Essentials For Every Music Festival
Your going to a music festival in 2021, your’ve got the tickets, a way to get there, know what your going to wear but are currently scrolling the internet to figure out what your missing in your camping bag.
I’ve made a list of essential items to include in your festival pack! As an avid festival-goer myself, I know what I often forget, so here’s my list of must-haves! I’ve also designed a Festival Revitalise Kit and Premium Festival Revitalise Kit so you don’t have to worry about what to take.
Of course, there are the necessities like a tent, camping chair, blanket to sit on, phone charger, sleeping bag, hairbrush, water bottle, clothes – including a warm jumper! Something to cook with (if your festival allows it), food such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Depending on the festival, fairy lights to put up around the tent or glow sticks that can connect to make a necklace.
But as a naturopath and medical herbalist, my essentials list is a little bit longer!
What does a Naturopath take to a Music Festival?
Bone Broth
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is a slowly simmered blend of beef, bones, and vegetables to extract the minerals and nutrients without destroying them.
Why do I need it?
Bone broth is full of essential minerals and nutrients, highly anti-inflammatory, and easily absorbed. Inflammation is something that I normally encounter at a music festival, all that dancing, sweating, increased cortisol, and changes to my sleeping habbits!.
How Do I use it?
It doesn’t matter if you have the homecooked version or the powder version! The homecooked one you don’t need to add anything to. The powder one you add to hot water and drink or add to meals like you would stock to add flavour, goodness, and nourishment.
Take it with you to have a cup a day!
Electrolytes
Ever felt dehydrated? Especially after dancing or running? That’s because your body loses a lot of water each day naturally, and when you sweat or have a diuretic like coffee it loses even more!
This is where electrolytes come in! You can find many forms of electrolytes out there, from the little sachets to the sugar-filled drinks you can buy in the dairy. Having all that extra sugar is not going to be good for you, that’s why it’s important to choose the right mix!
Me? I’m a fan of SOS electrolyte sachets, they have no nasties and no sugar!
NAC
N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC): One of my favourite amino acids! It’s highly anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, helps boost glutathione levels naturally, and is pretty much ok to take with any medication (please check your medication contraindications before taking any supplement!). NAC has been used for everything from smoking cessation to preventing miscarriage, reducing inflammation, stimulating liver function, reducing episodes of COPD, beneficial for Alzheimer’s, and more!
How do you take it?
Most NAC comes in powder form, and normally in capsules unless your prescribed it.
Can you get it from food?
Yes! Although the form found in foods is cysteine. Cysteine is a naturally occurring amino acid, normally found in protein rich foods like chicken, chickpeas, fish, pork and eggs.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is useful to have after a long night dancing to support your immune system. It has also been used for drug toxicity, as much as we want to trust everyone at festivals, sometimes you will meet someone with bad intentions, and having something that may help bring you down is benefical.
Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal is my favourite! Helps with food poisoning, or any internal poisoning for that matter. The food at festivals can be hit and miss, if you experience bloating or nausea after eating something, a dose of activated charcoal can help support natural detox and mitigate some of those symptoms.
Sunscreen
Choosing a natural sunscreen that works can be difficult – there are so many options! Go for one that has been tested and is at least SPF30.
Lipbalm
Lipbalm is something most people forget, however is a must if your out in the sun all day, and partying into the night.
Tissues
Having a pack of tissues or a roll of toilet paper in the tent comes in handy to wipe off make-up or clean up after the night out.
Hand sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is useful when the bathroom is just too far away and it’ll take you longer to walk there to wash your hands than it will to eat the food you’re about to eat.
Insect repellent
It seems like the mosquitoes are bigger and nastier when your camping, that’s why a really good insect repellent is a must! In New Zealand, we don’t have to worry about contracting many diseases from mozzies, but they can dampen a night when you’re constantly itching!
First aid kit
You never need one, until you do. First aid kits come in handy when you get an insect bite, cut or bruise yourself falling over/ tripping over that tent guide. See my other posts for recommendations on what to include in your first aid kit (coming soon!).
Contraception
Festivals can be fun, but don’t forget to take your contraception! A condom goes a long way to help keep you protected! Everyone (male and female) should take charge of their contraception needs. If your a female and use temperature charting to track your cycle, you will know when you need that extra protection,
*note: charting can be difficult at festivals, and using full protection is recommended.
Want an easy way to ensure you have all the essentials? Click here to buy my Premium Festival Revitalise Kit.
Medical Disclaimer. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained on or available through this web site is for general information purposes only.