Staycation, Passing Through, Or Settling In

Whether staying home for a vacation this year, or driving through our lovely state of Oregon, or relocating and settling in, illness on the road is far worse when in flux. How can we make moves more comfortable and be prepared for the possible stress of travel or relocating.

The farther away you plan to travel or move, the sooner you should begin preparations. Up to a month before you can begin shoring up your immune system to deal with any onslaughts. Sleep and diet are under appreciated as “health aids”. Since sleep is difficult for many while traveling or under the stress of re-locating consider doing all you can to make yourself and those travelling with you as comfortable as possible. Consider one of those small travel pillows for each member of your family and put a few drops of each person’s favorite essential oil on the corners of the pillow. You do not want to put the essential oil on the middle of the pillow where you put your head as you don’t want to cause any irritation to eyes. Lavender is the go-to essential oil for promoting calmness and sleep but not everyone likes the scent of lavender. My personal favorite is Geranium as it resembles rose essential oil without the high cost.

Since car travel is up and many are travelling with children, why not be prepared to calm both children and adults. A mixture of lavender essential oil and Rescue Remedy (or both) in a spray bottle filled with distilled water will quiet everyone in the car, as well as drown out the odor of those smelly feet or sweaty bodies after that long hike.

Essential oils and homeopathics and essences are small, light, and easy to travel with, whatever your luggage choice or your destination. However, you should package the oils separately from the homeopathics and essences as essential oils may decrease the effectiveness of the homeopathics. In addition to band-aids and healing salves, you can carry homeopathic Arnica as a gel or in pill form to help with those inevitable minor to moderate sprains, strains, or other injuries. Both Arnica and Rescue Remedy will also help with insect bites and stings, even sunburn, and are easy to carry in purse or pocket.

Remember that nutrition is an important part of your health. Increasing consumption of ginger, mint, or turmeric will improve your traveler’s digestion. Your tummy will be happier with a decrease of sugar in your diet not just when vacationing or relocating but also when settling in. Sugar decreases the ability of your white blood cells (the defenders) within a half hour of consumption and lasts for five hours! After just two hours your immune function is reduced by 50%. Plus, and perhaps worst, is the fact that sugar consumption makes people cranky and irritable and summer heat does that already. While treats when travelling or under stress are inevitable, increasing fiber and protein will keep everyone more balanced and happy.

Probably the most incapacitating traveler’s or mover’s problem is diarrhea. Even with the admonition of using only bottled water for brushing teeth or washing fruit, keep in mind that not all places on earth have dishwashers or use boiling water for washing dishes. In some countries it is not advisable to eat raw fruits and vegetable. Forgetting is easy. While I remember a time in China when we dipped grapes into boiling water to peel them before eating. But think about guacamole in Mexico. Better to buy the avocadoes and make your own guacamole with processed salsa and not with fresh tomatoes or onions to avoid the famous “turista”.

If intestinal imbalance does result in diarrhea or vomiting, be prepared. It’s easier than trying to find a grocery store or a pharmacy when in the woods, travelling in a foreign country, or relocating to a new area. Carry some bottle of carbonated water to which you can add activated charcoal or psyllium powder to absorb the toxins you may have ingested. Powdered ginger, turmeric, or mint tea bags can help too. Pineapple juice and fresh papayas if you are lucky enough to be in a country where these are readily available, will ease digestive woes as well.

In a pinch (no pun intended) you could use cinnamon, cloves (also good for toothache), oregano, or thyme off any old spice rack to make tea. If you have carried essential oils of mint, oregano, or thyme they may be diluted with olive oil and applied topically to the tummy area. Test a small area for possible irritation before applying, especially with children and anyone with comprised skin issues. Best to avoid the sun under such circumstances as some are more sensitive than others and may cause rash or sunburn. Using essential oils internally, even in drop doses could lead to irritation of mucous membranes of the mouth or intestinal system.

All of the above mentioned remedies are easy to obtain from Naturopaths (capsules of ginger, turmeric, homeopathics, and salves). Many can be found at local grocery or health stores (teas, pineapple juice), or off the shelves of your own home or the home of those you are visiting (powdered spices). Let’s face it, vacations and moving are few and far between, so let’s not lose any time being uncomfortable. With a little pre-planning and becoming prepared we can be happier whether stacaytioning, travelling through, or relocating to a new area.