The Best Natural Remedies for Travel Ailments

Traveling can impart all kinds of change on our bodies. Anxiety, sleep disruption, face breakouts, parasites, colds, flus, and so on… enter, natural remedies for travel!

From Bali Belly to jet lag, I’ve been there.

It’s not always all you see in the photos. Sometimes (well, usually) travel gives rise to physical discomfort. So you gotta be ready and have some tools accessible!

For me, that’s herbal remedies. Nature is the best tool, and for that reason supplements & tinctures always have reserved space in my luggage.

I used to get super anxious in airports and sometimes on planes, which for me can lead to irritability.

Like, “WHY is this person standing so close to me?”

or, “WHY is this security guard searching my things SO thoroughly?!”

or maybe even, “Where did I put my boarding pass and passport?”

…when it’s zipped up in the front of my jacket that I’m wearing… you’ve been there too, maybe?

(hopefully I’m not alone in that stressful anxiety!)

I of course get jet lagged, which is expected when you travel across time zones. But there’s some natural remedies to help with that too 🙂

I’ve had my spell of parasites, eek. (More on that below!)

Caught colds on planes. Allergies. All while traveling.

But we learn from experience.

Be ready to take care of your body so you can enjoy your travels to the fullest!

My journeys around the world have always brought me back around to the same lesson. That is, without health & physical comfortability, its extremely hard to enjoy yourself, anywhere in the world.

That’s why on top of staying hydrated and eating what feels right for my body, I also add a variety of herbal tinctures, natural remedies and formulas to maintain optimum health while traveling. These natural remedies help deal with any discomforts that arise during travel.

Most of my favorites are from Organic Olivia’s line. Why? Because of all the herbal tinctures and formulas on the market today, hers truly stand out and are created at incredible standards. 

I adore her. She is so thorough, well researched, and authentic. Plus she’s a Leo which is like, the perfect friend match for an Aries like me! When it comes to natural remedies and herbal formulas, hers are top of the line.

Olivias formulas have a higher vibration than any others I’ve tried. ALL of them are ethically & thoughtfully sourced, and for me- they actually work and have made a huge difference in my life.

I’ll get into some of my favorites that I take year round, before travel, during travel, and sometimes after travel (hello parapro!…that’s the parasite cleanse).

I’ve got suggestions for altitude sickness (Cusco and Machu Picchu, anyone?), mood regulation, sleep regulation (jet lag helpers), nerve regulation, hydration support… all of it and I live for this stuff!

I could geek out on natural remedies, ALL day.

I’ve spent hours surfing the web for any and all information related to natural cures and enhancements. I strive to be holistic, yet balanced.

This fascination with natural remedies all started really when I broke out with horrible chin acne in my late teens. It destroyed my confidence and led me to create a lot of unhealthy thought patterns that I’m still learning to undo! More on that later. (similar experience? email me or share in comments! I love talking about this stuff)

That being said, I’ve tried all the remedies. Ok maybe not ALL, but MANY, for sure.

So everything I share in this post is stuff I’ve found along the way that’s personally helped me become healthier and more vibrant.

Keep in mind that this is stuff that works for me. I am not a doctor nor qualified to tell anyone what they should ingest or try or attempt to cure. Always do your own research, consult with your healthcare professional, etc. All that good stuff. 

Also important to note- many of these herbs are not safe or recommended for breastfeeding or pregnant parents. Something to keep in mind! Always do your research.

Which Natural Remedies Should You Use to Prepare Yourself for Travel?

The tinctures and supplements listed below are all things I take to prepare myself for travel. All will include links and descriptions of why I love them.

Not Your Average Probiotic:

This is something I take every night, but especially recommend before travel. It’s important to have good gut balance in order to keep your immunity, digestion and mood all strong! Her probiotic formula is far superior to any others I’ve tried and I just listen to my body. She loves this one!

Liver Juice:

I started taking this originally because I found out from my TCM (traditional chinese medicine) doctor that I had some liver stagnation, which could have possibly been contributing to my acne (any functional/holistic or TCM doctor will be able to tell you if you have any organ stagnation). So when I saw Olivia included this formula in her first line of tinctures I had to try it! It’s worked wonders for my hormone regulation, detoxification, and recovery after drinking alcohol…which is why I’m recommending it for travel preparation! It’s a great natural remedy for overall health.

 Mood Juice:

When I say herbal formulas have changed and greatly improved my life, this one has a huge part of that. Mood juice has an incredible blend of herbs that “calm and nourish the nervous system.” Supports mood and positivity. And I swear, makes me nicer. Haha. But really, this blend is so uplifting and its great to take as support for the nervous system so you’re solid when faced with stressful or uncertain situations when traveling.

Immune Shroom:

This formula has 5 different superfood mushrooms that are incredible for your immune system. Taking consistently for a few days before travel will prepare your immune system to be in different spaces with tons of different people, basically feeds all the virus fighting cells in your body so you’re strong and can ward off sickness. And if you feel something coming on, you can up the dosage to help fight it off.

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What to Take to Prevent Altitude Sickness

Heading to Machu Picchu? The mountains in Colorado? Bogota? Anywhere with high altitude? This part is for you.

Preparing the body to arrive in a high altitude destination is crucial. The supplements below are known to help your body acclimate quicker.

You may still experience some symptoms of the altitude change, but you’ll definitely be better equipped.

Before our trip to Cusco, Peru and Machu Picchu, I took these consistently for about a week before hand, and throughout my time there. I barely had any symptoms of altitude sickness! Chewing local coca leaves there, or drinking coca tea helps adjust too.

ChlorOxygen Chlorophyll Concentrate:

This chlorophyll concentrate can be taken to help build your red blood cells, meaning you’ll be able to absorb more oxygen. Perfect for adapting to a high altitude environments. I took it before going to Cusco and while I was there as well. I also take it sometimes throughout the year because it’s has properties that are good for delivering anti-aging benefits.

Acli-Mate Mountain Drink Mix:

This is good to take when you’re actually feeling the effects of high elevation. The few times that I did feel out of breath or nauseous from the altitude, I drank this for relief.

Supplements and Tinctures You May Need While Traveling

Everyone needs a little first aid/medicine kit and daily supplements bag for travel. I keep mine in their own separate zipper pouch like this one.

Digestive Enzymes:

First thing I like to include is digestive enzymes. Source Naturals is a great brand for quality holistic supplements… I like to take these digestive enzymes about a half hour or so before I eat to help my body digest anything I’m not used to eating. At home, I don’t eat meat, but sometimes when traveling I’ll have a little. Or I’ll eat more bread and cheese than I normally do at home which can be hard for me to digest. These help prevent any discomfort.

Keep It Moving:

This formula helps to deal with any stagnation in the digestive system. And I’ll be honest, my digestive system tends to get sluggish when I travel. So, taking this in the evening before bed helps a lot. Its natural and non-habit forming.

Sleep Juice:

Sleep juice helps a ton when your circadian rhythm is thrown off… aka jet-lagged. The herbs in this tincture help me fall asleep and stay asleep, without the side effect of weird dreams like Melatonin causes for me sometimes.

Melatonin:

Ok so I know I said Melatonin gives me weird dreams sometimes, but it’s still worth mentioning. Melatonin is the actual hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle, made by our bodies pineal gland. Taking it in supplement form while jet lagged is a great tool to help your body adjust to a new time zone. Again, the company I linked here, Source Naturals, is a great one. I do prefer the Sleep Juice over Melatonin, but both work great. Melatonin is one of the more well known natural remedies for travel, so you may have heard of or tried it already!

Ashwagandha:

Recommending this because it can be a great help with managing stress and anxiety, which can certainly occur during travel. Ashwagandha is actually one of my favorite herbs. Not only does it help the body manage stress and anxiety but it also increases low libido (which can be a side effect of anxiety/depression), and supports the adrenals. This will be beneficial for anyone going through burnout from traveling (or working) too much.

Adrenal Rescue:

This formula actually has ashwagandha within, but the additional blend of herbs here is amazing. This is another one of those formulas that really changed my daily life. Helped me overcome being burnt out and get level again after a period where I’d been spreading myself too thin. I still use it, as needed.. but primarily try not to spread myself too thin anymore.

Incredible energy flow comes from having balanced adrenals, and after taking this I was actually able to experience that flow and enjoy it. In turn, my creativity flowed and help me to plan more trips!

Peace Juice:

This one is instant anxiety relief. You spray the tincture on your tongue and allow the herbs to disperse for a moment before you swallow. The Gentian Root in this is bitter and will stimulate the vagus nerve- which helps to calm the body. It grounds you back into your body and the present moment, which feels like relief when you’re experiencing anxiety!

Electrolyte Tablets for Hydration Support:

Nuun electrolyte tablets offer great hydration support when you need replenishing or are dehydrated. These are great to bring on the plane and to keep handy for throughout your travels.

When you notice yourself feeling dry or parched, throw one of these in your water bottle.

I like this brand and love the strawberry lemonade flavor. A good friend of mine recommended these for dehydration, they’re a quick and easy way to get back in balance and stay hydrated.

Magnesium:

Magnesium is one of my favorite remedies for help with sleep, and in general. Deficiency in magnesium has been linked to inflammation… which as you know can lead to a plethora of other issues like pain and disease.

That aside, even when I’m not jet-lagged or traveling, I like to take this. It inspires a restful night of deep sleep, leaving me refreshed for the morning,

I like the formula linked above from the Pure brand. I’ve also heard many others recommend the Calm magnesium powder. See what works best for you!

Plus: Magnesium functions as an electrolyte so can help maintain your body’s fluid balance- double up!  Especially if you’re drinking caffeine and alcohol which deplete the body’s magnesium (and overall hydration) levels.

Now…

What You May Need to Take After Traveling..

Alright so I’ve shared what I like to take before traveling to best prepare the body, what to take during travel to help with any discomfort caused by the journeys, formulas for traveling to high altitude and now… post travel care.

If you happen to contract parasites… which you’ll know by either experiencing food poisoning or a ton of other unfavorable symptoms (click link for an article that includes a ton of info on parasite symptoms, you might not suspect some of these!)

What do I do now? Get. Them. Out.

They release toxins in your body, steal your nutrients, and are just all around awful. (Warning: google searching parasites may get you sucked into the rabbit hole, speaking from experience)

It’s just fascinating how different cultures view them, how human medical care vs veterinary care view them, and how little knowledge is shared about them in America.

There’s tons of herbs you can take to kill and release these critters from inhabiting your body, but to make things easy, I love the Parapro formula that’s linked below.

Parapro Formula:

The easiest, gentlest way to do a parasite cleanse. When I contracted food poisoning and realized I had brought home some parasitic homies from abroad, I fell into a frenzied research-the-internet-rabbit-hole. This is how I found Organic Olivia in the first place, before she even created and released all the amazing tinctures in her shop, many of which I’ve listed above!

You’ll need to prepare the body before doing this Parasite removal cleanse, which she goes into on the website. She also offers a free e-book that goes into detail on all you need to know about dealing with parasites… Start here before your google search 😉 Free Parasite e-book here. 

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Spiritual Health Care

I’m including some of my other favorite formulas here that I like to take in general. These help with overall spiritual wellness and balance, which for me go hand in hand with travel. If that doesn’t sound like your thing, skip this part. If so, here it is!

Flower Essences:

The Bach flower essence linked above is comforting for homesickness. It was curated for “comfort and reassurance,” but pretty much the same thing! Their whole line of products is incredible, actually. They have a huge variety of offerings with different flower essences and remedies.

Crystal Tinctures:

My friend Katie at Enlighted Remedies makes incredible crystal tinctures. I use these pretty much daily and they help with all kinds of stuff! I usually take before bed, before meditation, or when I just need a little something extra for whatever reason.

My favorites are the Citrine Tincture which I take for confidence and abundance, Blue Barite for releasing fear and connecting to the higher self, and the Azurite Tincture for balance and alignment. Ooh, also Charoite for protection, clarity and energy movement.

If I could get them all, I would, but the 7 Chakra System Set is a great starter and well worth the investment. Some bonuses are that it comes with green aventurine, blue lace agate, carnelian, amethyst, and more… all of which can help various areas of life. They’re such a great tool.

Katie has a lot of integrity in her work and this shows through the quality of her products… she’s a gifted healer and intuitive being. Who else would you want making your crystal tinctures?

For more spiritual wellness content, check out Bloom and Manifest

Essential Oils:

The brand I’ve linked above is Mountain Rose Herbs.

They are an incredible company with high standards and just ethics which make me love them even more.

Their eucalyptus essential oil is my favorite to add into a hot bath, and their incense & smudge sticks are great too. Another wonderful thing is their price point. Affordable yet high quality.

What are your thoughts? Any remedies you’d recommend? Let me know.