Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world, it's one of the greatest ways to get to know yourself better, to have life changing experiences and meet amazing new people from far away places.
Travelling is one of my favourite things, I love to see new places, eat new foods and be totally immersed into new cultures. It's when we travel that we want to be our most healthiest, vibrant and full of energy, ready to experience all of the amazing experiences.
Here are my top tips and tricks to ensure you stay healthy and happy and enjoy your travelling to the most-
Gut health - traveling in Australia we're not so concerned about picking up bugs in water or food, but when travelling to other countries this is a real concern. I always recommend my clients get onto a good quality probiotic, with multiple strains. As well as keeping a bottle of Saccharomyces boulardii (a specific strain of probiotic) as it is the the most effective for gastrointestinal problems, especially effective in cases of travellers diarrhoea.
I also like to recommend bringing some antimicrobial oils to kill any parasites picked up along the way - oregano, clove and thyme are my favourites. If you suspect you've picked something up, have 1 drop of each in a glass of water and a pinch of sea salt - it won't taste nice, it might burn but its amazing for killing off nasties.
Bringing something like traveller's friend which is a grapefruit seed extract, or iodine liquid, is also great for sterilising water, in areas where the water quality might be questionable.
You are also most likely to be exposed to new and interesting foods, and thus your eating patterns might go on the wayside, quite often leading to sluggish digestion. Always try to stick to your warm lemon water in the mornings to ensure good digestion, liver clearance and regular bowel movements.
Immunity - it is so typical that when we go on holiday and can finally relax, we also get sick. But we don't want to spend the first few days sick in bed, so it's super important to boost your immunity before you go away as well as bringing some herbs and essentials oils to help you on your trip too. Echinacea, elderberry, and holy basil are my herbs of choice to boost the immune system as well as kill of any viruses you might pick up. I also love OnGuard essential oil, which is a blend of antioxidant rich, immune boosting oils.
Also hitting up vitamin C in high doses is also imperative to boost the immune system as well as kill the cold and flu virus. Sipping on herbal teas rich in vitamin C and antioxidants are also awesome - rose hip, elderflower, green tea, Pukka also does an amazing blend of Echinacea and Elderberry.
The immune system is also closely linked to gut health, thus getting onto those probiotics before you leave has another benefit - boosting the immunity.
Sleep/jet lag - on the first night in a new place your body is in hyper function as your brain stays half awake, watching for danger, what studies call "night watch" with the capability of alerting us to potential danger. This can mean that if we are moving to new places every other day our sleep cycles is going to suffer. Magnesium (muscle relaxant) and lavender essential oil (switches the brain from fight and flight to rest and digest) calms the nervous system and can help to ensure a relaxing and rejuvenating nights sleep.
Melatonin (homeopathic dose) helps with circadian rhythms and switching your body clock to whatever time zone your in, so I love it specifically for jet lag and long overnight flights.
Sunlight (vitamin D) is also imperative for stabilising adrenals and switching your brain into the time zone, so getting into the sun for at least 20 minutes within the first hour of waking up in your new destination, wherever possible, is fantastic for blitzing jet lag.
Travel sickness - I am fortune enough not to suffer with motion sickness, but I do know the thought of a cruise or flying long distances can turn many off, due to the queezy nauseous feeling of travel sickness. Ginger tea and essential oil are fantastic for healing the body of these feelings and balances the brain to switch off the feelings of nausea. Rub over the stomach or on bottom of the feet (mixed with a carrier oil), and sipping on the herbal tea thought the journey can definitely assist in relieving travel sickness.
Liver health - when we travel we relax and enjoy ourselves, often including extra alcohol consumption and foods we don't normally consume on a daily basis. This is the beauty of travelling new places and eating new cuisines. Sometimes though this can effect the liver, which can effect our energy. I recommend drinking dandelion root tea in the mornings as this herbs is specific for healing and regenerating the liver.
Fluid retention - sitting down for long periods, not standing, not drinking enough water, alcohol and caffeine consumption, can all contribute to fluid retention and bloating. I ALWAYS have a stinging nettle tea on hand to sip on my journey as well as rosemary essential oil to rub over any area affected, to help with clearing the fluid retention and reducing the swelling.
The above are just a few of the tips and tricks I try to encompass on any of my travelling adventures. Remember though the best way to stay healthy on an adventure is to have fun and stay relaxed.
I think this quote is a great one to travel by “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain
p.s if you want access to any of the above oils, check out my website - https://www.mydoterra.com/sarahemilyherbalist20/#/
And if you want a specialised treatment plan to take with you on your adventure, book an acute consultation.
Happy and safe travelling my friends
In health and happiness
Sarah Emily Herbalist
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