On the Move Medical Mojo

For the last 4-5 months, as part of our ‘decluttered unpolluted life’ initiative, Jedi and I have switched to using natural remedies for minor ailments. It’s exciting because these actually work and never leave you feeling gross (the way my painkillers and anti-allergens would). Continuing to use these while travelling will involve carrying a bit of ‘extra baggage’ but before I reveal the contents of my med kit here are some self healing remedies and precautionary practices for common ailments on and off the road.

Acute Mountain Sickness

• AMS can randomly affect even the most experienced mountaineer who has had no previous history. The following precautions may not guarantee you immunity from AMS, but will help ease your discomfort to a great extent
• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, smoking and regular exercise till acclimatization is complete
• Start fluid intake of 4-5 litres a day 48 hours before ascent to altitudes above 10000 ft
• Follow a carb rich diet low on proteins
• Work on good aerobic fitness before the trip as this is necessary to increase red blood cells
• Ascend slowly and rest at progressively higher altitudes
• A night’s halt should be at an altitude lower than the peak achieved during the day
• To cure AMS headaches chew a pod of raw garlic or take Ferrum Phos 30C (homeopathic)
• Immediate descent and professional medical aid for malignant AMS (symptoms include breathlessness, double vision, severe headaches, confusion, irrational behaviour, dry cough, pink froth)
  

Colds & Flu

• Avoid dairy products, fried food, sweets, wheat, meat and iced/cold drinks
• Drink lots of hot water throughout the day
• In case of chronic mucus, fast on warm ginger water for 2-3 days
• Practice Anulom-Vilom breath to clear sinuses and ease lung congestion
• Wrap up and keep warm
• Steep fresh ginger root in hot water, cover your head with a towel and use it as an inhalation to clear nasal congestion
• Soak 2 parts fresh ginger root, 3 parts cinnamon and a pinch of cardamom in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes, then add 1/2 tsp of honey. Drink several times a day
• For colds with a cough, crush 1 tsp fresh ginger root with 8 fresh tulsi leaves, 2 black peppercorns, 2 cardamom seeds, 1 cup of water, 1/21 tsp turmeric powder, 2 cloves and 5 fresh mint leaves. Boil, filter and add 1 tsp of honey. Drink 2-3 times a day
• Take Sitopladi (as instructed on the package)

Constipation

• Avoid wheat products and meat
• Increase intake of high fibre foods like leafy green vegetables, oatmeal and fresh fruit. Bananas, raisins and stewed apples have a mild laxative action
• Drink at least 2 litres of water a day
• Take Triphala with warm water before going to bed
• Dissolve 1 tsp of ghee in warm milk and take before going to bed
• Practice Surya Namaskar as this stimulates the peristalsis movement
• Practice Kapalabhati as this massages the intestines and promotes healthy elimination

Coughs

• Avoid sweets, wheat, icecream, cold drinks and dairy products
• For dry coughs, mix 1 tsp of turmeric powder with 1/2 teaspoon natural sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of ghee. Take 2-3 times a day
• Crush 1 tsp fresh ginger root with 8 fresh tulsi leaves, 2 black peppercorns, 2 cardamom seeds, 1 cup of water, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 cloves and 5 fresh mint leaves. Boil, filter and add 1 tsp of honey. Drink 2-3 times a day
• Mix 1 tsp of mustard powder with 1 tsp of dry ginger powder and 1 tsp of honey. Take 3 times a day
• Take Sitopladi (as instructed on the package)

Diarrhoea

• Stew 2 apples until they are very soft then add 1 tsp of ghee and a pinch of nutmeg. Eat this slowly, chewing each mouthful really well
• Mix a cup of cooked basmati rice with 1 tbsp of ghee and 3 tbsp of plain curd and eat in small portions
• Mix 1 tsp dry ginger powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp natural sugar with 1/2 cup of water. Drink this 3-6 times a day. If you suffer from acidity add 1 tsp of coriander powder to the mix
• To prevent dehydration drink small quantities of ginger tea throughout the day. Add 1 tsp of natural sugar, 1 tsp of lime juice and a pinch of salt to a bottle of warm water and drink this throughout the day

Fever

• Avoid iced/cold drinks
• Get plenty of rest
• Wrap up and keep warm
• Fast on warm ginger tea. Mix 1 tsp dry ginger powder in 5 glasses of water, boil, filter and drink throughout the day
• Steep 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp fennel seeds in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes, strain and drink
• Once the fever has subsided follow a simple diet to avoid upsetting your digestive system and eat small, regular meals to restore your strength

Headaches
If throbbing, confined to the back of the head or starts at the back of the head and spreads to the front:

• Take a warm shower to relax and ease muscle tension
• Massage shoulders with warm sesame oil
• Make a paste from a little ground nutmeg and water, smooth it over your forehead and leave it on for 30 mins

If burning, penetrating, located around the temples:

• Make a cooling paste from sandalwood powder and a little water and smear it over the forehead and temples
• Boil 1/2 tsp of ground cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp of ground coriander seeds in a cup of hot water. Drink after cooling

If due to nasal congestion from cold or allergies:

• Make an inhalation using 10 drops of eucalyptus oil or fresh grated ginger root in hot water, cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam
• Apply a paste made from 1 tsp of dry ginger powder and a little water to your forehead and sinus area

Heartburn

• Avoid hot, spicy, fermented foods and citrus fruits
• Avoid overeating or eating when you are upset. Only eat when you are hungry
• Avoid combining incompatible foods like fish with milk, or fruits with milk
• Allow a gap of 3 hours between your evening meal and going to bed
• Add 10 drops of lime juice and 1/2 tsp of natural sugar to 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and drink immediately
• Practice Shitali breath as it is cooling and improves digestion

Sore Throat

• Gargle morning and evening with 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp of salt dissolved in a cup of warm water
• Make a soothing herbal tea with 1/2 tsp of grated fresh ginger root and 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon stick. Drink up to 3 times a day

Stomach Ache

• Follow a light diet of home-made vegetable soups or plain boiled rice and drink plenty of fresh ginger root tea after each meal
• Combine 1/3 tsp of ground cumin powder, a pinch of asafoetida and a pinch of rock salt. Chew it well and wash down with warm water
• Dry roast 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds and 1/2 tsp of coriander seeds. Mix them together and chew about 1/2 tsp of this mixture at intervals throughout the day
• Mix 1/2 tsp of ajwain powder with 1/2 tsp of baking soda. Chew it well and wash down with warm water

Common herbal medicines like Triphala and Sitopladi are usually sold at most medicine shops. You needn’t carry rest of the stuff. Water, whole and powdered spices, fruits, vegetables, rice, honey, ghee, milk and condiments should be pretty easy to procure in inhabited places. Water can be heated wherever you stop for the night or using your camping stove. Sugarcane juice, muscovado sugar, brown sugar and gur may be used as natural substitutes for white refined sugar.

So, what’s in our medical/first aid kit?

• Nutmeg powder
• Cinnamon powder
• Dry ginger powder
• Whole spices - pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, star anise, mace, nutmeg)
  
• Aloe Vera capsules (with honey, the powder inside eases post menstrual cramps)
• Aloe Vera Gel (eases post menstrual cramps)
• Brahmi capsules (brain and nervine tonic)
• Triphala capsules
• Sitopladi Churn
• Tweezers
• Sterile dressing/plaster/bandage/bandaids
• Savlon
• Antiseptic cream
• Mosquito repellant

Never to be used except in dire dire dire straits:

• Paracetamol
• Pain killer
• Anti-allergen
• Broad spectrum antibiotic

Ofcourse, the bigger idea is to keep physical/mental/spiritual illness at bay through yoga and ayurveda!