Be Summer Smart

Make sure your holiday from heaven doesn’t become a holiday from hell with our stay-well guide.

You may have been waiting a long time for the sunshine, but now it’s here, don’t forget your wellbeing in your haste to soak up the sun’s rays. Here’s how to stay healthy this season - at home or abroad.

BUGS AND BEASTIES
When it comes to insect bites, prevention is better than cure. Key biting times are at dawn and dusk, so be prepared. Covering yourself with citronella oil will help to repel the nibbling mites while burning a few drops in a burner can help to turn your bedroom into a bite-free zone. Other protective tactics include covering your arms and legs when going out, especially on warm summer evenings, and using an electric mosquito killer or sleeping under a net at night.

You get bitten…

• Antihistamines can help itching and in emergencies a dab of toothpaste can work wonders.
• Calendula cream will help reduce swelling and relieve itching while lavender essential oil or aloe vera gel can be very soothing. If you don’t have these with you, a few drops of fresh lemon juice may do the trick just as well.
• Itchy areas are caused by an allergy to the insect’s sting, so a dose of quercetin may help to ease any discomfort.

JET LAG
Travelling across time zones can play havoc with your normal sleeping habits, leaving you feeling exhausted but unable to sleep at your usual time. Start adjusting your going-to-bed and getting-up times by around half an hour each day for a week before you go. If you are flying east, go to bed earlier than usual, and if you are flying west, stay up later than usual.

Your body clock unwinds...

• As soon as you arrive at your destination, start living on local time. If you start to feel very sleepy, a cold shower or a brisk walk should soon wake and revive you. If you can’t get to sleep however, have a warm bath or a soothing cup of camomile tea.
• Take it easy for the first few days to give your body clock the chance to adjust.
• A supplement of guarana or ginseng can help you to adapt to different time zones.

TRAVELLER’S TUMMY
According to the experts, around 15 per cent of European holidaymakers and up to 58 per cent of long-haul travellers develop traveller’s tummy. Again prevention is better than cure. For starters, say no to the following five foods which are common food-poisoning culprits:
shellfish, poorly cooked meat, warmed-up rice, ice cubes and salad washed in dirty water. Taking a probiotic such as acidophilus before your trip can help to build up levels of good bacteria in your stomach. Beneflora is a good choice – priced £7.69 for seven one-a-day sachets, it can safely be taken by everyone aged six and over.

You get ‘Delhi belly’...

• Drink, drink, drink as much fluid as you can.
• Lavender, camomile or peppermint tea can help to settle your stomach as well as rehydrate you.
• Stick to plain foods for at least 48 hours.

HEADACHES
If you wake up with a headache from hell, chances are you’ve over-indulged in either the sun or the sangria. Other triggers include dehydration, travel tiredness and even the sudden winding down after months of hard work without a break.

Your head starts to pound...

• Lying in a darkened room and drinking plenty of fluid can help to soothe the pain.
• Try homoeopathy: Nux vomica may help to ease a hangover headache while Belladonna is good for headaches brought on by too much sun.
• Remember to drink at least six glasses of water every day – but not all at the same time.

SUNBURN
The best avoidance tactic is to stay out of the sun or at least follow a safe sun strategy (see SUNSMART on page 8). If you do misjudge time spent soaking up the rays, it’s vital to stay out of the sun completely until your skin has recovered.

You start to go red...

• Apply a soothing, moisturising cream like aloe vera gel. It encourages damaged skin to heal, too.
• Vitamins C and E may also help. For small areas, try piercing a vitamin capsule and squeezing out the oil before applying to the affected area.

CYSTITIS
Not having easy access to a loo or holding on until you find the next decent one often happens on holiday, increasing your chances of urinary infections such as cystitis. The combination of heat, summer loving and dehydration can also increase your risk, especially if you have had cystitis before. The key is to drink plenty of water and go to the loo often.

You start to sting…

• Swallow a capsule of Urell express cranberry concentrate (£9.95 for fifteen days’ supply) as soon as you feel discomfort. Cranberries are known to contain substances that can help prevent unwanted bacteria sticking to the bladder walls.
• A teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in a glass of water can sometimes help, as can a regular dose of vitamin C. (Use the calcium or magnesium ascorbate form, not ascorbic acid which can be too acidic if you have cystitis.)
• Take a painkiller to relieve any discomfort. Placing a covered hot water bottle over your tummy sometimes helps, too.
• Drink plenty to flush the bacteria out of your system.
• Avoid drinking alcohol if you’re suffering.

BE SUNSMART

Applying sunscreen is just one element of staying safe in the sun. For complete protection follow Cancer Research UK’s SunSmart Code:

• Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are strongest.
• Make sure you never burn.
• Always cover up with loose clothing, a hat and sunglasses.
• Remember to take extra care of children and older people whose skin is delicate and easily burnt.
• Then use factor 15+ sunscreen.

ALL ABOUT DVT

WHAT IT IS
Staying in the same position for a period of time on long flights and car journeys can lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the leg that can travel around the body and, in some cases, prove fatal.

SYMPTOMS
These include your leg swelling, becoming discoloured or aching like mad. Pins and needles may also indicate DVT. If you notice any of the above, you should tell the cabin crew IMMEDIATELY or – if it occurs after flying – contact the local doctor or A&E department without delay. Treatments for DVT are generally very successful as long as it’s caught as soon as possible.

PROTECTIVE TACTICS

• Wear in-flight support stockings or socks.
• , a natural supplement made from the bark of pine trees.
• If you experience occasional pain on walking anyway, start taking Padma 28 – a Tibetan herbal remedy that research suggests could be helpful in improving circulation to arms and legs.
• Get up and walk around
at regular intervals during a flight and take frequent breaks if travelling by car.
• While sitting down, move your legs