Got a nasty insect bite? TEABAGS could be the answer says GP, who reveals natural remedies to all your holiday health woes

Holidays are a much longed-for time to relax and you don’t want them ruined by a health complaint. Yet few of us have room to pack a first-aid kit. Here, Dr Rob Hicks, a London GP, offers his DIY tips for dealing with everyday medical problems.
HONEY OR SUGAR FOR MINOR WOUNDS

For centuries honey has been used to treat skin wounds and burns

Small grazes or cuts can become infected, especially in hot climates where bacteria can flourish.

For centuries honey has been used to treat skin wounds and burns and is now used in hospitals around the globe to deal with skin infections.
Honey helps kill the bacteria that may cause infection. When honey comes into contact with damaged skin, it triggers the production of antibacterial hydrogen peroxide.
Furthermore, the sugars in honey mean there is little space for water molecules (bacteria need water to survive, so reducing the amount available makes it hard for them to thrive). Dabbing on honey or a sprinkling of sugar can deprive the bacteria of water,
which ultimately destroys them.
After washing hands thoroughly, clean the wound, dab a little honey on it and cover with a clean dressing. Any honey will do — you don’t need to use the expensive kind.
Alternatively, sprinkle on sugar. To prevent spillage, smear a thin coating of petroleum jelly around the wound first.
These ‘sweet’ treatments can be reapplied a couple of times a day.
If the injured area becomes red, hot, painful, or discharges pus, or if fever occurs, seek medical advice straight away as this may indicate an infection.
TEABAGS FOR  INSECT BITES
A bite from a gnat, midge, mosquito or even an ant will normally cause a red lump with a hole in the middle — this then turns itchy as the bite can provoke a mild allergy-like reaction. As a result chemicals called histamines are released into the surrounding skin, which is what gives us the maddening urge to itch.
While bites themselves are rarely a problem, this itch can be, as scratching can break the skin and introduce infection that, in turn, leads to potential problems such as scarring.
There are endless possible treatments, but two of my favourites are teabags and oatmeal.
Steep a few teabags in boiling water for ten minutes, allow to cool and then apply the liquid to the sting site using a cloth. This helps to relieve inflammation as tannins in the tea are astringent, so reduce the swelling.
Alternatively, mix uncooked oatmeal and water into a paste and apply to the itchy area directly, or put the paste into a muslin cloth and hold to the skin.
Oatmeal can help reduce inflammation and has a calming, cooling effect on the bite.

Steep a few teabags, left, in boiling water for ten minutes, allow to cool and apply liquid to the insect bite using a cloth. It will help to relive inflammation of the sting

BICARBONATE OF SODA FOR CYSTITIS
Variously called sodium bicarbonate, baking soda, or simply ‘bicarb’, it’s good to have a small tub of this in your travel bag.
On holiday, exposure to chemicals such as the chlorine in the swimming pool can irritate the area where urine leaves the body (the urethra) and can trigger cystitis in women. Essentially, this is inflammation of the bladder and can lead to a burning sensation when you pass urine.
There are other factors that can make it a common holiday ailment: heat and alcohol can dehydrate the body, making the bladder more prone to inflammation; ‘holding on’ when it’s inconvenient to go to the toilet, or facilities are unavailable, can also contribute.
Bicarb is alkaline, so drinking half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda stirred into a glass of water several times a day helps as it makes urine less acidic and less likely to cause stinging.
It won’t reduce the inflammation in the bladder but it will reduce the pain while the inflammation goes down.
If symptoms don’t improve after a couple of days, or if you have a fever, blood in the urine or loin pain, seek medical advice straight away.
CUCUMBER FOR SUNBURN

Sunburn can occur in as little as 20 minutes. But you may not even know you have been burnt until five hours later when the damage done will come out as red inflamed patches of skin.
Cucumber, a well-known soothing remedy for tired and sore eyes, can also help bring relief to sore, sunburned skin.
This is because it contains vitamin C and caffeic acid (an antioxidant also found in coffee) which both have anti-inflammatory effects that help reduce the irritation of sunburn.

Cucumber, a well-known soothing remedy for tired and sore eyes, can also help bring relief to sore, sunburned skin because it contains vitamin C and caffeic acid (an antioxidant also found in coffee) which both have anti-inflammatory effects

While many foods contains vitamin C, it’s the combination of these compounds that works best — together with the cooling effects of the cucumber, especially if it’s been in the fridge.
For small areas of skin, slices of cool cucumber can be put straight on. If larger areas are affected, it may be more practical to grind cucumber into a paste using a blender or fork, then apply.
To make it less messy, you can hold it in place with a sterile dressing and keep it there for as long as is needed.
BANANAS FOR HANGOVER
Drinking won’t just dehydrate you (because alcohol is a diuretic), many people also feel light-headed and woozy the morning after.
This is because normally the liver releases glucose into the bloodstream. But when the liver is busy processing alcohol, this doesn’t happen, which can lead to low blood sugar levels.
While drinking plenty of water can rehydrate you, a banana helps raise depleted sugar levels — the reason being that it has a low glycaemic index. This means the sugar it contains is released slowly.
While a biscuit, for example, would raise blood sugar, it would do it quickly, so the body would release a flood of insulin to quickly reduce blood sugar levels.
This sudden fall in blood sugar would leave you feeling just as bad as you had before. The banana would give a more sustained recovery. A banana is also gentle on the stomach, which may be irritated by the alcohol.
CAMOMILE TEA FOR SORE EYES
Tea, especially camomile, is a particularly good choice for swollen and irritated eyes, whether caused by lack of sleep, allergies or simply sand.
Camomile contains anti-irritant compounds such as terpenoids, and flavonoids, a form of antioxidant that soothes inflammation.
Brew a cup of camomile tea. Remove the teabag and allow it to cool then place against closed eyes.
GINGER FOR TRAVEL SICKNESS
Travel sickness is caused by conflicting information received by the brain from the ears about balance and from the eyes about what you see. This jumble of information triggers feelings of nausea and tummy upset when travelling in cars, boats and planes.
Ginger is used to relieve morning sickness in pregnancy and to help overcome the nausea associated with chemotherapy. Some scientific studies suggest that it can also help with motion sickness.
It’s believed that compounds called gingerols and shogaols — which give ginger its spiciness — are what provide the benefits, possibly by blocking chemical messages in the brain, so helping to relax muscles in the stomach and gut.
How you take it is up to you, but popular ways include ginger tea, ginger biscuits and dried ginger
Note: The content of this feature is for information purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions.
Dr Rob Hicks’s book Old-fashioned Remedies — From Arsenic To Gin, published by Remember When, is available now.

DM