Nontoxic/Natural remedies for el Camino! Medicine kit!

[caminomarie-o]

Hey guys!

Traveling August 2018;

So I am into more natural medicine and limiting toxins... so does anyone have a list of medications to bring + bed bug/blister remedies?! Homeopathics and just less 'toxic' things?

My current medicine kit ideas:
-bandaids (small + medium + large)
-arnica ~ muscular sprains and bruises (ibuprofen substitute)
-alba un-petroleum jelly ~ to rub on feet each night
-thursday plantation tea tree antiseptic cream ~ to rub on cuts and blisters
- charcoal ~ to deal with potential stomach + potential bowel issues
-forces of nature 1) nerve pain, 2) athlete's foot, 3) joint pain, and 3) eczema essential oils ~ found at TJ Maxx really cheap
-lavender + peppermint essential oils
-kavinace ultra pm ~ sleep aid
-compeed//imnifix for blisters [ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EITHER? Not really sure what they are but read about them]

-also Sea to Summit Coolmax Insect Repellent sleeping bag (so that I do not really have to spray my stuff with that Permetherin)

Thanks!

 

[trecile]

-also Sea to Summit Coolmax Insect Repellent sleeping bag (so that I do not really have to spray my stuff with that Permetherin)

It's probably already been treated with permetherin, so you aren't avoiding that particular chemical.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hey guys!

Traveling August 2018;

So I am into more natural medicine and limiting toxins... so does anyone have a list of medications to bring + bed bug/blister remedies?! Homeopathics and just less 'toxic' things?

My current medicine kit ideas:
-bandaids (small + medium + large)
-arnica ~ muscular sprains and bruises (ibuprofen substitute)
-alba un-petroleum jelly ~ to rub on feet each night
-thursday plantation tea tree antiseptic cream ~ to rub on cuts and blisters
- charcoal ~ to deal with potential stomach + potential bowel issues
-forces of nature 1) nerve pain, 2) athlete's foot, 3) joint pain, and 3) eczema essential oils ~ found at TJ Maxx really cheap
-lavender + peppermint essential oils
-kavinace ultra pm ~ sleep aid
-compeed//imnifix for blisters [ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EITHER? Not really sure what they are but read about them]

-also Sea to Summit Coolmax Insect Repellent sleeping bag (so that I do not really have to spray my stuff with that Permetherin)

Thanks!

Hi, caminomarie. Welcome to the forum.

There are a goodly number of threads about first aid items and kits that may be informative. These can be found using the search engine. The same applies to blisters and the Compeed pros and cons.

Also, your Sea to Summit bag is pre-treated with Permethrin, which is what Sea to Summit calls its 'Insect Shield'.

 

[Tincatinker]

Hmm, petroleum jelly: aficionados tend to rub it on their feet in the morning not at night. It's supposed to reduce friction between your toes. Better fitting boots might save you having to carry the tin.
Tea Tree ointment: most brands are unsuitable for use on broken skin or open wounds. Check your brand.
Charcoal: practice ingesting, it can take some swallowing. Rest and plenty of fluids / rehydration salts is often a better bet.
Essential oils: smell nice, are often fairly toxic and require careful prescription and application. May cause unintended harm to others exposed to high concentrations.
Kavinace: half an hour on google, a pen and some paper to write a pro/con list might help you consider whether that is worth carrying. Ear plugs and an eye mask work for most of us and don't cause the intestinal tract disturbances that would otherwise justify the charcoal.

You might surmise from the above that I have some sort of antipathy to 'natural' remedies. Let me assure you I don't. Arnica is great for trauma, but it isn't an analgesic, as Iboprufen is, so it isn't going to take the pain away, it will, over time, help your muscle tissues to heal themselves.
A small first-aid kit for dealing with the every day traumas of outdoor life is worth carrying - a few band aids or other blister covers, an anti-histamine for bites and stings, a couple of pain-killers and some rehydration salts. Unless you are a qualified First-Aider or a qualified practitioner leave the rest at home.

 

[LGLG]

A few days in my first Camino some beautiful women pilgrims, whose souls I bless to this day, gave me a whole pack of homeopatic Traumeel tablets for my arthritic, knee, foot and all other pain related Camino ills. Produced by Heel in Belgium . Still my first choice. http://www.traumeel.com/. Keep in mind weight of your total medicine pack - every gram counts - I wouldn't pack things I can buy from a pharmacy on the way if needed, such as foot creams or conventional pain relief.

 

[Anamya]

From your list, I'd leave the essential oils and the kavinace at home. You will probably not need them, or even have the opportunity to use them (essential oils would need a basin of some sort, right?). Remember that avoiding extra weights is VERY important along the camino. Same with the Forces of Nature: do you normally have those issues? Remember to pack for your needs, not your fears

Also, the least natural things you carry, the least trouble you will have going through Spanish Customs and declaring stuff.

The other ones seem ok, if you are used to them. As mentioned before, you may consider using the petroleum jelly during the day, to avoid friction, instead of at night.

Also, teas are very good for a lot of issues you may have along the way. They are not hard to find along the trail, just be aware that people may prepare it in bizarre ways!

 

[november_moon]

Definitely keep it light. My 1st Camino I ditched a bunch of 1st aid stuff after a few days. Mainly I kept the foot care stuff and left everything else except a couple bandaids and ibuprofen behind. My main issue is plantar facitis, so kept the ibuprofen for that. For blisters, I get them on the side of my heels. I've tried lots of preventatives and not been able to find the right solution. I've figured out my toes - silicone toe "socks", but the solution for blisters on my heels eludes me. When I get them, I lance and drain them, use iodine to disinfect (or whatever it does to keep germs away), and protect them with gauze and tape. Then, when they are starting to heal, I put a compeed patch and leave it on until it falls off. I didn't actually need anything else - well, until I got a cold and then I bought some cough drops.

 

[katie@camino]

Hey guys!

Traveling August 2018;

So I am into more natural medicine and limiting toxins... so does anyone have a list of medications to bring + bed bug/blister remedies?! Homeopathics and just less 'toxic' things?

My current medicine kit ideas:
-bandaids (small + medium + large)
-arnica ~ muscular sprains and bruises (ibuprofen substitute)
-alba un-petroleum jelly ~ to rub on feet each night
-thursday plantation tea tree antiseptic cream ~ to rub on cuts and blisters
- charcoal ~ to deal with potential stomach + potential bowel issues
-forces of nature 1) nerve pain, 2) athlete's foot, 3) joint pain, and 3) eczema essential oils ~ found at TJ Maxx really cheap
-lavender + peppermint essential oils
-kavinace ultra pm ~ sleep aid
-compeed//imnifix for blisters [ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EITHER? Not really sure what they are but read about them]

-also Sea to Summit Coolmax Insect Repellent sleeping bag (so that I do not really have to spray my stuff with that Permetherin)

Thanks!

I use essential oils and have recently had a lot of success treating inflammation with a combination of frankincense, copaiba and wintergreen oils (recent tailbone and knee injuries). I am putting together an essential oil kit based on evidence-based studies to help with inflammation, muscle and joint pain and digestion. I haven't used traditional medicine for...years...

For any digestive issues I use triphala powder or tablets, an Ayurvedic remedy that does not create dependence.

For knee problems I use rock/kenesiology tape to provide extra support.

If you add tea tree oil (or lemongrass oil) to your lavender and peppermint you probably wouldn't need the antiseptic cream. Also lavender can help you sleep so you might not need the Kavinace (having said that, I have no clue what kavinace is).

 

[Northern Laurie]

Just be careful about essential oils in a crowded albergue. Some people have trouble with strong scents. Then again... some appreciate them .

Make sure you don’t have any sensitivity to oils you think you might use.