Summer Vacations and Christmas travel is exciting and gives a welcome break at the end of a busy year…
Maintaining optimal health and energy during travel is essential for you to enjoy your journey!!
I was really looking forward to my holiday this week, but unfortunately, it was called off due to a cyclone in North Queensland. Safety comes first, so we stayed put. This situation got me thinking about how I usually prepare for vacations to stay healthy, energised, and illness-free, and I’d love to share these tips with you today.
These are the same strategies I recommend to my clients, especially during school holidays. Many of them are travelling, whether it’s within the state, interstate, or even overseas, seeking cooler climates. So, I’m excited to offer some advice on how you can support your body, whether going on a long international trip or heading out for a camping adventure.
Let’s get into those tips…..
Prioritise gut health
Probiotics are crucial in supporting energy levels, nutritional intake, the immune system, and managing stress. Particularly during this time of the year, using a high-quality, broad-spectrum probiotic can assist in adjusting to more decadent foods and aid in better digestion.
Additionally, I often suggest a specific probiotic called Saccharomyces boulardii to a broad-spectrum probiotic. This particular strain has gained recognition for its ability to help prevent various gastrointestinal infections. It can be particularly useful when travelling to different countries where there might be a higher risk of stomach issues like traveller’s diarrhea. Taking Saccharomyces boulardii can decrease this risk and ensure a more comfortable trip without spending too much time in the bathroom.
Maintaining or supporting your gut health throughout this period is crucial, especially before embarking on your holidays. If you’ve missed starting earlier, it’s never too late to incorporate probiotics during your vacation. Even during the festive season at home, where we tend to indulge in more decadent foods, prioritising your gut health through probiotics is highly beneficial.
Boost your Immune System
I always emphasise the importance of boosting your immune system, especially if you’re travelling internationally or to cooler climates. Going from warm places like Queensland, where it’s around 32 degrees Celsius, to much colder regions, say around minus 5 or even as low as minus 20 or 30 degrees in certain parts of Europe, can be a real shock to your system.
Many strategies can be used to support your immune system. There are various medicinal herbs with reputations supporting the immune system or aiding in preventing viral or bacterial infections.
One formula I often suggest is found in stores and is travel-friendly.
Keeping your immune system strong is important for international trips and domestic travel, especially on airplanes where infections spread easily due to the enclosed space. A high level of the immune system is vital whether you’re camping or exploring new destinations.
For example, when camping, it’s good to know that mosquitoes can carry various viral infections. However, I’m not suggesting you avoid camping, I am just highlighting the significance of supporting your immune system. Some outstanding herbs to consider for immune support include Andrographis and medicinal mushrooms, like Reishi, Shiitake, and Cordyceps. Other herbs such as Isatis, Lomatium and Astragalus can also be of benefit. So many fabulous medicinal herbs are available for immune support that getting qualified advice from a naturopath is best.
Speaking from personal experience, one of my children fell ill before our planned holiday, prompting me to focus on quickly aiding their recovery while ensuring I didn’t catch the infection myself. Medicinal mushrooms were a cornerstone in supporting my immune system during that period. They are an effective strategy for reinforcing the immune system.
Care for your digestion
During this season, we often indulge in rich, fatty, and sugary foods, sometimes more than usual. This shift in diet can challenge our digestive system, especially when enjoying gatherings with friends and family or trying different cuisines while travelling internationally.
To aid digestion, incorporating digestive herbs like Gentian can support your stomach acids. Additionally, simple ingredients like mint leaves, black pepper, lemons, limes, kiwi fruit, and pineapple can also aid digestion, making it easier for your body to process the food you enjoy.
It’s equally important to support your liver during this time. Numerous herbal formulations that work well for both digestion and liver support are available. These herbs help prevent post-meal fatigue or the feeling of heaviness, ensuring you don’t feel sluggish or overly full after meals.
Prioritising these foods and herbs can significantly aid your body during this season.
Prepare for sleeping pattern changes
If you’re travelling internationally, dealing with jet lag can be pretty exhausting. It often leaves you feeling tired and drained for several days, and in some cases, it can take up to a week to fully adjust.
To help ease the transition when crossing different time zones, a helpful strategy is to gradually adjust your sleep schedule before your trip. Start by going to bed slightly earlier each night, maybe about half an hour, over a few weeks before your departure. This incremental change can make it easier for your body to adapt to the new time zone once you arrive at your destination.
Melatonin supplements can also aid in regulating your body’s internal clock for adjusting to the new time zone. However, melatonin might require a prescription, depending on the country you’re visiting. Alternatively, certain foods like pistachios or tart cherry juice naturally support melatonin levels.
Upon arrival, try to align your sleep schedule with the local time. Use aids like an eye mask, soothing music, or essential oils such as lavender or chamomile to help relax and ease into sleep. These strategies can assist you in adapting more smoothly to the new time zone and reduce the effects of jet lag.
Don‘t forget your natural first aid kit
When camping or staying at home, it’s crucial to have a natural first aid kit ready. Essential oils like lavender or peppermint can be your go-to for bites and stings, such as ant bites or mosquito bites, providing relief and soothing the affected area.
For protection against mosquitoes and midges, consider using patches or wristbands infused with essential oils. These can effectively repel these pests. I’ve personally used wristbands with essential oils for my kids during our local summers, especially in the early evening and overnight when mosquitoes are more active.
When camping or hiking, it’s wise to include Arnica creams in your first aid kit. Arnica works wonders for minor injuries like bumps or bruises, offering support for the body during outdoor activities.
These remedies are handy for local camping trips and are a natural alternative to chemical-laden commercial products.
Support your energy
As mums, it’s common to find ourselves drained while preparing for a holiday. Packing, organising the house, ensuring everything’s in order, and managing family needs can be taxing, especially on top of our daily responsibilities. Sometimes, when we reach our vacation spot, we feel overly fatigued. Incorporating medicinal herbs known for boosting energy levels can be a helpful strategy to prevent this crash.
Herbs such as Ashwagandha, Ginseng, Rhodiola, and Rehmannia have reputations for providing energy support. They can aid in maintaining vitality and prevent you from feeling depleted upon reaching your destination, ensuring you truly relish your holiday without feeling overwhelmed by tiredness.
Incorporating soothing herbal teas into your nightly routine signals your body to relax, promoting better sleep quality during this busy December season.
A celebration of a wonderful and renewing experience..
I hope these tips will help make your upcoming festive holiday, whether it’s a local getaway, international adventure, or a camping trip, more enjoyable and stress-free. By incorporating these natural remedies and strategies, I wish you a rejuvenating and fantastic time with your loved ones.
Let this celebration be a wonderful and renewing experience that energises you for the new year ahead.
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This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.
