No matter if you are hiking the mountains of Tibet or chillaxing by the beach in Bali, here are travel essentials that will help you out –even during the most daring adventures and questionable meal choices. Coconut Activated Charcoal Coconut activated charcoal has been used for centuries across the world to help absorb toxins from the body. Hospitals even use charcoal as a detox method to drug and alcohol poisoning. Heard of Bali Belly? While traveling across Asia, it’s more common than not to experience some tummy issues. Activated charcoal helps stop gas and bloating by binding the gas-causing elements in foods. In cases where you know the food or water is a little less than sanitary, take a few capsules before your meal to prevent any uncomfortable food related tummy issues. The charcoal will help push out anything that may irritate your body. Activated Charcoal is also great for hangovers! While it won’t absorb the alcohol, it will remove the toxins found in alcohol at a faster rate from the body, helping you feel better in a shorter time frame. Using activated charcoal after long haul flights can also help ease jet lag by helping flush out nasty germs or toxins you may have come in contact with during your trip. Something to remember about activated charcoal is that it’s not intended to be an everyday supplement. It’s only to be taken when you need to flush out your system. Activated charcoal is a powerful system cleaner, but it will clean out good and bad elements, like bacteria from our gut, if it’s taken for longer than needed. Also, whenever you take activated charcoal, it’s important to drink a lot more water than you usually do, to help flush the toxins faster and help to prevent dehydration. Bee Propolis Propolis is the perfect travel buddy. With it’s anti- bacterial, anti inflammatory, anti-microbial and tons of antioxidants, you will be able to fight off foreign bacteria as well as the common cold! Throw in the fact that propolis helps prevent oxidative damage from stress, you will have no problem maxin relaxin! Bug Spray No, not that nasty spray that makes you smell and look like you were dunked in chemicals and repels any living creature, including the cutie smiling at you from across the bar. We have some natural solutions, that are just as potent to keep you from being eaten alive! To start, citronella is the most common herb for bug repellent. It works wonders, but make sure you reapply every two hours. Also, try burning sweetgrass to repel bugs. Sweetgrass has two chemicals, phytol and coumarin, which are both known as natural bug repellents. Oh, and catnip is not just for your kitty. Studies show that rubbing crushed catnip on your skin repels bugs ten times more effectively than DEET. But hey, even if it doesn’t, you will definitely make friends with the local cats! Probiotics Bali Belly, also known as traveler’s diarrhea can be a vaca ruiner. It’s hard to prevent because it’s caused by contaminated food or water, as well as your unfamiliarity to the microbes specific to those of the region. Studies have shown that by using good bacteria and maintaining digestive support while traveling, traveler's diarrhea cases were lowered significantly. It’s important to choose a multi-strain probiotic, preferably one with both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum strains, as they have shown the greatest ability to combat digestive irritation while traveling! Water Sanitizer Drinking from bottled water is normally the way to go, but you might get caught in a pinch where it’s not an option. Having a portable water filter with you will ensure that no matter what situation your adventures lead you to, dehydration will not be an issue! We’re fans of LifeStraw Personal Water Filters because they’re inexpensive, and they remove bacteria and other types of pollution found in water. Female Urination Device While this may seem like a joke, you will be the one laughing when everyone else is struggling to squat and pee over a more than disgusting hole in the ground. Remember, no matter how beautiful that secluded beach is lookin’ chances are they probably don’t have flushing toilets. It’s better to be overly prepared than to get caught in a sticky situation! There are plenty of inexpensive options on Amazon, and they even come in pink. Ladies, you’re welcome. Electrolyte Packets Yes, there are lots of coconuts, and coconut water is full of electrolytes. However, you will need a full coconut tree to have enough electrolytes for one bad restaurant choice or one night you don’t remember. Solution? Electrolyte packets! You will stay hydrated and bounce back way faster, and plus you won’t have to scale a tree! Check out your local health food store for options. Adventures are fun, but being prepared for surprises makes things more enjoyable – especially if it means preventing Bali Belly. Now that you have a bag full of tricks, it’s time to explore the unknown, or maybe the well traveled Banana Pancake trail of Southeast Asia.
Travel Essentials: What to bring on your self discovery trip across Southeast Asia
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