Going on holiday and wondering what essential oils to take with you? Here are some holiday recipes and great tips for when you are traveling. Easy to make and easy to take!
Using essential oils can help ease some of those less appealing upsets than can occur when you travel to some of the more exotic places. You may experience stomach upsets, jet lag, travel sickness, sun burn, native insects encounters, ...
I'm not putting you off traveling, it's the most wonderful experience! Just be prepared and go armed with some very helpful essential oils. Here are a few suggestions below for holiday recipes and tips ...
Stomach upsets
I have been fortunate enough to travel to many wonderful countries around the world. My favourites would have to be Malawi, Tanzania (Zanzibar in particular), Zimbabwe, Brazil, Venezuela, and The Caribbean ... not in any particular order!
Touch wood, I have never had to deal with stomach upsets anywhere I have traveled to. I put this down to a number of factors. If I'm in a country where I suspect may trigger a stomach upset I am very careful to drink only bottled water - and that includes brushing my teeth!
Eating local produce is always tempting so I make sure I either peel the skin off or thoroughly clean it with, yes you guessed it, bottled water - and my tip here is to add some lemon essential oil in the cleaning water.
Being a vegetarian helps of course as I don't partake in any local meat delicacies (one particular safari I did in Africa, I was the only vegetarian and also the only one in our group not to get a stomach upset. Coincidence? I think not).
If you do suffer from a stomach upset, make sure you keep well hydrated by drinking plenty of bottled water - you can add 1 drop of lemon to this plus a couple of teaspoons of sugar will help.
You could also try mixing either 5 drops of lavender, geranium, or ginger to a tablespoon of vegetable oil and massaging this all over your body (especially your stomach area). If possible, have a warm bath after having applied this mixture.
If you have persistent diarrhoea or if you develop dysentery you must seek medical attention.
Jet lag
Flying long or even short distances can be quite taxing on the body. The pressurized compartments can be very drying to the inside of your body as well as to your skin. Drink plenty of fluids but avoid excessive alcohol, tea, and coffee. On long flights, get up and walk around as often as possible and do the exercises the airline often recommends in their in flight magazine.
If you suffer from swollen ankles, this can be alleviated by massaging the following blend into your ankles, feet, and calves before, during, and after the flight:
- 5 drops of Geranium
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
If you get nervous when you fly, add a few drops of either lavender or geranium to a tissue or handkerchief and inhale this when you are feeling anxious. This can also help you to drift off to sleep.
Travel sickness
Whether you feel nauseous in a car, boat, plane, or train a couple of very helpful oils to have at hand are ginger or peppermint. You can put a few drops of either on a tissue or handkerchief and inhale the aroma at various intervals. Another method is to mix the following blend and massage into your stomach area:
- 3 drops of Ginger or Peppermint
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Insects
If you are traveling to an area where you will be affected by bothersome mosquitoes, sand flies, or midges make the blend below to take with you:
- 5 drops Citronella
- 10 drops Lavender
- 10 drops Peppermint
- 10 drops Thyme
There are many ways you can use this blend to prevent being bitten . In your hotel room, put a few drops on light bulbs. You can fill dishes with boiling water and add a few drops of the blend to each and place in various parts of your room.
When you are out and about, mix 5 drops of this blend to 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and massage this to exposed areas of your skin.
Take note, don't be fooled into thinking these bitey things only come out after sunset. I was in a rainforest in Queensland recently having an early morning walk and got viscously attacked by mosquitoes! Thinking because it was day time I would be safe, I didn't protect myself with insect repellant. I counted 23 bites over my back, legs and arms when I made it back to my room. Luckily I had a a bottle of lavender oil in my room so after my shower, I dabbed neat lavender onto all affected bumps. It certainly worked wonders and they didn't itch after that. However, I would have preferred the prevention rather than unsightly bumps everywhere!
Sunburn
Although we all know the warnings about skin cancer, sometimes while on holiday it is too easy to overdo it in the sun. Many times we are outside for lengthy periods, sightseeing and exploring new places. It's also easy to get carried away lying on the beach or by a pool for too long, exposing parts of our bodies never seen before!
Some countries are harsher than others with the hole in the ozone layer, specifically New Zealand and Australia. Be extra careful when visiting these countries and do apply sunscreen regularly throughout the day.
If you do suffer a severe sunburn one of the best oils to relieve the pain is lavender. (by now you must be wondering why you ever left home without it!) Lavender can be dabbed neat into affected areas or you can add a few drops to a light oil such as jojoba or almond oil and massage this into those red raw bits.
A great after sun oil I have found to be very helpful in prolonging a tan and re hydrating dry, sun kissed skin is below:
- 3 drops Chamomile
- 2 drops Geranium
- 5 drops Lavender
- 1 tablespoon almond or jojoba oil
Blend this mix well and massage into your skin at the end of a long, hard day relaxing by the pool!
As a final tip, whenever I am staying in holiday accommodation, I sprinkle a few drops of lavender or geranium over the bed including pillows, mattress, and other bedding. I also sprinkle a few drops around the room, particularly if the carpet is smelly from stale cigarettes or similar nasty smells. This not only gives the room a beautiful aroma but it can act as a bacteria buster to any nasties that may be hanging around.
If you don't have all of these essential oils, at least take lavender with you as this is such an amazing all-rounder that will be helpful in all situations above. My next choice would be geranium as this is also an extremely versatile and beneficial essential oil for holiday recipes.
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