N.B.
Arnica is the first remedy
to think of in most cases of injury, shock and trauma along with Emergency
Essence or Soul Support.
Accidents
and Emergencies
Aconite taken for panic and
fear of death
Arnica (see above)
Emergency Essence (Australian Bush Flower Essences) drops,
taken as often as needed for panic
Calendula: use the tincture diluted 1:4 with cooled boiled water
to wash out dirty wounds, cuts and grazes
Hypericum: any kind of shooting nerve pain, excellent for little
trapped fingers or toothache
Chamomile Tea: make as normal tea, use cooled down to wash out
gummy eyes, cuts and grazes, gargle for mouth ulcers or sore gums or
to soothe baby colic
Air
Travel in general
Aconite taken soon before and
during travelling will calm the most panicky individual; fear of imminent
death
Arg-nit taken as needed for feelings of claustrophobia &
associated panic
Emergency Essence (Australian Bush Flower Essences) drops,
taken as often as needed for panic
Borax for a specific fear of downward motion (landing)
Kali-mur (New Era tissue salts) for blocked eustachian tubes
Travel Essence (Australian Bush Flower Essences) is an excellent
all-rounder for airplane journeys, jetlag, radiation exposure, vibrations
of aircraft and DVT
Notes
on Jet Lag
Avoid alcohol; move around regularly; avoid meat and
dairy; drink lots of water; take naps where possible. On arrival, adjust
your schedule to the local time i.e. stay awake daytime and sleep at
night.
Australian
Bush Flower Essences - Travel Essence: Seven drops under the
tongue twice a day two days before travelling, hourly during transit
and morning & night for the next three days.
Alaskan Flower Essence Project's Travel Ease:Two drops in some
water four times a day two days before travelling, at least three times
during the flight (hourly if long flight) and four times a day for two
days after.
Arnica
30-1M is a good all round remedy to take immediately before, during
and after a long flight.
Melatonin in homeopathic form can be used to reset the body clock on
arrival - take it just before retiring for one or more nights
Backache/Back
injuries
Arnica (backache) bed feels
too hard
Nux-vom backache from getting cold - irritable with it
Rhus-tox backache from damp weather and draughts
Hypericum injury to base of spine - shooting nerve pains
Kali-Carb injury to sacro-iliac and lumbar region
Bites/Stings
Preventing bites and stings:
Citronella oil externally; also burn in the room; eat lots of garlic
daily; take vitamin B complex for a couple of weeks before you go on
holiday and while you are away
Treatment:
Externally: Calendula tincture and Urtica tincture, available
from your homeopath or a qualified herbalist. Also: depending on the
bite: bee and wasp stings and jellyfish stings benefit from application
of fresh urine or vinegar; mosquito bites benefit from the application
of vinegar also. Hypercal or Urtical cream is soothing,
cooling and comforting.
Internally:
Apis red, hot, itchy, shiny swelling, worse for heat; allergic
reaction to bites with swelling
Ledum first aid all bites & stings; deep narrow puncture
wounds (rusty nails, animal bites); cold, blue, better for cold compresses
Staphysagria 6c-200c: tendency to get bitten; irritable when
bitten
Sulphur furious itching, yellow discharges
Lachesis for snake bites: SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY
Colds
Aconite at first sign of
cold
Gelsemium for slow onset, especially in warm weather
Arsenicum if much shivering & acrid discharge
Nat-mur much sneezing, tears & dripping nose
Nux vomica with irritability
Echinacea tincture or low x and Vit C can be used to strengthen
the immune system
If fever persists Urtica tincture 20 drops in water three times a day
will help
Avena Sativa tincture 20drops three times a day will help boost an exhausted
convalescing individual
Dehydration
Drink water regularly with a pinch of salt to prevent
dehydration. Avoid alcohol and rich foods. Nat-mur 6x (New Era
tissue salts) will help assimilation of salt.
China or Phos-ac following heavy loss of fluids through
sweating, diarrhœa etc.
Take Australian Bush Flower Essences She Oak seven drops
in a glass of water-sip frequently.
Earache
Aconite if there is earache
from cold dry wind
Mercury, Pulsatilla or Silica earache from swimming, diving,
sensation of blockage
Chamomilla excruciating pain
Belladonna red hot throbbing feverish
Belladonna or Pulsatilla with noises in ear
Pulsatilla deafness; also child clingy weepy, <<night
Mercury worse at night; also if tearing boring pains with blood-stained
and/or smelly discharge
Put a few drops Verbascum Oil warmed up beforehand in the affected
ear
Fluid
retention
Nat-mur 6x or 6c as needed
Apis 200 in acute œdema (swelling)
Be
Clever with Food
Ensure meat or fish is fresh and very well cooked. Wash
and sterilise fruit & vegetables. Peel fresh foods yourself where
possible. Avoid or minimise alcohol intake (weakens the liver and subsequently
the immune system)(see also Traveller's Tummy).
Ginger in any form is a tonic for the digestive tract and a curative
remedy for many gastric ailments. Fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
into boiling water is the best, otherwise use crystallised or dried
ginger, or ginger teabags.
Acidophilus & bifidus are friendly bacteria essential
to a healthy gut. Take capsules on a daily basis before & during
your trip; and/or take fresh live yoghurt daily. A good multivitamin
& mineral supplement to be taken daily
N.B. Paracetamol weakens the liver & is best avoided
Hives/Prickly
Heat
Urtica in pill form or Urtical
cream externally
Inflammations
& Infections
Echinacea tincture or low
x internally for short-term immune system boost. Helps protect against
all kinds of infections.
Ferrum-phos take as needed at first sign of fever, cold, pain
or any inflammatory process
(half-way between Aconite and Belladonna)
Hepar Sulph the homœopathic antibiotic: foul, smelly pussy
discharges, abscesses, boils & infections
Mercury cold sores, toothache, earache with dark discharges
Silica expels splinters and other foreign bodies and speeds healing
of scar tissue: avoid if an IUD device or pacemaker have been fitted
Nosebleeds
Aconite, Arnica: change
of air pressure
Aconite: bright red gushing
Arnica, Lachesis: dark red slow flow
Phosphorus: bright red gushing persistent flow
Sea
and Sun in general
Some precautions:
Swimming does NOT protect you from sunburn - wear a hat!
Avoid sunscreens containing PABA; avoid mid-day sun; sip water regularly;
avoid alcohol; take regular short sunbaths having taken 7 drops of Solaris
(Australian Bush Flower Essences) before you go out to get your
skin used to the sun & allow gradual tanning. Take 7 drops of Solaris
for every 15 mins in the sun for the first few days of exposure (you
can put 7 drops in a 75cl bottle of water and sip). Sol 200c
before a trip will also reduce over-sensitivity to sunlight.
Sea
Sickness
Aconite: if accompanied
by panic/fear
Nux vomica: if rich food & drink is the cause of discomfort
Ginger will prevent and cure: take fresh, crystallised or as
infusion.
Sun
Solaris flower essence internally
& externally for all sun-related problems
Sol for protection before exposure to sunlight and for people
extremely sensitive to the sun
Sunburn
Solaris Essence as a first
aid both internally (seven drops under the tongue as frequently as needed)
and externally on the burn diluted with water and vinegar
Urtica internally & externally for mild sunburn
Cantharis for severe or blistering sunburn
Sunstroke
Belladonna at first signs
of headache, throbbing, photophobia (fear of light), sickness high temperature
Bryonia: nausea and sickness all symptoms, much worse for any
movement
Glonoine for severe cases, violent bursting headache, eyes and
face red
Traveller's
Tummy
Arsenicum for classic food
poisoning - nausea, vomiting & diarrhoea, usually worse during the
night
Nux vomica for liverish feeling, ailments from over-indulgence
in alcohol or other stimulants
Pulsatilla especially in children or from excess fats or rich
food
Drink plenty of fluid, especially clean water with a squeeze of lemon
and a sliver of fresh ginger
(See also Dehydration).
Travel/motion
sickness
Aconite: If accompanied
by panic/fear
Nux vomica: if rich food & drink is the cause of discomfort
Ginger as before
Peppermint essential oil (see Standbys)
Watery
diarrhoea
Podophyllum: green, watery,
gushing, offensive stools.
Sulphur: early morning diarrhoea; chronic cases
Chamomile Tea: soothes cramp, is a mild antibacterial and astringent
for the digestive tract
Water
Use bottled water where possible; otherwise use purification
tablets and water filters; avoid ice in drinks and juices from roadside
stalls. If none of the above is available, boil the water and squeeze
a few drops of fresh lemon juice in it before use.
TRAVEL
VACCINATIONS
General Notes:
No remedies, orthodox or alternative can guarantee prevention
of travel diseases or parasitic infestations. Common-sense disciplines
like avoiding infested areas, meticulous personal and food preparation
hygiene and the appropriate regime of remedies are the best prevention.
You may be advised to hav emultiple vacines before you travel abroad.
Read up on the potential side-effects and weigh these up against their
likely effectiveness and your risk of contracting the disease. Your
homeopath will be able to give you information and advise you of the
various choices available to you. Constitutional treatment up
to one month before you travel will help ensure you are in peak physical
condition for your holiday.
If
you or the children have to have vaccinations for travel, seek advice
from your homeopath beforehand.
Below
is a brief explanation of some diseases mostly associated with travel
to exotic locations:
Cholera
Cholera is a disease of the gastro-intestinal tract that
tends spread by faecally contaminated food and water and by flies. Symptoms
include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and severe watery diarrhoea
("rice-water" stools). The diarrhoea causes dehydration and
a fall in blood pressure and fatalities are most often from circulatory
failure.
Hepatitis
Takes various forms, commonest is Hep A which is fairly
mild but can be debilitating. Avoid alcohol, fats & rich food totally.
Japanese
B Encephalitis
Japanese B Encephalitis is a severe inflammation of the
brain caused by the Jap. B Encephalitis virus, transmitted by the bite
of infected mosquitoes in certain areas of the world, particularly Asia.
The disorder most commonly affects children and tends to be more actively
spread during the summer. Symptoms include high fever, headaches, weakness,
nausea, vomiting, paralysis personality changes and coma, possibly leading
to neurological damage and death.
Malaria
Carried by the anopheles mosquito, malaria's main symptoms
are headache, fever and rigour (shivering fits). Jaundice and general
malaise may develop.
NOTE:
No medication orthodox or complementary can guarantee prevention of
Malaria. However, the risk and severity of an attack can be lessened
with appropriate measures: Try to avoid areas infested with mosquitoes,
cover up, especially in the evening, use mosquito nets around beds;
avoid areas with stagnant water; use mosiguard insect repellent
or citronella oil.
Meningitis
Most commonly caused by the meningococcus, meningitis
is the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal
cord (meninges). The onset is sudden with high fever, severe headache
and possibly vomiting. Sensitivity to light is a characteristic symptom,
as well as neck stiffness and possibly a skin rash (in meningococcal
meningitis). Immediate medical treatment must be sought and speed is
essential.
Poliomyelitis
Viral infection which attacks specifically nerve cells
in the spinal cord.
Rabies
Rabies is spread through contact with infected secretions; most often
this occurs via a bite wound from an infected animal. Symptoms include
pain, burning and numbness at the site of infection as well as headache,
salivation, insomnia, inability to swallow, aerophobia, hydrophobia
and photophobia. As the disease progresses the characteristic "foaming
at the mouth" occurs.
Tetanus
Caused by bacteria entering the body through deep penetrating
wounds, e.g. from a nail. The bacteria are present in the soil, esp.
horse manure, so clean wounds thoroughly.
Tuberculosis
TB is caused by the tubercle bacillus and there are two
types that affect humans: the human type which usually affects the lungs
(phthisis or pulmonary tuberculosis) or the bovine type which usually
affects children and causes inflammation of the lymph glands and bones.
Attention: Tuberculosis is a NOTIFIABLE DISEASE and it is illegal to
treat tuberculosis other than by a Medical Doctor.
Typhoid
Typhoid (enteric fever) is a disease of poor hygiene,
transmitted via the ingestion of contaminated food or water, more common
in the tropics and subtropics.
Yellow
Fever
Viral disease endemic to tropical and subtropical Africa
and America mainly. Transmitted by the bite of certain mosquitoes.
Recommendations
for a Natural Travel Kit
Homeopathic
Remedies
Aconite
Apis-mel
Arnica
Arsenicum
Belladonna
Cantharis
Ferrum-phos
Gelsemium
Hypericum
Ledum
Natrum-mur
Nux-vomica
Pulsatilla
Rhus-tox
Staphysagria
Sulphur
Ainsworths' homeopathic travel kit is a good all-rounder containing
42 most useful remedies in 30c potency as well as a reference booklet.
Alternatively you can order a personalised travel kit here.
Flower
Essences
Emergency Essence, Soul Support or Recovery Remedy (Ainsworths)
Travel Essence (Bush), Travel Ease (Alaskan)
Solaris (Bush)
Herbal Tinctures
Calendula or Hypercal
Echinacea
Slumber Mix (for insomnia)
Herbal
Oils
Verbascum Thaps
Calendula
Symphytum
Essential
Oils
Lavender
Tea Tree
Citronella
Peppermint
Creams/Ointments
Mosiguard or Zap
Arnica (bruises - use ONLY on unbroken skin)
Hypercal (cuts, grazes, small burns)
Ruta/Rhus Tox (tendon and ligament sprains)
Five Flower Cream (general all-round comforter: from chapped
lips to sunburn, to rashes and dry skin)
Symphytum (broken bones, bruises and open injuries - when arnica
cream cannot be used)
