Many of us will hit the road this holiday season and when we travel, our natural body rhythms can get off schedule. Here are some tips on how to stay regular when you travel.
Some of us can tolerate the changes associated with vacations and business trips, while many of us struggle with our digestion while on the road. The closer we stick to our “normal” routine, the more regular our bowels will be. Follow these tips to keep your digestion on track while traveling so you feel great and keep those toxins moving on out.
1. Drink Water
It’s important to keep your intestines hydrated. This means eating fresh fruits and vegetables with a high water content, in addition to drinking a lot of water. Travelers often drink alcohol to relax on a flight and then drink coffee to wake up, but these drinks are very dehydrating. I always drink a full bottle of water in flight. Don’t worry about asking the person next to you to please get up, if you have to use the bathroom. Staying hydrated = staying regular!
2. Pre-pack Snacks for the Airport/Car
As you probably already know, packaged foods are loaded with additives that can mess up our digestion. Emulsifiers, food colorings, and artificial flavorings (disguised as natural flavorings) can wreak havoc on our guts. Most packaged snack foods also contain gluten and have lots of added sodium and sugar. So pack a snack bag along with your luggage and include easy and portable options, such as hard-boiled eggs, berries, apples (green apples have less sugar), and nuts (raw and unsalted are best).
3. Everything in Moderation
A vacation to most is a time to splurge… sometimes on a fancy hotel or with an expensive purchase; but, most always, this means overindulging at meals, eating lots of desserts, and drinking a few too many cocktails. Part of the adventure of travel is sampling the local cuisine, even foods that aren’t very healthy for you — but do your best not to overdo it. Too much food at once can leave you feeling bloated and tired and take away the energy you need to enjoy your trip. Your tummy will thank you later!
4. Magnesium
Let Magnesium be your secret weapon. Take at night before bed helps if you are feeling backed up. It works while you sleep and gives you the start you need on the next day.
5. Probiotics
A daily probiotic is a wonderful way to add more healthy bacteria to your gut. I hope probiotics are already part of your regular routine, but if they aren’t, incorporate a probiotic supplement on your next trip to help you stay regular. Supporting your digestive health when you travel is especially important in order to ward off any foreign stomach bugs. Probiotics come in handy when fighting off possible bacterial infections, and they protect your body from bacteria on planes and in foreign foods that your gut may not be used to.
6. Digestive Enzymes
If you’re having a large meal, it might be wise to take digestive enzymes. (Large portions of meat can be especially hard to digest!) Enzymes help break down food, making it easier to digest meals.
7. Movement
It’s great to lie on the beach, but it’s also important to move your body. Staying active while traveling really does help the cause. Even just a 10 minute vinyasa flow in your hotel room will get things going. There are a ton of free fitness apps for easy and quick workouts you can do in your hotel room.
Safe and regular travels this holiday season
