Far-flung adventures are always fun; from home turf hiking trips to solo sojourns into foreign lands, beachy island stays with friends and romantic jaunts. Travelling cracks open a world of wonder, wild experience, and enchanting ways to make new memories. But let’s not forget; its not always a walk in the park. From so-called Delhi belly to mosquito bites, scream-worthy sunburn, dehydration and just plain old headaches from losing track of your time zone. For those who prefer to keep their medicine kit au-natural when travelling, we have some must-haves to pack. Of course, herbal remedies are great, but if you are struck down with something that you are struggling to recover from quickly, always seek medical advice.

Activated Charcoal

Oh activated charcoal, let us count the ways we love you. This is one of the best natural go-to remedies for when you feel that suspicious churning in your stomach. Often used in events of food poisoning, but also extremely helpful for any kind of gut trouble, activated charcoal pills work by binding the toxins in your digestive system. Activated charcoal sweeps through you collecting all that bacteria and toxins that come from traveller’s diarrhoea, food poisoning, and even nasty bugs picked up along the way before removing these toxins through the bowel. Pop one as soon as you feel iffy.

Lavender Oil

Travel can be stressful, anxiety-inducing and lead to all kinds of irritations including sleeplessness. Combine this with a probable time change and hectic schedule and a bottle of lavender oil will become your best friend. Take a small bottle and add to the shower or bath, or onto your pillow in a new place for seamless slumbering without the stress.

Probiotics

Healthy gut flora should be worked into all your plans when it comes to stepping out the door and wanting to avoid any kind of sickness. Help build up an unbreachable immune system by planning a course of probiotics both before, during and after your travel. This is especially a great idea if you are going someplace where the change in diet and sanitary conditions may cause trouble in your system. Aim to start probiotics two weeks before travel and throughout the adventure. Also, make sure that the kind of probiotics you choose are effective for travelling; for example select ones that don’t need to be refrigerated and that the brand you choose has a CFU of thirty billion.

Aloe Vera

Now you probably can’t pack a full-scale plant in your bag, but many natural stores will sell topical aloe vera gel without any additives. Invest in a tube and say farewell to the sting of sunburn or the itch that makes bug bites unbearable. The soothing gel that seeps out of an aloe vera plant is famed for its cooling and healing properties. Slather on generously to sunburn and as mentioned when you have a sting or an itch that is driving you crazy.

Crystalized Ginger

If you are one of those people who suffer motion sickness of any kind then crystalized ginger could be just the lifesaver you need. Whether on a boat, train, plane, or rickety bus careening through the mountains of Vietnam, simply gnaw on a piece of ginger and let the root work its magic. Ginger has long been celebrated as a natural antidote to nausea and has the amazing added benefit of boosting up your immunity too.

Which natural remedies do you never leave home without? Share in the comments and let’s keep all our adventures fighting fit and fun.