Staying healthy this summer

Jenny wants everyone to have a healthy and happy holiday this year

Summer is here, and for many that means the holiday season.

But how can you ensure that everyone has a healthy and happy holiday this year?

Jenny Logan is a trained Nutritional Therapist who runs a health food store on Pedder Street in Morecambe, and she offers her advice on staying healthy this summer.

From bugs, flight fears and protecting your skin in the sun, Jenny has tips on natural remedies to help you.

Bugs and beasties

Firstly we will have a quick look at the best ways to keep those nasty stomach bugs at bay. For many an attack of holiday tummy is something which lingers on the horizon of every holiday they take. Indeed in the past it has been the same for me; my husband used to joke that he could not take me anywhere without my getting poisoned and spending at least one day of every holiday locked in the bathroom feeling sorry for myself.

That was until I started taking probiotics containing Acidophilus and Rhamnosus on holiday with me. The Rhamnosus bacteria has a lot of research behind it in helping to keep nasties like salmonella and e coli at bay and I credit it entirely with the fact that for the last three years I have been able to enjoy my holidays without any stomach problems.

One of the other reasons why people will often get an upset stomach is because they will end up trying local delicacies. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that of course and for many people if you are in a foreign country, part of the fun is to explore new cultures and foods, but this will often mean that we end up eating things which we are not used to eating.

People will often get an upset stomach after trying local delicacies

When we do we are also eating things which our digestive systems are not used to and it is this which can lead us into a few problems. It is for this very reason that I usually also travel with a digestive enzyme supplement in my bag. Digestive enzymes basically will digest the foreign foods for you and make it less likely that you end up upset.

Looking at the other bugs which can mar a holiday from the Scottish highland midge to mosquitoes many people get bitten every year, so its always a good idea to look at how to repel these horrible beasties.

Firstly take a supplement of vitamin B1. Vitamin B1 apparently makes us smell unpleasant to bugs and beasties, mosquitoes particularly are repelled by the smell of it. The even better news is that it is only the sensitive noses of the flying bugs that can smell it on you, no human could detect it so you will not smell unpleasant to anyone else.

Secondly a good insect repellent, which is not unkind to the skin and has no nasties in is in order. In India, the only tree that is not eaten by locusts is the Neem tree and it was from observing this phenomenon that the local herbalists started to assume that Neem had some kind of insect repellent activity. Neem Insect Repellent is now available in the UK and it has been very effective over the years. My father is often involved in relief work out in Uganda and it is the Neem insect repellent that he uses and has always found helpful. (For those with children at school it is worth noting that Neem can also get rid of head lice and Vogel also produce a head lice treatment with Neem as the main ingredient).

Flight fears

For many people a fear of flying can stop them looking forward to a holiday with excitement, filling them instead with dread at the thought of having to go up in a plane. We see a lot of people every year with this problem, they want to go on holiday with their families but they can think of nothing else except the plane journey.

We have also seen other people whose fear actually prevents them going abroad for a holiday. Now I am a fan of our country and feel that England has a great deal to offer so I am not saying it is terrible to have to holiday in this country, but for people who have no choice and who feel that they are letting down other members of their family because they cannot stand even the thought of getting on a plane to go anywhere else, this can be a real problem.

The good news is that there are a number of things which we have used throughout the years to help people get to grips with these nerves, get on the plane and enjoy their holiday.

For many people a fear of flying can stop them looking forward to a holiday with excitement, filling them instead with dread Jenny Logan

There are two main herbal remedies which can be wonderful for people who are stressed out and worried. One is Valerian, the other is Avena Sativa. Valerian is great for people who get stressed, tense and even angry. It is calming a relaxing and we often suggest it for people who have problems sleeping. For people who are stressed about a plane journey, starting to take it several weeks before you fly can make sure that your sleep is not disturbed by your fears and can also ensure that you greet the day in question feeling much calmer and more in control.

For people who are anxious and worried, what if this happens, what if that happens… then Avena Sativa has traditionally been the herb for you. Started several weeks before hand, it can help to calm anxiety and fears so that it does not seem so daunting a task to get onto the plane.

However, I am also perfectly aware that many people reading this article could well be thinking, well that's all very well talking about these remedies that you have to start taking a few weeks before you fly, but I am flying next week and am feeling really stressed about it, what will help me? The answer is an amino acid called L-Theanine.

L-Theanine works by increasing the amount of 'chilled out' alpha brain waves that you are producing, so it turns off your brain and is quite literally a 'chill pill'. We have used this in a number of immediate anxiety situations, including one lady who was terrified of going into hospital, several people who were worried about their driving tests and some people who were terrified of flying and I am happy to report a successful outcome in each case.

The wonderful thing about L-Theanine is that it works almost instantly, if you swallow that tablet then it usually helps within half an hour, but if you empty the contents of the capsule onto your tongue then it can calm you down within only 10 minutes!

Summer skin health

Several years ago we had a lady come in to see us, she loved going off on foreign holidays every summer but the prickly heat she suffered with as a result of these holidays was getting worse every year.

In desperation she came to us worrying she was going to have to start seeking out cold destinations every summer to relieve her symptoms. After talking to her we discovered that she suffered with red lumps on her skin which itched excessively and were worse at night in bed.

In fact they were so bad at night that she was struggling to get any sleep. We suggested to her that she try the homeopathic remedy of sulphur, which is a traditional blood cooler. The good news is that this lady came flying back into our shop two weeks later with a great big smile on her face, because she had not suffered at all with prickly heat on her holiday and had as a result been able to fully enjoy her break rather than having to retire regularly to her air conditioned room to seek comfort.

Aloe Vera is so cooling and soothing, it takes the heat right out of the burn

Sulphur is fantastic as a skin remedy where there is redness and itching and if your prickly heat fits that description then it is probably well worth a try. However, if your prickly heat looks more like you have walked through a patch of nettles, with raised white lumps, which may burn and itch then the remedy for you to choose instead is Urtica.

We do have many similar stories about the Urtica, one of the best is a girl who suffers even in this country, once the weather heats up, looking like she has been walking through a field of nettles and suffering almost permanent discomfort through the summer months. She first came in a few years ago with these symptoms and we gave her some Urtica to try. She now appears in the shop every summer for a refill and has told us that it has made a real difference to her ability to enjoy the summer months.

Another way that the skin can suffer in hot weather or on holiday is sunburn. Now we are all becoming increasingly aware of the damage that sun can do to the skin and the risks of skin cancer with exposure to sunlight. This is why every year through the summer month I take Beta Carotene.

We have always sold a lot a Beta Carotene in the summer, because people have traditionally bought it to help improve their tanning! The truth is that it can actually improve tanning, because it reduces the risk of burning. The great news is that it has also been found to protect against skin cancers so as well as helping with tanning it is also skin protective.

As well as this always make sure that you have some Aloe Vera gel to hand. If you do get sunburned this can be a real life saver. Aloe Vera is so wonderfully cooling and soothing, it takes the heat right out of the burn and helps the skin to heal as well. I have never sat in the sun for any time without protection, but I also never travel with out a tube of Aloe Vera gel, just in case!

Hope that this helps you all have a happy and health holiday season!

Article sent in by Jenny Logan

Remember to always read the information supplied with any medication or natural remedies - and if you're feeling unwell, see the doctor!