7 Healthy Essentials I Never Travel Without
It's that time of year where many of us are hitting the road to visit family and friends. Changing environments, getting out of routine, and the general stress of it all can make the body more vulnerable to getting sick (or even generally not feeling ourselves which kind of sucks too). I always make a point to go the extra mile to support my body (especially my immune system) so I can prevent illness while traveling. I actually want to enjoy the season and time with my loved ones and nothing puts a damper on that more than feeling under the weather! Here are the 7 multi- tasking items I never travel without to boost my immunity and keep me feeling my best over all.
Reusable Water Bottle
I tuck mine into my carry on and fill once I'm past security at the airport. Even if you have to hunt for filtered water that's better than getting dehydrated which can make you feel fatigued, dizzy, or cause headaches. Added bonuses: bringing your own bottle decreases plastic waste and over spending on $5 bottles of water at the airport.
Blanket Scarf
I'm always cold so this is a must have. Use it for a shawl, blanket, or fold it up for a make- shift pillow (because nothing is worse than falling asleep on the plane hunched over and waking up feeling stiff!) My acupuncturist also taught me about the Chinese medicine principle of covering up the neck to protect the body from excess external wind which can create illness. I'll let her explain that concept in a guest post one day, but in general I've found keeping with the principles of Chinese medicine when it comes to lifestyle and seasonal factors it's never steered me wrong! Anyway, I always try to keep my neck and chest covered while traveling to prevent catching any respiratory illnesses like the common cold.
Nonperishable Snacks
A must to stay nourished between meals and avoid junky, over- priced airport and/or fast food. Some of my favorites to pack are nuts, popcorn, small apples or mandarins, and single serve packs of nut butter. Honey sticks and fruit leathers are good too if you need a little glucose boost for energy. This helps keep me in routine because I snack a lot during the day, and it keeps me from giving into just grabbing anything because I'm starving!
My favorite blanket scarf, Madewell tote, and some of my essentials!
Rose Water
I use rose water to tone at night and freshen up in the morning in lieu of foamy cleansers as a part of my daily skin care regimen. It's balancing, anti-inflammatory, and contains antioxidants. These properties make it perfect when traveling, it's such an easy to use pick me up or quick cleanser. The calming scent doesn't hurt either! When I'm traveling in the morning I pack a couple cotton pads and tone with it before dabbing a little concealer under my eyes to help me look a little more "awake". It also comes in handy to spritz my curls if they look a little dry or a need to slick my baby hairs down real quick. Ha!
Essential Oils
My top picks for trips are DoTerra lavender, peppermint, and OnGuard blend. Lavender is good not only for relaxation but also soothing skin irritation like minor burns and bug bites. Peppermint is great for energy boosting, soothing tummy aches, and easing head/neck tension (hello uncomfortable plane sleep!). I rub a little on my temples, back of the neck and the middle of my forehead to soothe a headache. OnGuard is DoTerra's immune blend I keep on deck at ALL. TIMES. Between changing environments and the recycled plane air you'll be sharing with your fellow travelers, OnGuard is an excellent and often needed little boost for the immune system. The blend contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral oils like clove, eucalyptus and a few others. All three oils come in pre-diluted roller form which is my fave for easy use on the go and avoiding spills.
Supplements
I'm obsessed with this Vitamin C + zinc + probiotic supplement from Garden of Life for immune support. (Much of the immune system is in the gut and for me it can be hard to get fermented foods in while traveling, hence the probiotic.) It's another easy way to support the immune system, especially against the common cold. Some other honorable mentions include digestive enzymes for heavy meals, a regular probiotic, and these adaptogen blends to help calm the adrenal and nervous system.
Argan Oil
I use organic Argan oil on my face and skin on a regular basis. I love that it can multi-task which makes it great for traveling and it's very light and nourishing for my acenic skin and dryness- prone curly hair. Dab some on a cotton ball to remove eye makeup, rub into your skin after toning to nourish and seal in moisture, or use a drop in your hair for extra smoothing, moisture, and shine.