This post was sponsored by the makers of REACTINE®. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
When you’re on the road, you rarely have the medicine cabinet you typically take for granted at home. Traveling with allergies, a cold, or any ailment for that matter, can be exasperated by the stress and unease of being in new surroundings. In an effort to help others who’ve suffered from allergies away from home, the folks at REACTINE® wanted me to help share some of my go-to tips and tricks for traveling when sick.
1. Find a Coffee or Tea Shop and stock up
The medicinal benefits of tea have long been known, but we rarely go towards tea as soon as we have a case of the sniffles or itchy throat. Do yourself and your taste buds a favour and partake in some tea to help with whatever ailments you might be suffering from. Order a cup to go, but consider asking the barista for a few extra packets to go if you’re in a pinch. Hot water is usually pretty easy to come by at hotels, hostels, and even campgrounds assuming you have fire. Consider trying:
Rooibos Tea (Pronounced Roy-bus)
Look at finding a cup of Rooibos tea. A South African caffeine free tea that has been used for centuries for ailments such as allergies, cramps, colic,
insomnia, and eczema. If allergies are a huge problem though, I’d recommend traveling with REACTINE® just to be on the safe side. Nothing works faster in my honest opinion; the product can start to work in just 20 minutes.
Peppermint Tea
This tea not only freshens your breath, the herb oil menthol provides soothing relief to stomach pain and cramps. People have been using peppermint tea for cramps, heartburn, gas, and bloating. It also has a soothing effect for sore throats.
Chamomile Tea
One of my favourite teas. Perfect for de-stressing after a long hard day. This super herb has been shown to help the digestive track, heartburn, and can also act as an anti-inflammatory agent.
2. Choose the Allergy Medication That’s Right for You
Ragweed season is upon us and can last even into October in some cities across Canada, so it’s important to choose an allergy medication that keeps you feeling your best. REACTINE® is my go to product for keeping allergies at bay as it can start to work in 20 minutes and lasts up to 24 hours. Because ragweed is one of the worst plants for allergy sufferers, it’s important to be able to identify the particular weed so you can avoid it, especially when camping. To help limit ragweed allergies shower and wash your hair as soon as you get inside from long days outdoors and keep track of the pollen forecast in your area so you can plan ahead. Check out www.reactine.ca for more tips on allergy treatment and pollen information in your area.
3. Drink plenty of fluids
Keeping an extra large water bottle around you while you have a cold is a must for anyone traveling with a cold. Just having it nearby within arm’s reach will be enough of a gentle reminder to get more fluids than you normally get into you. Dehydration can make those cold symptoms feel worse. Consider adding a couple wedges of lemon to your drink to increase your vitamin C levels, which have been shown to help speed up cold recovery time.
4. Gargle with Salt Water
Before cough medicine, before numbing sprays, there was salt water. A simple, cheap, and easy to come by solution for a sore throat, gurgling with salt water is a time-honoured tradition in cultures across the globe. Combine 1/2 a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, stir, and gargle. Repeat up to 4 times per day to help keep your sore and itchy throat from driving you bonkers.
5. Sleep
It can be hard to squeeze in extra shut eye on the road, but when you’re fighting a cold the best thing is rest. Fighting off whatever you’re down with is best done in a relaxing state. Take naps, sleep in, or go to bed early, and find solace in sleep. If you’re having a tough time falling asleep, consider drinking some Chamomile tea to help knock yourself out.
Do you have any tips for fighting colds on the road? Please feel free to share them below or tweet me @ibackpackcanada. Special thanks to REACTINE® for sponsoring this post and helping travelers.