Going on the World Race is an awesome opportunity to abandon the comforts of home and depend on the resources around you. I strive at home to use natural products that are eco-friendly and reduce the number of chemicals I am exposed to and use on my body or in my home.
Staying as healthy as possible on the race allows you the opportunity to serve your ministry well, serve your teammates and squad mates well, and love yourself well. The better you take care of yourself while traveling, the more energy you will have and the better you will feel. Our bodies need to be maintained and when we travel, go through stressful situations, and are living in remote villages, the cleanliness, and health of our bodies tend to go out the window.
With this being a priority and a lifestyle I have grown to love and appreciate, I put A LOT of research into how to continue to choose natural products (as best as I could) while packing for the World Race.
This is not a definitive list – but, hopefully, it will help you start thinking about what you want to pack with you!
*Disclaimer before I begin, I am not a doctor, nor am I a professional in nutrition or health. These are just products and resources I have found that have helped me and might give anyone packing and preparing to leave a good starting point for choosing healthier, chemical-free products to bring with them on the World Race. Check with your doctor before using any of these products – your health is ultimately what matters!
List of products I recommend you bring –
You want to bring products that have multiple uses and benefits. This way, if you are trying to cut your backpack weight down and limit yourself, you are making efficient choices and only bringing the essentials.
Activated charcoal
1. Whitens Your Teeth and Helps Prevent Cavities, Bad Breath, and Gum Disease
You will either be drinking a lot of tea or a lot of coffee while you are on the race. White strips are expensive and USUALLY not a thing overseas.
* To whiten your teeth naturally, wet a toothbrush and dip into powdered activated charcoal. Brush teeth as normal, paying special attention to areas showing the most staining. Sip a bit of water, swish through mouth thoroughly and spit. Rinse well, until spit is clear. For best results, brush your teeth with activated charcoal two-three times per week.
Note: If you have crowns, caps or porcelain veneers, it’s possible that activated charcoal will stain them. In addition, if your teeth become sensitive, quit using it.
2. Alleviates Gas & Bloating
YOU WILL HAVE GAS WHILE ON THE RACE – your body will not be used to the food you will be eating, regardless of how healthy and clean it may be. One activated charcoal use often overlooked is to alleviate uncomfortable gas and bloating. It works by binding the gas-causing byproducts in foods that cause discomfort.
3. Emergency Toxin Removal
One of the most common activated charcoal uses is to remove toxin and chemicals in the event of ingestion. Most organic compounds, pesticides, mercury, fertilizer and bleach bind to activated charcoal’s surface, allowing for quicker elimination, while preventing the absorption in the body.
In addition, activated charcoal can be used in cases of food poisoning when nausea and diarrhea are present. Adults take 25 grams at the onset of symptoms or when food poisoning is suspected, and children should be given 10 grams. Increase dosage as necessary. Remember, it’s essential that adequate water is consumed when activated charcoal is taken.
4. Skin and Body Health
For external treatments, it’s effective at treating body odor and acne and relieving discomfort from insect bites, rashes from poison ivy or poison oak, and snake bites. *If you are bitten by anything poisonous, PLEASE SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION.
After a mosquito bite or bee sting, mix one capsule of activated charcoal with ½ tablespoon of coconut oil, and dab on affected area. Reapply every 30 minutes until itching and discomfort are gone. As activated charcoal stains nearly everything it touches, wrap with a bandage.
To treat bites from snakes and spiders, including the Brown Recluse or Black Widow, you want to cover a larger area than just a small bandage, as the bacteria and viruses that lead to tissue damage need to be mitigated quickly.
Create a wrap out of fabric that’s big enough to go around the affected area twice. Dab the mixture of coconut oil and activated charcoal on the fabric, and wrap. Secure with bandages. Reapply every two to three hours, rinsing well between applications.
To treat acne, mix one capsule of activated charcoal with two teaspoons of aloe vera gel, and smooth over face. Let dry and rinse off completely. The activated charcoal binds with environmental toxins and dirt that contribute to acne. It’s also good for spot treatments.
5. Digestive Cleanses
This will be great to do once a month to help regulate your digestive system. You will be ingesting a lot of foods you are not used to and introducing your body to a lot of germs it is not used to. Ask your doctor for more advice on what would be an appropriate cleanse for your body.
Where to Buy Activated Charcoal?
When selecting activated charcoal for any of the uses above, it’s vital that you know what it’s made from. Not all activated charcoal supplements are created equally.
Look for activated charcoal made from coconut shells or identified wood species that have ultra-fine grains. In the powdered form, many products have added artificial sweeteners to make them more palatable; avoid these.
Ginger
Ginger is an herb with a multitude of beneficial health properties. Its active compounds–known as gingerols–have proven anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties and may be helpful for treating poor circulation and high cholesterol. Ginger is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and may be effective in alleviating symptoms of conditions such as arthritis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Ginger capsules are a quick and effective remedy for many types of nausea. According to MSNBC Health, patients who took ginger capsules prior to receiving cancer chemotherapy experienced fewer and less severe attacks of nausea than those taking a placebo.
Ginger root is as effective as the motion sickness drug dimenhydrinate for relieving motion sickness and morning sickness, according to the National Institutes of Health. What’s more, ginger capsules may be less likely to cause unwanted side effects than prescription anti-nausea drugs.
Ginger capsules may cause mild gastrointestinal side effects like indigestion and belching. Using enteric-coated ginger capsules or taking an antacid prior to dosing may help prevent side effects.
*Livestrong.com recommends not taking more than 4 grams of ginger per day.
*You can find coconut oil overseas, but it can vary in price.
Probiotics
You are going to want to pack these! I packed enough to take one every three days and it barely took up any room in my pack. **IMPORTANT: Be sure to buy probiotics that DO NOT need to be refrigerated. More than likely you will not have access to a refrigerator while staying with your ministry host and you definitely will not have access on travel days.
Like I’ve stated before, and cannot stress enough, you will experience an upset stomach at some point on your race. To keep good bacteria in and keep your body regulated, you will want to take probiotics.
The Probiotic I Brought With Me
Aloe Vera
Most people use aloe gel as a remedy for skin conditions, including burns, sunburn, frostbite, psoriasis and cold sores, but there is a host of other aloe vera benefits. Aloe vera is used for treating osteoarthritis, bowel diseases, fever, itching, and inflammation.
It’s also used as a natural remedy for asthma, stomach ulcers, diabetes and for soothing side effects of radiation treatment. Aloe latex is used to naturally treat depression, constipation, asthma, and diabetes.
Coffee Scrub
This one might seem like a luxury, but hear me out –
You and your team buy coffee for the week and have left over coffee grounds. Now, those are great for use in the garden and to fertilize the soil if you are living in a village or country area. What a great way to bless your host! Or, you can turn it into a body scrub! (sometimes it’s the little luxuries on the race that really can take an ordinary weekday and turn it into a team time semi-spa night!)
Coffee grounds are a mechanical exfoliate, meaning they can be used to scrub away dead skin to reveal the new, healthy skin underneath, whereas chemical exfoliates remove skin cells with enzymes or acidic properties. Exfoliating with coffee grounds improves circulation, leaving you with smooth, glowing skin.
While you won’t ingest nearly as much caffeine when your coffee is on your skin instead of in your cup, the caffeine from used coffee grounds can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite and give your skin a firmer appearance.
Mix the coffee grounds with a little olive oil before applying the mixture directly onto your skin. Your scrub is completely natural unlike many store-bought exfoliates. You also save money and resources by repurposing your coffee grounds instead of throwing them out.
List of Essential Oils –
I cannot stress enough how incredible and useful essential oils are! They are small and easy to pack. If you are new to essential oils, something that is CRITICAL to know is not all essential oils are made the same!
While essential oils can be expensive, they are worth the money. I say this because the more concentrated and the purer the oil, the better your results will be while using them. Usually, with store-bought oils, you cannot take them internally. Be sure when you are making your purchase, you are aware of EXACTLY how you can use the oil (recommended amount, internal/external, how to store properly, etc.)
Everyone has a different price point and priority when it comes to essential oils. Find what works best for you and bring what you think you will really use.
- Lavender: often considered a must-have oil to keep on hand at all times due to its versatile uses, including calming and relaxing properties that promote peaceful sleep and ease feelings of tension.
- Lemon: a powerful cleansing agent that purifies the air and surfaces, and can be used as a non-toxic cleaner throughout the home. When added to water, Lemon provides a refreshing and healthy boost throughout the day. Lemon is frequently added to food to enhance the flavor of desserts and main dishes. Taken internally, Lemon provides cleansing and digestive benefits and supports healthy respiratory function.
- Melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil):
- Renowned for its cleansing and rejuvenating effect on the skin
- Promotes healthy immune function when used internally
- Ingest to protect against environmental and seasonal threats
- Tea Tree Oil Benefits
- Peppermint:
- When ingested, promotes healthy respiratory function and clear breathing
- Promotes digestive health when taken internally
- Repels bugs naturally
- doTERRA On Guard:
- (blend of – Wild Orange Peel, Clove Bud, Cinnamon Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus Leaf, and Rosemary)
- Supports healthy immune and respiratory function
- Protects against environmental threats
- Supports the body’s natural antioxidant defenses
- Promotes healthy circulation*
- Energizing and uplifting aroma
- doTERRA Digestzen:
- (blend of – Anise Seed, Peppermint Plant, Ginger Rhizome/Root, Caraway Seed, Coriander Seed, Tarragon Plant, and Fennel Seed)
- Supports healthy digestion when used internally
- Consume to soothe occasional stomach upset
- Take orally to help reduce bloating, gas, and occasional indigestion
- Frankincense:
- Ingest to support healthy cellular function
- Aroma promotes feelings of relaxation
- Helps reduce the appearance of skin imperfections when applied topically
- Supports healthy immune, nervous, and digestive function when taken internally
Some Brands I Love:
Below is a list of brands I use and have packed with me that sell all natural products. I hope you have enjoyed this blog post! If you have any questions or recommendations for me to add to my list, please feel free to contact me! I love learning about new products and new ways to help myself and others live chemically free.
The Honest Company:
doTERRA:
Davines: (Luly, this one’s for you! Love you!)
Primally Pure:
*If you have not read or heard about Cassie De Pecol, you need to right now. She is the ULTIMATE world traveler and has lots of amazing advice about traveling and living a chemical free life.
I hope you have found this blog helpful! Some things here might seem like luxuries – and to some people, it may be the one thing they bring to “Treat Yourself” while on the race. I look forward to updating my list as my travels continue.
Remember, your health is ultimately whats important. Living an active lifestyle, choosing clean foods, practice basic hygiene, and using chemical free products will ABSOLUTELY be hard to come by on the race. Give yourself some grace!
Live as naturally as you can, take every day one step at a time (even one meal at a time), and give back to the Earth when you can!
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
