Remedies for peace of mind these holidays

Eugenie Rowson, has put together a holiday kit of 21 remedies to cover any eventuality these holidays. And once you’re home, these same remedies will assist your family further with hundreds of everyday ailments. It will only take up a small space in your luggage and give you enormous peace of mind – don’t go anywhere without it!

Over indulgence, hangover

Nux Vom – for the seasoned party animal with a hangover that brings extreme irritability and sensitivity to the slightest noise, odour or light; nausea and great abdominal discomfort including heartburn or indigestion that feels better for vomiting (or making oneself vomit); severe headache. Eyes are photosensitive (may need to hide behind dark glasses!) Diarrhoea may ensue. Tends to wake up in the early hours of the morning (from 3am onwards) and cannot go back to sleep.

Pulsatilla – pain in stomach a long time after eating rich foods. The taste of food remains. There is weight in the stomach like a stone – food feels undigested. Bitter taste in the mouth. No thirst with dry mouth.

Carbo Veg – use when the stomach is extremely bloated and you need to burp constantly. You feel faint and short of breath and need lots of fresh air in spite of feeling cold. For constrictive pains in the stomach extending to the chest, with great bloating, flatulence and distention of the abdomen. The pain makes you bend over double. Cannot bear anything around the waist – need to loosen your belt.

Bryonia – this will suit the irritable ‘grumpy bear’ hangover ‘victim’ who wants to be left alone to nurse his nausea, dizziness and bursting/splitting headache that starts at the back of the head, becomes frontal and develops over the brow; even the eyes are too sore to move and are very sensitive. May need to vomit; has an excessive thirst. Wants to lie quietly and not move!

Gastro, food poisoning, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea

Arsenicum Alb – the first remedy for vomiting and diarrhoea. For cases of mild food poisoning with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, anxiety, fever with cold sweats, feeling cold, weak, trembling and faintness. Possible burning sensation in stomach. Cannot bear the sight or smell of food. Great thirst for frequent small sips.

Colocynthis – fast acting for agonising cutting pains, spasms or cramp-like pains that make you double over in pain; sensation of stones being ground together in the abdomen; painful contractions that come and go; sufferer feels very irritable and angry.

Cuprum – the greatest remedy for nausea with severe colic/cramps, abdominal spasms. Spasmodic, watery diarrhoea. Giddiness often accompanies ailments.

Sunburn (or snow burn), fever, headache, sunstroke, inflammation

Belladonna – use when the skin looks and feels red hot, possibly swollen and you experience throbbing pain.

Cantharis – for sunburn where the skin feels hot, with burning pain and inflammation. Will prevent the formation of blisters if taken early enough and will speed up the healing of blisters if already present. Use in combination with Nat Mur for rehydration.

Glonoinum – for a throbbing or pulsating headache brought on by excessive heat or sun exposure; head feels enormously large as if the skull is too small to contain the brain and might burst; accompanied by extreme irritability; dizziness and a sense of confusion may also be experienced.

Bites, stings, skin rashes

Apis Mel – for a bee sting or anything of similar appearance which swells up, is hot and red, stings, is painful to touch and feels soothed by cold applications.

Hypericum – in the homeopathic strength, this remedy will assist with painful or bleeding stings, bites or open wounds on any nerve-rich area such as fingers, toes, palms, the lips, tongue and ears. Helps with shooting, neuralgic-type pain. Also for injured nerves from the bites of animals.

Ledum – for bites, stings or puncture wounds that are pale and cold to the touch, but feel better for a cold application; especially mosquito, tick or animal bites.

Urtica Urens – for a blotchy red rash or typical urticaria that burns and stings and causes violent itching with intolerance of the cold or of a cold application.

Injury, sprains & strains, shock

Aconitum – for shock, panic attack, intense fear. This remedy is of special value for heart palpitations and pains near or around the heart area; it is good for eye injuries and has been described as the ‘Arnica for the eye’. Use for a suffocating asthma attack or a violently dry, croupy cough with great anxiety and restlessness. Very useful for generalised pain or inflammation with a huge thirst.

Arnica – for wounds that bleed profusely; bruises; traumatic injuries; concussion; post-operative disorders such as bruising and bleeding; sprains and strains. A remedy for preventing infection or sepsis. For puncture wounds caused by bites, needles, thorns, nails, splinters and glass, take Arnica as the first remedy, as well as Ledum.

Rhus Tox – for sprained or strained joints, muscles or tendons; for a widespread intensely itchy red rash (urticaria or dermatitis) that is either speckled (measles-looking), blistering, scaly, or where the skin appears red and inflamed. Very thirsty.

Ruta Graveolens – for sprained or strained muscles or tendons, especially of small joints (e.g. fingers).

Travel/motion sickness, jet lag, exhaustion

Cocculus – the best known of all traveller’s remedies, this is particularly suited for prevention or cure of symptoms of nausea (and when you can’t stand the smell of food), dizziness, faintness, headache (that is worse at the back of the head), vomiting; legs feel weak, and you feel better for lying flat on the bed or floor.

Kali Phos – one of the best brain, nerve, heart and lung remedies. For mental and/or physical exhaustion brought on by excitement, overwork or worry. Brain fag. Poor memory, irritability, dizziness, shortness of breath on exertion, anxiety or feeling of panic; disinclined to socialise or go out.

Petroleum – for typical symptoms of motion sickness including an intoxicated sensation, dizziness (especially on rising), nausea (which feels better after eating), deafness, ringing or noises in your ears; you feel particularly low in spirits and upset by the smallest concerns.