My Top 5 Tips for Staying Healthy While Traveling
With everything opening up, people becoming more comfortable with travel again, and what seems to be everyone making up for all of last year's postponed plans in one summer, I have a lot of travel coming up in my future!
I love to travel, but it can definitely take a toll on my mind, body, and overall health if I let it. Over years of work travel, traveling home while going to college across the country, and traveling to see family and friends who do not live in Texas, I have found a few tips and tricks that help me feel my best while being out of my routine.
If you have been out of the travel game for a while, not to worry, I’ve got everything you need to know to enjoy your time away without feeling those dreaded vacation blues upon your return in this guide!
Your Travel Mindset
After getting diagnosed with a gut disorder earlier this year, traveling made me incredibly anxious. What would I eat? How would I pack all my medication? What would I tell people when they asked why I was or was not partaking in the food/drink/activity during this vacation? Or maybe, you are experiencing travel/flight anxiety* for the first time because we all took a year off of travel. Whatever it is, I feel your pain, and I want to challenge you to change your mindset around these thoughts.
*this is not at all saying that by changing your mindset you can get rid of your anxiety
If you go in with the mentality that you are going to “ruin” your routine/progress ect. or that it is impossible to stick to habits that make you feel good while away because you always get peer pressured or fomo, you are already setting yourself up to fail. Going in with a positive mindset and focusing on what you are excited for and grateful for about this trip will allow you to be much more likely to feel capable of listening to your body, setting boundaries where you need to, and enjoying the out of routine moments that arise on your trip!
While I one hundred percent support trying new things, getting out of your comfort zone, and going with the flow while on vacation (after all, life would be boring if we didn’t have some spontaneity and adventure), there is something to be said for keeping the habits that make you feel your best while traveling because the worst thing is coming home from a vacation feeling like you need another vacation. Have grace with yourself and give yourself the room to be flexible with your routine!
2. Pre-Travel Tips
Before getting on an airplane or embarking on that long road trip, there are a few things I like to do to prepare my body, mind, and space for a seamless travel day and return.
Make sure you are hydrated! I try to drink extra water leading up to a travel day. Airplane and altitude change naturally dehydrates you. It can take up to a day to rehydrate your body, so I suggest getting ahead of it before hopping on that plane!
Prepare your immune system! Although there is great air circulation on airplanes, there are also lots more people and potential bugs for your immune system to fight off while in flight. To get ahead of this, I take immunity-supporting supplements like camu camu powder, elderberry, vitamin c and drink bone broth to give my immune system an extra boost.
Get adequate sleep! While travel anxiety, excitement, overscheduling, or procrastination can all affect the quality of our sleep leading up to a trip, it is so important to prioritize. I used to always say “Oh well, I can sleep on the plane!”, but if you are going on a trip where you know your sleep schedule will be affected while you are gone, I strongly encourage you to make sleep a priority before you depart!
Help out your detoxification systems! For many, staying regular is often really difficult while traveling. Eating foods you might usually not eat at home, being in a different environment, having a jam-packed schedule, not hydrating properly, and not getting adequate sleep while away are all culprits for irregularity. Prior to traveling, I like to open up my detoxification pathways as much as I can by reducing inflammatory foods, reducing sodium, infrared saunas, increasing anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, staying hydrated, stimulating the rest and digest process, implementing stress management tools, getting adequate movement, lymphatic drainage, take liver support supplements like milk thistle, limit toxins in skincare, and getting enough sleep!
Focus on gut health! 75% of the immune system lives in the gut and the gut is also called the second brain housing 95% of serotonin. Preparing your gut for travel is crucial to feeling like your best self while on vacation and upon returning. Taking a probiotic, stimulating the rest and digest system, staying hydrated and increasing fiber can all support a healthy gut.
Clean your space & do all the chores necessary before you head out of town! Coming home to a clean space makes those post-vacation blues not so bad. This includes changing your sheets/making your bed, putting away your laundry, cleaning out the fridge, taking out the trash & maybe even preparing some healthy freezer and pantry-ready meals for when you get back. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later for this one!
Stretch and get adequate movement in! Whether you are on a plane, train, or automobile, sitting for extended periods of time can have poor implications on your health. Stretching and getting some regular movement in before your travel day is a great way to prepare your body to be more resilient for days when you are not as active.
3. Pack Purposely
Depending on where you are going and for how long, having a detailed packing list can be really helpful to avoid those panic thoughts of “oh no, I forgot something!” and help you maintain the healthy habits of your choice while traveling.
My Must Haves In-Flight Packing List Items:
Healthy snacks (usually protein bars, jerky, kale chips, popcorn, nuts, and some sugar-free chocolate)
Any supplements, medication, or glasses/contacts you need
Hand sanitizer & wipes
Electrolyte packets
Tea - this is great for digestion, hydration, and sleep/stress relief
Book, journal, devotional & pen
Noise-canceling headphones or earplugs & chargers
Layers that double as a pillow or a neck pillow for long flights
Wear comfortable tennis shoes on the plane - can’t tell you how many times I have had to run to catch my flight!
Reusable water bottle
Blue light blocking glasses
Cards or games if you are traveling with others
CBD or essential oils for a calming space
Gum
If traveling for work I usually bring protein powder & matcha packets as well.
Lastly, I always bring slippers, my jewelry & skincare items in my carry-on suitcase for shorter trips.
Depending on the time of day of the flight, I often alternate between wanting to be really productive on flights and wanting to sleep, so I try to pack accordingly to support both states.
Lastly, with travel days, I want to touch on eating throughout a travel day. If my flight is during a usual mealtime, I will typically pack my breakfast/lunch/dinner before getting to the airport. I do this to support my digestion as flying/traveling usually tends to mess with my stomach. Sometimes this looks like picking up True Foods or Sweetgreen for the flight, sometimes it is meal prepping something for the flight, sometimes travel days are so hectic that you can’t plan what you are going to eat and that is OKAY. Being okay with eating something you normally wouldn’t during a travel day is a part of traveling and sometimes we just have to go with it.
4. Decide what habits you are going to prioritize BEFORE getting to your destination
While vacation is supposed to be just that, a break from your daily routine, knowing ahead of time what habits you can incorporate into your vacation can help you to feel your best throughout your trip and once returning home.
Here is a list of a few habits I pick and choose from while on vacation:
Getting movement- oftentimes while traveling this will look like a walk, bike ride, skiing, swimming, or hiking! If I am feeling stiff or sore from a travel day, I will try to take time to stretch or do some yoga. Exercising in the morning after arriving at your destination can also help rebalance the circadian rhythm if you have traveled to a different time zone and minimize jet lag.
Getting enough sleep- this is a tough one! Sometimes I mindfully choose that sleep is not going to be a priority because of how little time I have visiting loved ones or activities that will feed my soul and create memories I will cherish. And sometimes, I go to bed before everyone else because that is what my body needs!
Taking alone time & incorporating quiet time- another tough one especially when on trips with people you may not see often, but know it is completely understandable and acceptable to take some time alone during traveling! Taking a few minutes of quiet time in the morning, evening or at some point during the day can help you to stay present in the moment on your trip. I find that taking this time first thing in the morning or right before dinner works best for me while traveling!
Staying hydrated- bringing my hydro flask on trips with me helps me to remember to drink water. I also try to incorporate some electrolytes or lemon water while on vacation (especially if in a warmer climate) as an easy way to feel my best while away!
Mindfully consuming caffeine and alcohol- this is one that is often the most challenging to navigate while on vacation and the biggest driver of feeling worse when returning home. While there is a lot to uncover here, my suggestion is to ask yourself WHY you are consuming these things and to listen to yourself with whatever decision you make.
Prioritizing supplements & skincare- this is especially important when traveling to a sunny or dry climate. These 2 acts are really easy to slip in the morning while on vacation. Give yourself credit for keeping this up while away!
Take time off of your phone- while we often want to take pictures or check in on loved ones back home while we are away, limit the amount of screentime you are having while on vacation. This will help you to be more present in each moment with the people you are with and enjoy your vacation that much more!
5. Ease back into your routine
While some trips lend themselves more to slowing down, recuperating, and resting, others can leave us feeling depleted, tired, and ready to return to a home-cooked meal.
A few tips for getting back into the groove of things:
Don't be so hard on yourself! Give yourself grace, compassion, and be patient as you transition back into daily life. It is normal to not feel like yourself for a few days after traveling. A few things I do to support myself in recovering from overindulgence, lack of sleep, and dehydration is written how I gave myself grace or was compassionate to myself in a journal, try not to over-schedule myself upon my return, do kind things for myself like make myself dinner, take myself on a mid-day walk at work or take a bath and read a book to wind down for bed. Prioritizing small ways to make yourself feel good upon your return will make the adjustment much more seamless.
Get back to the basics. If you didn't get enough sleep, focus on that! If you didn’t get any quiet time or time to slow down, make time for yourself upon your return. Focus on what you can ADD to your diet to make you feel good, not what you need to swear off. Take your supplements, drink water, and do movement that makes you feel energized. Take your time and give yourself space to get back to it!
Support your immune system, gut, and detoxification pathways with leafy greens, healthy fats, infrared sauna, hot baths, or movement. Our immune systems, gut, and detox pathways often work overtime during traveling, so giving them some good R&R will help you feel better and get you right back into your routine before you know it!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to see new places, visit friends and family I have not seen in a while, and get out of my comfort zone with upcoming travel this summer! As always, leave me a comment or connect with me on social media if any of these tips resonate with you.
Healthy, happy, and safe travels to all!
