Let’s face it: vacation always sounds like a great idea, but often times vacation is more stressful than work stress. To get ready for vacation, not only do we have to prepare for taking time off–often by working longer hours before the vacation–but then there is the anxiety and stress of modern travel. Have you been patted down thoroughly at the airport lately, or waited through endless lines so that you COULD get patted down? Talk about stress!
Luckily we humans are a fairly adaptive bunch, and we continue to travel, vacation, venture forth, and have fun with our friends and families (or solo) despite all stress and anxiety associated with travel. Even more fortunate is the fact that there are many natural solutions for stress relief, especially if you plan to travel this summer. Just be sure to prepare our All Natural First Aid and Emergency Kit, and toss it into your suitcase before you go forth like the intrepid adventurer that you are!
The All Natural First Aid and Emergency Kit
Nothing is worse than saving up a ton of cash, paying for a vacation, and setting off to have fun, only to find that you have to deal with stress when you arrive at your intended location (or even before)! All kinds of quirks can occur on vacation, including insect bites of unknown origin, pain from old injuries flaring up, minor health emergencies, catching a cold from the fellow sitting next to you on the plane, and even plain old constipation!
No worries, the All Natural First Aid and Emergency Kit will come to your rescue. Read through these simple ingredients that go into the kit (most of which can be bought at your local health food store) to understand how each item can help with stress relief on your vacation. To simplify, we have categorized the items into the type of stress relief provided: digestive, immunity, first aid, aches and pains, and so forth.
Digestive
If you plan to travel outside the country, you’ll want to avoid Montezuma and his revenge. You’ll also want to avoid any digestive complications so you can enjoy all the local cuisine with gusto. The following items will help.
Ume Plum Balls or Tar
Made from the umeboshi plum, this substance is so concentrated that it appears purplish black (don’t get the ume plum sauce, which is light purple and not very concentrated). Extremely alkaline, ume plum tar is great for preventing jet lag and immediately soothing any sort of digestive upset. It’s useful for Montezuma’s revenge as well as overdoing it at a holiday buffet.
Acidophilus and Bifidus
Probiotics like acidophilus and bifidus are important because they keep your digestive system in good working order, which is especially important if you are going to eat strange food or just a lot of it. What’s also important about probiotics is that they help your body produce B-vitamins. B-vitamins, as you may know, help boost your immune system, keep your energy levels high, and also help you stay mentally calm and focused. If you’re going to be stressed this vacation season (perhaps by in-laws or other such guests), B-vitamins will help you stay calm … and possible prevent you from ripping out your hair and running screaming into the streets!
Ginger
For nausea. Ginger in tincture form can be found in your local health food store. If you feel nauseous or motion sick, take 2 to 4 drops orally or in tea to alleviate symptoms. Ginger also helps keep your digestion on track when encountering foreign foods!
Immunity
If the fellow sitting next to you on the plane keeps sneezing and coughing in your general direction, you’ll definitely want to boost your immunity! Else you might spend your entire vacation coughing and sneezing, too!
Vitamin C
This vitamin is essential for supporting the immune system. Vitamin C can be found in your local grocery or health food store in tablet, chewable, or powder form. Take as directed.
Immune-Boosting Supplements
Your health food store is well-stocked with immune-boosting supplements, which can include a combination of vitamin C, garlic, Echinacea and more. Another option is to take WGP beta-glucan, a special ingredient found in baker’s yeast that has been shown to have a number of immune-boosting properties.
First Aid
Ouch! Did a rogue wave just throw you off your surfboard, just as you were getting up into “the position”? Got scrapes, rashes, or unidentifiable injuries? Check out these natural solutions for first aid.
Atomidine
This is a special form of iodine promoted long ago by Edgar Cayce. Atomidine supports the thyroid gland, has anti-aging properties (like preventing grey hair), and can be used topically for everything from cuts to bee stings. It’s a definite first-aid must. Better than regular iodine, this special form of iodine will disinfect any injury in a hurry, plus take the pain and sting out of most injuries. A definite must on any vacation!
Rescue Remedy
This amazing flower essence combination works like a dream for acute stress. This wonderful Bach flower remedy can be found at your local health food store. Take 4 drops orally or put 4 drops in spring water and sip on it all day. Rescue Remedy relieves acute stress of all types — mental, emotional and physical. This is a handy remedy to keep with you at all times.
Herbs
If you injure yourself while on vacation and have access to a health food store, herbs may be the answer for you. External poultices and plasters can be made up easily with the combination of heat-clearing herbs such as Arnica, Echinacea, Goldenseal, Angelica and Comfrey. You can also add astringent herbs such as Yellow Dock, Wormwood, Witch Hazel, Calendula, Shepherd’s Purse, and Prickly Ash Bark, to mention a few. There are, of course many of these herbs that can be ingested to work from inside to clear heat as well, such as Boneset, Comfrey Root, White Willow Bark, Valerian, Myrrh, and Lobelia.
Aches and Pains
Sometimes traveling can cause old injuries to flare up. Or, new activities can cause new injuries to occur. Luckily, if aches and pains start to bother you while on vacation, this kit has the stress relief you need.
Arnica 30x Homeopathic Remedy
This homeopathic remedy works well for healing bruises and other soft-tissue injuries. Take the recommended dosage if you sustain this kind of injury. Arnica is available in most health food stores.
Magnesium
Magnesium has proven to be a wonderful muscle relaxer as well having a soothing influence on mood. This supplement can be found in tablets, capsules, and powder. Take as directed. As a bonus, magnesium can help you avoid constipation while traveling (remember the main ingredient in Milk of Magnesia?).
Stem Cell Booster
A stem cell supplement can be the fix-it for all kinds of injuries and strains, as well as chronic pain. Certain types of stem cell supplements stimulate the production of adult stem cells in your body, which your body then uses to repair itself. If you incur a painful injury while traveling, taking 1-2 capsules of a stem cell supplement can really boost your body’s healing process. This type of supplement is also helpful for sprains, bruises, and chronic pain anywhere in the body, and overall muscle soreness.
Energy
Whether you are shopping, eating, celebrating, or just plain making merry, you don’t want to be slowed down by low energy.
Blue-Green Algae and Enzymes
When you travel, chances are that you are laid back but also active. If you want to have plenty of energy to play all day and take in the night life after the sun goes down, consider taking a few supplements to boost your energy. Blue-green algae and enzymes give you the basic nutrition your body needs to produce energy. The algae provides the majority of the glycogen, vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals your body needs, while the enzymes ensure that your digestion works great. Before leaving for any trip, load up on algae and enzymes, and then take more as needed during the trip.
Pretty Natural and Basic
While we could certainly get into many more items with which to stock your All Natural First Aid and Emergency Kit, this should cover the basics. If you want more, check in with your local health food store guru…. they should be able to point you in the right direction!
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