Going Away Check List

Going away to visit another ecology can be challenging for us.

I have often seen people suffering from unexplained ills that have a pivot point of travel to another climate/overseas. We may have the benefit of a resistant immune system at home.

Travel to exotic destinations are a whole different kettle of fish.

So what can we do?
The obvious would be to be cautious of water supply for drinking. This applies to ice cubes and frozen fruit treats. Wash fruits and vegetables in a mild peroxide solution. I like a product called 'Oxygen Solution. It is effective  and a basin of water only needs 10 drops or so.  Grapeseed extract is another really potent anti-bacterial solution. This can be used by the drop internally so it is safe for foods. 

So here is a basic run down on prevention

Acidophilus

It is important to fill the intestines with bacteria that produce low toxins.  This increases resistance by ‘filling the space’ and reduces the change of opportunistic organisms to proliferate in the intestines unchecked. If you can’t provide some degree of refrigeration, look for an entero coated product that will stay stable even in the heat.

Udo Super 5 from Flora is an oral version that inoculates the mouth, throat and stomach.  This needs to be kept cool.

Melatonin/ Insomnia Pellets

I prefer Melatonin Time Released by Innovite.  Take 4 or 5 at once, and then reduce the amount by one the next night and so on, if you are sleeping better.  Insomnia Pellets by Homeocan, are also helpful to keep sleeping patterns back on track, especially when jet lagged.  Our bodies have a Circadian rhythm that can become interrupted by travel through different time zones.  Also if you are a person who is always waking up at 3 in the morning like clockwork, this is a ‘blip’ in the Circadian rhythm.

Another essential is Emergen-C, an mineral ascorbate powder that goes fizzy when you put it in water. Comes in great flavours. My fav is Lemon/lime. When you feel wonky, head achy, queasy or your digestion feels wonky, cut back on food for a short time and try this. Use 1/2 packet at a time every hour, up to 4 doses.  

Unda # 710 Homeopathic Complex

As a preventative, take 5 drops morning and 5 drops at bedtime.  This remedy tends to be more for ears, nose, throat, and sinuses.  For people who have ear trouble when traveling by airplane this would be started a week or more before the flight. For general resistant to airborne pathogens, take 5 drops at bedtime only.

Unda # 37 Homeopathic Complex

Is to support and fight pathogens such as virus and bacteria.  5 Drops at bedtime is suggested for prevention, but when fighting something, take 5 drops morning and night.

Unda # 39 Homeopathic Complex

This complex discourages parasites from gaining a toe-hold.  Take 5 drops at bedtime throughout the vacation.  No matter what, be really careful of water supply while away.  Remember that ice cubes are local water.

Vitamin C/Vitamin A

This is generally great to take to increase protection and immunity and cell integrity (resistance).  Also Vitamin D3 400 IU daily can help resist flu and colds.

Multi Vitamin/Mineral

If you are going to the trouble of hauling a multi vitamin/mineral around and commit to taking a multi with every darn meal, make sure it is a really good quality and is absorbed well.  I prefer Progressive Nutrition formulas.  They are in capsules rather than tablet form.

Oil of Oregano/Echinacea/Goldenseal

Oil of Oregano is an antiseptic whereas Echinacea is an immune simulator.  Echinacea is good to have handy, in case of infection or onset of illness, but oil of oregano is safe to use every day preventatively.  Goldenseal herb is a great infection fighter, especially in a viral overgrowth, but again is used if and when needed.

Here is an interesting way to use Oil of Oregano. It is my airport special.

Eye Drops

The trouble with eye drops is that they are usually preserved with something nasty.  Ephrasia Stilidoses is homeopathic Eyebright herb, in single application ampules.  This is great to use to flush the eyes after swimming in chlorine treated pools or in lakes and oceans. Sisu also makes a good natural eye drop formula that will soothe and clean the sensitive eye tissue.  Just a note, that Katherine Hepburn had trouble with her eyes after the making of the movie, ‘African Queen’.  This ongoing problem was contributed to the river water where they were filming.

Fiber/Water

It is a good idea to keep up fiber intake in you diet while away, especially for those who tend to be toilet-shy when away from home.  Take it easy on fruit if your system is not used to it.  Fruit all of a sudden in the bowel can lead to a bout of constipation. Keep hydrated throughout the day. 

Calendula Cream or Mother Tincture

Calendula Tincture, diluted is great to have on hand for scrapes and minor burns, including sunburn.  This also helps to protect the skin from infection as well as speed heal.  Calendula MT is also good for taking out the itch and reducing inflammation.   Not the best choice if the skin is broken.

Hypericum Mother Tincture

Hypericum Tincture, diluted is great to use in place of alcohol or peroxide for an open wound or when the skin is broken.  This can be used in the form of a spray.  Hypericum MT is as well as being an antiseptic, an aid to speed the healing process.  Hypericum MT helps the body to heal from the inside out rather than healing over the surface, and perhaps locking debris within.

Sunscreen/mineral makeup

Sunscreen is essential when traveling to hot climates.  Mineral make up applied by brush is the best protection from sun.  It will not easily sweat or wash off.  Men with extra forehead will do well with mineral makeup.  It is like a thick layer of zinc cream without the cream.  Sensitive skin will do well with this approach.

Adrenal Support

If you need to recoup and restore your energy while away, consider maximizing your build by adding an adrenal supplement to your daily plan.  If you plan to hike all day and dance all night, an adrenal supplement will help carry you through so you don’t arrive back home exhausted.

Liver/Kidney Detox

When vacationing we can often eat more than we usually would at home, and often drink more alcohol than we should.  Look after your filter systems by doing a mild detox daily.  This can be in the form of fresh lemon/lime in pure drinking water, or chlorophyll concentrate in your drinking water.  Take lighter meals the day after overindulging, and drink lots of water.  Homeopathic Nux Vomica 30k can really help the liver to de-tox.

Choline/Nux Vomica 200k

Food poisoning can happen anywhere.  Sometimes the liver and gall bladder have just had enough of our overindulgence.  For nausea, take 1 Choline every 15 minutes until the nausea stops.  Nux Vomica can also be taken at 15-230 minute intervals.  Ginger can be helpful as well, fresh in a tea or in capsules.

Ginger caps/tea/Nux Vomica/Coculus Indicus 200k

Motion sickness can be helped by a natural approach.  You may want to have what you usually use on hand just in case the above doesn't work as well as you would like.

Digestive enzymes

It is wonderful to have fun times where we share great food and great friends.  However, feasts can lead to a burdening of the digestive system.  For example when corn on the cob is added to the rest of the menu, nothing gets digested.  Corn is a considered to be a carbohydrate rather than a vegetable; therefore it can easily be digested when combined with other carbohydrates as well as vegetable.

Food combining has been championed by such food gurus as Harvey and Marilyn Diamond and Suzanne Somers.  Basically you don’t eat proteins and carbohydrates in the same meal.  Fruits (as well as deserts) are eaten alone. 

Digestive enzymes are genuine relief when eating a variety of foods together.  Some products are more carbohydrate specific, others are more protein specific.  If you are burpy and gassy, enzymes will change your world.  Pay attention to what you eat that causes your system to be hurting or in an uproar.

So What If?

If you tend to notice trouble with after eating bread or sugar, this may be a yeast or Candida issue.  Increasing acidophilus may help.

If you develop skin issues, heads up; something is going on in the blood. Get checked out as soon as you can. To be sure, plan a check up for when you get back home. Nipping things in the bud as always a better plan.

 

Kids in the Car! - Natural First Aid Travel Essentials

Attempting to travel or camp with children can be a daunting task.  You want to imagine the worst things that could befall your family and be prepared; yet you don’t want to end up with a bulky package of what –in-cases that take up precious cargo room.  Here are some tried and true summer first aid basics.

The over-all best resource book to have with you is:  ‘Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child’, Zand, Walton and Roundtree.  This resource will cover all the medical, herbal and homeopathic basics.

Most of these resources are available at Health Food Stores.

 Health Care Basics

Hypericum Lotion also called Mother Tincture.  This is used in place of alcohol or peroxide for open wounds, broken skin, inflamed tissues and to prevent infection.  Alcohol or peroxide although it sterilizes, does eat away at the freshly healed tissue somewhat. 

The great thing about Hypericum MT is that it sterilizes, feeds the wound and heals the wound from the inside out.  This is especially beneficial when you suspect particles that may still be in the tissues.  You don’t want the skin to seal on the surface when you’re not sure if there is hair or debris still trapped in the wound

Method:  Dilute 1 part MT to 4 parts water.  Apply with Q-tip or cotton pad or it can be mixed in a sterile spray bottle.  Attempting to spray it on is more successful that trying to come close to an ‘owie’.  Use often to cleanse the wound and speed its healing.  This is a wonderful remedy for post-scratched infected or inflamed bug bites.

Calendula Lotion also called Calendula Mother Tincture.  Whereas Hypericum Lotion is used anytime the skin is open, calendula is most effective for abrasions, burns, chafes, sunburn or any kind of itch.  Calendula does come in an ointment form, but I don’t like putting oil on burns or abrasions.  Calendula, a type of marigold flower, speeds healing, is an antiseptic, and reduces inflammation and pain.

Calendula cream can be used for soothing and healing an irritated scalp and works well for a dandruff prone scalp.  It is great for reducing the itch of insect bites heat rash and for sunburn.  In regard to diaper rash, calendula can be used on the skin as a healing layer, and a barrier product used on top of it.

As a quick first aid for kitchen burns, Calendula is without rival.  Calendula helps to take the heat out of a burn fast. A word of caution, Calendula is not recommended for open wounds and where the skin is broken.

Method:  Dilute 1 part MT to 4 parts water.  Apply with Q-tip or cotton pad or it can be mixed in a sterile spray bottle. Use often to speed healing and increase comfort.

Summer dehydration

It is the minerals in our bodies that keep the water balanced in the cells. In the summer we gravitate to cooling hydrating foods such as celery, peaches, watermelon, and cucumber.  Adding sea vegetables such as kelp, nori or dulse to our diets can help us to keep our cool during hot weather (much better than refined table salt).  Enduralyte or a quality unsweetend electrolyte formula can really help us to keep our blood minerals balanced in the heat.

Biochemical cell salts

When we are cremated, what is left over is cell salts.  They are the carbon components of our own tissues.  Cell salts stimulate and support proper function of cell/organ/system.  They keep water in balance and feed the body at a cellular level.

The Summer Cell Salts

To relieve stomach upset, bloating, intestinal discomfort and lassitude consider Kali Mur, Nat Phos, and Nat Sulph.  They are usually found in low potencies such as 6x or 12x.  Their value is vastly underrated especially in regard to very young children.

Homeopathics are diluted forms of plant material that cause a healing and balancing response in the body. For home use you would be using low potencies.  I will let you do your own research on this. 

Think of an aeroplane traveling down a runway, and you notice one wheel drifting off the tarmac, Homeopathics are a way of nudging the body back on track.  (Balance)

The Integrative Approach

Use herbs and vitamins and minerals as well as Homeopathics.  Not all or nothing.

Also support the body long term. What else would help?  Don’t lose sight of the cause.

Heat Exhaustion

Tissue Salts 12 in One-Melange (all of the 12), Encourage small sips of water,

Consider Homeopathic Aconite

Skin eruptions

 Kali Mur, Kali Sulph, Calc Sulph, and Silica

Rashes, itch, nettle rash, or heat rash

Urtica homeopathic

Poison ivy

Rhus Tox 6x homeopathic or Urtica

Also avoid eating cashews and mangoes which are in the same food family.

Sprains and Bruises

Arnica 30k

Can use Arnica liposome topically for swelling

Ruta 30 or 200k for deeper bone bruising

Concussion

Arnica 200k

Always seek medical care.

Burns including sunburn

Calendula Lotion topically

Utica Urens or Cantharis Homeopathic

Protect the skin from sun by using non allergenic pure mineral makeup as sunscreens.  These fine powders will not sweat off easily or get easily washed off.

Insect Bites and Stings

Hypericum Tincture topically

Golden Seal Herb poultice and internally as a tea (not when Pregnant)

Homeopathic Apis or Urtica

Motion Sickness

Cocculus homeopathic

Bone Breaks

Symphytum homeopathic

Always seek medical aid.  This remedy encourages and stimulates the natural healing of the broken bones.  I would also recommend the extra use of a good cal mag for the initial first week or so of the healing. I suggest Floradix Liquid Cal Mag.  This product is made from food, and is more body friendly.  This is especially important for optimum absorption for children.  It will, however, require refrigeration.

Muscle Cramps or growing pains

Again, Flora Liquid Cal Mag.   Give a couple of teaspoons every 10 minutes or so until the cramping stops.  This is especially important for absorption for children

Food Poisoning

Nux Vomica homeopathic and Choline 1 tablet every 15 minutes.  Cheladonium Plex is a helpful homeopathic plex that can be taken ongoing for a week or so to bring the digestive system fully back to balance.  The use of live culture probiotics is essential.

Digestive Disturbances

The summer tissue salts are helpful: Kali Mur, Nat Phos and Nat Sulph.  Probiotics and digestive enzymes are helpful to restore the gut.  The overall reducing fatty foods and processed foods can help.  Reducing mucous forming foods such as dairy and wheat can be helpful while the body is recovering.  Cheladonium Plex can be helpful when used over a longer period of time to strengthen the digrestion. 

Parasites

Black Walnut Tincture, Cina 30k, Unda # 39

Over-indulgence of food, alcohol or too much mental work

Nux Vomica 30k or 200k, Choline

Coughs and Respiratory Congestion

Drosera, Spongia, Dulcamera in 30k or 200k

Flu or Sudden illness

Unda # 37, Oscillococcinum by Boroin or Flu Buster by Homeocan are good treatments when used at the earliest onset of flu symptoms

Aconite homeopathic is good to have on hand for anything that comes on suddenly.  Even for emotional scares, like a near traffic accident, aconite is helpful to restore balance.  Keep this in mind for when there is stuttering from fear or anxiety.

Another product worth keeping on hand is ‘Febriplex’.  This is an especially effective for children, when coming down with cold, fever, flu and gripe. Most products that people choose tend to suppress the body’s functions.  Febriplex is a homeopathic plex that supports the body’s self-healing efforts.

Plexes (combinations) are helpful for motivating the healing process, and helping increase comfort.

Just a note of wisdom; sometimes emergency treatment is necessary.  Natural and 1^st Aid basics can be employed even while proceeding to Medical care.  According to Steig Larsson,author of 'Girl with the Dragon Tatoo', if you are absolutely desperate for something to cover a wound and there are no bandages handy; our ever handy duct tape can keep a wound clean and effectively slow bleeding until you reach a medical facility.

The Sanity Section

For Mom:  Hormone - PMS and Menopause

Sepia – hateful/spiteful/ wants to be left alone

Pulsatilla – moody/weepy/consolable wants you near

Keep Grounded

Stopping frequently is essential for adults and children alike.  Stretching your legs once an hour or two at the most, is a great way to keep alert and grounded.  Switch drivers at least once every two hours.

Keep Hydrated

We often think we are hungry when the body is really crying out for water.  Hydration makes us more electrical.  It keeps our brains alert.  Water keeps our kidneys working well and flushing properly.

Keep Nourished

Healthy snacks are another way to nourish, hydrate and entertain.  Visiting Fresh Produce stands can be a great way of getting a break as well.  Traveling is usually a time when our systems can feel sluggish.

Pay particular attention to include fibre rich foods.  Fresh fruits, vegetables are essential for keeping our bowels working.  Reduce the glue foods like sugar, pasta, chips and refined flour.

Keep Rested

Avoid being over tired.  Stop for the night rest early and settle in and do something fun.  Nothing beats the ‘grumpies’ like a refreshed and well rested crew.

Keep Entertained

Pack efficiently.  Creating a clutter free space for each traveler reduces irritation for everyone.

 

Put some brain-space into preplanning your trip. Get your hands on some really great kid’s pastimes that work well in a confined space.  Hide them away and create a new surprise to open up each day of travel.  Create travel games.  Counting horses with spots, or being the first to spy non-home-province license plates, or playing interactive word games can be a fun way of putting in travel time.  My friend Amy brought along small DVD screens that could be attached to the back of the front seats. 

One very creative Dad I know took along dice.  This way the family could leave a lot of decisions to chance.  Stop?  Not stop?  Eat here?  Stop x minutes.  Who wins a decision score?

Drivers, invent a signal that means we’re off NOW!  What ever it is, make the signal consistent and tolerate no doddling. I remember traveling across the continent.  The signal was a final rev of the engine in neutral which meant ‘all aboard’.  After the first day, we were all ‘hopping to’ just like trained dogs.

Create an intention of FUN!  Even young children can appreciate that the purpose of the travel is to spend time enjoying each other.  Take lots of fun photos. Don’t be afraid to create whacky photos.  Consider writing an ongoing group travelogue for your trip.

Do you have some great ideas?  Please share.

Have a great summer and keep well_

Nelda