When your customers head off on their hols, they’re dreaming of walking on the beaches not sitting it out in the hotel loo or nursing sunburnt shoulders. Jane Wolfe reports on natural solutions to holiday hazards.
When most of us imagine our summer holiday, we think of sun, sea and … relaxation. However, simply getting to your destination can be stressful, and unless you’re well prepared in advance, you may succumb to sunburn, be wiped out by holiday tummy, or swell up from the bite of an unidentified nasty. But help is at hand with an abundance of natural solutions to make your customers’ holidays happy, healthy and memorable for all the right reasons.
Up, up and away
The first problem that can arise is travel sickness. This is triggered by conflicting signals about the body’s spatial orientation being received by the brain, causing it to become confused and leading to a sense of dizziness and nausea.
One popular solution is ginger which can help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting.
It can be chewed raw, but is also available crystallised and as sweets, supplements and drinks. Homeopathic remedies like Petrolinum, Cocculus and Nux vom, as well Nat Sulph tissue salts, can help, and acupressure bands are popular, working on the specific pulse point that controls nausea and vomiting.
Other natural remedies for travel sickness include vitamin B6 and ginkgo bilboa, both of which can alleviate dizziness, magnesium to reduce stress and stomach acidity, and peppermint for vomiting.
It’s thought that 60-70% of people travelling long haul will experience symptoms of jet lag, caused by your body’s internal clock being disrupted when you’ve physically moved into a new time zone. “Obviously trying to stay awake until the proper bedtime in your destination country will help,” says Pam Buckle from Wild Oats, “but Asphalia helps to reset your body’s clock.”
Louise Duncan, owner of Grassroots Organic, says: “If people are going to America, we usually tell them to buy melatonin – you can’t get it in this country, but it’s one of the best things that you can take for jet lag.” Patrick Holford agrees, and suggests taking 100-200mg of 5-HTP an hour before you go to bed as the best UK-available alternative.
Valerian and hops are also good sleep aids, but if you want to stay alert, L theanine, spirulina and chlorella help fight fatigue, as does ginseng.
For the more anxious traveller, Duncan recommends Emergency Essence, Rescue Remedy or Calm & Clear to promote calmness. “If people are travelling by plane, they can put it in their water so that they drink it continuously throughout their journey.”
Alan Martin, owner of Food for Thought, suggests rhodiola, magnesium, B complex, and St John’s wort for anxiety, but says you need to start using these kind of supplements at least a week before you travel: “They won’t work if you have a fear of flying and only take them when it’s the last call for boarding.”
Save your skin
Although domestic holidays accounted for 60% of those taken in 2010, and overseas breaks were at their lowest for over a decade, this doesn’t affect the demand for sun protection, as most cases of sunburn happen in the UK, rather than abroad.
Consumers need to be made aware that sunscreens have an expiry date, and a shelf-life of about two to three years. It is recommended that a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above is used for protection. However, research has shown that many people apply too little sunscreen and burn more frequently when they use high factors because they think they can stay in the sun for longer, suggesting that high factor sunscreen may give people a false sense of security.
Duncan believes people are confused about the amount of protection required: “Some people think they have to wear sun protection all the time, but you do need some vitamin D – that’s what the sun’s for. We’ve had some people wandering in to buy suntan lotions in winter, and they live in Scotland.”
With people taking the risk of sunburn more seriously than ever, partly due to the negative publicity regarding harmful chemicals in conventional products, more consumers are looking for natural skin protection. Martin has seen a marked increase in demand: “The media love the frenzy of the public panicking over skin cancer and then fuel the fear by headlining the increase in rickets due to depletion of Vitamin D. Of course, we love it because suddenly we have customers looking for natural sun creams and the link sale of a pot of vitamin D3.”
Rob Kneebone, joint manager of The Natural Store, Falmouth, says: “We get a lot of people coming in off the beach, and have definitely seen an increase in demand for natural sun products. We’re finding a lot more parents are wanting less chemical-based things for their kids. ”
Kneebone finds that the shop’s holiday products sell on a mainly seasonal basis. “From May onwards we sell lots of sun cream, particularly in July and August when we see lots of holidaymakers.” He believes more people in the UK are now holidaying at home: “Last summer was a very busy trade time for us. It is expensive to go abroad, and Cornwall is a very popular destination.”
As well as a vast choice of natural sun creams, vitamin A and beta carotene help protect against burning, and if sunburn does occur, aloe vera lotion or gel has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.
Gut reaction
When travelling abroad, many people suffer as a result of changes in diet, over-indulgence or too much alcohol. In fact, it is estimated that about two-thirds of those in the UK suffer from ‘holiday tummy’, and according to the 2009 Digestive Matters report, one in five people stated that an upset stomach had either absolutely ruined their holiday or was a huge inconvenience.
Pre-holiday preparation is therefore well advised. Grass Roots’ Duncan recommends a three-step plan of action: start taking neem tablets about a week before you go; take probiotics before and during the holiday; and Citricidal Liquid to put in your water.
Probiotics are the most popular way to protect against stomach problems. By lowering the pH in the gut, they improve the environment for beneficial bacteria and reduce coloni-sation of unfriendly bacteria. And if you do eat something harmful, they significantly decrease recovery time. Probiotics should be taken at least a week before your holiday and throughout your time away. Martin advises: “Make sure you buy something that is shelf-stable and doesn’t need to be refrigerated.”
Indulging in too many ouzos can make for a miserable ‘morning after’ and waste a precious day. Milk thistle is generally recommended for a hangover as it is cleansing and supports the liver.
Alan Martin advocates artichoke, green tea, and vitamin B and C complex. “Try coconut water to rehydrate; it’s better than just drinking water, although it is important to also drink water if you are dehydrated.” Duncan agrees: “Coconut water has the perfect balance and hydrates you almost instantly. If you have an upset stomach, then something like aloe vera juice is helpful.”
Patrick Holford’s preferred hangover cure consists of taking 5g of glutamine powder with 2g of vitamin C and lots of water before you go to bed, and again when you wake up.
A sting in the tail
Another potential holiday hazard is if you prove just too tasty for the insects to resist, leading to painful and inflamed bites and stings. Duncan advises: “To keep the beasties away, take vitamin B1 or a
B complex high in B1 one to two weeks prior to leaving; the smell comes through your skin and the insects don’t like it.” Pam Buckle suggests eating garlic or taking
garlic capsules, but these mustn’t be odourless as, again, it is the smell that deters the critters.
If you have already been bitten, quercetin, aloe vera, and calendula cream are all good to soothe the skin. The swelling is due to the immune system releasing histamines to fight the venom, so natural antihistamines can help, such as vitamin C, grape seed extract, and pycnogenol.
Summer survival kits
There are a variety of travel-size suncare and bodycare kits now available for the canny packer. Green People’s limited edition Organic Homme Good to Go Travel Pack contains products for the hair, face and body. Other travel kits include Burt’s Bees’ Holiday Suitcase Tin, Aubrey Organics’ Travel a Gogo skincare kits, Dr Hauhska’s Daily Face Care Kit, and Sukin’s Gorgeous Getaways Kit.
As saving-space is a priority when packing, multi-function products are ideal. For example, Citricidal helps with stomach problems, cuts and bruises, and Findhorn’s Jetstream/Bon Voyage essence helps with stress and fatigue as well as jet lag.
Turmeric, another good all-rounder, helps digestive disorders and as a paste can be applied to bites, cuts and bruises. Z-Gel is a favourite as it can be used for bruises, stress and anxiety, minor cuts and wounds, itchy or irritated skin, insect stings and mosquito bites as well as sunburn.
Ainsworth’s Travel Kit deals with jet-lag, upset tummy, sunstroke, bites and injuries, with 9 homeopathic remedies and Hypericum & Calendula Tincture. The Tisserand Travel Survival Kit contains 3 remedy roller balls for different situations: Destress, Sleep, and Energise.
However, there doesn’t seem to be anything that combines different categories of holiday health products in one handy package. Kneebone comments: “We haven’t seen a kit that has all these things in it, but we do link selling, so if someone comes in for something we show them something else that may also benefit them.”
He adds: “We have a little travel section with mini bodycare products. You can take these on airplanes as they are under the 100ml limit. We stock all the insect bite sprays and creams as well. Last year we did a summer display and had all of these things displayed together.”
Martin agrees that there are no general survival kits: “It would be brilliant to have something in a ‘wash bag’ type container like a natural first aid survival kit.”
So, if you want to catch the holiday crowd this year, why not create a sunny display of holiday-related products and try your hand at holiday survival kits, incorporating a selection of favourite holiday essentials to see your customers safely on their way.
When most of us imagine our summer holiday, we think of sun, sea and … relaxation. However, simply getting to your destination can be stressful, and unless you’re well prepared in advance, you may succumb to sunburn, be wiped out by holiday tummy, or swell up from the bite of an unidentified nasty. But help is at hand with an abundance of natural solutions to make your customers’ holidays happy, healthy and memorable for all the right reasons.
Up, up and away
The first problem that can arise is travel sickness. This is triggered by conflicting signals about the body’s spatial orientation being received by the brain, causing it to become confused and leading to a sense of dizziness and nausea. One popular solution is ginger which can help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting. It can be chewed raw, but is also available crystallised and as sweets, supplements and drinks. Homeopathic remedies like Petrolinum, Cocculus and Nux vom, as well Nat Sulph tissue salts, can help, and acupressure bands are popular, working on the specific pulse point that controls nausea and vomiting.
Other natural remedies for travel sickness include vitamin B6 and ginkgo bilboa, both of which can alleviate dizziness, magnesium to reduce stress and stomach acidity, and peppermint for vomiting.It’s thought that 60-70% of people travelling long haul will experience symptoms of jet lag, caused by your body’s internal clock being disrupted when you’ve physically moved into a new time zone. “Obviously trying to stay awake until the proper bedtime in your destination country will help,” says Pam Buckle from Wild Oats, “but Asphalia helps to reset your body’s clock.”Louise Duncan, owner of Grassroots Organic, says: “If people are going to America, we usually tell them to buy melatonin – you can’t get it in this country, but it’s one of the best things that you can take for jet lag.” Patrick Holford agrees, and suggests taking 100-200mg of 5-HTP an hour before you go to bed as the best UK-available alternative.
Valerian and hops are also good sleep aids, but if you want to stay alert, L theanine, spirulina and chlorella help fight fatigue, as does ginseng.For the more anxious traveller, Duncan recommends Emergency Essence, Rescue Remedy or Calm & Clear to promote calmness. “If people are travelling by plane, they can put it in their water so that they drink it continuously throughout their journey.”Alan Martin, owner of Food for Thought, suggests rhodiola, magnesium, B complex, and St John’s wort for anxiety, but says you need to start using these kind of supplements at least a week before you travel: “They won’t work if you have a fear of flying and only take them when it’s the last call for boarding.”
“We’re finding a lot more parents are wanting less chemical-based things for their kids”
Save your skin
Although domestic holidays accounted for 60% of those taken in 2010, and overseas breaks were at their lowest for over a decade, this doesn’t affect the demand for sun protection, as most cases of sunburn happen in the UK, rather than abroad. Consumers need to be made aware that sunscreens have an expiry date, and a shelf-life of about two to three years. It is recommended that a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above is used for protection. However, research has shown that many people apply too little sunscreen and burn more frequently when they use high factors because they think they can stay in the sun for longer, suggesting that high factor sunscreen may give people a false sense of security.Duncan believes people are confused about the amount of protection required: “Some people think they have to wear sun protection all the time, but you do need some vitamin D – that’s what the sun’s for.
We’ve had some people wandering in to buy suntan lotions in winter, and they live in Scotland.” With people taking the risk of sunburn more seriously than ever, partly due to the negative publicity regarding harmful chemicals in conventional products, more consumers are looking for natural skin protection. Martin has seen a marked increase in demand: “The media love the frenzy of the public panicking over skin cancer and then fuel the fear by headlining the increase in rickets due to depletion of Vitamin D. Of course, we love it because suddenly we have customers looking for natural sun creams and the link sale of a pot of vitamin D3.”Rob Kneebone, joint manager of The Natural Store, Falmouth, says: “We get a lot of people coming in off the beach, and have definitely seen an increase in demand for natural sun products. We’re finding a lot more parents are wanting less chemical-based things for their kids. ”Kneebone finds that the shop’s holiday products sell on a mainly seasonal basis. “From May onwards we sell lots of sun cream, particularly in July and August when we see lots of holidaymakers.” He believes more people in the UK are now holidaying at home: “Last summer was a very busy trade time for us. It is expensive to go abroad, and Cornwall is a very popular destination.”As well as a vast choice of natural sun creams, vitamin A and beta carotene help protect against burning, and if sunburn does occur, aloe vera lotion or gel has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties.
Gut reaction
When travelling abroad, many people suffer as a result of changes in diet, over-indulgence or too much alcohol. In fact, it is estimated that about two-thirds of those in the UK suffer from ‘holiday tummy’, and according to the 2009 Digestive Matters report, one in five people stated that an upset stomach had either absolutely ruined their holiday or was a huge inconvenience.Pre-holiday preparation is therefore well advised. Grass Roots’ Duncan recommends a three-step plan of action: start taking neem tablets about a week before you go; take probiotics before and during the holiday; and Citricidal Liquid to put in your water. Probiotics are the most popular way to protect against stomach problems. By lowering the pH in the gut, they improve the environment for beneficial bacteria and reduce coloni-sation of unfriendly bacteria. And if you do eat something harmful, they significantly decrease recovery time. Probiotics should be taken at least a week before your holiday and throughout your time away. Martin advises: “Make sure you buy something that is shelf-stable and doesn’t need to be refrigerated.” Indulging in too many ouzos can make for a miserable ‘morning after’ and waste a precious day. Milk thistle is generally recommended for a hangover as it is cleansing and supports the liver. Alan Martin advocates artichoke, green tea, and vitamin B and C complex. “Try coconut water to rehydrate; it’s better than just drinking water, although it is important to also drink water if you are dehydrated.” Duncan agrees: “Coconut water has the perfect balance and hydrates you almost instantly. If you have an upset stomach, then something like aloe vera juice is helpful.” Patrick Holford’s preferred hangover cure consists of taking 5g of glutamine powder with 2g of vitamin C and lots of water before you go to bed, and again when you wake up.
A sting in the tail
Another potential holiday hazard is if you prove just too tasty for the insects to resist, leading to painful and inflamed bites and stings. Duncan advises: “To keep the beasties away, take vitamin B1 or a B complex high in B1 one to two weeks prior to leaving; the smell comes through your skin and the insects don’t like it.” Pam Buckle suggests eating garlic or taking garlic capsules, but these mustn’t be odourless as, again, it is the smell that deters the critters.If you have already been bitten, quercetin, aloe vera, and calendula cream are all good to soothe the skin. The swelling is due to the immune system releasing histamines to fight the venom, so natural antihistamines can help, such as vitamin C, grape seed extract, and pycnogenol. Summer survival kits There are a variety of travel-size suncare and bodycare kits now available for the canny packer. Green People’s limited edition Organic Homme Good to Go Travel Pack contains products for the hair, face and body. Other travel kits include Burt’s Bees’ Holiday Suitcase Tin, Aubrey Organics’ Travel a Gogo skincare kits, Dr Hauhska’s Daily Face Care Kit, and Sukin’s Gorgeous Getaways Kit. As saving-space is a priority when packing, multi-function products are ideal. For example, Citricidal helps with stomach problems, cuts and bruises, and Findhorn’s Jetstream/Bon Voyage essence helps with stress and fatigue as well as jet lag.
Turmeric, another good all-rounder, helps digestive disorders and as a paste can be applied to bites, cuts and bruises. Z-Gel is a favourite as it can be used for bruises, stress and anxiety, minor cuts and wounds, itchy or irritated skin, insect stings and mosquito bites as well as sunburn.Ainsworth’s Travel Kit deals with jet-lag, upset tummy, sunstroke, bites and injuries, with 9 homeopathic remedies and Hypericum & Calendula Tincture. The Tisserand Travel Survival Kit contains 3 remedy roller balls for different situations: Destress, Sleep, and Energise. However, there doesn’t seem to be anything that combines different categories of holiday health products in one handy package. Kneebone comments: “We haven’t seen a kit that has all these things in it, but we do link selling, so if someone comes in for something we show them something else that may also benefit them.” He adds: “We have a little travel section with mini bodycare products. You can take these on airplanes as they are under the 100ml limit. We stock all the insect bite sprays and creams as well. Last year we did a summer display and had all of these things displayed together.”Martin agrees that there are no general survival kits: “It would be brilliant to have something in a ‘wash bag’ type container like a natural first aid survival kit.” So, if you want to catch the holiday crowd this year, why not create a sunny display of holiday-related products and try your hand at holiday survival kits, incorporating a selection of favourite holiday essentials to see your customers safely on their way.
Holiday Health Listings
TravelGuard®
BioCare® Ltd, Lakeside, 180 Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham B30 3NU
Tel No: 0121 433 3727
E-mail: [email protected]
www.biocare.co.uk
Overseas holidays can often mean that travellers encounter unexpected standards of hygiene and water quality, but help is at hand with TravelGuard®. A probiotic supplement combined with plant oils to help support intestinal health, TravelGuard® is the natural choice for both before and during travel. The specially developed DuoCap® technology used in TravelGuard® releases liquid plant oils into the stomach, then the probiotics separately, directly into the gut, protecting the good bacteria from stomach acid and plant oils to give better absorption. RRP £17.60 for 15 caps. Available online from www.biocare.co.uk or by calling 0121 433 3727.
Unique travel hair duo with UV protection – sun & sports shampoo
Green People Pondtail Farm,
Coolham Road, West Grinstead,
West Sussex RH13 8LN
Tel: 01403 740350 Fax: 01403 741810
E-mail: [email protected]
www.greenpeople.co.uk
Sunlight, salt water and chlorine all take their toll on hair, leaving it feeling coarse and looking dull and lifeless. Green People’s new travel size sun & sport shampoo and conditioner have a protective action against damage to both proteins and oils to maintain healthy hair structure, shine and guard against dryness and coarseness. The shampoo with UV protection washes away salt, chlorine and pollutants to uncover brilliant shine whilst the conditioner reduces damage to proteins in the hair shaft and defends against UV damage. Zingy aromas of lemongrass and ginger makes this unique formulation for summer hair.
Acidophilus Plus
HealthAid Ltd, HealthAid House,
Marlborough Hill, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 1UD
Tel: 020 8426 3400 Fax: 020 8426 3434
E-mail: [email protected]
www.HealthAid.co.uk
A key to good digestive health and overall well-being is the maintenance of a healthy bacterial balance in the gut. Poor diet, stress, alcohol and antibiotics can wreak havoc in the gastrointestinal tract by destroying good bacteria. Bursting with four billion gastric and bile resistant strains of friendly bacteria, HealthAid Acidophilus Plus 4 billion offers beneficial probiotics, all cultured, using a dairy-free medium. It helps to keep harmful bacteria at bay, while boosting and balancing the body’s natural defences, giving strength, vigour and vitality to the body. Acidophilus Plus retails at £11.49 for 60 capsules.
The traveller’s friend
Helios Homeopathy Ltd, 89-97 Camden Rd, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2QR
Tel: 01892 537254 Fax: 01892 515116
E-mail: [email protected]
www.helios.co.uk
Helios creams in tubes are made using the finest quality botanical tinctures, essential oils and other natural plant based ingredients. Known as the traveller’s friend Urtical cream contains organically grown Urtica Urens and Calendula plants and essential oils of Lavender and Roman Chamomile. Soothing relief for burning, itchy and irritated skin caused by minor sunburn, prickley heat and allergic reactions to insect bites and stings. Our creams do
not contain lanolin, petroleum derivatives or artificial preservatives making them gentle enough for the most delicate skin. For details of our full range please contact Roz Crompton Tel: 01892 537254
Nature’s Answer – Oil of Oregano
Kinetic Enterprises
Tel: 0845 0725 825 Fax: 0845 0725 826
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kinetic4health.co.uk
Active compounds within the oil of oregano possess potent anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effect. In addition to popularity as an internal treatment for candidiasis and other infections, oregano oil can also be used externally as an antiseptic and fungal treatment. It is also a respiratory and digestive tonic. An age-old remedy, Oil of Oregano has been scientifically proven to be one of the strongest and most effective broad spectrum antibiotics known to man. It effectively kills bacteria of every variety using only tiny amounts. Nature’s Answer Oil of Oregano is ideal for treating fungal and bacterial infections both internally and externally and is available in an alcohol-free liquid extract.
ReNew Life – Ultimate Flora 50 Billion
Kinetic Enterprises
Tel: 0845 0725 825 Fax: 0845 0725 826
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kinetic4health.co.uk
The high culture count and the 10 strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria cultures in Ultimate Flora Billion help the body to maintain a healthy balance of intestinal flora. Flora billion’s has 50 billion active cultures per capsule, 30 Bilion bifidobacterium cultures per capsule, for the large intestine, 20 Billion Lactobacillus and lactococcus cultures per capsule, accurately representing the natural ratio of beneficial bacteria found in a healthy colon. The living culture is encased in a water based enteric coated vegetable capsule to protect them from stomach acid, allowing the capsule to dissolve in the intestine for better delivery of pro-biotics. In addition 50 billion includes and FOS (Fructooligosaccharides).
Fitness Pharma Complete Range
Martin Greaves, Natupharma UK Limited, 10 Guild Street, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6RE
Tel: 07951 414616
E-mail: [email protected]
www.natupharma.uk.com
The Complete Range from Fitness Pharma is the ideal travel companion. The range of 5 products is designed to give your customers the optimum nutrition for selected conditions. With each box containing 3 different food supplements in four handy strips for 28 days ‘Complete’ care. No need for 3 bulky pots and troubles at airport security, one strip and you are away for a week. They even have the days of the week to help you remember. ‘Complete’ care in four handy strips, available exclusively through Tree of Life.
Kromland Farm
Only Natural Products. Kithurst Barns, Kithurst Farm Road, Storrington, West Sussex, RH20 4HT
Tel: 01903 740530 Fax: 01903 740530
E-mail: [email protected]
www.kromlandfarm.com
Kromland Farm Organic Rooibos tea is a premium brand of rooibos tea deeply rooted in the rich heritage of South Africa, and has a uniquely sweet and soothing taste. Kromland Farm is an organic, single-estate rooibos tea grown on a pioneering farm in the area of South Africa noted for producing the world’s finest quality rooibos. We have added Rooibos Earl Grey and Rooibos Vanilla to the ever popular original Kromland Farm. Kromland Farm’s packaging encompasses South Africa’s colorful and vibrant culture.
SUPERFOODS
Pharm Med Ltd,
Unit 2 Mill Yard Industrial Estate, Columbia Avenue, Edgware, HA8 5EF
Tel: +44(0)20 7998 7599 Fax: +44(0)20 7998 7754
E-mail: [email protected]
www.superfoodstm.co.uk
Superfoods™ are developed from high quality ingredients deriving from nature with amazing recorded properties. We select the highest quality varieties of plants and natural raw materials to create premium quality food supplements, natural sweeteners, vitamins and minerals, to become your health’s ally. Superfoods™ are manufactured according to GMP [Good Manufacturing Practice],ISO9001:2008, ISO22000:2005, TSE and non-GMO, using the soft capsule advanced technology. The range includes forty products, some of which are unique; Hippophaes (Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil) for healthy hair, skin and nails, Crocus (Saffron Extract) supporting brain functions such as memory, Zeolite (natural detoxifier), and Steviana (natural sweetener).
