This week I'm flying to Costa Rica (!!!) for a little RnR, sun, and totally amazing food. Costa Rica is one of my favorite places to visit, especially the Nicoya Peninsula. It's one of the Blue Zones which means that the residents are some of the longest lived and healthiest people in the world. Beaches, sun, AND nutrition?! Clearly it's heaven for me.
I leave very early Thursday morning so I started packing today. There are a few essentials that I bring on every vacation to help ensure that I stay healthy while enjoying vacay life. Each item on my list helps me to keep my immune system boosted and energy levels high. I've also included some of my go-to bathing suits and apparel!
Today, I'm talking books, supplements, bathing suits, and coffee for making your vacation the ultimate wellness get-away.
But first...
Coffee ;) I've gotten into the ritual of having my mold-free, toxin-free coffee every morning. With the switch to this coffee, my anxiety has significantly reduced, so I don't like to take chances on other coffees - even while traveling. (You can read more about mold-free, toxin-free coffee HERE) I bring a jar of ground coffee, my 12 oz. french press (I call this my "traveling" press), and individual packets of coconut oil, grass-fed ghee (or butter), and collagen. That way, I can brew up my anti-anxiety coffee every morning, even when in a different country! (not pictured: I also bring a hand-held frother to blend my coffee).
My apothecary ~ AKA supplements
There are some supplements that are extremely helpful while traveling. First off - oregano oil. This is a potent natural antibiotic that can help protect your body from catching a cold when your immune system is down from traveling. Nothing's worse than getting sick on your much-deserved vacay. Keep this on hand to take if you feel like you're coming down with a cold or after flying to prevent a cold. My second favorites are magnesium and Celtic Sea Salt. These both help with increasing electrolytes and preventing dehydration. Flying can be extremely dehydrating so both of these are great to prevent that. If you're doing a lot of exercise or walking during your vacation, magnesium is also important to help prevent muscle cramps and increase deep sleep. To help reduce any travel anxieties, I always pack my ashwagandha. I take this in the mornings that I travel. When traveling to a different country, I also bring a strong probiotic. I take this the week before and during travel to help prevent any stomach bugs. Lastly, I love bringing cordyceps with me because it increases energy levels while also boosting mental clarity - both are things that I find important while navigating airports and new public transportation. I pack all of my supplements in a travel pack like THIS in order to travel light.
Books for mental health
Anyone else ever feel like you have your best ideas when you're on vacation? That's your body going into rest and relaxation mode which triggers your creative juices to begin flowing. When you're in a high stressed state, your body turns creativity off. That's why taking periodic vacations and mental health days is so important for your work performance as well! I always bring at least 3-5 books with me. I bring books/magazines that inspire me and work with those creative juices. I also bring a journal to jot down any ideas that I have. This is important so that you can come back from your vacation and put those amazing ideas into effect!
Healthy snacks on the plane
Plane food is pretty terrible. I always pack healthy snacks to bring with me while I travel. I'm obsessed with having healthy muffins like my Cinnamon Peanut Butter Muffins or Simple Raspberry + Coconut Trail Mix from my cookbook THRIVING. For longer flights, I'll even pack the Lean + Satisfying Dinner Salad from THRIVING in a disposable container so that I have a lunch/dinner too! That way my blood sugar levels remain stable and my body can continue to tap into the fat burning mechanisms that provide a sustainable source of energy and won't make me crash.
You can find other healthy recipes for on the go HERE.
Fun, inspiring workout + beach wear
I love rewarding myself with new bathing suits and/or workout clothes that are bright and fun for my vacations. It gets me excited to relax - and then I also get those vacay vibes when I wear those same clothes after I come home! I'm currently loving Kulani Kinis bathing suits. Their one pieces and bikinis are unique and ultra flattering. The workout clothes pictured above are from Flexi Lexi, Call Me Activewear, and Lorna Jane.