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You have been cooped up inside your house all winter long. Your cabin fever is so high you feel like you are burning up. Spring break is almost here and you can't wait to get away for a week or two. You have been planing this trip for weeks now and your itinerary is all laid out. Why not let essential oils help you deal with any glitches in your travel plans. They will help in making your vacation go smoothly.

The Excitement Builds: The closer you get to the day of departure the more excited you become. This is especially evident when you have children. Using geranium and lavender essential oils in your child's bath will help in keeping anxiety levels at a minimum before and during your trip.

The Drive : Travel sickness is a problem many people struggle with. Peppermint oil is excellent for calming an uneasy stomach. Before you leave place a drop of peppermint oil in a warm glass of water with one half teaspoon of honey and sip. This will keep your stomach settled for a long time and can be used for children and adults alike. Another option would be to bring a small bag of sugar cubes. Place a single drop of peppermint oil on each cube. If you start to feel a little nauseous, take one of your sugar cubes and suck on it. A nifty device for your drive is an essential oil car diffuser. These little units plug into your cigarette lighter and work extremely well. A good car diffuser is very inexpensive. Only about 10 to 15 dollars and are well worth the price.

Ginger is another essential oil you should take along for the ride. Although it is better known for treating seasickness, it also works well in alleviating other types of travel sickness. If you do not have a car diffuser yet, you can place a couple of drops on a cotton ball or tissue and place them on the front and rear dashboards. In more extreme cases mix 4 drops ginger with 1 teaspoon carrier oil and rub over your abdomen.

Traffic jams can be very frustrating and set you on edge. Keep you and your passengers cool and calm by placing 1 drop of lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil on a tissue or cotton ball and putting them on the front and rear dashboards. These oils will sooth your nerves and keep them from fraying. Under these conditions these essential oils will not make you sleepy! You will be able to stay on a more even keel, relaxed yet more aware. With a car diffuser you will not have to use tissue and cotton balls.

Exhaust fumes can cause nausea. If that traffic jam has you choking and gaging place eucalyptus on cotton balls or tissue around the inside of your car. This will help to counteract the smell from the exhaust.

The Flight: Flying presents us with an entirely new set of problems to deal with. The pressurized air is dry and can cause dehydration, swollen feet and ankles, cramps, dry skin and headaches. Then you are always bumping your knees on the seat in front of you.

Before you flight drink a cup of peppermint tea using 1 drop of peppermint oil and a teaspoon of honey in a cup of hot water. This will keep your stomach settled and help to keep it from feeling bloated or extended. Gases in your abdomen tend to expand during flights and peppermint oil will help alleviate these problems.

If you are anxious or nervous about flying you need to take preemptive measures. Before your flight place1 drop of lavender and 1 drop of geranium essential oil on a tissue. Put this tissue in a zip lock bag. When you begin to feel uneasy , pull the tissue out of the bag and take 4 or 5 deep breaths. Now lie back, close your eyes and relax. This will also work should you find yourself becoming irritable during your flight.

Children on long flights can become fidgety and irritable. Have ready a small bottle with 15 drops chamomile in 2 tablespoons of coconut or almond oil. Before things get out of control, massage this mix on their legs and feet. They will soon settle down. You and those around you will have a much more pleasant flight. Plus you will have plenty of this mix left should you need it later during your vacation.

For swollen feet and ankles mix 5 drops lavender or eucalyptus oil into a teaspoon of almond oil. Massage on feet and ankles in an upward motion toward the bottom of the calf. This will work wonders at reducing the swelling.

Are you prone to leg cramps. Have a compress made up before you take flight. Get a clean handkerchief, wet it so it is just damp. Place 5 drops of geranium on the cloth and store in a zip lock bag. When you feel a cramp coming on, take out your compress and place it over the affected area.

If you are over 5' 8" tall your knees are going to bump the seat in front of you. If your knees get bumped and sore use a compress as mentioned above. With this compress however, use 5 drops of lavender essential oil. Rub this compress all over your knees. This will relax the muscles and reduce the bruising from being bumped around.

Your Arrival: Once you reach your destination there are a couple of things you should do to ensure your stay is a pleasant one. Even though there are clean sheets on your bed there are also thousands of dust mites that feed off dead skin cells which we are constantly shedding. A precautionary measure to take especially where young children are concerned. Pull back the bed cloths. Then with a tissue that you have placed a few drops of thyme, lavender and lemongrass, wipe the mattress. Very few microorganisms can escape this combination of essential oils exterminating effects. Another method that works well is to place your blend of thyme, lavender and lemongrass in a spritz bottle with a half once of water. Spray this combination over the bed cloths and allow to dry before climbing into bed for the night.

It is never easy to rest when you are in a strange bed or new environment. The bed isn't as soft or firm as you are used to. There is a mass of new sounds that you haven't heard at home. Other hotel guest coming and going. The ice machine at the end of the hall. The elevator whirring up and down and sirens from police cars and ambulances. All these sounds can interrupt your sleep if your not used to them. Use scents that you have been using at home. This will bring about a feeling of familiarity helping you to relax and allowing you a more restful sleep.

Reality Check: All the excitement and fun you have had over the last week or two has come to an end. Now comes the shock of having to return to those classes or your career. Getting back into your routine can be tough. Placing 2 drops each of peppermint and geranium essential oils on a tissue and taking an occasional whiff will help get you over the shock of reality. The peppermint will keep you alert while the geranium will calm your stress levels while you readjust to your routine.

Happy trails!

Remember to always use therapeutic grade essential oils for optimum results!

Sallie A. Peterson

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