Homeopathy for your Travels

by Rebecca Liston, H.D., DSHomMed

 

As summer approaches, plans for vacations are often top of mind. Traveling can bring about all sorts of excitement, but some of it may be unwanted. Motion sickness, food poisoning, and digestive upsets are some examples of things that can dampen the spirits of even the most enthusiastic traveler. Thankfully, with the help of homeopathy, many of these can be avoided completely, and at the very least, limited in their duration and severity.

Homeopathy is a safe, gentle, and effective form of natural holistic medicine. Homeopathic remedies are made from minute, potentized doses of substances found in nature. The remedy that best suits an individual is chosen by the physician based on the premise of “like cures like.” This is the Law of Similars which states that the symptoms produced by a substance taken in a large dose can be cured by that same substance if taken in a minute dose. A classic example of this premise is that of insomnia induced by too much coffee. It has been said that drinking large amounts of coffee often leads to sleeplessness. Interestingly, the homeopathic remedy made from coffee, called Coffea Cruda, is often used to treat insomnia. And so we see that coffee in small, homeopathic doses can cure that which coffee in large doses creates.

While homeopathic treatment for on-going or chronic ailments, diseases, or disturbances is best provided by a well-trained and qualified Homeopathic Doctor, treatment of acute conditions can be undertaken by anyone with an interest in learning to listen to the symptoms that the body is producing and who can be diligent in choosing the best remedy to suit the situation. All remedies are not created equal – each has its own specific action on the body and each will generate a particular response. Thus, your choice in homeopathic remedy when you are prescribing acutely is very important. Details of the patient’s condition are very important, as are descriptions of how they are feeling, and what makes them feel better or worse. It may take some practice, but you can become very good at choosing remedies for yourself and your family members if you are willing to pay attention to the details.

When you purchase homeopathic remedies for your personal first aid kit, you will notice that each remedy will be labeled with its name and its potency (e.g. 30C, 6X, or 1M). There are many different potencies available for purchase, but I usually recommend the 30C potency for home kits. If you purchase your remedies as small white pellets, one dose will be equivalent to two pellets. If you purchase your remedies as liquids, one dose will be equivalent to one sprays or two drops, depending on the dispensing mechanism of the bottle.

All Homeopathic Physicians will have their own routine for prescribing remedies, but in general for treatment of an acute condition, I recommend one dose every fifteen minutes until improvement is noted. Once you see improvement in the patient’s condition, stop the remedy. Start dosing again only if the original symptoms begin to return. If new symptoms arise, then you will need to choose a new remedy based on the symptoms that have now presented themselves. If you have been giving one dose every 15 minutes for a maximum of 2 hours and you see no improvement at all, choose another remedy. If in doubt, contact a Homeopathic Doctor for assistance.

Below is a chart of some remedies that are particularly useful for the traveler. The indications for each remedy are listed on the right. This chart is only a small list of useful remedies, but will certainly start you well on your way. Keep in mind also that the indications for use of each remedy has been tailored to this particular application only – each remedy’s potential for use far exceeds what is written below. The idea of this chart is to simply help you to begin to treat yourself and your family with confidence and to thus experience for yourself the amazing healing ability of homeopathy.

Motion Sickness

 

REMEDY: Cocculus

INDICATIONS:

  • Any type of motion sickness from looking at moving objects or watching things out of the window of a moving vehicle
  • Must lie down
  • Headache, nausea, vomiting
  • Nausea at sight or smell of food

 

REMEDY: Ipecacuahna

INDICATIONS:

  • Persistent nausea not relieved with vomiting
  • Almost constant gagging and retching
  • No thirst
  • Some relief from open air

 

REMEDY: Petroleum

INDICATIONS:

  • Sensation of great emptiness in the stomach relieved by constant eating
  • Disoriented
  • Nausea from hunger

 

REMEDY: Tabacum

INDICATIONS:

  • Deathly nauseous
  • Cold, clammy, and pale
  • Motion sickness from the least motion
  • Relieved with cold, fresh air
  • Excessive saliva – will spit a lot
  • Feels absolutely wretched
  • Vertigo worse with eyes open
  • A good choice for dogs with motion sickness

 

 

Digestive Upsets

 

REMEDY: Metallum Album

INDICATIONS:

  • Acute nausea, vomiting, and or diarrhea often as a result of food poisoning
  • Cannot tolerate smell or sight of food
  • Thirsty but only drinks in small sips
  • Burning pains in throat, anus
  • Exhausted but restless in bed
  • Anxious, afraid to be left alone
  • Feel cold, have cold sweats
  • Averse to cold drinks, feel better with warm drinks

 

REMEDY: Chamomilla

INDICATIONS:

  • Diarrhea especially in children and infants
  • Stool is slimy, green, offensive (smells like rotten eggs)
  • Irritable, quarrelsome, and inconsolable
  • Being rocked or carried provides minor relief

 

REMEDY: Ipecacuahna

INDICATIONS:

  • Acute nausea and vomiting
  • Nausea is not relieved by vomiting
  • Gagging and retching almost constantly
  • Thirstless
  • Some relief from open air

 

REMEDY: Mercurius

INDICATIONS:

  • Acute diarrhea
  • Never feel “done” – no matter how many times they pass a stool, still feel as though there is more to come
  • May retch and gag as they pass stool
  • Alternating feelings of being cold and then hot
  • Sensitive to temperature changes around them
  • Sweat profusely, salivate, and have offensive breath
  • Thirsty for cold drinks

 

REMEDY: Nux Vomica - also called Colubrina

INDICATIONS:

  • Acute nausea and vomiting as a result of over-eating, drinking alcohol
    (too much!), or food poisoning
  • Flatulence and bloating
  • Heartburn
  • Diarrhea or constipation accompanies nausea
  • Worse in morning on waking
  • Relief from warm drinks or compresses
  • Very irritable
  • Classic “hang-over” remedy

 

REMEDY: Podophyllum

INDICATIONS:

  • Diarrhea with nausea and vomiting
  • Gurgling in the abdomen
  • Stool is profuse, offensive, and explosive on release

 

REMEDY: Sulphur

INDICATIONS:

  • Sudden, involuntary expulsion of diarrhea especially when they think they will just pass gas
  • Stool is thin, watery, offensive, acrid, and smells of rotten eggs
  • Usually comes on at night or at first waking
  • Cold sweat on face and feet
  • Very thirsty for cold drinks but no appetite
  • Irritable and weepy

 

REMEDY: Veratrum Album

INDICATIONS:

  • Projectile vomiting and diarrhea
  • Very chilly
  • Very weak
  • Cold but crave cold drinks
  • Bloating in the abdomen and stomach cramps
  • Patient often lies on cold bathroom floor, even though he himself is freezing cold, between bouts of vomiting and/or diarrhea
  • Excellent for food poisoning

 

Thank you for your interest in homeopathy! I hope that the above information encourages you to try homeopathy for yourself. You will be amazed at the results! Happy travels!