Health store help

Looking for advice on natural health and wellbeing? Your local independent health stores can offer a wealth of knowledge and expertise. This issue we speak to Finn Murray, Director of The Hopsack in Rathmines, Dublin

During summer months, customers come to us for advice about natural products to take with them on holiday to help prevent things like digestive upsets, insect bites and sunburn. One of the biggest holiday health concerns people have is the possibility of digestive upsets when they are abroad.

In the past, people tended to focus on gut health mainly when travelling long haul, but increasingly customers are looking for ways to support their digestion on all types of holidays. My number one recommendation for this is the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii. If you’re someone who has a vulnerable digestive system, I also recommend activated charcoal, as this helps to bind the toxins that can trigger diarrhoea. Other things worth considering are digestive enzymes and bitters, as well as silica gel to enhance your body’s ability to digest foreign foods and prevent irritation from potential allergens and pathogens that might stray into those lovely holiday meals!

Another big concern for customers who are going on holiday is immune support. Nobody wants to spend their holiday feeling under the weather, so many travellers like to take additional steps to support their wellbeing before and during a trip, focusing on more regular doses of vitamin C, zinc, elderberry, olive leaf or whatever your go-to immune supplement may be!

Choosing a natural sunscreen
SPF choice is very personal, but in recent years, I’ve tended to move away from some of the very high-factor natural sunscreens. In my experience, higher SPF mineral formulations often require greater amounts of zinc oxide, which can make them thicker in texture, more prone to rubbing off through sweating and sometimes leave a noticeable white residue on the skin. If you’re opting for a “mineral” sunscreen, it’s likely high in zinc so remembering to reapply at least every couple of hours, regardless of the SPF is my hot tip there.

Over the years, I’ve found a handful of natural sunscreens that tick the boxes in terms of both ingredient quality and ease of use. We encourage our customers to avoid nano-titanium dioxide as an SPF due to concerns regarding its ability to cross cell membranes and potentially harm us with repeated, regular use. Some are richer and more moisturising, while others have a lighter feel on the skin. The next most important thing is to choose a product that suits your skin type and that you’ll be happy to apply regularly. If you have fair skin, don’t underestimate your SPF needs, and if you’re particularly sensitive, it’s always worth taking a close look at the ingredients before buying.

Keeping insects at bay
If, like me, you’re someone who gets bitten relentlessly by mosquitoes, horseflies and midges, it’s worth thinking about prevention before you travel. A good insect repellent is one of the most important things to pack. Used consistently and applied carefully, it can go a long way towards keeping unwanted bites at bay. Other natural approaches that may help include supplementing with vitamin B1, garlic capsules and the medicinal mushrooms Reishi and Cordyceps although there is some variability from one person to another in terms of controversy surrounding their effectiveness.

Jet lag and dehydration
When it comes to jet lag, I have a couple of tips. The medicinal mushroom Cordyceps is worth considering when you’re packing for your holidays. It helps to combat fatigue by supporting adrenal output and protecting the mitochondria, whilst also assisting blood oxygen via enhancing the body’s capacity to produce nitric oxide.

Another effective thing to consider doing when you arrive is to do some kind of vigorous movement. Even a five-minute round of intense physical exercise has been shown to combat jet lag when our body is coping with circadian disruption due to switching time zones.

Dehydration is another common issue when travelling. While most people are familiar with electrolytes, it’s easy to overlook the role that carbohydrates play in helping the body absorb those important minerals. For that reason, I often pair electrolytes with a drink containing some natural sugars and find it makes a noticeable difference to my hydration levels.

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