Thanksgiving is coming up which means you will probably be visiting family and traveling.  I wanted to share with you the plethora of chemicals you may find  while traveling and where and how to avoid them when you take your next trip.

On the road you breathe exhaust fumes which contain nasty carcinogens like benzene. Use a car air filter like the one we suggest below if you can. If not, roll up the windows in heavy steady traffic. If at a stand still, roll down the windows and crank up the air to circulate out the fumes.

Whenever I travel, I always seek eco hotels and restaurants like the ones from Kimpton Hotels. Even though these hotels may be green, take a look at where they are located. Don’t book a room too close to a busy street if you can avoid it and look out for any power lines or cell towers which may take a toll on your sleep. Unplug your alarm clock and turn off your cell phone next to you while you sleep to decrease electromagnetic frequencies.

Most mattresses are made with synthetic materials with loads of chemicals like PBDE’s (fire retardants) and stain guards. Bring your own pillow if you can so you have a barrier between the mattress and your mouth and nose.

It is standard that hotels use bleach for cleaning which is a dioxin and can cause lung and eye irritation at the very least. There is something to say about being too clean. Bring a portable air filter if you can to filter out residual chemicals in the air of your hotel room.

Eating on the road is tough when all you see are fast food restaurants filled with hormones and pesticides on the side of the interstate. Plan ahead and bring healthy snacks like raw nuts, gluten free crackers, fruit and lots of filtered water.

Traveling is great! It gives some great perspective to life and makes you appreciate what you have at home even more. It recharges your batteries and also puts you to the test. Traveling with kids is not always a vacation, but it is definitely an adventure! Survival of the strongest. You can still have an amazing time but plan to bring a few essentials to make your trip even better. See our favorites below!

Our top Remedies: Traveling Products

You can make improvements to your traveling experience with these great ideas!

#1 Night Shades. Your body needs total darkness to recoup from the day’s travels.Your cells regenerate while you sleep and with these eye masks, you will wake up refreshed. We also recommend ear plugs!

#2 Your own pillow Most hotel pillows are made from synthetic fibers coated with chemicals like PBDEs (fire retardants). BYOP and sleep like a baby. Check out the ones from Eclectic Home, a trusted source!

#3 Portable Water Filter/Bottle Depending on where you are, you can’t guarantee the quality of the water. You can take this on the plane, empty of course, and refill it anywhere for up to 90 days.

#4 Your own shampoo and soaps Although the cute travel sizes at the hotels are tempting, they are loaded with preservatives like parabens, pthalates (fragrances) and anti-bacterial properties like tricolsan. Dr. Bronner is a great soap and John Masters Organics is a great shampoo.

#5 Portable air purifer. Many hotels are located on the freeway or are have carpeted rooms. Both of which can affect the air quality at your hotel and is not good for your lungs. Plug in a travel air purifier to filter out the junk so you can breathe easy. Great for the car too!

#6 Clean Well Wipes – Not to be a germophobe, but it is a smart idea to wipe down the TV remote and door knob handles at the hotel. Also clean those little hands if water isn’t near by, like after snacks in the car.

#7 To-Go Ware For life on the road, use these great stainless steel containers for snacks, sandwiches and to-go food. To-Go Ware also sells great reusable utensil sets. Reduce waste while you travel!

Book of the Week

Green Travel: The World’s Best Eco-Lodges & Earth-Friendly Hotels

Green Travel is the must-have guide to eco-lodges & green hotels around the world. Featuring 100 clean, green accommodations that are not only environmentally friendly, but work to support local communities as well. Green Travel celebrates the growing availability of green travel experiences. It also tackles some of the more difficult issues that ethical travelers’ face— questions about poverty, the politics of boycotting certain destinations, and the environmental impact of travel.

Happy Trails!

Michelle