Wealden Times | WT171 | May 2016 | Restoration & New Build supplement inside

Packed &
prepped
It’s getting to that time of year again and many of us are eagerly awaiting
our summer holidays. So whether you’re camping in Cornwall or jetsetting
off halfway around the world, here are some top travel tips...
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The natural remedy
Roz Crompton is a Homeopath
at Helios, Tunbridge Wells...
Long haul flights can often cause all sorts of
problems, is there anything we can do to make the
process easier? Homeopathic and natural remedies
can help with fear of flying, physical discomfort,
general tiredness and sleep disturbances. Helios Stress
Relief contains three remedies all associated with fear,
anticipation and anxiety, which may be experienced
before/during flying. Long periods of inactivity can
leave you feeling stiff and achey, with swollen lower
limbs, so I recommend wearing flight socks and
taking Arnica every 3-4 hours during your journey.
Are there any repellents/bite creams that are
less chemically harsh? A great chemical free
alternative is Incognito insect repellent products.
They’ve been tried and tested at the Centre for
Tropical Diseases, and you can choose from a
spray, roll on, body wash, soap and incense sticks
to burn if you are sitting outside. Vitamin B1 is
purported to have insect repellent properties and
the homeopathic remedies Ledum, Hypericum and
Apis can be very useful to lessen the effects of bites.
Miranda Castros Healing Gel for bites & stings
and Helios Urtical cream for itching and burning
are very soothing and without harmful chemicals.
When travelling to certain countries, why should
we take probiotics? A good probiotic supports
the gut flora and helps protect against bacterial
infection. Due to dietary shifts, un-hygienic food
preparation and a change in water, stomach upsets
are a possibility, so drink bottled mineral water, don’t
have ice in your drinks, stay away from salad which
may have been washed in tap water and ensure
you peel all fruit. If you do have a stomach upset
whilst away probiotics will help put the good flora
back into the digestive system. I recommend Solgar
Multibillion Dophillus and Optibac probiotics for
the traveller. There are also homeopathic remedies
that can help with food poisoning and other
digestive upsets such as Arsenicum and China.
All remedies are made by traditional methods by
hand at the Pharmacy and Manufacturing premises
in the heart of Tunbridge Wells and Covent Garden,
London. Visit www.helios.co.uk to find out more.
The eye care specialist
Sundeep Vaswani is based at Benenden Hospital....
How significant are the sunglasses we wear? Don’t be misled by
cosmetically appealing inexpensive sunglasses with dark lenses. While you
may think they’re sufficient, only lenses that provide 100% UV protection
will give you the necessary protection from the sun’s rays. When choosing
sunglasses it’s important to choose a frame that maximises coverage of the
eyes and they should have lenses with 100% UVA and UVB protection. In
certain activities, such as skiing and sailing, the brightness levels tend to be
higher so it’s useful to have darker tints and polarized lenses to reduce glare.
Is there anything else we can do to look after our eyes? Keeping
properly hydrated during the hot summer months will go a long way
towards protecting both your eyes and skin. The recommended daily
water intake is a minimum two litres. Wearing a visor or wide brimmed
hat will give you added protection against harmful UV rays and
wearing goggles in a swimming pool gives your eyes protection from
germs and chlorine. When the sun is hidden by clouds UV rays are
still able to penetrate through them, even if you’re in the shade. So stay
indoors when the sun and its UV output are at their peak: midday.
Sundeep Vaswani is a Consultant Refractive Optometrist at
Benenden Hospital. To book an appointment or find out more
call 01580 240333 or visit www.benendenhospital.org.uk
The GP
Dr Zoë Barron’s travel tips....
Any tips on avoiding jet lag? It can be very difficult to avoid jet lag
completely, but there are a few ways of minimizing it. Maintaining
good hydration is an obvious one, and avoid getting a hangover! Start
thinking about the time-zone you will be landing in prior to reaching
your destination and nap on the plane accordingly. When you land, try
to adjust your body to the new time zone by staying awake and getting
an early night. I, like many other GPs, don’t recommend sleeping tablets.
They can leave you feeling worse during the flight and can easily become
relied upon if not used with sensible care and attention. Best to avoid.
Any advice on great products to take to make travel more pleasant?
Anything cashmere. Socks, a scarf or a jumper make everything infinitely
more comfy and warm as in-flight air-con can be brutal. A facial misting
spray can help keep the skin hydrated and baby wipes are useful to freshen
up with before arriving at your destination. Grab a good lip balm and use
skin moisturiser, as massaging the hands and feet can help with circulation.
Rehydrating eye drops reduce that pinky, bleary eyed appearance at arrival
and an eye mask and ear plugs are a must if you actually want some shut-eye!
Dr Zoë Barron. MBChB, MRCGP qualified in 2002 from Leeds
University and is a GP partner in Yarm, Stockton-on-Tees.
129 www.wealdentimes.co.uk