I asked my colleague and friend, Melanie Tomsett, to provide some more advice about how to use homeopathic remedies on holiday.
Melanie Tomsett, Homeopath
Homeopathy was established as a form of medicine by Samual Hahnemann (GP., Chemist and Translator) in Central Europe over 200 years ago. It is based on the use of highly diluted and potentised substances and the understanding that there is a direct link between your symptoms and the remedy prescribed.
Your symptoms are considered as a unique expression of you. As a result, homeopathy emphasises treating the individual, taking an holistic approach in which your condition is not isolated from your overall health, or you as a person.
Disease, whether mental, emotional or physical, is not dealt with symptomatically. The aim is to address the root of the disorder, that is the tendencies in your make up that result in a range of symptoms.
A small kit of homeopathically prepared remedies can be most beneficial to have readily to hand whilst traveling.
The following is a list of some essential remedies that can be included in your kit and an overview on which remedy is the most appropriate one to use in certain situations..
Travel Sickness
Cocculus – the Number 1 remedy for travel sickness. Symptoms – nausea, dizziness, possible vomiting; worse for lying down and motion, better for vomiting and fresh air.
Petroleum – worse for fresh air, better for eating small amounts.
Nux Vomica – nausea, empty retching, irritable.
Tabbacum – severe travel sickness, vomiting, dizzy, can barely get up, nothing else works.
Air Travel/Jet Lag
Argentum Nit – fear of flying or travel. Suck one pill whenever the fear strikes or three times a day.
Arnica – to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis, jet lag and exhaustion from flying. Take one pill before take-off and repeat 2-3 times during the flight, more if long-haul, and one on landing.
Aconite – for panic while on the plane. Take one pill as required and repeat if the panic returns.
Cocculus – to quickly establish your sleep pattern. Take one pill when you arrive at your destination and repeat for following 2-3 days.
Sunburn/sunstroke/heat exhaustion.
Sol – Useful for any hot/sunny climate related complaints. You can take this remedy as a preventative by taking a dose before you venture out into the sun. Repeat 2-3 times during exposure.
Belladonna for sunstroke/collapse, dehydration, headaches, fevers due to exposure to the sun.
Cantharis – sunburn, blistering sunburn or burns and scalds generally.
Carbo veg – heat exhaustion with total collapse
Stomach/intestinal problems
Aloes Soc – diarrhoea, involuntary stools, pain before and after passing a stool, pains in abdomen better for passing burning wind.
Arsenicum Album – diarrhoea and vomiting; food poisoning; gastroenteritis; burning, cutting, cramping pains in the abdomen; unquenchable thirst for warm or ice-cold drinks.
Carbo Veg – indigestion with distended abdomen, constrictive pains that may extend to the chest, heartburn, rancid burping. From eating rich food.
China – diarrhoea and vomiting with weakness and dehydration, food poisoning, distended abdomen, indigestion with much burping.
Lycopodium – food poisoning from eating bad fish; gastroenteritis caused by a fright. Lots of noisy wind; distended and bloated abdomen; indigestion with much burping.
Nux Vomica – No. 1 hangover remedy. Take one pill before bed, add one pill to water and sip if awoken during the night. Take a further pill on waking if required. Also for constipation with frequent and ineffectual desire to pass a stool, passing very small quantities, nausea retching, vomiting
Podophylum – diarrhoea with lots of gurgling and rumbling in the abdomen before painless yellow stool gushes out.
Pulsatilla – indigestion, nausea, stomach ache, vomiting from eating rich or greasy food. Constipation alternating with diarrhoea.
Vertatrum Album – extreme food poisoning; diarrhoea and vomiting occur together, extreme abdominal cramps, cold sweat on forehead.
Remedies can come in many forms, the most convenient for traveling are pills or tablets. Pre-prepared travel kits are available to purchase. Store remedies away from strong odours.
Remedies are medicated on the outside of the pill/tablet and are absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth. Therefore, it is advisable that when taking a remedy, try not to touch it and decant it into the lid of the bottle and transfer it into your clean mouth where you suck it until it is dissolved.
The definition of a clean mouth is one that has had no food in it for at least ten minutes before or after taking the remedy (apart from water), or minty products including toothpaste for at least an hour. However, in an emergency, begin taking your remedies immediately, regardless.
Dosage instructions for acute conditions as mentioned previously from MateriaMedica:
Suck one pill/tablet every two hours for 6-8 doses during the first 24 hours of feeling unwell, then one three times daily for the next 3-5 days. Always stop on improvement and repeat if the symptoms return. if the symptoms return or an emergency, the remedies can be repeated more frequently, such as every 5 to 15 minutes for six to eight doses. \however, if no relief is being afforded after 4-6 doses you may not have the appropriate remedy and another may need to be found and administered as before.
Common sense advice – if your symptoms are not improving or you are feeling more unwell, seek medical assistance.
To learn more about Melanie Tomsett and how you could work with her you can see her website here or contact her direct.
References:
Tricia Allen: Travel Therapeutics. The Centre for Homeopathic Education.
Miranda Castro: The Complete Homeopathy Handbook. A Guide to Everyday Health Care. Macmillan: 1995.
