It’s that time of year again — travel time! There was a time in my life when I could sling some clothes into a bag, toss in a toothbrush and a spare ponytail holder, and head off. My sister and I explored Costa Rica that way.
These days it’s a marathon of loading and charging tablets, making sure both kids have underwear, swim suits, enough changes of clothes to cover the chances that an entire glass of juice will end up down the front of them at least once, chargers, sun screen, hats, the list goes on and on. And, if you’re like me, you’re also wondering about the logistics of bringing along the supplements that make your daily life livable too.
What are the main issues with summer travel?
I’d say probably:
- sleep disruption
- airport/travel/restaurant food
- hydration
- constipation or diarrhea
- managing medications and supplements
- and maintaining routines without obsessing over them
Sleep disruption
The AC kicking on in the middle of the night, the weird scratchy sheets, and the overly stuffed pillows of hotels don’t usually make for the most restful nights, which can throw off the rest of the trip. Sometimes melatonin can be helpful. If you’re adjusting to a major timezone shift, it works best to take about 30 minutes before bedtime for at least three nights, and it helps to start eating meals according to the time zone you’re heading into a day or two before you leave, if you can manage it.
A sleep mask can help block out ambient light, and soft earplugs help with the unexpected sounds of an unfamiliar place. Mental exercises like naming every fruit and vegetable you can think of for each letter of the alphabet, or twenty rounds of inhaling for a count of 5, holding for 4, exhaling for 6, can be both boring enough and demanding enough to help you fall asleep. Also, use caution when indulging in alcohol; it’s tempting on vacation, but it’s a reliable way to disrupt your sleep even further.
Travel food
Depending on your destination, eating can be an epicurean delight or an exercise in patching together something that won’t return unjust rewards later. Try to select fresher foods over packaged ones, and aim to eat a few fruits or vegetables every day, even if that means raiding a grocery store instead of relying entirely on restaurants.
I’ll include a short summer travel kit below, but if you experience traveler’s diarrhea, Saccharomyces boulardii probiotic strains can be really helpful, and it’s worth packing them before you go rather than hunting for them in an unfamiliar pharmacy.
Keep up your fiber and hydration to help prevent constipation, which tends to creep up on people more than they expect when routines and time zones shift.
Hydration
Keep drinking water, especially on airplanes, where the air is drier than you’d think and it’s easy to underestimate how dehydrated you’re getting. You can add in some electrolytes if you’re in a particularly warm environment, doing a lot of walking, or spending extended periods of time outside.
Managing medications and supplements
If you’re on a medication prescribed by your doctor, talk to their office before traveling if you’re going to need refills while you’re away. Per TSA guidelines, be sure to keep all medications in your carry-on.
You don’t want your blood pressure medication to end up in Tahiti while you’re stuck in Tacoma. As far as supplements go, I recommend paring down to the essentials that help you feel your best. That might mean bringing along some adrenal support to give you energy and help reduce hot flashes and brain fog, but leaving behind the fish oil you’re taking for inflammation.
Use your best judgment, but typically when I prescribe supplements, it’s with the understanding that skipping a week here and there would be fine and won’t undo your progress.
Maintaining routines
Get your body moving in whatever way fits the trip. If you’re visiting elderly relatives in claustrophobic, overheated sitting rooms, make sure you’re getting a nightly walk in the fresh air to counterbalance it. If you’re logging 50,000 steps all over a European city, build in some real rest and relaxation too.
Travel is rarely the time to maintain your routine exactly as it looks at home, and that’s okay, the goal is just enough structure to come home feeling like yourself, not depleted.
Suggested Summer Travel Kit
Supplements (for adults)
- Probiotics, Saccharomyces Boulardii – 1 cap twice a day
- Digestive Enzymes with each meal if you’re prone to GI discomfort
- Immune support: daily for prevention, 2-3 times a day with cold or flu symptoms. Talk with your doctor about the best and safest formulation for you
- Electrolyte powder packets in case of tummy bugs, diarrhea or vomiting
- Melatonin for time changes/difficulty falling sleep in new location. Take 30 minutes before bedtime for 3+ days on changing time zones. Talk with your doctor about appropriate dosing.
Medications
- Acetaminophen / ibuprofen for fever management / pain. Talk to your doctor about dosing.
- Benadryl liquid/chewable in case of allergy. Talk to your doctor about dosing.
Topicals
- Lavender essential oil to use topically for bug bites and sunburns
- 1% hydrocortisone cream for difficult itchy rashes / bug bites
- Herbal bug spray
- All purpose herbal healing cream
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Arnica cream or T-relief cream for injuries and sore muscles
- Sunscreen (paraben free!)
- Aloe vera gel to treat sunburns
- Wet wipes for initial cleaning of scrapes and cuts
- Antiseptic wipes to use after cleaning scrapes and cuts – alcohol or benzalkonium chloride. Do not use on deep wounds.
Other
- Variety of Band-Aids, gauze and paper tape
If in doubt about what to pack, what to skip, or how to dose something for your kids or yourself while you’re away, that’s exactly what your practitioner is there for. A quick message before you go can save you a scramble in an unfamiliar pharmacy later.
Safe travels, and enjoy the trip… sticky juice cups and all.
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Dr. Jennifer Potter, ND
Naturopathic Doctor San Jose
408-356-1364
Dr. Jennifer Potter, ND provides natural healthcare solutions for families and individuals, focusing on perimenopause/menopause, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, and immune support. She is deeply committed to her patient’s well being, prioritizes patient education and combines natural and conventional therapies to deliver personalized care. Outside of her practice, she enjoys time with her two kids, reading fiction, and crocheting.
