Save this! Your Healthy Spring Break Survival Guide

Imagine this: you have five days of vacation with your family. But the first day, you’re exhausted from the flight. You’re basically in survival mode. The second day, jet lag hits. It’s hard to enjoy your children or that novel you packed when you couldn’t sleep the night before. You feel like snoozing during your zip line tour. Day three: finally feeling better, you enjoy yourself, but someone gets a stomach ache from the rich foods, and your partner is hungover from a chummy waiter’s free shots the previous evening. Feels like work, no? Day four, finally, a normal day! Except one off the kids is terribly sunburnt after forgetting to reapply sunscreen before getting on a banana boat yesterday. You and your partner take turns babysitting them under the umbrella while everyone else has proper fun. Day five, prepare to leave, do just that. If any or all of these scenarios sound familiar to you, you’ll understand why we’ve put together the ultimate healthy spring break survival guide.

It’s officially time to prepare for spring break and daydream about summer vacation. Charlottesville and Albemarle County spring breaks are just around the corner. Time to get ahead by shopping for your healthy spring break needs today! It’s easy to get so caught up in your day to day routine that travel prep gets pushed to the back burner. You forget to buy sunscreen and are forced to buy the overpriced, toxic kind at your resort. Maybe you staycation, but the cabin fever leads you out into the woods or back yard, and you return home with ticks. It’s a lot to remember! Let us help you.

As with any travel, there are things to prepare in advance. If you’re not checking bags, are your liquids the proper size, or is TSA going to snag them? Plus, is your support healthy and all natural? A sunscreen made headlines this year for being linked to a chemical that kills coral reefs, let alone the many health issues that have been linked to the chemicals in sunscreens. We’ve covered all-natural summer support on the blog, and now we’re taking things a step further to get you ready for a healthy, happy spring break. 

Keep in mind that your spring break prep will also help you get a head start on summer needs.

P.S. You can save this Healthy Spring Break Survival Guide for any future vacation checklists!

Flight and jet lag support

Jet Lag is one of the peskiest side effects of traveling to a different time zone. Battling it sometimes feels futile, and there’s only so much coffee you can drink before feeling frazzled, anxious, and ultimately doing more harm than good. Below are some helpful remedies to help you navigate new time zones.

Jetzone for jet lag prevention ~ Created by an International flight attendant and a Homeopathic Physician (who is an MD), this homeopathic remedy helps prevent jet lag. This product was formulated with high-achieving, frequent travelers in mind: think professional athletes, military personnel, frequent flyers, pilots, etc. but is just as effective and safe for the vacation traveler with kids in tow. This product contains ingredients to help combat restlessness, headaches, insomnia, mental anxiety, and more. Chewable tabs are taken an hour before your flight and then approx every 2 hours until landing and staves off the nasty side effects of jet lag.  This is safe for kids 6 and older.

Melatonin for your sleep cycle ~ Melatonin is an excellent all natural way to battle jet lag. It can help you battle insomnia and more naturally shift your sleeping schedule. Unlike other sedatives and sleeping pills, melatonin is all natural, and your pineal gland secretes it. Read more about the best dosage for your needs here.

Beat nausea from hangovers, rocking boats, sightseeing bus rides, and new cuisines

Sea Bands and Sea Band Anti-Nausea Ginger Gum ~ The Sea Band line produces wearable wristbands and natural ginger gum. The bands are a great acupressure preventative measure, and both items help treat nausea. If boats, car rides on winding roads, and rollercoasters turn your stomach, put on these bands in advance!  We even get positive feedback on these for morning sickness too so if you are taking a baby moon, think of these.

Solaray Ginger Trips chewables ~ Ginger is an easy, all natural way to relieve nausea and digestive issues! Chewables are easy to keep on hand for upset tummies and are easy to travel with. We also carry a variety of ginger products you can keep on hand, including capsules, candies, ginger “brews”/ales, and ginger kombuchas.

Upset stomach

Traveling to new places can lead to unexpected stomach issues. Whether it’s the food or water your body isn’t used to, or run-of-the-mill food poisoning, it’s best to prepare. Stomach bugs can happen anywhere, so these are also useful to keep at home year-round.

Activated charcoal for “Montezuma’s Revenge” ~  Sometimes that street cart food is a hit, and sometimes it’s a miss that leaves you on the toilet when you’d rather be on the beach. We carry a variety of activated charcoal products, including capsules, powder, and liquid. Activated charcoal has been used for thousands of years. It works by absorbing toxins, and its porous surface attracts gas and toxins, then carries them out of the body. This can help you get better more quickly by ridding your system of whatever has taken over. Pro tip: if you’re having stomach issues, including diarrhea, be sure to stay hydrated with coconut water or powdered or tablet electrolytes!

Insects and other “wild” animals

Whether you’re hiking locally in Virginia or headed somewhere tropical, you’ll want to protect yourself against insects whose bites can cause itching and in some cases, diseases.

Natural Deet-Free insect repellents ~ You want your bug sprays to be effective, but not at the expense of your health! Always choose something Deet free. We love Quantum Buzz Away Extreme & Badger Organic Anti-Bug spray and Badger Balm anti-bug spray.

Here’s a comprehensive guide about the efficacy of 20 popular natural mosquito repellents.

Safe sunscreens

Many popular sunscreens are actually incredibly toxic, not only for humans but for the greater environment we share and inhabit!  We have a prior blog that may be helpful for all natural spring/ summer support. We also keep an eye on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep website for their ratings on natural sunscreens and body care.  

Biodegradable (reef-safe) Sunscreens~ We carry safe options from Badger and Burn Out. These are non-toxic, completely safe, and effective!  

Remedies for sunburn

Aloe vera ~ We carry 99% pure, all-natural Aloe Vera gels and lotions. Great brands include Lily of the Desert and Aloe Life (their Skin Gel and Face & Body Lotion are great options). 

All natural travel sized body care

No one wants to have their brand new toiletries taken away while flying! Note that if you’re not checking bags, your liquids need to be up to TSA standards. If you’re checking bags then you’re in the clear. Stock up on all-natural toiletries so you don’t have to buy overpriced, potentially toxic ones at your hotel. Important things to remember to pack include toothpaste, deodorants, hair care, body wash, body lotion, and more.

Shampoo bar soaps ~ These all-purpose bars make travel easy! You can use it as shampoo and body wash. As it’s solid, there’s no need to worry about having it hacked from your carry on. We carry several varieties, including Liggett’s and Camamu. As always, these are all-natural options.

Finally, if you choose to imbibe some fun vacation cocktails, take Himalaya Party Smart prior to drinking for a better morning after without any detriment to your vacation. 

Come see us at Rebecca’s to discuss any of your travel prep needs!