Happy holidays

What to take with you...

I have recently come back from a trip of a lifetime to Burma. It was absolutely amazing but so hot – well over 40° most days, the coolest being a mere 36° up in the mountains.

Although I really, really love travelling I have found that as I get older my stress tolerance is lower, I react more strongly to mosquito bites and eating different foods and drinking more affects my digestion and energy levels.

So I make sure that I take all my remedies with me (I often worry that I will be seen as a drug courier as I have so many pills and potions in my case!). But this has got me thinking..….

Going on holiday you spend ages planning what you are going to wear, trying to remember sunscreen, hats, sunglasses books etc., but do you plan for your hormonal health whilst away?

For those of you suffering from menopause symptoms/hot flushes the heat can make them worse; the actual stress of travelling can have an effect on the adrenal system (which may already be under pressure from the menopause); and all that extra food/drink (especially if you are going All Inclusive) can stress your poor liver and digestive system, which can also have an impact on your symptoms.

So taking a little extra time to plan for this may make all the difference to your holiday.

Here is a short list of problems and solutions:

• Stress whilst travelling, fear of flying etc.: Emergency Essence
• Worried about Holiday Tummy/constipation: Molkosan Vitality Sachets – this is best started at least a week before going. If you are going further afield then take a travel probiotic as well. I took both on holiday and was one of the few in my group who did not succumb to digestive mayhem!
• Urticaria/prickly heat: start drinking nettle tea a week or so before you go and take some with you (or some Nettle tincture, which is stronger)
• Sleeping problems: some people don’t like sleeping in strange beds/places, or you may have travelled far and are suffering from jet lag: Dormeasan sleep remedy
• Over-indulging in alcohol or rich or strange foods: Milk Thistle Complex
• Worried about picking up infections on the plane or getting a sore throat from the dry atmosphere: an Echinacea sore throat spray
• If you are on an active holiday or you get sore joint or muscle aches: Arnica gel – you can get little sachets that are easy to pack. Arnica gel can also be really good for mosquito bites too, I wouldn’t be without it.

Remember to take any remedies, vitamin supplements etc that you are on with you, as you may not be able to get replacements whilst abroad (however most European countries will stock A Vogel – I actually managed to get a bottle of Echinaforce from a little pharmacy in Costa Adeje, Tenerife! I had forgotten to pack mine and felt a cold coming on).

Remember to drink plenty of plain water if it’s hot (in Burma we were on 2-3 litres a day!) – this is really important, especially if you get flushes.

Does anyone have any other really handy suggestions?