Traveling is my jam and before quarantine life I was on a plane regularly every month. By now, I’ve become a master at using packing cubes, traveling with a carry on, and figuring out how to bring the essentials so I stay in tip top health.
It hasn’t been an easy transition. In fact when I started my natural journey I was so afraid to be without the meds for motion sickness, headaches, and stomach aches that I brought double the items. Well, let’s just say I’ve now been on enough boats, planes, trains, and cars galore and successfully traveled over 20hrs on a plane with all natural items for health and been 100% fine!
With airports and planes being super dirty places I get a bit skeeved out with the recirculated air and make sure to carry all the things to keep me healthy. Here’s a sneak peak into some of my favorite natural essential travel remedies that may help you out on your next trip.
Probiotics: This is my #1 supplement I cannot be without because let’s face it, whose trying to go on a trip and have digestive issues? (not me). Having proper digestive support is especially helpful when traveling to new places and trying new or different foods. Not to mention staying regular in the bathroom while traveling is important! My go to probiotic has a slow release capsule and has over 17 billion cultures to support healthy gut bacteria.
Antioxidant Supplements: Yep, I'm that girl bringing my meals with me to the airport because I cannot stand airport food and I get worried about digestive issues while traveling. One of the perks of travel is eating all the things but with that comes a whole lot of potential health problems. Nowadays I make sure to flood my body daily with high level antioxidant fruits and vegetables in a simple drink packet which makes it simple when on the go! Not only do antioxidants help support healthy blood sugar levels but they keep cravings down while filling you up - perfect when dealing with travel stress.
Vitamin D3: Another supplement I recently started to travel with is my Vitamin D3. I’m all about those beach vacations but honestly I just don’t get enough natural vitamin D. This supplement is GMO and organic and the yummy citrus flavor makes it an easy essential to keep in my travel bag.
CBD: With all the stress that goes into travel staying calm is a necessity. CBD is one of the most effective ways to naturally support your body to remain calm and focused without the ‘high’ from THC. I’m totally obsessed but had to find the best quality oils and therefore you must do your research! It's something I now always carry on trips (trust me you'll want it after you fall asleep using an airplane pillow!)Thieves: If you don’t know how much I already love all things essential oil related you will now. Plant based products are a huge part of my natural lifestyle and travel with me on every trip. Truth be told I get weirded out thinking of how many people touched all the things on the plane, so prior to all trips I make sure to load up on ALL my immune supporting products. Plants such as cinnamon, rosemary, clove, and eucalyptus are all known to help keep your immune system strong and fight off all the yuk (you know, the things you don't have time for when traveling) So what types of products are we talkin' about? Well....the essentials of course: sanitizer, wipes, travel spray, mouthwash, and toothpaste!
This may all seem like a lot of stuff but trust me it all fits into a nice little travel bag along with a few more key items. It’s important to remember that whether you travel solo or with the fam it should be fun and not stressful.
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Working with the pediatric population, I see a LOT of children and infants with skin problems such as Eczema. While I don’t have personal experience with this I do have personal experience with Rosacea and I thought I'd share a variety of natural options I found that have worked very well. As always, I encourage you to have an in depth conversation with your physician to discuss all options and methods to address your concerns.
WHY I’M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT CREAMS…….
As much as it would be amazing to say there was a magic cream to make eczema go away, I have to make it clear that the underlying problem is not being addressed with a topical cream. I know, this may be a heartbreaking thing to read but hear me out, a cream can stop the immediate discomfort but won’t get to the root cause. I think you’re ready to kick this in the butt so let’s get down to biz.
This is why I’m a HUGE component of dietary and natural options. Eczema is complex, however attacking it from all angles will leave you with long lasting results and happy soothed skin!
Where my Foodies At??
I know it seems weird to talk about food when you’re wanting to know how to heal a skin issue but diet is often a big underlying concern with those dealing with eczema.
You may or may not have heard that the gut is highly connected to our overall immune state and it is! Add on exposure to medications, antibiotics, and inflammatory foods and this can create chaos for your skin.
One of the best things to help heal the gut is bone broth. A major key component to the GAPS diet (also known as the “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” diet). For more info on the GAPS diet I highly suggest you grab this book and dive in! Bone broth is an amazing source of calcium and many other minerals, and it’s super easy to make. The overall health benefits are tremendous but other benefits include: digestive, joints, nervous system, and SKIN SUPPORT.
Remember I said it’s easy to make right? You can even make it in your Instant Pot!! (#winning). One fun trick I’ve found is to roast approximately 3 lbs bones • Carrots. • Celery • Onion • Garlic • Season with Salt and Pepper on a sheet pan for about 40 minutes in the oven before you cook it. If you use an Instant Pot you can top it with water and cook on manual for 2 hours. Are you more of a stock pot kinda person?....no problem, just slow simmer for about 8-10 hours and enjoy!
Natural Remedies
PROBIOTICS
A somewhat controversial topic, the idea of probiotics being used to naturally support the gut and healing of atopic dermatitis is mixed. Many reviews claim there is not enough evidence however from personal experience there are tremendous benefits from using a high quality probiotic ¹ .
As our diets have moved heavily away from using fermentation processes that would help build a flourishing array of flora in the gut, supplementing with probiotics may be important more than we know. For many including myself, foods with probiotics in them was not effective (not to mentioned often filled with sugars). I’ve tried many varieties however the one I personally found most effective has 9 strains with 17 billion live active cultures and uses a delayed release capsule to ensure the cultures get straight to the intestines. Quality matters if we are going to support the GI system.
DETOX BATHS
For those who do not find their condition gets worse in water, detox baths can be very healing to the body. While they help remove toxins from the body they can also make you tired so considering doing them before bed a couple times a week!
Bentonite Clay Bath
½ cup Bentonite clay
½ cup Epsom salts
Essential oils if desired
Take the epsom salts and mix a few drops if desired of essential oils and pour into the water. In a small glass jar mix the clay using a plastic spoon with a bit of water until the clumps are mostly dissolved. Add the clay mix to the bath and soak for at least 20 minutes.
COCONUT OIL/LAVENDER LOTION
If you do not have an allergy to coconut, applying a thin layer of coconut oil to the skin can be soothing and help stop the itch. I also find that good old lavender is not only great to calm and relax your mind but is also amazing to soothe the skin. If you find Coconut to be too drying you can always try another option as sometimes coconut oil has been known to strip the skin of moisture intensifying the itch for some.
BOTTOM LINE
There are many other tips and tricks to naturally address eczema and ditch the itch but you want to make sure you are focused on getting to the root of the cause. Consider seeking a consultation with an allergist and then create a good plan of attack to change your dietary and personal care products so that you can love the skin you’re in!
Whether it's friends or family I constantly hear people say they ‘wish’ they could be, do, move like someone else". I’m always fascinated by such statements and it often sparks convo to find out more about the goals my friends/family have.
Here’s what I’ve found…..regardless of the goal most people aren’t in the right mindset to be able to really crush their goals. Especially when it comes to health goals. Yep, it’s just that simple. Wishing and hoping aren’t going to cut it. These feelings are filled with underlying doubt and worry about your potential to succeed.
I don’t want that for ya so let’s have some real talk about 2 key things you must have to successfully achieve your health goals.
#1: BELIEF
Do you really believe you are going to hit this goal you set? I’m not talking about how you’ll do it, I’m speaking upon the idea that no one is going to believe in you as much as you believe in you. Do you really believe with 100% of your heart that you are worthy of achieving the goal you desire? Maybe not. I've discovered that without belief there is no trust, no action, and no drive to take the daily steps to lead you to where you want to be.
Belief in yourself is a key mindset component to any health goal. When you have undeniable belief in yourself and your goal NOTHING will stand in your way. (aka not even that desire to Netflix binge watch).
For 12 years I struggled with belief that I could get rid of meds for my chronic sinus issues and would constantly tell myself “there’s no other option”. It wasn't until I stopped inundating myself with self doubt and negative self talk that I was able to find the solutions I had been desiring all those years. Trust me, if you believe you are worthy of a long lasting, happy, and flourishing quality of life your belief in what you want will outweigh all that negative nonsense.
#2: CONFIDENCE
This is such a struggle for women and in the age of the digital comparison trap. We’re all human and often want what others have but when you focus your energies on you and what you want you no longer have the time to worry about what others say and do.
Now I know some of ya' are saying “....well, I’m introverted and shy", “I don’t really think I am confident”, “I really don’t have time because I’m so busy”. WARNING WARNING: negative talk alert-step away from those thoughts and start telling yourself the exact opposite. Your health goals can be achieved with ease if you are confident and clear on what you want and why you want it. If you desire to move better, feel stronger, use less medications etc then you will need to have the confidence required to do so.
It’s time to quiet the noise in your head, listen to your intuition, start to believe in yourself, and increase your confidence. You’ll see that the most valuable investment that any of us truly make is in ourselves and our health!
I’d love to hear from you in the comments. What has helped you get your goals achieved with ease?
You’ve heard it a trillion times. Sleep is important for optimal health including proper hormone function and cellular regeneration. As a busy traveler, career woman, business entrepreneur, and caregiver getting enough sleep is as much as a struggle for me as figuring out what’s for dinner! So I thought I’d drop a list of some natural options that have helped me or my friends over the years (besides my #1 option which is to incorporate essential oils into your life) so you too can get more rest in your life.
Magnesium Oil I’ve definitely suggested magnesium as a natural option to address migraines but it’s an often overlooked option for sleep support. This naturally occurring mineral is important for so many functions including reducing stress and increasing your sleep! What I’ve found is that like many, I’m super deficient in this mineral and since our soil is depleted of adequate levels of magnesium and things like water filtration have eliminated this from our water we are all in need of more magnesium than we know!
One of the fastest and easiest ways to magnesium oil is through the skin as it can bypass the digestive system however some people prefer supplements taken internally. If you are one of the few that have tried this option and noticed you’re more alert at night then this isn’t the right fit for you.
Here’s a quick overview of how it works:
- breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds
- hold your breath for a count of 7 seconds
- exhale forcefully through the mouth, pursing the lips and making a “whoosh” sound, for 8 seconds
- repeat the cycle up to 4 times
For my visual peeps who want to see what this looks like in person check out this video!
The struggle for a good night's rest is real, especially for the busy, on the go female. Consider committing to one or all of these options and see what if anything benefits you to get some more Zzz’s!
