It’s April, the sun is shining and people are starting to feel the vibes of summer. When I’m out and about I hear more and more people talking about and planning their summer holidays. If you are also planning to travel abroad, camp in a beautiful site, go sightseeing with friends or perhaps visit family in a distant city then be sure to read my tips to healthier trips and toxin-free travel below.
Pillows…
Can you imagine how many people sneezed and drooled on those hotel pillows that you are going to sleep on? I am sure they don’t get washed very often… I have seen people taking their own pillow on holiday with them but it is not possible to carry all those pillows with you when you travel with your family. Instead of taking pillows with you why don’t you take organic pillow barrier covers? Simply zip these covers round your pillows then use a pillowcase over the top. The covers completely encase the pillow to ensure complete protection from dust mites, allergens and germs.
Stay Hydrated While Travelling!
A few years ago a study found that high percentage of aircrafts’ water systems tested positive for coliform. It is best to avoid drinking tea, coffee and other drinks on aeroplanes as they are prepared with tap water. If possible, take your own water with you or there are bottles with built-in filters that remove pollutants, such as chlorine, bacteria and heavy metals that can be useful when you travel.
Travel Ailments
I never go on a family holiday without my homeopathic travel kit. The remedies in the kit can be effective and fast acting in a wide range of acute health conditions, especially if taken as soon as symptoms appear. They can be used for constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, injuries, insect bites, jetlag, motion sickness, skin allergies, sunburn, etc. They do not interact with conventional medications or contraindicate pre-existing conditions. The remedies can be taken by children but they can also be useful for the grown-ups.
Opt Out of Full Body Scans During Airport Check-in!
More and more airports are using full body scans in the UK. The machines emit ionising radiation, which is considered harmful and carcinogenic. You can opt out of being subjected to the test and choose a thorough pat down procedure in private instead. Although this may not be the ideal experience, I would much rather take this alternative than subject myself and my child to potentially excessive amounts of radiation from the full body scan.
Keep Your Hands Clean – Without the Chemicals!
Is there such a thing as a healthy air travel…? Air conditioning systems are great but they continuously re-circulate the germs, viruses, engine fumes, and flame retardants on the aircraft. Avoid touching your mouth or rubbing your eyes with unwashed hands. And make sure that your children’s hands and tray tables are also clean. It’s best not to use traditional hand sanitisers as they contain ethyl alcohol, synthetic fragrance and parabens!
It’s very simple to make your own hand sanitiser:
Ingredients:
- 8 Tablespoons Aloe Vera Gel
- 15 Drops of Tea Tree Oil
- 10 Drops of Lavender Essential Oil
Instructions:
1. Mix all ingredients
2. Pour into a spray bottle or squirt bottle
3. Shake before applying
*This recipe makes a small batch, just the right size for a small container to carry on the go.
We don’t like to fear the worst when we are on holiday but the sun and sea can sometimes cause problems. My favourite toxin-free remedy that can be easily sourced in any country and can be simply found in any supermarket is: Vinegar.
Wasp stings and mosquito bites: dab undiluted white vinegar onto the bites to reduce the pain and stop the infuriating itch. To keep these little pests away in the first place, spray liberal doses of white vinegar around and on surfaces if you are eating outside. The smell is no worse than chemical deterrents.
Sunburn: soak a dishtowel in vinegar, place it in the fridge for 20 minutes so it is cool and then lay it over the affected area.
Jellyfish: If you have been unlucky enough to be stung by a jellyfish, you will know how painful it can be. If you want to alleviate the pain prevent to release of more venom, you have to remove any tentacles and then pour undiluted vinegar over the wound. However, this does not work with the Portugese Man O’War jellyfish. If you had a run-in with one of those, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Finally, let’s take a look at sun protection: There’s no proof that sunscreens prevent most skin cancer. Rates of melanoma – the most deadly form of skin cancer – have tripled over the past 35 years. Most scientists and public health agencies have found very little evidence that sunscreen prevents most types of skin cancer. There are over 1800 sunscreens on the market to choose from, making it confusing to pick the best.
The following items should never make it to your suitcase:
Spray Sunscreens: there’s growing concern that these sprays pose serious inhalation risks. They also make it too easy to apply too little or to miss a spot, leaving bare skin exposed to harmful rays.
Very high SPFs: Although SPF stands for “sun protection factor,” this refers only to protection against UVB radiation, which burns the skin. It does not protect against UVA rays, which penetrate deep into the skin, suppress the immune system, accelerate skin aging and may cause skin cancer.
Oxybenzone: Commonly used in sunscreens, the chemical oxybenzone penetrates the skin, gets into the bloodstream and acts like estrogen in the body. It can also trigger allergic reactions.
Sun creams with vitamin A additives. (retinyl palmitate): on a sun exposed skin it speeds development of skin tumours and lesions.
The ideal sunscreen would completely block UV rays that cause sunburn, immune suppression and damaging free radicals. It would remain effective on the skin for several hours. It would not form harmful ingredients when degraded by sunlight. It would smell and feel pleasant so that people would use more of it. None of the sun creams on the market meet these goals. The best ones to buy are the plant based natural sunscreens with zinc oxide which are naturally occurring are safer and more effective than toxic chemical sunscreens.
Enjoy your toxin-free holidays!
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