Most of us look forward to taking time out in the summer – a chance to unwind and de-stress from the rush of everyday life. Whatever your plans, whether holidaying abroad or in the UK, if you want to ensure a glorious two weeks, don’t leave everything to the last minute. Preparation is the key and there are lots of natural travel products to make your holiday a healthy one.

 

If you or your children suffer from travel sickness there are a number of natural remedies that can help. Ginger is a well known effective aid and worth taking before and during your trip – available as tablets, sweets, crystallized ginger, oil and as a refreshing cordial. A drop of peppermint oil inhaled from a tissue can also help or try sucking peppermint tablets.

 

As you travel try to avoid heavy, fatty meals and drink plenty of fluids too. One I like for children is cold peppermint or chamomile tea or coconut water before and during the journey. Coconut water is particularly good if you are travelling somewhere hot as it will replenish all the electrolytes the body can lose with sweat. Some people find acupressure bands can bring relief. These come in adult and child sizes and are worn on the wrists. They stimulate acupressure points to relieve nausea. The Bach Flower Remedy scleranthus can also help to balance the body which can be affected by motion.

 

Often people find the whole process of planning and packing for a holiday stressful. If that sounds familiar try Bach Flower Emergency Spray or Rescue remedy combining plant extracts such as aspen, mimulus and white chestnut. There are also Australian Bush Flower essences which are designed to help calm fears and tackle fatigue. Mandarin oil is wonderful for relaxing the mind and is safe with children (try 2-3 drops on a tissue). If you find it takes a while to unwind once on holiday chill out with herbs such as passion flower and Melissa and consider packing some dead sea salts to soak away any tension. Green tea granules make a convenient instant drink naturally rich in theanine known for its calming properties

 

Jet lag occurs when the mind and body’s natural rhythms are disrupted leading to tiredness, insomnia and headaches. To minimize the symptoms drink plenty of water during the flight to prevent dehydration. Tempting as it might be to have a tipple to start off the holiday, this will only exacerbate the problem so ditch the wine and caffeine. To keep you feeling refreshed use facial sprays with essential oils – mandarin or lavender are good choices. You can make this up yourself by adding a few drops of essential oil to filtered water in a spray bottle.

 

Deep Vein thrombosis (DVT) has received a lot of publicity in recent years and there is a lot you can do to reduce your risk. Keep moving your legs and feet while sitting, raise your feet and walk around on the plane when you can. Wearing below the knee compression socks will also stimulate circulation. Vitamin E has blood thinning properties, take a supplement daily for 2-3 weeks before your flight may help. Ginkgo biloba which improves blood flow and circulation can also be useful.   

 

While a suntan may appear an attractive holiday accessory, it can lead to untold damage to the skin long term. The best solution is prevention – avoid sitting in the sun between 11am and 3pm, wear a sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 15 and higher for children. However also remember that some sun exposure is good for you as it helps maintain a healthy level of vitamin D in the body – crucial for immune health and also bone health.

 

There are a range of natural suncreams that incorporate ingredients such as aloe vera that help regulate moisture and calm the skin. Other natural helpers include green tea, vitamins C and E for their antioxidant protection and shea butter for its moisturising properties. Always remember to cover up, wear a hat and reapply regularly especially if you are swimming. 

 

Supplements and foods can also help to protect the skin – carotenoids such as lycopene (found in tomatoes, red grapefruit and watermelon) can offer some protection against uv rays. Astaxanthin a potent antioxidant, available as a supplement is also protective. As sun exposure can increase the production of free radicals increase your intake of vitamins C, E and A by eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and take an antioxidant supplement daily.

 

If you do suffer from sunburn aloe vera gel is very soothing to hot skin and there are a great range of creams and lotions now available for after sun care. Adding a few drops of lavender or chamomile to a cool bath can help relieve soreness. If prickly heat is a problem take vitamin C daily as it is a natural antihistamine.

 

Whether you’re heading off the beaten track or somewhere more mainstream, traveller's tummy can ruin a holiday. Keep your gut healthy by supplementing a month before you travel with friendly bacteria. Look for supplements which supply at least 4 billon bacteria per day and include live foods in your diet too like natural yogurt, miso and sauerkraut. Taking a prebiotic to help build up the levels of your good bacteria is also important and many supplements now combine both.

 

To tackle those troublesome bugs sip a few drops of grapefruit seed extract or food grade oregano oil in bottled water or juice. Both have powerful anti-microbial properties and can also be used as a gargle to keep the mouth fresh and clean. It’s worth making sure you have some handy antiseptic sprays and wipes with you too. A silver spray is a great convenient natural antiseptic with antimicrobial properties.

 

Slippery elm bark can help calm an irritated gut and Manuka honey is another useful remedy for infections. If diarrhoea strikes keep yourself hydrated – replenish lost fluids and electrolytes. Include coconut water – available in small travel size cartons it contains all the essential electrolytes including potassium and magnesium the body needs to quickly rehydrate you. Aloe vera juice can also calm an irritable tummy and is particularly useful for young children.  

 

You may find you’re still suffering from a dodgy tummy when you get home. If that’s the case take a range of supplements to help heal the gut – continue with probiotics and include L-glutamine, zinc and B6. Consider taking a digestive enzyme formula too and a good antioxidant supplement will help support your immune system as the gut repairs. A probiotic to consider for young children is BioBifidoBacT powder (Biotics from Nutri Link) which provides only Bifidus strain, with cellulose good for diarrhoea as well as is the supplement Saccharomyces Boulardii again from Nutri Link (see below for details)

 

If you want to steer clear of conventional lotions and potions with all those chemical nasties there is a great choice of natural alternatives to fend off irritating insects. Try herbal repellents containing essential oils such as bergamot, rosemary and eucalyptus combined with neem cream. Apply them regularly (use a spray, roll on or cream) and keep yourself covered with long-sleeved tops.

 

Eating garlic is said to deter the pesky critters as well as supplementing with vitamin B1 – both are said to emit odours they find offensive! If you do get a bite try calamine lotion to calm down the inflammation and reduce the temptation to itch. Lavender and tea tree can also help soothe bites and take vitamin C daily for its antihistamine effects.  

 

Tempting as it is to live on junk holiday food aim now to keep them nourished so that they are fit and strong ready for the autumn back to school season.

 

I like the multi vitamin and mineral powder by Nutri Link called NutriBalance Children’s Formula (Allergy Research) which is a comprehensive powder that can be mixed with water or juice. 

You may also wish to up their omega 3 intake too. The Nordic Naturals range is very good and includes chewables and liquids (available from Nutri Link or the Nutri Centre)

 

Supplements can be obtained from NUTRI LINK tel 08450 760 402 Quote code 697 to order

Others can be obtained from the Nutri Centre www.nutricentre.co.uk

 

 

Christine Bailey MSc PGCE MBANT is an experienced nutritionist, food and health writer, chef and author of numerous health and recipe books including The Juice Diet Book (Duncan Baird 2011), Top 100 baby food recipes (Duncan Baird 2011) and Top 100 recipes for Brainy Kids (Duncan Baird 2010). She writes for many national food, health and fitness magazines and works as a food and nutritional consultant to a range of Food and Health Companies. She sees clients at her clinic in Reading, Berkshire and regularly runs workshops and cookery demonstrations. www.advancenutrition.co.uk. Email christinembailey@hotmail.com