Cantharis 30C is a homoeopathic remedy that is brilliant to relieve not only the pain of sunburn but also any kind of burn injury.
Dehydration
The human body is 70% water. Under normal circumstances we should drink 8 glasses of water a day. In warmer weather the requirements go up to 3 litres a day. A good way to tell if you’re dehydrated is to look at your urine. Urine should be clear to pale yellow only. Yellow to dark yellow urine is an indication of dehydration. Remember too, that tea, coffee and alcohol are diuretics. This means for every 1 cup you drink you will lose 1 ½ cups and need to drink this amount to replenish fluids. Water is the only thing to rehydrate. Sports drinks are only necessary after hours of extreme physical exercise. Don’t be fooled by high sugary sports drinks. They may raise your energy quickly but you will only end up with a deficit in energy and fluid as the body tries to flush the sugar out in the urine.
Remember, it is best to pack these things before you go, as they may not be available overseas. Whatever you do have a good time and enjoy your holiday, heaven knows a holiday is the best medicine. The advice in this column is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified complementary therapist.
Carina Harkin BHSc.Nat.BHSc.Hom.BHSc.Acu. is a local practitioner and Director of Studies and lecturer at The College of Naturopathic Medicine Ireland – Galway. Carina is also a mother of 5. For an appointment, phone Carina 085 783 7829. The CNM is a leader in the field of naturopathic training with colleges in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Belfast. 01 235 3094.
