My Summer Travel Kit

by Monica Wilde
Research Herbalist

I love travelling! Especially getting away from cities and exploring the countryside, wilderness and amazing scenery that our planet has to offer. Being in remote places often means being self-reliant and my herbal first aid kit is always well stocked. Here are a few things that will make a difference to even a short, beach holiday as well as a long-distance hike!

Flying off somewhere nice? These are for the hand luggage.

NAPIERS DETOX FORMULA 

This is brilliant for maintaining good water balance which, if it gets out of kilter, causes the swollen ankles you can get on long flights and occasional 'travel constipation'. Keep healthy when you are travelling by taking this supplement with you. Just 10 ml added to a litre bottle of water and drunk while you are travelling will keep your body happy on the move. You'll notice the difference and never fly without it once you've tried it!

VENATONE LEG CREAM 

A firm favourite excellent for keeping your legs and ankles in good shape when you are on a long-haul flight or on your feet, sightseeing in hot countries. Easily absorbed and non-greasy, it helps to reduce and prevent puffiness and discomfort while you are travelling. It is also wonderful as it helps to reduce the appearance of spider and thread veins. 

VALERIAN TINCTURE 

Valerian is a fantastic aid for those people with a fear of flying. Take before take off and landing to help keep you calm and free of anxiety. See our travel tips for nervous flyers here. 100ml will happily go through customs in the little plastic bag!

JET LAG

Jet lag can be such a nuisance. You feel alert and wakeful when you should be sleeping and tired and foggy when you should be awake! Valerian Tincture may help you to relax (you can also add a little Hops Tincture to make you drowsy) to help you relax, switch down a gear and get back to normal sleep times. Take 5ml after your evening meal and 5ml before bed. Try alternating this with Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero) Tincture to keep you awake when you should be. Take 3ml at breakfast and 3ml at lunch.

It's too hot!!!

NAPIERS CHAMOMILE & PEPPERMINT SKIN CREAM

Peppermint helps to cool and sooth prickly heat and summer skin heat rash, which typically occurs during the summer and can be really annoying on holiday if it's triggered off by an increase in humidity. The highly cooling properties of peppermint combined with soothing chamomile means this cream is brilliant for fast acting relief from itchiness.

DANDELION

Dandelion Tincture is also helpful for heat rash. Half a teaspoon three times a day. Or you can try Dandelion Juice - Add a 'shot' to tomato juice with a little seasoning for a tasty drink.

Cooling down after sun

NAPIERS ALOE VERA & SEAWEED GEL

This is our natural alternative to aftersun lotion. As well as soothing aloe vera and seaweeds, it contains herbs like witch hazel, wild thyme and sea lavender to revitalise and remineralise skin that has taken a battering. Useful for sunburn, shaving rash, itchy skin and other overheated flare-ups.

NAPIERS LAVENDER GEL

Just wonderful for both sunburn and for prickly heat. Smells gorgeous as well.

Keeping sun damage to a minimum

NAPIERS AGE DEFIANCE CORRECTIVE SKIN CREAM

This is a wonderful cream. As you age your skin has to put up with all sorts of wear and tear but sun damage should be corrected early on so it doesn't lead to later problems. This little cream will help to fade liver (dark) spots and sun spots, as well as skin tags and other signs of aging skin. Remember if you have any suspicious dark, red or itchy spots that don't go away with moisturising, get them checked by your doctor to eliminate squamous cells. Always better safe than sorry!

Midges, mozzies and clegs

NAPIERS BUGBUSTER INSECT REPELLENT CREAM 

Bugbuster is a lovely organic cream containing our 'original formula' essential oil blend detested by the Scottish midge, as well as more exotic mosquitoes and gnats! The best natural solution for preventing insect bites on small children and adults, especially hikers, fishermen, golfers as well as people working outdoors. Also tried and tested in Africa, South America and Asia, and known to be effective against a wide range of biting insects. With aloe & chickweed so cooling & soothing on overheated, itchy skin.

Finally, a reminder on the change of diet! It's easy to forget how much hot, spicy foods, different water and generous amounts of alcohol can wreak havoc on the stomach!

I like to use bitters to keep my digestion in tip top condition and not allow myself to develop indigestion or stomach upsets. I use the following herbal bitters which have a long history of pre and post prandial use for those who like to eat and imbibe!

AFTER DINNER MINT MIXTURE

This is like mint tea in a bottle but with fennel as well. A lovely tasting bitter, just add some warm water to a teaspoon (about 5ml) to make a tasty, soothing minty drink. Sipped like mint tea but stronger!

BEST BRITISH BITTERS

A fantastic herbal bitters that I would never travel without. It perks up the appetite before meals (imparting an unusual taste when mixed as a cocktail bitters). Fantastic the morning after any excess, especially with a tomato or orange juice chaser when you do emerge for breakfast! Contains Gentian root, Ginger root, Meadowsweet, Silver Birch, Dandelion, Milk Thistle and Peppermint.

MILK THISTLE

If you have spectacularly overindulged Thisylyn tablets will help to get you back to your old self quickly! These licensed milk thistle tablets come in two strengths for the symptomatic relief of over-indulgence, indigestion and upset stomach, based on traditional use only.

GINGER

I love ginger. It soothes the gut, acts against bacteria, helps with diarrhoea. I have been in China with severe food poisoning and just treated it with strong ginger tea made from grating some fresh ginger root, boiling it for 10 minutes and sipping it as much as I can. Ginger is also hugely helpful for seasickness and travel (aka motion) sickness. These days I always like to have a bottle of ginger tincture in my sailbag for my sea legs!