Before you Board: 6 Tips for the Healthy Travel Warrior

Let’s face it, whether you are traveling for fun or business, nothing can throw you off your healthy habits and normal routines faster than leaving your home environment.  

Even the best plans can get derailed with a delayed flight or a missed meal.  From the stress of the airport security lines to sitting in uncomfortable seats long periods to those “free” hotel continental breakfasts (i.e. coffee and carbs), your body can stiffen up and start aching and pumping stress hormones faster than a plane flies. 
 
Your exposure to germs, junk food, late nights and stress increases when you travel but a little planning ahead can help keep your body  balanced, relaxed and your immune system in full force while you venture into the unknown.

Download this free healthy traveler packing list for nutrition and exercise resources to prep for your next trip.

Here are my 6 tips for pain free, healthy traveling:

1.  Eat Regularly.

If you keep your blood sugar level by eating regularly, it will help control cravings and even stabilize your mood. 

It’s easy to miss meals due to delayed flights and not having access to clean whole foods when traveling.  Since it’s not realistic to pack all your meals, focus on breakfast and snacks. 

My favorite breakfast on the road is a protein shake and oatmeal.  You just need water for both and you can heat up the water for the oatmeal in a coffee pot if you don’t have access to a microwave. 

My favorite snacks to pack are protein bars, fruit and trail mix.  Simple trail mix recipes are Goji berries, coconut, almonds or Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews, cacao nibs, and Goji berries.
 
2.  Reach for Water.

Drink as much water as you can when traveling.  It’s easy to get dehydrated when traveling so take every opportunity you get to drink water. 

You will have more energy and less stiffness if you stay hydrated during your trip.  Avoid alcohol while you are flying as both the flight and alcohol are dehydrating.  And drinking plenty of water will help you from getting backed up (i.e. constipated).
 
3.  Stretch and Move.

Sitting long periods and manipulating luggage can leave you with achy, stiff joints and sometimes neck or back pain.  When sitting a lot, try to move around every 30 minutes by taking stretch or walk breaks. 

Be mindful of how you are lifting and moving your luggage.  Bend your knees, keep it close to you, and try to pack less than 15 pounds in each suitcase (ask for help if your like me and can't pack light :-).

Support your low back and neck when sitting by rolling up your jacket or sweater or bring your own neck/back foam roll.  Prop your feet up if possible. 

My favorite tool for releasing tight muscles on a plane is to use a trigger point self-massage ball to target muscles in the neck, shoulders, low back or hips.
 
4.  Boost your Immune System.

To combat all the germs and stress you will encounter during your travels, follow these simple recommendations to protect and support your immune system:

• Breathe through your nose on the flight.  Your immune system can filter the recycled air on planes better through your nose than your mouth.

• Pack a travel-proof Neti pot or sinus rinse to decrease congestion and avoid headaches or fatigue that can come with air travel.

• Drink green juice daily.  Pack some green powder as back up so you are getting your veggies no matter what the food situation is where you are traveling. 

• Keep your gut healthy with a daily Probiotic.

• Drink green tea versus coffee.  I start my day with my favorite energy drink that has green tea, B-vitamins (for stress), electrolytes and ginseng (for boosting my mood) and I don’t have to wait in the Starbuck’s line to get it.

• Avoid getting backed up (i.e. constipated) by taking Natural Calm supplement (magnesium) in the evenings.  When you are stressed, your body burns through magnesium quickly.  Muscle spasms or achy muscles are signs of low magnesium.  Magnesium will help you sleep better as well.

• End your day with a decaffeinated herbal tea to support your liver and kidney function.

 
5.  Re-energize with Exercise.

Unless you’re a pro-athlete, it’s likely that you are going to get way off your typical exercise routine during your trip.  If you can squeeze in a workout at your hotel gym or outdoors, go for it, but here are some tips for those times when you have a real tight schedule on the road:

• There is always time to breathe.  Ideally you would do this in a quiet space like your hotel room but you may have to do it on the plane or in your taxi.  All it takes is a few deep, belly breaths throughout the day to keep you calm and help you re-focus.   Pop your ear buds in and listen to Pandora's Calm Meditation Radio if you are in a noisy environment.
• If you have 5-10 minutes to focus on breathing, then use one of these great apps to guide you: Breathe2Relax, Buddhify, or TheMindfulness App.
• Remember to look for opportunities to walk throughout the day and between sitting long periods.  Take the stairs to get your blood pumping and heart rate elevated.  Make a conscious effort to stand up and sit down as many times as you can.  Standing up and sitting down 32 times throughout the day has been shown to be more effective and healthy for your heart than doing a set of squats in one workout session.
• Pack your travel yoga mat and trigger point self-massage ball so you can do a 15 minute exercise routine in your hotel room at the end of your day.  You can use your massage ball to release trigger points (tender, tight spots) in your hips, back and neck to improve your circulation, then follow with some simple stretches to lengthen your muscles.  A few yoga poses or core exercises will re-balance your body and mind.  A short session can re-boot your nervous system leaving you rejuvenated and ready for the next day.

 
6.  Find time to Relax and Sleep.

It’s common to have a jammed packed schedule when you are traveling so make sure you build in recovery time to your day.  Grab a quick power nap, do some breathing exercises, prop your feet up, take a bubble bath, or soak your feet to help you recover from back to back activities.  Here are some other tips for keeping calm and rested:

• Bach Rescue Remedy is a great product for natural stress relief.  They even make it for your pets -dogs, cats, horses, birds- if they get stressed when traveling.
• To get a great night’s sleep in a hotel room: use a white noise phone app, wear a sleep mask, and keep the room dark and cool.  Do your best to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to keep your energy levels up.  Try to go to bed around the same time each night as that is when your immune system is really working hard to keep you healthy. 
• Sometimes it is hard to wind down after a full day of activities.  Spritzing my pillow with lavender spray helps my body know it is time for sleep.  My favorite bedtime ritual is to mindfully drink some herbal tea by staying focused on the warmth of the tea and my breathing while I enjoy it.

 
There is so much out of your control when you travel but mentally preparing ahead and packing some of your favorites will help you stay mindful of the healthy choices you can make while away from home. 

Stay healthy and vibrant while you travel by staying hydrated, eating healthy snacks, taking stretch and rest breaks, moving as much as possible, and most importantly remembering to BREATHE! 

Safe travels- don’t forget your comfy shoes!
Mollie

P.S. Download your free handy packing list of my travel favorites!