"Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown."
– Anthony Bourdain
An important part of life, travel can bring excitement and shape who you are. It is about getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing something different. But is it possible to experience the new, while keeping your health on track? Yes!
The key to maintaining your health while you travel, is to think ahead when you can and have options when you need to be flexible. I have put together 10 tips that I find most helpful - and I LOVE to travel! Check them out below.
Pack your own snacks! I am all about bringing healthy snacks when traveling. To be honest, one of my favorite parts of SFO (terminal 2) is the Napa Farms Market. It is full of local, organic, healthy food options and I get so excited to go in there and find new treats! I understand most airports don't have these options so you can go to your local grocery store before you leave and stack up. Depending on how long of a travel day you have ahead, healthy fats and proteins will best sustain you. I typically go for nuts/seeds, dried fruit (no added sugar), bars (there really is no perfect bar but I do like Go Macro), kale chips, and dark chocolate. I will also bring ginger and turmeric shots for the plane to help with digestion and inflammation. Herbal and green teas are another essential for me - mainly for liver and gut support.
Bring your essential oils. This is a necessity for me when flying. To keep my flight anxiety in check, my must haves are peppermint and lavender. I'll put it on my wrists, the back of my neck, and behind my ears before the flight and reapply whenever I start feeling anxious. Lavender is also beneficial if you hope to sleep on the plane or at your destination. Pro tip: always travel with an eye mask and add a few drops to your eye mask as well. Besides helping with anxiety and sleep, I also use essential oils for:
My skin (tea tree)
Muscle/joint pain (deep blue)
Digestion (digest zen and lemon),
Boosting my immune system (frankincense and on guard)
3. Double up on your vitamins/supplements. My supplement routine varies but my two constants are probiotics and collagen peptides. I recommend additional probiotics when traveling to help my body ward off different types of bacteria and to help my body adjust to different foods. Vital Protein has to-go packets of collagen powder that are perfect for traveling. If you are going somewhere internationally, adaptogens are beneficial for jet lag, stress, and time change. My favorites are:
Ashwaganda
Rhiodia
4. Drink a LOT of water. I typically drink at least 12 cups of water and that doesn't include herbal teas. I know I am prone to being dehydrated and it is escalates even more when I am traveling so I increase my amount. The easiest way to do this? Bring your own refillable water bottle (not plastic!). I'm obsessed with my 32oz water bottle that keeps you on track with the time. Depending on where you go you will need to purchase plastic water bottles, but you can always pour them in your own. Drinking water can help curb your appetite as we often mistake thirst for hunger. It also helps keep your system on the move along with you, which is a common struggle among travelers! :)
5. Get moving. If I am staying in a hotel, I like to find one that has a fitness center. Even a quick 30 minute workout will keep you on track and is great for jet lag. Don't have a gym or not a gym person? No problem. The best ways to see cities are by walking, hiking, biking, etc. Depending on where you are traveling, movement can be part of the culture - like going to a yoga class or going salsa dancing. This should be one of the easier ways to stay on track when you are on vacation.
6. Cook! If possible, stay somewhere with a kitchen. These days this is a lot easier with Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway etc. Even cooking one meal a day can keep you on track with your health goals. You can go grocery shopping and purchase all your favorite items - including your greens which can be hard to get enough of when eating out while traveling. Cooking not only helps you stay on track but will save you a few $$ as well.
7. Do your research! Google local cafes, healthy restaurants, or ask your concierge for some recs before you go. Find the best gelato, pizza, or dim sum spot and if you are staying on track elsewhere, feel free to indulge a bit and enjoy what the local culture has to offer. That is what travel is all about- no part of this should feel restrictive!
8. Stick to your "non-negotiables". I've previously spoken about a non-negotiable of mine in my blog about sleep. Although a lot tougher when traveling, and sometimes out of my control - I still try and get in my 8 hours of rest. Additionally, I make sure I drink my minimum amount of water daily, take my vitamins, and to hit my daily move goal. Some of your non-negotiables could be meditating at least 5 mins/day, doing yoga stretches each morning or being in bed by a certain time each night.
9. Avoid fruity cocktails. Yes, they look pretty and hardly taste like alcohol, but that's because of all the sugar packed in them. Not only is this the recipe for a hangover in the morning, but they can completely derail your body’s routine. Try and stick with simple/clean alcohols or cocktails. My favorites are tequila + soda with lime (you can add a splash of fresh lime or grapefruit juice), red wine, dry rosé or local beer.
10. ENJOY yourself & the culture! Like I said, don't be too strict when you are traveling. Often times when traveling outside the US, foods are grown and prepared differently. I've heard various cases of people who have a gluten or lactose intolerance being fine when they ate cheese or bread in Italy, for instance. Embrace the culture, including their food - just remember, balance is key and try not to overdo it.
FLIGHT BONUS: Something I have recently stopped doing in the past year or so when flying is drinking at the airport/on my flight and limiting my food intake while flying (depending on the length of the flight). When flying, your body gets completely out of whack. Low humidity levels cause dehydration, cabin pressure can mess with your equilibrium, and being in the air can affect your circadian rhythm, which all alter your digestion. Adding alcohol or too much food to the mix can put your body through the ringer - so I feel best when I avoid. Double bonus! To help with my dehydration, I wear face masks on long flights -embarrassing for my travel partners but my skin loves it! :)
Comments