My Travelling Apothecary
As I am about to embark on a trip overseas, I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about the use of natural remedies while traveling. I love to go overseas, I have always packed a few herbs and supplements, ‘just in case.’ Since having children, the remedies have increased just that little bit more. The main issues I think about for anyone heading overseas is supporting the immune system and gut health because we all know there is nothing worse than being stuck on the toilet in a foreign country. Compliance overseas can be an issue, as sometimes children will refuse to take remedies or you may forget.
Depending on the age of your child and where you decide to go, getting children to take remedies while overseas can be tricky. You don’t always have the resources to hide medicines in, and if they don’t like the taste, they may not compromise. The only time I decided not to take anything with me, my youngest child became unwell two days before our flight home, needless to say, that was the last time I left my mini dispensary at home.
Echinacea
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, using a standardized echinacea formula was used to identify whether echinacea was effective in the prevention of respiratory tract infections and associated symptoms related with long-haul flights (Tiralongo, Lea, Hanna & Griffiths 2011). Participants took standardized echinacea or a placebo and were evaluated before, during and four weeks after travel. Respiratory symptoms increased in both groups during the trip, however, the echinacea group experienced lower respiratory symptom scores compared to the placebo group (Tiralongo et al. 2011). It is beneficial to take Echinacea 2 weeks before travel and during long-haul flights to help reduce the risk of infection. This study utilized Echinacea containing 4.4 mg alkylamides from E. purpurea and E. angustifolia. You can purchase Echinacea liquid and in tablet form from any good health food store. Alternatively, see your health care practitioner for a personalised herbal mix.
Probiotics
I don’t know about you, but I don’t really like the idea of my children suffering traveller's diarrhea. There are many different probiotic preparations on the market, so how do you choose? Probiotics are generally safe; they will pass through the stomach and attach to intestinal mucosa this prevents epithelial attachment of pathogenic bacteria (Islam S 2016). The strains of probiotics specific to travel and to prevent traveller's diarrhea are Saccharomyces boulardii and L rhamnosus GG (LGG) (McFarland 2011). In a meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of traveller's diarrhea, it was shown several probiotics (Saccharomyces boulardii and a mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum), had significant efficacy in the prevention of traveller's diarrhea (McFarland 2007).
High-risk foods include undercooked meat and seafood, ice, non-pasteurized milk and other dairy products, unpeeled raw fruit and vegetables (McFarland 2011). To add to this, we are always warned there is a higher risk associated with street vendors, farmers markets, and small restaurants, of course, depending on where you go. Unfortunately, these places often have the most delicious local food. Taking probiotics before a trip and during a trip will help to reduce the occurrence of traveller’s diarrhea. Please ask your practitioner for appropriate probiotics to help reduce the risk of an upset stomach.
Matricaria recutita, Chamomile Herbal teas are an effective treatment for some gastrointestinal symptoms your family may experience while traveling and depending on where you go, and they are easily accessible. Chamomile has a wide range of actions on the body. Some of chamomile’s abilities include; anti-inflammatory, bitter, nervine, antispasmodic and carminative. This means it is especially useful for digestive symptoms such as wind, bloating and indigestion. Indigestion and bloating can be an issue when exposed to different types of foods and beverages. If sleep is a problem, a chamomile infusion before bed may ensure a restful sleep (Hoffman 2003).
Gin Gins Gin Gins are ginger chews and are sold over the counter in a lot of health food shops. There are some different preparations to choose from. However, you might want to start with Ginger Rescue. These are chewable ginger tablets and can help reduce travel sickness and upset stomachs. I have found them to be handy to have especially if travel sickness is an issue.
Calendula Balm A little pot of calendula goes a long way. Calendula officinalis is always part of my travel kit; it is especially useful for young children. Externally, it acts as a vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antimicrobial. It is a common remedy used on cuts, wounds, and nappy rash. In the unfortunate event of sunburn, calendula cream can be applied to the affected area to help reduce inflammation and pain. On a side note, if I ever run out of face cream, I happily use calendula cream on my face on a daily basis. This herb is a must-have!
Biodegradable Natural Baby Wipes
Wot Not Baby wipes are a perfect edition to any travel bag. Spills, sticky hands, mess; it all happens with young children. Wot Not biodegradable wipes are handy while in transit not only for nappy changes but for mess and spills in general.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of remedies. If you have tried these preparations or have other tips, feel free to share!
References
Hoffman, D 2003, Medical Herbalism, The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine, Healing Arts Press, Vermont
Islam, S, 2016,’ Clinical Uses of Probiotics’, Medicine, vol. 95, no. 5, viewed 20 May 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4748908/
McFarland, L 2007, ‘Meta-analysis of probiotics for the prevention of traveller’s diarrhea’, Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease, vol 5, issue 2, pg. 97-105, viewed 20 May 2018,ohttp://www.travelmedicinejournal.com/article/S1477-8939(05)00091-8/fulltext
l. 5, vel Medicine and Infectious Disease
Tiralongo, E, Lea, R. A, Wee, S. S, Hanna, M. M . & Griffiths. L. R 2012, ‘Randomised, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Echinacea Supplementation in Air Travellers’, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, viewed 20 May 2018, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/417267
