So I’ve been getting things ready for our trip and the first thing I thought I’d tackle is our first aid kit, as some of the stuff has to be ordered online.
I’m not a fan of drugs.
In fact we don’t really use them at all.
We’ve always opted for more natural options and found them to range from highly effective to bloody miraculous.
So I thought I’d share my essentials list here in case you’re traveling too (or even if you’re not!).
These are my absolute must haves. With this list I can deal with pretty much any common eventuality:
- Activated Charcoal – Stops stomach bugs dead in their tracks, eases indigestion and fixes food poisoning.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – For oh so many things! Colds, sore throats, infections, stomach bugs, urine infections, yeast infections…
- Probiotics – For general immune boost, upset stomach and also we use it for Josh if he gets contaminated with gluten (he’s allergic to it). These are awesome for preventing and curing food poisoning too.
- Vitamin D Spray – Helps prevent flu and other bugs and makes you less likely to get sunburn.
- Colloidal Silver – Fixes ear infections, cleans wounds, kills most known bacteria.
- Rescue Remedy Spray – Ideal for flying nerves or in the case of an injury or shock of any kind. Or even just for when small kids get really sad and won’t stop crying…
- Hypercal Cream – Like a natural version of savlon which aids healing.
- Arnica Cream – Amazing stuff for bumps, sprains and bruises.
- A Homeopathy travel kit – I love this. It even comes in a little suitcase! We use homeopathy for almost anything.
- Peppermint Oil – For headaches
- Bicarbonate of soda – Best cystitis cure ever!
- Tea Tree Oil – Again, so many uses from head lice preventative to cold sore treatment to insect repellent to bite or sting relief… the list goes on…
There’s a few other bits we’ll be taking too – plasters, bandages, burn gel, ibuprofen and Al’s inhalers to name a few…
I find natural treatments pretty awesome. So awesome, that we don’t use medication at home at all. In fact Jake has never had any pharmaceutical medicine ever. Not a drop.
But that said, we believe it has it’s place and I don’t want to be stuck in a foreign country in desperate need of some pain relief and all I have is some apple cider vinegar and a tub of bicarb.
So off I trot to the chemist…
Now, Jake is a little small for his age. Not hugely small, but he seems to have inherited my legs so he’s a few inches shorter than average. Calpol seems to come in two types- Infant and 6 plus.
So I ask the Pharmacist “My son is 6 but he’s small for his age. Should I get the infant one or would the 6+ still be ok?”
The pharmacist says “Is he 6?”
Me “Yes, but he’s a bit small”
Pharmacist “Well does he get prescribed medication in the normal amounts usually?”
Me “He’s never had any medication”
Her “What none? Not even Calpol?”
Me “No. Nothing”
She just stared at me…. blankly…. for a really, long time. Then without any flicker of expression she just walked off…
Jeez. I’m super reassured as you can imagine.
Anyway, my natural medicine kit kicks the ass of Calpol any day so I doubt we’ll ever use it.
Al will probably find he won’t need his inhalers in Tenerife. The terrific climate is well-suited to those with chesty problems so I’m sure he won’t be using any very soon after you arrive.