This time of year many people are planning vacations or ocean cruises to sunny hot climes.

Unfortunately, for many who make that dream a reality, they could spend most of their time in the washroom with diarrhea and vomiting instead of on the beach sipping tropical drinks.

It certainly would be a double slap in the face if you were to eat one of those tropical fruits that were tainted with e-coli or salmonella while on vacation.

Anytime you travel, whether domestically or internationally, there is a risk of a mild digestive upset whether from too many ice-cream cones or full blown e-coli from tainted meat, vegetables or Norwalk virus because some food handler did not wash their hands after using the washroom and then prepared your breakfast.

Do not forget about hepatitis or botulism either, because the potential looms for that.

Sometimes you can prevent these acute illnesses from happening by taking a few precautions, and other times you cannot. It makes for a more enjoyable trip if you are prepared for the events that you may have control over.

The first item I pack if I am going away, whether for the day or for an extended period is my homeopathic first-aid travel kit.

I have at least 30 to 40 homeopathic remedies in the kit for situations such as food poisoning, traumas, insect bites, fevers and so on.

It is a good idea also to have some of the usual standard first-aid items on hand such as Band-Aids, alcohol wipes and the like.

You may also want to have some latex gloves in case you have an occasion where you are exposed to questionable situations.

Should you be unlucky enough to ingest contaminated food or water, the vomiting and/or diarrhea are more of a threat to your health than the particular pathogen, whether it be a virus, bacterium, or parasite.

Diarrhea can be managed with homeopathic remedies such as arsenicum or podophyllum; these should already be in your homeopathic first-aid kit.         

There are some excellent homeopathic remedies also for malaria. One such remedy is the homeopathic remedy china.

I would consider taking that before taking the pharmaceutical medicine quinine which has some side effects that include rash, nausea, low blood glucose level, severe swelling of lips, face or tongue and flushing, to name a few.

If you have made an appointment to have your travel vaccinations you may want to cancel it and do some more research before you commit.

Anytime you are around a large number of people there tends to be a greater risk for contracting an illness especially if it is in close quarters such as on a cruise ship.

A good general rule when traveling in developing countries is not to eat raw fruit and vegetables that you do not peel yourself, raw or undercooked seafood or meat, unpasteurized dairy products, or anything from a street vendor.

Also, do not drink tap water, drinks made with tap water, or with ice made from tap water.

When you get back from your winter vacation and you become sick within three months, make sure you get thoroughly checked out by your medical practitioner because there is always the threat of parasites or other types of infection that take a while to produce symptoms.

Enjoy yourself and try to relax, catch up on your reading and remember to be respectful to the local population of the place you visit.

If you are mindful of basic health precautions without being overly cautious, it should be a stress free vacation.

John G. Sherman is a professional classical homeopath in Kelowna.

250-764-2487

homeopath

@okanaganhomeopathy.ca