Travel Like An Herbalist

It’s really hard for me to resist the temptation to bring my entire apothecary with me when I travel. My Taurus moon gets a little nervous at the thought of leaving my nest and not having my entire collection of teas, tinctures, topicals, and supplements at my disposal. Since you can only fit so much into a suitcase, identifying and paring down to the essentials is crucial. I recently learned this the hard way when the American Airlines attendant informed me that my suitcase was over the 50 pound limit (minimalism is not my forte). 

Now that we have a plague to contend with, traveling with some immune supportive herbs/supplements is a must. Here are some of my favorites to have on hand: 

Herbal Inhaler: Filled with aromatic herbs like eucalyptus and camphor, these compact “sniffies” help clean and clear your nose and sinuses, which are some of the first places pathogens come in contact with your body. 

Throat Spray – An herbal throat spray gets aromatic, antiviral, and antibacterial herbs right where they need to be: in your airways. Use this plus the inhaler mentioned above, and pathogens will have a hard time setting up shop in your upper respiratory tract. You can have this on hand as a prophylactic or use it at the first signs of an infection.

*The Elderberry’s Respiratory Strength Kit has a throat spray, inhaler, and more goodies to keep your immune system healthy this fall/winter.

Oscillococcinum – Pronounced “o-sill-o-cox-see-num,” this is a homeopathic flu remedy that helps reduce the severity and duration of colds and flus. Personally, I think it works best when taken at the very first sign of infection. I pour out the tiny pellets under my tongue and leave them there for as long as I can. I find that it really works to stop potential colds/flus in their tracks. 

Vitamin C – If I’m flying, I usually take 1,000 mg of liposomal vitamin C before and after my flight. I like liposomal C because it is easily absorbed and if you’re sick, you can take large amounts without causing digestive upset. If you’re not going somewhere sunny and beachy, vitamin D (around 5,000 IU) is also your friend. 

Rescue Remedy – Traveling can be stressful. Some things like missing your flight or losing your bag can be full on anxiety inducing. Enter: Rescue Remedy, another classic homeopathic blend containing 5 different flower essences that help with sudden trauma, anxiety, and acute stress. It comes as both a liquid and chewable pastilles, and you can find it at most health food stores. 

Healthy Snacks – Having some filling, low sugar, high fiber snacks with you can help you a) stay well during travel and b) avoid the temptation to wonder over to the Auntie Anne’s pretzel line (or is that just me…). Some ideas: 

• Organic, fiber-rich fruits or fiber powder to put in your beverages (I like acacia for this)

• Grass-fed meat sticks

• Low sugar, gluten free granola 

• Hummus with gluten free crackers

Herbal Tinctures – I usually have a 2 ounce tincture bottle (or two) with me in my carry on. Depending on your needs, you may decide to bring various types of herbs with you: 

• Bitters – Do you get constipated when you travel? Bitter herbs stimulate the digestive process and keep everything moving along through the digestive tract. Taking bitters before snacks or meals can help keep your regular during travel. Think plants like dandelion root, gentian, and artichoke (and SO many others). Make sure you have enough fiber as well! 

• Nervines – Nervines are herbs that act on and support the function of the nervous system. Along with rescue remedy, it’s comforting to have calming, grounding nervines on hand to can help ease travel anxiety and stress. Some of my favorites are motherwort and blue vervain, who also double as bitters!

• Anti-parasitic herbs – If you’re traveling overseas, going on a parasite cleansing protocol might be appropriate for you. I would start this before travel and have an anti-parasitic tincture with you during your trip. I credit this for keeping well the entire time I was traveling to India. Herbs like black walnut hulls, clove, garlic, neem, and pumpkin seeds are often used in anti-parasitic protocols. 

Traveling can be daunting, especially right now. I am so thankful to the plants for offering us their medicines to support and nourish us and we navigate through the rest of this year. 

If you’d like more tips on how to keep your immune system healthy, check out this blog post or this two-part class series on immune health.