Backpacking with young children is a great way to travel but can have its challenges, as we discovered during our two weeks of travelling in Northern Thailand in January 2013. Thankfully our 3 and 7 year old like egg fried rice and January in Northern Thailand is winter and the perfect time to travel. Not too hot and very few mosquitoes.
We started in Chiang Mai, then travelled north to Chiang Rai, visiting the Golden Triangle and loc
al hill tribes, then onto the Lampang Elephant Conservation Centre, ancient ruins at Sukhotai, and finally a few days rest in Phuket
Thailand is a relatively easy and inexpensive place to travel round with very friendly people. The main hazards would have to be traffic and tummy bugs. Thankfully we didn't have problems with either, and escaped relatively lightly with just a few cuts and grazes with our accident prone daughter.
This time our first aid kit was much smaller than our usual kit. I've included a list below of natural solutions forten common health concerns while travelling. The oils that I use and recommend are doTerra's Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils.
My top 10 natural first aid travel tips
- Insect repellent: we used an essential oil blend made by doTerra called Terrashield as well as a natural repellent made by Mosi-Guard. Both worked really well.
- Insect bites: if we did get bitten by the occasional insect, then a drop of lavender and melaleuca took away any swelling and itching within minutes.
- Stomach upsets: as a preventative we used product called Travel Bug by Ethical Nutrients, and I also took a probiotic (I can recommend doTerra's PB Assist). We also carried another Essential Oil Blend called DigestZen, just in case of any stomach upsets, indigestion, diarrhoea etc.
- Sunscreen: I used a mix of fractionated coconut oil and sandalwood essential oil. Its not the cheapest sunscreen but it smells great and works well. I only tested this on myself and used Invisible Zinc on my kids. I would recommend caution and doing further research if you decide to make your own essential oil based sunscreen.
- Skin irritations: Lavender oil for everything skin, including too much sun, as well as for dry lips.
- Grazes and scrapes: Clove oil for pain relief, helichrysum for reducing bleeding and bruising, melaleuca/tea tree and lavender to support healthy healing.
- Aching heads: I use essential oil blends of Past Tense and Deep Blue, and single oils of lavender, frankincense and peppermint.
- Deodorant: A mix of wild orange, frankincense and Fractionated Coconut Oil mixed in a small spray bottle.
- Hand wash: 10 drops of the On Guard blend mixed with water in a small spray bottle. (doTerra now has the On Guard Sanitising Mist, which is great)
- Aches and pains: Deep Blue Rub and essential oil blends of Deep Blue and Aroma Touch.
Including everything in the above list, my kit was small and lightweight, I took it with me everywhere, and we used it every day. I also took a handy reference guide: An Introduction to Modern Essentials, which has a very useful A-Z guide for the therapeutic use of essential oils.
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Happy and healthy living!
Tanya
Disclaimer: Please remember that these are powerful oils and supplements and shouldn’t be used without checking directions on how to use these safely. Always consult with your doctor if you are unsure or you are taking medication. The information in this blog is intended for education purposes only, the statements have not been evaluated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Theraputic Good Association (TGA). These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with a medical practitioner. These suggested uses applu only to certified Pure Theraputic Grade (CPTG) Doterra Essential Oils.