Ever the optimist, I am going to offer you some information about keeping fit and well during summer in the sun.
It would be foolish be without a tube of Aloe Vera gel. Best known for its amazing healing effects on any sort of burn; sunburn, camp fire accident, over-confident- down- the- death- slide rope burn. It has a wonderful cooling effect the skin. It can also soothe insect bites, nettle rash (if you can’t find a dock leaf) and any serious chafing.
Should the midges start biting, there are several effective natural ways to send them to an alternative meal on legs. The essential oil Citronella has a deterrent effect. It can cause some irritation on the skin so I prefer Neem insect repellent. There are clinical trials to prove it works. As an alternative to a spray you can take vitamin B1, 300mg a day, which changes the smell of your skin enough to confuse the nippers. Garlic does this too, but it has to be eaten raw and probably for several weeks to get the required effect.
Digestive mayhem is a common problem on holiday. There is no way to put this delicately…some become very constipated. Reduced fluid intake, increased alcohol consumption and warmer weather, all contribute to a dehydrating effect. Add a bit of tension for a potentially uncomfortable time. Starting the day with ground flaxseed (aka linseed) and a large glass of juice will sort the problem for most. Some take Ortis Fruit cubes, chew at night, go in the morning, as an option.
On the other side of the coin is the danger of picking up some ‘bug’ that gives you ‘the runs’. We all should have over a kilo of useful flora in our digestive track which prevents bad bacteria from developing. Take probiotics as a supplement to avoid this danger. Should you prefer to act only if you get the ‘trots’, there is a probiotic (Saccharomyces boulardii) that works as quickly as Imodium, doesn’t bung you up, and can be taken by anyone over 3 years old. It’s very handy to have in your emergency kit.
Remember that we need some sunshine on our skin to produce
vitamin D, so don’t be too hasty to slap on sunscreen. Just don’t get burnt.
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