I have been traveling a lot this summer, moving cross country from NYC to Boulder as well as visiting friends and relatives. Being on the move so much has brought to my attention how traveling can really have an impact on the digestive system. Therefore, I have put together a few tips about how to keep your digestive system functioning smoothly when you travel.
I follow these four easy tips and so can you.
1) Drink water!
If you haven't read my previous blog post,
read it here before proceeding. It is all about the importance of staying hydrated. One of the many reasons to drink water, particularly while traveling, is that it helps your body to function smoothly and efficiently. One of those many functions, of course, is the elimination of waste. Staying hydrated is especially important when traveling by plane because the air inside the plane's cabin is very dry; much drier than your typical indoor environment. To give you some perspective, normal indoor humidity levels usually range between 30-65 percent. The air in the cabin of an airplane has a 10-20 percent humidity level. Hours spent in this dry climate will definitely contribute to dehydration if you aren't drinking enough water.
At the same time, try to avoid alcohol before and during the flight. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases the output of urine. Drinking alcohol may increase your risk of becoming dehydrated and possibly contribute to sluggish or stopped up bowels.
When I travel I always make sure that I am sipping from a water bottle leading up to the flight, during the flight, and after the flight.
2) Move Your Body On Travel Day(s)
Hopefully, you have already established moving your body on a regular basis, but making sure you get some exercise on the day you travel will be especially important for maintaining digestive function.
Air travel: If you don't have an early flight, go for a walk or a run, ride a bike, pop into the gym, or do any kind of exercise that you enjoy - aerobic exercise is best. Aerobic exercise increases heart and breathing rate, which encourages healthy peristalsis or movement of food through the digestive tract as a result of the contraction of the muscles of the intestines. The more efficiently food moves through the intestines, the less problems you will have with digestive issues, like constipation.
Even if you do have an early flight, set aside 15 minutes to stretch and do some deep belly breathing before leaving for the airport. If you cannot exercise before leaving for the airport, use the time between exiting security and boarding for your flight to do a few brisk laps around the terminal. If possible, find a quiet corner for a few stretches and deep breathing. Do not be concerned if (when) people look at you funny. Just remind yourself of how much more comfortable you'll feel during and after the flight.
Land travel: If you are traveling by car - same thing. Find time in the day before you get into the car and start your drive. If that's not possible, make pit stops every couple of hours to walk, move around, and stretch for 15 minutes.
My magic routine before travel? One hour of brisk walking, 15 minutes of stretching with an emphasis on torso twists and calves, and 5 minutes of deep breathing. I also tend to get a little anxious before I travel and this routine helps me to relax and set my mind at ease.
3) Tread Lightly - Eat Lightly
Eat lightly the night before and the day you travel. Traveling in general can be stressful on both a physical and emotional level. Just getting from your house to the airport and then on to the airplane can be a stressful event, let alone the actual flight. Even being in a different environment than what you're used to, with different food, water, and air as well as changing your daily routine can be stressful on the body. This stress, even though it's temporary, can throw your digestive system for a loop. Eating smaller, lighter meals before and during travel days can help to alleviate some of the stress experienced by the digestive system, thus resulting in less digestive upset.
What does eat lightly mean?
Eat until your satisfied, not until you feel full. Also, try sticking to healthy and easily digested foods like fresh fruits and veggies (cooked as well as raw), soaked and cooked whole grains, soups, and herbal teas. Of course, 'easily digested foods' can differ on an individual basis, so keep that in mind. For example, if you know that eating raw vegetables leads to digestive upset, then eat cooked vegetables instead. It's just as important to listen to and get to know what foods work for your body and what foods don't. This is more important than what I or anyone else tells you.
In general, again keeping in mind what works for your body, try to avoid heavy foods like red meat, dairy, beans*, nuts* and seeds* as these foods can be hard to digest. You may also want to avoid sugar and overly processed carbohydrates as these are stressful for the body and detrimental to digestive and overall health.
*unless properly soaked and sprouted which increases digestibility
4) Pack Your Own snacks
Sometimes, the foods that are healthy and easiest to digest aren't offered at the airport or on the plane, so I always plan on packing my own. It takes a little planning and preparation, but boy is it worth it when hunger sets in and there is nothing around but food that means trouble for my digestive system.
Air travel:
My favorite snacks to pack?
-Berries
-Raw carrots sticks
-Apple slices
-Raw almond butter, microgreens, and banana sandwich on sprouted bread
-Sprouted nut and seed trail mix with dark chocolate chips and dried blueberries
-Dark chocolate bar
-Parsley (yes, I like to chomp on this as is)
-Kale chips
Land travel: If you are traveling by car, pack a cooler full of fruit, carrots and celery sticks, hummus, avocados, homemade trail mix, a jar of almond or peanut butter, some of your favorite whole grain bread, hard-boiled eggs, kefir, and what ever else you like to eat (leftovers from last night's dinner?). Unfortunately, these healthy goodies aren't always available when you're traversing the states. Having some good food on hand can help you avoid eating foods of the less healthy kind, thus, helping you to avoid digestive distress.
5) Don't Rough it without Roughage
Make sure that you continue to get plenty of fiber before, during, and after you fly in the form of fresh fruits and veggies as well as other plant-based whole foods sources. Before I travel, I always check out what restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores in the area of my travel destination offer healthy and delicious options. This way, when I get there I know exactly where I can go to find fresh whole foods. This especially comes in handy when visiting family or friends for an extended period of time.
Some other helpful hints:
-If you already take a probiotic supplement regularly, I recommend continuing to take it on your travels. If the probiotic you take is of the variety that requires refrigeration, don't worry. Just go to your local health food store and ask them to point you in the direction of a shelf-stable probiotic, closest in make-up to the one that you are currently taking, that does not need refrigeration. If you are not taking a probiotic, I would not recommend starting during your travels. Often, it takes time to find a probiotic that works with your body, and you don't want to start that process away from the comfort of your home or with out the guidance of a trusted health professional.
Well, friends, I hope these tips help! They sure have been helpful to me! Safe and happy traveling!
