A Traveler's Wellness Kit
Planning a vacation? Many people have welcomed the opportunity to travel once again, yet many still find themselves debating the “should I or shouldn’t I?” dilemma. There’s no denying that a change of scenery and traveling to a foreign place can have a positive impact on your overall health. By taking yourself away from daily challenges you give yourself a much needed change of environment and a mental boost. We all need to step away occasionally and find a fresh outlook!
So how do you travel safely while COVID is still present?
There are clearly risks to assume, but are they really any different from other risks you take daily? If you’re going to the grocery store, restaurants, gym, office, hair salon, theatre or concert halls, the risks are pretty much the same and should be approached in similar ways. The presence of Covid isn’t leaving any time soon, so my view is you might as well live every day as fully as you can.
There’s one thing that most of us agree on; It’s important to take care of your health. Physically and mentally we’re all pushed to extremes every day. While vacationing, the biggest thing that changes is your outlook and that’s the best medicine right there. Traveling with some key essentials could be worth the extra pouch in your luggage if it means keeping your immune system working at its best. Challenges are always present no matter what’s going on, but with the tools below you’ll hopefully be able to face them unflinchingly.
First, you need a good night’s sleep.
Don’t underestimate the benefits of sleep. It’s your recharge, rewire time which enables everything in your body to repair itself. That means keeping your immune system working at its best. You want to do everything in your power to sleep so that you can feel empowered to enjoy your holiday.
Traveling with some tea packets like Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Tea or other similar teas can also promote a good night’s sleep. Particular herbs that are very helpful are Passion Flower and Kava. Essential oil roll-on blends or single oils like Lavender or Geranium can be very calming as well, if you can’t seem to get settled. A few drops and some rhythmic deep breathing can really lull you to sleep if you let it.
When you arrive at your destination set your body to local time if you’re traveling to a different time zone. You can do this by stepping outside barefoot and just breathing in the energy of your new location. This may sound woo woo to you but it’s not as unreal as it sounds. You want to become balanced with the rhythm of your location and you get that by grounding yourself exactly where you are. So give it a try and send me a picture while you’re at it!
Probiotics
There are two packs of probiotics which I like for traveling. They are easily accessible, shelf stable for travel in blister packs rather than bottles, and just what you need to keep your GI system happy while your explore different cuisine and constant restaurant/cafe/street food. Florastor and Culturelle are available at most local pharmacies like CVS. These support good bacteria in your GI system and help with inflammation while fighting off the bad bacteria that makes its way into your gut. Florastor Saccharomyces Boulardii is particularly helpful with traveller’s diarrhea but also works preventatively. They ideally should be taken separately; not at the same time. This duo is a good ‘go to’ remedy for travelers.
Vitamin D
It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t added vitamin D to their supplements this past year. But is it really doing anything for you? The headlines put vitamin D in the spotlight regularly, but they don’t often make people aware of the necessary cofactors that enable it to be effective and absorbed into your body. So yes, taking vitamin D is highly beneficial, but there are some things to think about when choosing and taking it.
First, make sure that you are taking vitamin D3 which is much more absorbable than any other form. You want to make sure there are no ingredients like soybean oil or food colorings that work against absorption. Look for vitamin D3 with vitamin K, which is necessary for kidney and bone health when taking D in high doses. In addition, adequate amounts of magnesium and zinc are necessary in order to properly metabolize vitamin D into your system. These two minerals are equally important for immune system integrity, so know where you stand here. It’s also good to note that D is a fat soluble vitamin, which means it is best absorbed with a meal that includes healthy fats.
Vitamin C
I’m a big fan of the protective powers of vitamin C and how it helps reduce inflammation, and the severity and length of any infection your body gets exposed to. When you think of oxidative damage you have to understand that it can destroy cells and leave your immune system highly susceptible to invaders. Adequate amounts of C can protect you from possible oxidative stress. When I’m starting to feel unwell I literally flood my body with vitamin C and any aches and pains I was starting to feel, often quickly dissipate.
Electrolytes
It’s easy to get dehydrated when you travel and even easier to not realize it. If you’re not traveling with a water bottle on your outings, or even if you are, putting a few drops of electrolytes into your water will keep your body in balance by adding some necessary minerals into your system, helping you if you do wind up becoming a bit dehydrated. Good hydration with proper minerals is one of the very key foundations of good health.
Activated Charcoal
Have you ever gone to a restaurant and realized halfway through the meal that you shouldn’t have ordered what you did and you suddenly don’t feel so well. This is when activated charcoal comes into play. It can help you get rid of something that doesn’t sit very well with you, food poisoning or any other toxin you come into contact with. By binding to the toxin and excreting it from your body, it will help get you back on track so that you don’t spoil your whole holiday.
Colloidal Silver
I think of colloidal silver as a miracle worker! I use it on a skin irritation, at the first sign of a scratchy throat or an irritation in my ear or a stuffy nose. I use it to clear the air around me if it seems rather stuffy and to my daughters’ annoyance I like to spray it around me when I’m on an airplane. It’s antibacterial and brilliant!
Manuka Honey
I always travel with a small travel size jar or packets of Manuka honey, I swear by it’s medicinal qualities. Add it to lemon ginger tea wherever you are. It’s a brilliant tonic! Sometimes I’ll take it Mary Poppins style if needed.🥄
Magnesium
I think magnesium spray is a bit of magic too, to alleviate any pain that might arise, whether it’s back pain or foot pain from a long day of walking, or shoulder pain if you’re carrying a backpack or heavy handbag all day. Whatever the pain, magnesium spray is pure magnesium chloride that is quickly absorbed into the skin to relax the muscles and relieve any tension you may be experiencing. You can find a small travel size spray bottle HERE. It’s an easy way to get immediate magnesium into your body if you’re deficient.
Consider all of the above in your packing plans so that you can breathe easier, travel freely and fully enjoy yourself! I haven’t suggested amounts since everyone’s needs are highly individual. You can’t harm yourself with the recommended dosage on each package, but for optimal benefit it’s helpful to know what your particular bodily needs are. If you’d like to know more about what the right amounts would be for you or whether there are other things you should consider given your situation, you can reach me HERE and I’d be happy to answer your questions.
You’ll find some of the products I mention above through the associated highlighted links or you can often find them at your local pharmacy or natural grocer.
Happy travels!
Cerullo, Giuseppe et al. “The Long History of Vitamin C: From Prevention of the Common Cold to Potential Aid in the Treatment of COVID-19.” Frontiers in immunology vol. 11 574029. 28 Oct. 2020, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.574029
Charoenngam, Nipith, and Michael F Holick. “Immunologic Effects of Vitamin D on Human Health and Disease.” Nutrients vol. 12,7 2097. 15 Jul. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12072097
Vila Domínguez, Andrea et al. “Antibacterial Activity of Colloidal Silver against Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria.” Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 9,1 36. 19 Jan. 2020, doi:10.3390/antibiotics9010036
https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2013-08/activated-charcoal-bottom-line-monograph
Pais, Pedro et al. “Saccharomyces boulardii: What Makes It Tick as Successful Probiotic?.” Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 6,2 78. 4 Jun. 2020, doi:10.3390/jof6020078
Li, Na et al. “Mechanisms for Lactobacillus rhamnosus treatment of intestinal infection by drug-resistant Escherichia coli.” Food & function vol. 11,5 (2020): 4428-4445. doi:10.1039/d0fo00128g
Uwitonze, Anne Marie, and Mohammed S Razzaque. “Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function.” The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association vol. 118,3 (2018): 181-189. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2018.037
