Packing for Latin America, Part 2
In part two of this series, I am sharing which supplements I packed in preparation for a lengthy stretch of remote work in Latin America. If you’ve read part one here, I had overpacked clothing and essentials because I did not know exactly where I would be settling or how remote it would be.
Lesson learned: I would have benefitted significantly by packing 1/3 less clothing so I could fit more (dehydrated) nutrition and vitamin supplements.
Normally I take a lot of vitamins, minerals, and supplements because I follow a fitness lifestyle. But like many others my roommate and I had put our gym membership on hold during COVID-19 because we live in a region highly impacted by the virus. For those facing pandemic layoffs, spending cutbacks included a break from high cost non-essentials.
Once cleared for travel, I would have to cut even more supplements, because going through international customs with a bunch of rattling pill bottles isn’t helpful. Over-the-counter items in the USA could be restricted elsewhere.
At 48 hours before my flight, I nixed some bulkier items from my suitcases to allow for more space. Still, I did not have enough room to pack nutritionals. Then and there, I made the regretful decision of taking with me only half of the vitamins and supplements for my calculated time away.
VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS:
GNC Multivitamin Active. I did not pack any Animal brand supplements, which I would leave for my return. I seriously regret not packing a joint supplement due to rough terrain. GNC stores were found in-country, but their prices were outrageous and management would not recognize GNC account holders from the U.S.
Slow-Fe brand supplemental iron, 18mg, in a pack of 60. As a precaution, because people have died from being anemic in remote locations.
Vitamin Shoppe Ultimate 10+ Probiotics. Taking acidophilus with you on your travels is a MUST because it helps to keep a healthy gut. Traveling and eating certain foods may increase the risk for parasites. Most of us embrace all kinds of foods and culture while traveling, so it is important to be medically checked if you notice anything unusual or as soon as you can upon returning home by a team specializing in travel medicine.
Vitamin Shoppe Digest Extra which contains a wide range of enzymes to help with digestion of certain foods, including some lactase for dairy and other desirables for diets high in cruciferous vegetables, grains and beans.
Nature’s Way Charcoal capsules, which can be helpful for mild, non-critical food poisoning. You can also break these open for cosmetic use.
Vitamin Shoppe Alpha Lipoic Acid, the one with Chromax and Biotin, a higher quality option than standard ALA. Used until done, 180 count. I regret not packing a second bottle due to higher carbs in Latin America.
Electrolyte Stamina by Trace Minerals. Excellent product. I also packed 2 flavor tubes of Nuun Sport, which makes it easy to add a tablet to your water while walking in the heat. I was happy to find Nuun available in-country, but while the company releases seasonal flavors once a year, it is always summer in Latin America. I also packed 2 sample packets of EFS by 1st Endurance which is a sports drink for high impact athletic activity.
I did not bring Omega-3, vitamin C, ester-C, vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, kelp or any herbals. These are all things that I would need to replenish upon my return to the states.
MEDICATIONS
My employer provided a care kit containing COVID-specific items: 2 rapid tests, blue hospital and cloth masks, gloves, sanitizers, alcohol wipes, and a thermometer. To this kit, I added 2 more spare COVID tests, 3 tablespoon measures, a recycled Nuun tube containing Tylenol gel caps, and a recycled Dramamine tube containing a small count of baby aspirin. I left the main bottles back home with my roommate.
Separately, I packed a supply of KN-95 (PM 2.5) masks which I used for crowded public transportation. Plus a couple of printed cloth masks.
(Due to reckless ignorance and misinformation, COVID was allowed to evolve into variants even more viral, the latest of which is JN.1 as of 2024. And again making its way via IDGAF tourists who spread it like wildfire as they travel to vacation hotspots, infecting service workers and populations that are less protected. More people are down with COVID, RSV, flu… or a mix of these and making their way to hospitals, expensive cancellations, or bed sick at their vacation rentals. Don’t shoot the messenger here. I am just sharing what I’ve been seeing in-country and also in tourism threads.)
I packed Mylanta and Gas-X, my go-to depending on the type of upset. I also packed Refresh Liquigel eye drops and over-the-counter allergy medicines, which surprisingly I didn’t use much of.
I packed Oscillococcinum, which is a homeopathic medicine taken at the first sign of flu. It dissolves under the tongue and works naturally with your body to help reduce duration and severity.
For the flights, I packed Dramamine, altitude earplugs, and Vicks in case of bad smells. In a shift from previous flights, I did not take a decongestant to open my sinuses due to COVID, RSV, and flu concerns. Also from experience — apparently Dramamine and decongestants do not mix.
Lastly, I brought Ef-Chlor water purification tablets for use in remote areas. The tap water was drinkable where I settled, but in the event of natural disasters such as storms, massive flooding, earthquakes or volcanic incidents this could quickly change. My employer provided a comprehensive medical kit and a high-quality mosquito net. Malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases such as chikungunya and zika are regional concerns.
SHOULD HAVE PACKED, BUT DID NOT:
I regret skipping Lactaid chewables which were unfortunately unavailable in-country. I underestimated the wide variety of amazing ice cream selections and local cheeses available in Latin America. I’m not terribly lactose intolerant, but I like to take a dose when eating ice cream.
Ka’Chava and Huel, for nutrition in a pinch. Ka’Chava is a plant protein superfood shake with full nutrients. While Huel also sells shakes, its signature line is its nutritionally complete dehydrated meals, to which you simply add hot water. I prefer to add more rather than less water. I also like to split the recommended serving by half then add in unflavored protein powder, so that the overall carb count is lower impact. I later received 3 bags of Huel sent to me. These were highly import taxed.
Protein powder. Packing tubs or bags of protein powder wasn’t feasible due to space, and also likely to delay passing customs. Regardless, I really did try, but my custom order from TrueNutrition did not make the delivery date promised, so I had to leave for my flight without it. I was lucky to find numerous fitness shops in the area where I settled, but the cost of one tub of protein was AT LEAST DOUBLE the U.S. retail price plus import fees passed to the consumer. Some stores do not have pricing on their shelves, leaving store representatives to show you numbers off of their cell phones.
SHIPPING AND CUSTOMS
My first and only care package took about 3 months from origin to its multistep pain-in-the-ass pickup. We chose U.S. Priority Mail with insurance for shipping because FedEx and its competitors charge astronomical pricing — hundreds of dollars — for shipping to Latin America. We may have paid less, but the downside to shipping U.S. Priority Mail is that insurance and tracking ends when that package leaves the United States. That leaves a lengthy gap for hope and worry.
If all is well, the postal service of the destination country will then deliver your package. But that did not happen: My package was flagged for the Huel, for which I had to pay a hefty tax for. They also questioned the probiotic, but since acidophilus is sold over the counter in-country, this was cleared.
Amazon has offices here, but bringing its warehouses to Latin America would be a serious game changer for sales and for regional workers. There is no reason why people should be paying double or even triple the cost of a common product just to ship it. Hopefully commerce and shipping will improve with economic growth between the USA and Latin America.
