Whether you’re traveling for work or pleasure, nobody wants to be feeling under the weather when they are away from home. I just traveled for work for the first time since the pandemic started. It was so great to see everyone in person and meet some new team members. I did make sure I was prepared though! In this article, I’m going to share with you my favorite wellness practices to stay healthy, boost your immune system and support your nervous system before, during, and after travel!

HYDRATION

Through all stages of travel, it’s important to remain hydrated by consuming plenty of beverages like water, coconut water, bone broth, and herbal teas. It’s also a great idea to snack on foods with a high-water content like cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, celery and pickles ¹.

Your daily hydration goal should be roughly half your body weight in fluid ounces. For example, if you’re a 140-pound person you should consume around 70 fluid ounces of hydrating beverage per day.

Carry a reusable water bottle with you, ideally glass or stainless steel (I use this one), which is helpful to maintain adequate hydration at every stage of your trip. If you’re flying, wait to fill your water bottle until you get through security.

Overall, do your best to limit or remove diuretics like alcohol, soda, coffee, caffeinated tea, and juice as they’ll cause further dehydration. If you’re on vacation and plan on drinking plenty of alcohol (or know your body is dehydrated), boost your hydration with this quick and easy DIY electrolyte beverage!

Bonus electrolyte recipe: Add a pinch of unrefined mineral salt and a squeeze of organic lemon (or any citrus) to your glass of water. The sea salt carries 84 trace minerals that act as sponges for our cells to absorb the water and the squeeze of lemon is a pop of fresh flavor with a boost of Vitamin C!

WHOLE-FOOD NUTRITION

Before, during, and after travel, it is crucial to fuel your body with nutrient-dense, whole foods. Focus on high-quality protein, healthy fats, and vegetables in every color of the rainbow so you can nourish your body with the macronutrients and micronutrients needed to support and balance your immune system.

Packing travel snacks for both legs of your trip is key! Options like homemade trail mix with dark chocolate, jerky bars, nut butter, and as many fruits and vegetables as you can bring will ensure you’re nourishing your body with the vitamins and minerals you’ll need to stay healthy.

I always travel with my own snacks because I don’t want to get in a food emergency situation where the only thing available is Cinnabon in the airport or a convenient store on a road trip. Minus the fresh fruit, you can find a lot these travel snacks and more on Thrive Market (HERE) at deeply discounted prices.

• Mandarin oranges
• Bananas
• Berries (raspberries with chocolate chips is a fave)
• Meat sticks (Epic, Chomps and Paleo Valley are my favorite brands)
• Larabars
• Mixed nuts
• Dark chocolate
• Herbal teas (I love this one)
• Travel collagen packs (click HERE and use Ferra10 to get 10% off)
• Travel EVOO and ghee packs (I use these EVOO packs)

Another favorite travel practice is researching healthy food options ahead of time. I personally, look for restaurants with gluten free menus and I always ask the locals for recommendations! One of my favorite things to do is find a farmer’s market when I’m on vacation. I love looking at all the local foods that are different than what I can get in North Carolina. The vendors at the farmer’s market will always have great recommendations on local restaurants.

SLEEP

Proper rest is as important to our health as eating, drinking, and breathing ². Times of high stress require restorative sleep to provide our bodies with the opportunity to repair and rebuild. Support your physical and mental health by getting 8 hours of sleep (or more) if possible, per night. If you struggle to fall asleep in a new environment, avoid caffeine after lunch, stay away from electronics one hour before bedtime, and dab some lavender essential oil on your pillow for a soothing and relaxing effect.

If you suffer from allergies, fragrance or even mold sensitivity, bringing a travel air filter like this one which is incredibly useful to sanitize and cleanse your air, allowing your body to fall into a deeper sleep and reducing further stress and inflammation.

STRESS MANAGEMENT & SELF-CARE

While stress reduction and self-care may seem like an afterthought when it comes to travel, they should be at the forefront of your mind because these practices are vital to maintaining your health and well-being.

Stress has been shown to suppress the immune system, making it more likely that you will get sick while traveling or once you get home. There are many different practices and modalities that you can incorporate on your trip to boost immune function and reduce stress, including deep breathing, meditation ³, sauna, sunlight, and movement!

TYPICAL TRAVEL DAY FOR ME

In the morning, I do my gratitude and deep breathing. I think of 3 things that I’m grateful for and take 3 deep breaths. Believe it or not, this daily practice helps with stress. I get up and make my matcha. Yes, I take my frothier and my own matcha (I love this one) with me when I travel because most places (Starbucks) have terrible quality matcha and sugar-laden milk alternatives. I bring a carton of coconut milk with me and then keep it in the fridge after it’s opened.

I try to get in a walk. If I’m traveling for work, I stay in this cute little town outside of Atlanta and it’s very walkable. I can walk to restaurants or just get out for a walk in the evenings to get some fresh air. If I’m traveling for fun, I’m definitely getting plenty of movement throughout the day.

I search Yelp for gluten free restaurants near me. I also make it a practice to ask the locals for recommendations. They won’t ever let you down!

In the evenings before I settle in for some TV time, I do a meditation. This helps with stress and is very relaxing!

Conclusion

Maintaining hydration, nutrition, sleep, and self-care throughout your travel experience will boost your immune system, improve digestion, support detoxification, and reduce the overall stress on your body! In addition to these travel-friendly wellness tips, it’s a great idea to work with your healthcare practitioner for individualized supplement suggestions to further support your system as a whole during times of high stress.

Happy travels!

SOURCES
1. Popkin, Barry M, et al. “Water, Hydration, and Health.” Nutrition Reviews, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2010, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/.

2. “Sleep Matters: The Impact Of Sleep On Health And Wellbeing.” Mental Health Foundation, 11 Feb. 2020, www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/sleep-report.

3. “Why Mindfulness Can Help the Immune System.” David R. Vago, Ph.D., 26 June 2012, davidvago.bwh.harvard.edu/why-mindfulness-can-help-the-immune-system/.

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