What’s in Our Health Kit
August 30, 2012 in Inspiration, Travelogue
I’ve been putting off writing this post,and I apologize to the Groovers, who have reminded me three times to do so!
The question has been asked lots of times: What do you have in your health kit?
First, let me say that we have a three pronged approach to healthcare, at home and abroad: staying well, and treating illness & emergency care. I’ll share what we carry with us for all three.
Staying Well
This includes eating healthy foods, getting plenty of sleep and decent hygiene. Tony swears by a local beer every night to populate his gut with the appropriate local bacteria (of course we don’t test this on the kids!)
To that end we carry with us:
- Kefir grains (for their probiotic benefit, brewed and consumed daily)
- Sprouting seeds (lots of vitamins and nutrients in sprouts to boost health)
- Yogurt and cheese cultures (yes, we make our own yogurt and cheese as we travel)
- Grapefruit Seed Crush Extract: for gut health, natural antibiotic and as a fruit & veggie wash
We also carry the following supplements from BeeYoutiful:
- Ultra-immune
- Super Mom Vitamins
- Super Dad Vitamins
- Bee-immune
- Spirulina
Treating Illness
Anyone who’s traveled much will tell you that virtually everything you need can be had anywhere you go, and sometimes much less expensively than at home. This is true. What is also true is that when you most need it is often the time it’s least convenient to go on a hunt for it.
To that end, we carry a pretty extensive medical kit for treating basic illness, including (but not limited to):
- Ibuprofen & Paracetemol
- Tylenol with codeine
- Percocet
- Prescription migraine meds (Relpax)
- Anti-diarrheals
- AZO (UTI meds)
- Anti-fungal cream
- Benadryl
- Albuterol inhalers
- Cough and common cold meds
- Campho-phenique
- 2 full prescriptions of anti-biotics
- Ear oil
- Anti-nausea meds
Emergencies
We carry health and emergency evacuation insurance as we travel. We know lots of people who go without it, but we also know a few who are alive because they had it. We’re not willing to gamble when it matters most.
We also carry the following in our health kit for emergencies:
- Bandaids and bandages of all sizes
- Chemically activated cold packs
- Electrolyte replacement powders
- Triple anti-biotic creams
- Burn spray & colloidal silver burn cream
- Blister and burn bandages
- A needle kit including syringes & IV start
- Suture kits
We’ve had some criticism on those last two items. It seems that some people think that we’re a bit over the top for carrying a stick kit and suturing supplies and one person even intimated that it was irresponsible for us to suggest that other should carry something they aren’t trained to use.
Let me explain:
We are carrying them because we found ourselves in a situation where we needed a kid stitched up in Guatemala and the healthcare center didn’t have a suture kit. They didn’t have butterfly bandages either. They ended up field taping Elisha’s hand up and giving him a round of antibiotics (which I’m not a big fan of) to ward off infection.
I’m carrying the needles, etc. so that I can take them with me for the doctors to use, not because I’m going to stitch my own kid up in the forest instead of seek proper care. Although, if it came down to it, I’d do my best in an extreme situation.
I realized, the day that we didn’t have what we needed to put Elisha back together, that we were very lucky that it wasn’t more serious. I realized that, in an extreme situation, if I had the choice between a dirty needle or the potential death of a kid, I’d gamble on the dirty needle. The reality is, if I’m better prepared, I’ll never have to make that choice. The needle kit was immediately added to our bag.
Could we be carrying more: of course. Could we do with less: certainly. For us, this is the balance we’ve struck between being prepared for the worst and trying to ensure the best possible health situation for our family.
What’s in your family’s travel medical kit?
Hello
When we were traveling in Africa I wished I had a suture kit and my own syringes. My oldest son had an accident that required sutures. The treatment room was filthy and because if this I was seriously worried about the needle they sewed up my child with. We will now be carrying our own kit and I plan to practice suturing. Many nurses have advised me it’s easy to learn from videos and a little practice.
I was wishing for your suture kit when I had to stitch up our dog. I agree, it’s not terribly difficult to do a git’r done job. Not that I’d want to stitch up one of my kids, but if I had to I know I could…wouldn’t be pretty, probably leave a significant scar, but it’s nice to know I COULD do it if I HAD to. As with many things, the ongoing after care (keeping it clean & dry) is as critical as the initial care.
The other thing I know you keep in your kit is Miracle Salve, the ultimate do it all salve for everything from chapped lips, to bee stings. Having traveled with you, I was amazed at how all of the stuff you carry fits in such a small, compact kit!
Thank you! I’ve already started thinking about this (trip is 9 months out), being the health-obsessed mom that I am, so I appreciate your list and explaining why you have those things! We plan to take CPR and basic first aid classes before we go as well. I had them in the military years ago, but the hubby never has. It couldn’t hurt!
Thank you so much!This is great timing and very helpful.
YES! I forgot about the Miracle Salve… also from Beeyoutiful. Excellent stuff! And their Ow-ease too!
Have you considered including a quick clot product?
http://m.rei.com/mt/www.rei.com/product/770185/z-medica-quikclot-sport-50g
I’m with you Jenn. We like wilderness spots (even though it’s just in the US) and sometimes you need to do something quick. I worked as a vet tech for years so I know how to stitch someone up. 🙂 There is no really magic to it. If you can sew a button…. 😉
I’ve never used products from Beeyoutiful. Sounds like they are great.
I would love to hear your process for yogurt-making on the road. Please share!
Sheila, it’s really quite simple. I start with dry milk (reconstituted) and heat it to 116F, then add the yogurt culture (dry or a half cup of the last batch) then I wrap the container in towels and jackets and leave it to incubate over night. Super easy and yummy!
Erik… haven’t even heard of this, but will be checking it out!! Thanks!