Yes, those are my beautiful feet in the above photo. It was taken on a little island off the coast of Mexico with no cars, called Holbox Island last year.
At the end of the month Scott and I are going to Roatan (if you’ve ever been, make sure to comment below!). I’m beyond excited and thought I’d share some of my travel essentials because let’s be honest, I’m not going to eat 100% clean on this trip. Why would I? It’s vacation!
That being said, I don’t eat terribly on vacation either. It’s easy for me to eat well when we travel because we both only ever want to go to the beach, so there is always fresh seafood, simply prepared. I could pretty much live off of grilled fish, vegetables and rice (and for the most part, do while I’m on vaca). But I also get down to some chips and salsa, dessert, booze and whatever local specialties are available.
I definitely don’t recommend severe restrictions on vacation, because not only is it not fun, but you’re really missing out.
The better option is to come prepared with healthy snacks and supplements, as well as some other travel necessities.
Enzymes & Other Supps
I take these digestive enzymes
with probiotics. They help digest particularly tough foods like grains and legumes. They’re perfect to take daily while on vacation and eating foods you wouldn’t normally eat. I take them even when I’m not on vacation, but make sure to take them with me for things like dessert. No digestive distress for this girl!
I also recommend taking whatever other supplements you take, if any. I take this liver pill
every day and you can find probiotics here. Vacation is not a time to give up on your daily routine when it comes to supplements.
I loathe the toxic, chemical-filled sunblocks. Plus, the sun is good for you! It’s great to soak up all that vitamin D on vaca. But if you’re anything like me, you’re out in the sun for hours and hours, and it’s not always realistic to cover up. Make sure you bring a non-toxic sunscreen, like this one
.
Snacks
You know what’s gross? Freaking airport food. I can never find decent food at the airport, even the salads are covered in vegetable oils. I always bring my own food. A meal in Tupperware comes along for the flight, like mashed sweet potato, grilled steak or shrimp and some salad greens with a good dressing. It’s filling and full of healthy carbs, fats and proteins and will definitely power you through a day or two of traveling. I also highly recommend bringing your own snacks, which can be hard to find in unfamiliar territory. They’re also great for the flight home. Here are some of my favorites:
- grass-fed jerky
- nuts and nut butters
- avocado oil potato chips
- organic dark chocolate
- paleo granola
- smoked oysters
- raw mini cookies
Because I’m obsessed and never leave the house without it. I use coconut oil to wash my face, to moisturize my skin and I even put it in my hair. It is the perfect oil to bring with you because it’s so versatile. It’s also important to take at least 1 tbsp a day.
Coconut oil is also great for sunburns.
Homemade Bug Spray
We always go somewhere tropical for vacation, which usually means a lot of bugs (like mosquitoes). Since I’m not in favor of applying DEET to my skin because it’s carcinogenic, I make my own bug spray using a mix of peppermint oil
, thieves’ oil
and water. Works like a charm. Bugs hate peppermint and thieves’ oil and it’s super refreshing to spray on your skin.
Makeup!
I love me some makeup with SPF in it. However, most makeup is not only full of chemicals, it melts off your face in the heat. That’s why I love Jane Iredale foundation
, it stays put and contains SPF. It is pricey, but one little bottle will last at least 6 months, which is more cost-effective than going through a foundation that costs $10 and you have to buy monthly.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m on vacation, the last thing I’m interested in is putting on a face full of makeup. I use the above foundation with this lip and cheek tint
(yeah, it’s awesome and doubles as both) that are colored with fruit pigments.
And I always bring this non-toxic, water-resistant mascara.
