Making your Vacation more Enjoyable Before leaving on any vacation, make sure you are prepared. Visit your health food store and stock up on the things you and your family will need while you're away. Whether you're aboard a cruise ship or in a foreign country, you never know when you'll find another health food store so make sure you have enough of everything you'll need for the trip.

Make sure you have enough of your vitamin and mineral supplements. Don't sacrifice good health for a good time. Take along your own natural shampoo, soap and toothpaste to avoid using synthetic products supplied by some hotels or vacation rentals for the convenience of their guests. Pack travel-sized toiletries. Many companies package their products in sample sizes which are perfect for traveling.

Prepare medicines for common illness. Don't let illness prevent you from enjoying your well-deserved vacation. Stock up on natural treatments for motion sickness, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion and insomnia. Keep them in an easy-to-reach place while traveling since having the medicine in your suitcase does you no good

when you feel ill on the plane. If your vacation takes you out of the country, expect a short bout of jet lag and a minor change in metabolism. These ailments may be slightly uncomfortable but are easily treated. Be aware that allergy season is different in countries around the world and your hay fever might flare-up unexpectedly. You also may experience allergic reactions to exotic food and unfamiliar plants so carry your natural allergy relief medicine with you.

Watch your appetite. Summer travel can be a refreshing break for you and your family but don't let it be devastating to your diet and your health. How can you keep from overeating when you can't control portion sizes in restaurants? How can you find out what's in the food you're being served? And also important, how can you relax and enjoy some of the local specialties and still meet your dietary needs?

Eat on proper places. Avoid having lunch or dinner at gas stations or rest stops. Instead, stop at a full-service restaurant for a relaxing and nutritious meal. Often, restaurants will prepare a dish with your special requirements such as no butter/salt or smaller portions for the children. If you don't find something you want on the existing menu, ask the server if he can arrange a low-fat meal for you, such as grilled fish or a steamed vegetable plate. Remember, you are paying for this meal so if you're unhappy with it, send it back.

Be Flexible. You will probably want to be flexible, especially if you are traveling cross country with children. At home you can feed them easily without resorting to junk food, but on the road, you may have to make compromises. At rest stops, satisfy little thirsts with fruit juices, milk or bottled water.

Prepare some finger foods. Shop for natural snacks to keep in the car for the long drive. Avoid raiding vending machines at snack time since more often than not they are full of treats saturated with sugar,

salt, chocolate and hydrogenated oils which contribute not only to poor nutrition but also to restlessness and hyperactivity in children.

Bring some sweets and fruits. To make a road trip more pleasant for everyone, take along a few apples, a jar of peanut butter, and some trail mix made from nuts, seeds and dried fruit. The children will not be hungry and you might not have to stop so often to burn off the sugar-induced jitters also known as the "Daddy-are-we-there-yet?" syndrome.

Notify in advance. Most airlines will accommodate your special dietary needs when given the proper amount of notice, usually 24 hours. They can usually arrange special menus including vegetarian, low-sodium or sugar-free meals and snacks at your request. When traveling by air, remember to carry with you some sugar-free gum to chew during take-off and landing to equalize the pressure in your ears. Order fruit juice or mineral water with a lime wedge instead of alcohol since alcohol only enhances fatigue and irregular sleep patterns caused by jet lag.

Stay on Vacation Home Rentals. Why?! Because these places are more spacious and comfortable as compared to regular hotel rooms. And most of the hotel rooms have the same view while in a vacation home rental you can enjoy nature because majority of the places where vacation rentals are situated near beaches and lush green environment.