In my lastpost, we talked about travel vaccines and whether they're a smart precaution, or more harm than good.Whether or not you choose to immunize yourself, it's a good idea to also carry your own arsenal when you travel – just in case.
When I pack up my family (or myself) for a trip, I always include a little holistic travel remedy kit in case we start to feel under the weather. The last thing you need while traveling – whether to grandma's house or abroad – is to feel feverish, achy, and sniffly with no idea where to find your trusty immune boosting supplements and natural remedies.
I take cod liver oil and high vitamin butter oil every day, so those will come with me wherever I go. In addition, here are the essentials that I include in my holistic travel remedy kit:
Vitamin D
A tiny bottle of this stuff packs a powerful punch when your immune system is feeling like it's losing a fight.
While a daily maintenance dose is 35IU/pound of body weight, when you're feeling under the weather the Vitamin D Council recommends that you take a mega-dose of 900IU/pound of body weight.
Two caveats: don't take this dose for more than three days, and make sure to buy a liquid form that is at least 2000IU per single drop (unless you want to be swallowing a whole bottle full of pills). This is the vitamin D I pack.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful anti-oxidant that can help prevent your body from being overrun by free-radicals. While a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice can often work wonders, I prefer to travel with something more…portable. Fizzy vitamin C packets are affordable, and will certainly help in a pinch. I love these little packets of non-GMO lyposomal vitamin C.
The trick with taking vitamin C to ward off travel bugs, is to take a high enough dose – 500-1000mg for children (depending on their size) and 2-4 grams for adults – spread throughout the day. If you take too much, you may experience loose stools, so adjust the dose accordingly.(source)
Colloidal silver
Colloidal silver works as a potent antibiotic substance because when silver ions are absorbed into single-cell bacteria or fungus they interfere with cellular energy production and kill the organism. While this supplement is not recommended for everyday use, it can really help to wipe out bacteria and viruses.Learn more about it here.
This is the colloidal silver that I like and trust. I find that the recommended dosages on the bottle work well. You can also apply colloidal silver topically to prevent infection on cuts, scrapes, etc. If possible, pack a big bottle, as this stuff really comes in handy on-the-go.
Probiotics
You probably know that probiotics populate the digestive tract with healthy bacteria. This is where your body’s immune system begins its fight against strange micro-organisms that can make you sick – whether from eating too much processed food on a trip back home or traveling abroad and encountering foreign microflora, and the healthier your gut, the better you will defend against illness while traveling.
When in the comfort of your own home, it's smart to eat a bit of probiotic-rich food or drink with every meal (yogurt, kefir, cultured condiments, sauerkraut, kombucha, etc). But if you have health issues – or you're traveling – you will also need a probiotic supplement.
Be sure to travel with a high-quality, shelf-stable probiotic like this one so you don't have to worry about refrigeration. Curious if your probiotic is shelf-stable? Check out this helpful chart.
Chinese herbal remedies
There are certain herbs that provide anti-viral properties that may be useful on your trip. I recommend traveling with an antiviral formula like Gan Mao Lingthat you take at the first sign of a cold or flu.
Curing Pills are a helpful, classic formula for treating tummy upset – from hangovers to funny tummy from foreign foods. Though if you suspect Montezuma's Revenge-type digestive issues may be a possibility where you are traveling, I would also pack a formula calledXiang Lian Wan and some activated charcoal capsules(not Chinese, but still great natural medicine).
Pharmaceuticals
Though I use it only occasionally, I always travel with Ibuprofen for pain relief – just in case.Benadryl is another emergency over-the-counter medication that can be extremely helpful in case of a surprise allergic reaction to a strange food, pollen, or bug bite.
Homeopathic nosodes and remedies
Homeopathic remedies are compact and light, and a few vials can cover a range of travel ailments.
At minimum, I always travel with Arnica (to speed healing) and Calm Forte (to help with frazzled nerves and irregular sleep). Nux Vomica and Cocculus Indicus are both helpful for motion sickness – something I'm afflicted with on any boat trip or curvy drive.
For longer journeys to more remote and exotic locales, I will be packing this complete travel homeopathy kit to make sure I've got my bases covered.
Homeopathic nosodes – A natural alternative to traditional vaccines
Homeopathic vaccines, a.k.a. nosodes, are available for the prevention of many diseases including diphtheria, hepatitis A, yellow fever, typhoid, whooping cough,and tetanus.Rather than stimulating the body to produce tons of antibodies, it is thought that these remedies reduce the patient’s sensitivity to the virus or bacteria, thus keeping the toxic invaders from overcoming the patient.
A study of over 800 participants reported only an 11% failure rate for the homeopathic nosodes even with a known exposure to the disease, with only mild symptoms of illness, and no adverse side effects whatsoever. This is a much higher success rate than many of the conventional vaccines.(source)
If you are interested in taking homeopathic nosodes in lieu of travel vaccines, first be sure that the shot is not required in the countries you will be traveling, then consult with a trained homeopath to be sure you take the correct remedy and dosage.
Whether you're traveling down the road or around the globe, with a little preparation, you can stock a holistic travel remedy kit so that you're prepared for just about anything you encounter.
