Nate and I have gone on a couple amazing camping trips the past couple of weeks. We love to get out of the city and enjoy the ever rare, quiet nature here in Korea. We are getting pretty good at packing for short trips, whether we are staying at a hotel or camping in the great outdoors.
One thing I am never without when we travel is my small bag of health essentials, and "in case of emergency" supplements. It is the WORST to be sick away from home, so I like to know I have some of my basic, go to remedies close at hand. The kit is customizable to your particular wants or current health situation, which also makes it the perfect travel companion.
For me, the most disruptive things when we travel are an upset stomach and a cold/sinus infection (P.S. you should also check out my post on how to kick a cold or sinus infection to the curb). I packed my travel kit according to those concerns, and also included my daily supplements and vitamins. It's hard to not slack off on taking those while I'm not at home, but my body needs to be treated well, especially when we travel Here's what I included in my kit:
- Peppermint tea
- Nausea, flu, upset stomach (see peppermint post here)
- Peppermint essential oil
- Incredibly effective with nausea, especially when combined with tea
- Repels bugs
- Headache remedy
- Lemon ginger tea
- Helps digestion after a heavy meal (which tends to happen a lot during travel!)
- Soothe a sore throat
- Oregano oil capsules (packed in an empty spot in the pill organizer)
- Quickly knocks out colds and sinus infections
- Kills bacteria
- Kills parasites (not pleasant to think about, but handy to know)
- Activated charcoal capsules (also packed in an empty slot in the pill organizer)
- Natural remedy for food poisoning (Yes, this works! See post here)
- Can quickly become a water or air filter in an emergency
- Thieves essential oil, or equivalent (the name of this oil depends on which company you purchase from)
- Rub on lymph nodes in case of a sore throat
- Rub on feet to boost immunity
- Cleans surfaces and wounds
- A small jar of coconut oil, for when I need to dilute the essential oils
- Almond oil, grape seed, or even olive oil can also work well.
- NOTE: Essential oils are highly potent, so I always recommend diluting
Below are some additional suggestions for your natural health kit, depending on your needs and destination:
- Lavender oil (A GREAT oil for anytime you will be outdoors a lot)
- Heals sunburn (dilute with coconut oil or aloe era)
- Stress relief
- Cleans wounds
- Stops itching/pain on a bee sting or insect bite
- Eucalyptus essential oil
- Clears sinuses
- Rosemary essential oil
- Bug repellent
- Natural disinfectant for scalp and skin
- Boosts immunity
- Pain/headache relief
- Bandages
- Because I can't be the only klutz who always gets hurt on trips
As with anything else, if there is any reason for concern, see a doctor, however I have used these remedies many times with incredible success. If you have kiddos or are pregnant, please take care with what natural remedies you use with them, as their little bodies aren't equipped to deal with all essential oils.
Happy trails!