6 Natural Remedies That Will Help Ease Your Traveler’s Tummy
We all know there are some things that we'd rather not discuss (at least not openly) but we still need remedies for from time to time. Take, traveler's diarrhea, for example.
If you're fortunate enough to never have heard of such a thing because you've never experienced it before, count your blessings, chile. Although I never have (motion sickness is my personal area of expertise), I know people who do. According to them, it S-U-C-K-S.
Although diarrhea typically happens due to things like viral and bacterial infections or food poisoning, sometimes it can occur when one's digestive tract is disrupted due to anxiety, fast food, contaminated water, or germs that they come into contact with while they are on the road (or in the air).
Is traveler's tummy serious? Not really. It usually subsides after a day or two. But when you're in the midst of having loose stools and abdominal cramps, you definitely want to find a remedy sooner than later.
If you can relate, here are 6 natural ones that are directly related to traveler's diarrhea. Oh, and for those of us who get motion sick whenever we've travel, I've included 6 others too.
Drink Water That Has Aloe Vera Juice in It
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When you're dehydrated, something that you're going to lose plenty of is water. In fact, the cause of death in some babies and seniors who have diarrhea-related health issues is dehydration. That's why, whenever diarrhea creeps in, it's important to remember that, no matter what, you need to drink water or a sports drink (they have electrolytes in them).
If you really want to speed up the healing process, pour a little aloe vera juice into your (non-carbonated) water. Aloe Vera juice has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce gastrointestinal inflammation.
Get Some Honey into Your System
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I'm not sure if there's anything that honey can't fix. In the case of diarrhea, it's cool to know that there's such a sweet remedy to such an uncomfortable problem.
The reason why honey is so effective is due to its high amount of anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It has so many of both that honey is proven to treat gastroenteritis as it reduces the longevity of bacterial diarrhea.
The best way to take it? Put about four teaspoons of honey into a cup of hot water (as hot as you can stand it) and drink it down straight. The cramping should subside within 15-20 minutes.
Take (Or Eat) A Probiotic
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There are a million and one reasons why it's a good idea to take a probiotic supplement. It keeps your heart strong, reduces allergies, works to prevent yeast infections, soothes inflammatory bowel disease, decreases depression symptoms, and yep, you guessed it, is an awesome diarrhea remedy.
Probiotics work so well at treating diarrhea because they provide what is needed in order to promote good gut health by removing bad bacteria from your gastrointestinal system.
If you don't have some probiotics in one of your travel bags, that's OK. There are foods that you can eat that are loaded with probiotics too. Some of them include yogurt (although we must warn, depending on your sensitivities, you might want to go light on the dairy), pickles, cottage cheese, green olives, and (get this) dark chocolate.
(For the record, "bland" foods like toast, applesauce, and oatmeal can help to slow down gas bubbles and tummy discomfort too.)
Find Some White Rice
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The problem with getting sick while you're out on the road is sometimes natural remedies can be hard to find. But if you do end up with diarrhea while you're out and about, try and get your hands on some plain white rice (like from a Chinese food restaurant or the microwavable kind you can get from a grocery store).
Although having regular bowel movements is typically a healthy thing, it's something you want to slow down when you've already got the runs. Because white rice is low in fiber, it has the ability to calm your stomach down so that you're not running to the bathroom quite as much.
You know what this means, right? If you're thinking that you'll just go with brown rice instead, you should seriously rethink that. Brown rice is full of fiber. This means that in the case of traveler's diarrhea, it'll probably cause more harm than good.
Avoid Certain Foods
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If you know you've got diarrhea because you ate some foods that you had no business consuming in the first place, don't make matters worse by taking in more that don't necessarily agree with you. Foods that are loaded with grease (French fries would be a no-no), dairy (so, no ice cream either), or alcohol (it dehydrates you) go on the very top of the list. So no foods that are high in fiber (because that will only keep your system going) like leafy greens, berries, or corn.
BTW, something else you need to stay away from is chewing gum. It might sound crazy but most gum contains artificial sweeteners and that's something else that will further irritate your tummy.
Get Your Hands on Some Tea
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If eating is the last thing you want to think about doing, an herbal tea bag or two can get you through the night. Chamomile tea contains properties that slow down intestinal spasms, blackberry and raspberry leaf teas have tannins in them that will soothe the mucous membranes in your intestines, and Rooibos tea is loaded with flavonoids that help to stop diarrhea-related cramping. (If you add the honey that I talked about, you can get relief even quicker!)
And what if your upset stomach is more motion sickness-related or you're not sure what the deal is? No worries, we've got 6 remedies that will help you out in that department too!
Make Some Crystallized Ginger
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You might've heard somewhere that ginger is great for morning sickness. It's a surefire remedy for motion sickness too. If you want to know the scientific reason why, I've read that the properties in ginger help the development of gastric dysrhythmias and the elevation of plasma vasopressin. Basically, that means the 6-gingerol that's in it helps to soothe your stomach and intestines.
Honestly, any kind of ginger—ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger capsules—will get the job done. But a potent (and delicious) form of ginger is crystallized ginger candy. You can get some at your local grocery store or learn how to make it yourself by clicking here.
Sip on Something Carbonated
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Speaking of ginger, another thing that can help is to drink some ginger ale. Not just because of the amount of ginger that's in it but because carbonation can help to ease your tummy too.
Personally, I'm a huge fan of ginger ale but if you can't stand the taste of it, any type of carbonated drink will do the trick. Just make sure that it's something that doesn't have caffeine in it. Caffeine will dehydrate you and could lead to even more nausea and discomfort. That means Coke is a no-no. #sorry
(If you're a big tea drinker, opt for some warm peppermint or chamomile tea. They're effective stomach-soothers too!)
Create Your Own DIY Travel Oil
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Even though planes don't smell the best, that doesn't mean you can't get on board with your own aromatherapy. My suggestion would be to make a blend of lavender oil and nutmeg oil. Lavender oil contains antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce the feelings associated with nausea and the urge to vomit. Nutmeg oil has the ability to calm your nervous system, boost your immunity, and reduce dizziness.
All you need to do is combine one-part lavender and one-part nutmeg oil into a traveler size bottle (feel free to add a little bit of a carrier oil like avocado oil or sweet almond oil if the scent is too strong). Right before you get going, put a little underneath your nose, rub a little on your stomach, and dab a little on your wrists. It should instantly relax you and make the journey much easier on you and your body.
Get in the Right Position
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If you get motion sick as much as I do, you probably already know that sitting in the back of a car is worse than sitting in the front. That's because the back of the car moves around more than the front does. So, unless you're fortunate enough to have the entire back seat to yourself (so that you can stretch out across it), try and get in the front. Also, try and keep your head on the headrest as much as possible. It will stabilize you.
What if you're riding on a plane? Here's something that might surprise you. It's best to sit in the middle, as close to the airplane's wings, as possible. According to pilots, that's the part of the plane that experiences the least movement so that you'll end up having the calmest ride.
Oh, and if you've got a cruise coming up, book your reservations for the lower level cabins near the center of the ship. That's the part of the boat that moves around the least.
Put Your Phone Away
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You're probably not going to want to hear this, but you should. Remember how when you took family road trips as a kid, if you tried to read a book, it made you want to hurl? Trying to scroll down the small font on your smartphone is no different (actually, it's worse).
You know what that means, right? As far as your phone goes, it's best to set it to airplane mode or only use it to listen to music until you get wherever it is you're going. Otherwise, those gossip blogs and IG stories are gonna have you feeling sick as a dog. Yes, literally.
Try to Travel at Night
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You're not going to feel motion sickness nearly as much if you're asleep. So, if you're planning a road trip with some family or friends, try and get them to want to leave around sunset and let you drive first. That way, once it's time to switch drivers, you can go to sleep and miss all of the bumpy action (same goes for plane, ship or train).
Here's to some super-smooth sailing, sis!
Featured Image by Getty Images.
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Different puzzle pieces are creating bigger pictures these days. 2024 will mark a milestone on a few different levels, including the release of my third book next October (yay!).
I am also a Professional Certified Coach. My main mission for attaining that particular goal is to use my formal credentials to help people navigate through the sometimes tumultuous waters, both on and offline, when it comes to information about marriage, sex and relationships that is oftentimes misinformation (because "coach" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, oftentimes quite poorly).
I am also still super devoted to helping to bring life into this world as a doula, marriage life coaching will always be my first love (next to writing, of course), a platform that advocates for good Black men is currently in the works and my keystrokes continue to be devoted to HEALTHY over HAPPY in the areas of holistic intimacy, spiritual evolution, purpose manifestation and self-love...because maturity teaches that it's impossible to be happy all of the time when it comes to reaching goals yet healthy is a choice that can be made on a daily basis (amen?).
If you have any PERSONAL QUESTIONS (please do not contact me with any story pitches; that is an *editorial* need), feel free to reach out at missnosipho@gmail.com. A sistah will certainly do what she can. ;)
This Black Woman-Owned Creative Agency Shows Us The Art Of Rebranding
Rebranding is an intricate process and very important to the success of businesses that want to change. However, before a business owner makes this decision, they should determine whether it's a rebrand or an evolution.
That's where people like Lola Adewuya come in. Lola is the founder and CEO of The Brand Doula, a brand development studio with a multidisciplinary approach to branding, social media, marketing, and design.
While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
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The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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Kelly Rowland Reveals Her Recipe For A Good Time Through Food, Family, And Giving Back
Kelly Rowland has been a beacon of light for little Black and brown girls since she first arrived on the scene through Destiny’s Child in the 1990s, yet, despite her success and accolades, her road to self-discovery is still underway.
The Fantasy Football actress says this era of her life is rooted in constant discovery and the realization that the possibilities in life are endless.
“I’m in constant discovery and learning about myself, about life, about love, about communicating, and I just say discovery is my current era, and to me, the possibilities are endless of what my capacities are,” the “Motivation” singer told xoNecole during an exclusive interview.
A part of that discovery is acknowledging all of the different looks she’s trademarked over the years, whether it’s her classic short red cut or the blonde she’s been known to lean toward recently. She attests a lot of her iconic looks to her bonus mother, Tina Knowles.
“I’m really grateful to Mama T for that because since she owned and worked in a hair salon, she would say, ‘Well, let’s try this. Let’s cut it off. Let’s grow it back. Oh, it’s just hair,’ you know what I mean?” the 43-year-old recalled.
“I’m definitely in that spirit when it comes to hair and glam and just seeing what pops and what doesn’t. I think that there are no rules.”
“For a long time, brown girls were told you can’t do this, you can’t do this, and you shouldn’t do this. It won’t look good on your complexion. That’s not our story. That does not belong to us at all.
"Our possibilities are endless. If anything, we make the trends and we make it look good. We make gem tones look wonderful because of the brown skin that pops off of the gem tone. We make it look wonderful.”
As the mother of two boys, Noah and Titan, Rowland still aims to create tradition through a good meal. She notes how she manages to balance maintaining quality time with her family as a woman who wears many hats.
“One thing that we’re trying to stay on top of right now is one-on-one quality time,” she shared. “I like to do that with my boys. They both get their own afternoon or day with me, so we have these little dates. Noah and I were sitting at this ice cream spot in LA the last time, and we just sat there and talked. It also made me sad because I was like Oh my God, this three-year-old is growing up so fast. I can’t believe he’s even three, and we’re sitting up here and having this whole conversation.”
“One thing that we’re trying to stay on top of right now is one-on-one quality time. I like to do that with my boys. They both get their own afternoon or day with me, so we have these little dates.”
Rowland added, “Then, with Titan, he likes a sushi spot that we go to for hand rolls, and so, we definitely bond over food and over certain outings that we might have. I just like for them to be one-on-one so that we can create our memories together, and they feel seen by me, their mother, and we just enjoy each other’s time. We laugh, and that means a lot to me.”
She is also very intentional in stressing the importance of giving back, something that was instilled in her at a young age by her mother that Rowland is ensuring her sons get a taste of.
“For Christmas, we like to be home, but we also like to give back,” said Rowland.
“Around Christmastime, I want my kids to understand how important it is to give back. So this year, I think we will pile it on because both of them will understand now even more.
"The three-year-old might miss it, but the nine-year-old is definitely starting to catch on. My mom poured that into me about the spirit of giving, and I want my kids to have that same tradition that my mom gave me.”
Today, she continues to give back by pouring into a locally owned eatery that made her, even having a meal named in her honor in a new partnership centered around spreading the love when it comes to patronizing local restaurants nationwide.
This Is It! is one of her childhood favorite Black-owned restaurants in her home city of Houston. During the earlier DC days, she recalled bonding with her bandmates-turned-family members over a delicious plate of soul food at This Is It!, a fourth-generation, family-owned establishment known for its comfort dishes.
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“I love the idea that a huge corporation like Pepsi wants to make sure that in their budget, they’re giving back to communities that have supported them for many years,” she said.
Rowland added, "This Is It! is a place that grew me up and helped me to keep my feet on the ground. This always brings back such fond memories for me.”
In honor of Rowland’s favorite This Is It! meal being named after her, which includes pepper steak with rice and gravy, green beans, peach cobbler, and an ice-cold Pepsi, the “Like This” crooner discussed her recipe for a good time.
“I would say good food,” she laughed. “Not that I need it, but a good Espresso Martini or a French white wine. Sometimes, I might lack energy, so I need a Pepsi to pick me right back up.”
“What else? Good energy. You need good energy. Like, good people with good energy who know how to have a good time. Who aren’t going to look around and see what the other person is doing," Rowland added.
"Because just when people are so good in their body and self-aware and self-assured, they are the funnest people to hang out with because they don’t give a crap about what’s happening around them. They just want to have a good time. I like those people.”
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