Summer is a great time to travel with the family – road trips, camping, hiking – it’s a great time to be outdoors and enjoying nature. With travel comes a certain amount of exposure to things that you wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to at home, such as 200 other people’s germs on the plane; sun exposure; and friendly or unfriendly bugs. I know when I travel I always carry a small kit of essential oils to cover these contingencies. I just feel better knowing that I have safe and natural options for taking care of my family, given that we all want to optimize our travel experience and have the most fun and relaxed time possible. These are what I consider must have essential oils for your summer travels.

MUST HAVE ESSENTIAL OILS FOR YOUR SUMMER TRAVELS

• Protective Blend is great for overcoming germs – especially for plane travel – use a spray bottle to wipe down tray tables and arm rests; take one drop by mouth every two hours during a plane trip.
• If you feel a scratchy throat coming on, put 2 drops of Protective Blend in water, gargle and swallow. Do that three times a day.
• You can make your own hand sanitizer by mixing 5T aloe vera gel, 4T water, 1/4t vitamin E and 8-10 drops of Protective Blend. Put in a small squeeze bottle and use as needed.
• Soothing Blend Rub is a must for helping muscles and joints recover from summer activities such as hiking, biking, house projects, yard work etc. Apply directly on the sore area and rub in.
• Digestive Blend is a must, not just for overeating (and eating the wrong things), but also for any tummy bugs that might occur.
• Digestive Blend (along with oregano) is also great for those times when food hygiene might not have been great, which is always a possibility especially if traveling to areas where the water is not drinkable.
• Digestive Blend can help calm tummies that are upset from motion from cars, boats and planes.
• Respiratory Blend is great for any summer colds or breathing issues; use to help breathing when hiking, biking or running. Good for respiratory irritation from air conditioning in planes and hotels; and when air is stagnant.
• Lavender applied on the skin helps to soothe after sun exposure.
• Lavender is also great for applying directly on the skin for reducing irritation from bites and stings.
• Peppermint inhaled on a hankerchief can help drivers stay alert on road trips.
• Peppermint is also very cooling – make a spray bottle of peppermint and water and spray your skin when you feel overheated.
• Peppermint is also good for any occasional head discomfort that can arise from being in the sun too long and/or not drinking enough water.
• Lemon oil is a good cleanser and deodorizer; it’s also great for removing sticky tree sap; and for getting gum out of hair!
• Melaleuca is a good oil to have along on hikes for cleaning any scrapes or skin irritations.
• Oregano – dilute 1-2 drops in coconut oil and rub into feet when you or your kids have been walking around barefoot. It will help cleanse the skin and overcome any nasties from the ground.
• Repellent Blend – must-have as a bug repellent, especially while hiking, camping, spending the summer days outdoors. New spray bottle is really convenient.
• Calming Blend/ Grounding Blend – let’s be realistic, travel can be stressful. Calming Blend is soothing and calming and eases stress; is also good for promoting restful sleep. Balance is very grounding, gives relief from anxious feelings. Make sure to have these on hand and use topically or aromatically to calm the whole family! If you are doing a road trip you might want to get a car diffuser, which plugs directly into your car.

These are just a few ideas – there are endless possibilities of how to use essential oils to help you have a safe, healthy and enjoyable summer!  Happy travels!