Create your own Holistic Travel First Aid kit

Heading off for a holiday in your own country or abroad? With summer holidays here and travel restrictions easing many people are. So why not leave home well prepared for any health issues or mishaps that may crop up by creating your own holistic first-aid travel kit.

What to include

You may like to take a standard mini travel first aid kit so you have the basics like dressings, splints, gloves, sterile tweezers etc. Other holistic items that could be useful are listed below.

Supplements

Probiotics - help you avoid getting travel diahorrea and stomach upsets by increasing good gut bacteria and limiting the growth of harmful ones. Start taking them about two weeks before, throughout and two weeks after your holiday. For advice on what to look for in a probiotic see here.

Vitamin C – take when you get a wound to help speed up healing or to clear blood shot eye/s.

Zinc lozenges – these can reduce the length of a cold by one day, especially when taken within 24 hours of the first signs and symptoms of a cold.

Creams

Calendula – anti-inflammatory, anti microbial, anti fungal and anti viral. Reduces pain, swelling and promotes skin healing. Useful for scratches, grazes, minor wounds, burns, sunburn, nappy rash and bites.

Tea-tree - anti-bacterial for skin cuts, bites and infections.

Arnica - Anti inflammatory and analgesic. Useful for sore muscles, aching joints and bruises (not on broken skin).

Aloe vera gel - anti inflammatory and anti oxidant. Good for bites, burns and sunburns to cool and relieve pain and promote skin healing.

Homeopathics

Rescue remedy - helps you recover quickly from shock and upset whether that be from an accident, missed connections or lost luggage.

Travel essence - addresses problems encountered with travel, particularly air. Enables you to arrive at your destination feeling refreshed, balanced and ready to go. I always use this on long haul flights to reduce jet lag.

Essential oils

Lavender Oil - If you only take one essential oil make it lavender as it’s multipurpose with anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, antimicrobial antispasmodic, analgesic, and sedative actions.

Useful to promote sleep. Place a few drops on your pillow or diluted in oil in a bath. It can help relax you when you get wound up with travel hassles: place a few drops on a tissue and inhale. Use diluted on wounds and burns and for cleaning anything.

Peppermint - for digestive issues, headaches and motion sickness. Either put a few drops on a tissue and inhale or dilute a few drops in a moisturiser and rub on the affected area eg. stomach or temples.

Tea tree - anti bacterial and anti fungal. Use diluted in water as a wound cleanser for rashes and bites and for cleaning/disinfecting anything.

Lemongrass - as an insect repellent. Dilute a few drops in a moisturiser and apply to exposed skin areas or put in a diffuser to keep insects at bay.

Distilled witch hazel - useful for nosebleeds. Dip a cotton swab in witch hazel, then place it inside the bleeding nostril to coat and remove it. Can also be applied to blisters to help dry them out.

Tea bags

Chamomile - to promote sleep, for stomach aches and any travel stress.

Lemon balm –for ongoing stress and digestive issues.

Ginger – for digestive issues, nausea and motion sickness.

Peppermint – for digestive issues, stomach / menstrual cramps and fever.

Sage tea - gargle for a sore throat or chew the leaves to relieve toothache. It’s also useful for digestive issues.

Other food items

Ginger chewing gum –for motion sickness, nausea, and ear pain with elevation changes.

Peppermint polos - these actually contain peppermint essential oil so useful for nausea and stomach aches.

Over to you

You don’t need to be weighed down with all these items. Select one or more from each category that seem relevant to the type of holiday and issues you think you may encounter.

Happy, healthy travelling.

Always check how the herb interacts with any medication you are taking.