Summer is here and for most people that means it’s vacation travel season. Whether you’re traveling by car or plane, on a long trip or on a weekend getaway, no matter the time of year, it helps to be prepared for some of the unexpected annoyances and minor ailments that can sometimes mess up a perfectly good vacation.
The biggest of these is probably the stress that simply comes with travel: delayed, canceled or missed flights, misplaced luggage or misplaced documents, a flat tire or other major car problem, motion sickness, jet lag and various camping-related mishaps. .
Then there are the more common culprits like colds and allergies, upset stomach or digestive stress, headaches, insomnia, fatigue, minor cuts and bruises, foot blisters, rashes or hives, chafing, and sunburn.
There are a number of surprisingly simple ways you can use essential oils, alone or in combination with other plant-based ingredients, to address these issues and avoid the kind of misery that can make you wish you’d stayed home.
1. Colds, Allergies and Sinus Congestion
With plants, flowers, and grasses in full bloom, pollen is everywhere, making summer synonymous with allergies. Then there’s the congestion that accompanies minor colds that you can pick up from airborne bacteria on planes, trains, and buses, not to mention airports and climate-controlled hotels. To minimize the chance of catching someone else’s cold, wash your hands often with soap and keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer (preferably one made with essential oils) for when you can’t.
To relieve congestion, Eucalyptus Radiata essential oil is your best option. It is the gentlest and safest of the various types of eucalyptus available and can be applied frequently without irritation. For a more powerful decongestant, try our Breathe Ease Diffuser Blend (see our Diffuser Blend Guide for ingredients and suggested uses). In extreme cases, a small amount of peppermint essential oil applied to the back of the palate can provide quick and effective relief.
2. Upset stomach or digestive stress
There are several essential oils that can help with an upset stomach and indigestion, including sweet fennel, ginger, lemon, peppermint, and tea tree. To relieve mild nausea and indigestion, place 1 drop of peppermint and 2 drops of sweet fennel in 24 oz of purified water. This also makes a cool, refreshing drink that you can use in place of drinking water. For stronger, faster relief from indigestion or nausea, add a drop of peppermint or ginger to a teaspoon of honey and place in a cup of hot water or herbal tea (chamomile, ginger, or licorice root tea will increase the efficacy). For quick diarrhea relief, add a drop of tea tree oil to a cup of chamomile or peppermint tea (or hot water if no tea is available, but be prepared for the unpleasant taste). Repeat until the discomfort is gone.
3. Headaches and/or insomnia
Lavender essential oil is a remarkably effective antidote to minor headaches and accompanying muscle tension, and can provide a sense of calm when you have difficulty sleeping in a strange or uncomfortable place. For relief from migraine headaches, try our Headache Blend, which combines lavender with peppermint (a cooling pain reliever), marjoram (a sedative and muscle relaxant), basil, and chamomile, and comes already diluted in jojoba oil to direct application to the affected areas (temples, forehead, eyebrows and neck muscles). For insomnia, try our Sleep Ease diffuser blend, which combines lavender, mandarin orange, marjoram, fir and petitgrain.
With the exception of lavender and tea tree, undiluted essential oils should be used in a portable diffuser. If you’re camping or somewhere where you can’t use a diffuser, put a drop or two on a handkerchief or bandana and wrap it around your head or tuck it under your pillow and inhale the vapors. Do not overuse.
4. Fatigue
Jet lag, stress, long trips, and long sightseeing excursions (especially on foot) can lead to exhaustion and fatigue. The best way to deal with this is to pace yourself, try not to fill your schedule with more activities than you can really handle, eat a good amount of protein (preferably at breakfast), and always stay hydrated. Essential oils that can help include eucalyptus (mental clarity) and peppermint (uplifting), or try our Stay Alert diffuser blend, which includes both along with rosemary, cinnamon leaf, orange, and cedarwood. Use with a Car Scenter diffuser to help keep you awake on long drives. To soothe tired, aching feet, put a drop in a warm foot bath, or several drops in a tablespoon of carrier oil for an invigorating foot massage.
5. Minor cuts, scrapes and other skin rashes
Minor wounds (ie splinters, hanging nails, insect bites, blisters, cuts, scrapes, and burns) must be disinfected and treated immediately or they can lead to painful swelling and a variety of uncomfortable rashes. This is when Tea Tree Oil can become a trustworthy and trustworthy friend! It kills bacteria, cleans wounds and promotes quick healing. Like Lavender, it can be applied “neat” (directly) to the skin. Think of it like an invisible liquid Band-Aid. Our Boo Boo Blend, which combines tea tree with lavender, geranium, and chamomile (anti-inflammatory) is also a great option. For sunburn relief, combine 1 teaspoon of lavender or Boo Boo mix with 4 oz of aloe vera juice and store in a spray bottle. Substitute 1 ounce of mint hydrosol for aloe juice to enhance cooling effect. Shake well and spray liberally, as often as needed to reduce pain and speed healing.
In short, the four key essential oils you need in your travel kit are: Peppermint (headaches, fatigue, indigestion, and congestion), Eucalyptus (congestion and fatigue), Tea Tree (diarrhea, cuts and wounds, disinfectant), and lavender (headaches, skin rashes and burns, stress, muscle tension, insomnia).
Copyright 2009 Dropwise Basics
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