It is often our diet that gets thrown out the window first when travelling. Without safeguarding your health whilst on the road, there is a very good chance it will suffer, simply for a lack of being able to find healthy options.
Whether you travel frequently for work or leisure, here are a few tips that will help to minimize the negative effects travelling can have on your health.
Supplements
Greens powder
It is highly unlikely you will be getting in your usual intake of vegetables, particularly leafy greens. Take a Greens capsule or a powder to add to your water bottle to keep your energy and vitality up. I like Green Nutritionals.
Probiotic
Travelling and jet lag change your gut bacteria. Take a probiotic with you (one that doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge) and take one capsule a day for the duration of your travels.
Melatonin
Use melatonin if you are crossing time zones. It will help to rebalance your circadian rhythm and get you back into a regular sleep cycle. Speak to your practitioner for more information.
Activated charcoal
This is very useful to keep on hand if you eat something that upsets your stomach or alcohol intake is likely to increase whilst away.
Activated charcoal binds toxins and removes them from the body. It comes in powder form that you just mix with water. You can find it in health food stores.
Snacks and food for long haul flights
Plane food is often very high in sodium, sugar and refined oils that can make you feel pretty average if you have to rely on it. If you can avoid plane food, amazing! But if not, taking plenty of fresh, healthy snacks can help you to avoid eating every single thing on the tray and the not-so-nutritious snacks provided like pretzels and soy crackers.
- Protein bliss balls or coconut cranberry slice
- Nuts and fruit like apples, bananas and mandarins
- Trail mix – buy a premade mix or make your own in snap lock bags with goji berries, pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, almonds and walnuts
- Veggie sticks such as carrots or green apples with a jar or container of nut butter
- Stay hydrated! Take a big water bottle with you that you can refill on the plane. Take some herbal tea bags too and avoid alcohol – this will only dehydrate you further and make you feel a whole lot worse
- Travel Quinoa salad – On long haul flights, I make a quinoa salad in a disposable container to have as one of my main meals. I roast a tray of carrot and sweet potato (in small cubes), add shredded kale, snow peas and some cranberries. Just ask the flight attendant for a olive oil dressing!
- Take a clean protein powder to have whilst away if you get really stuck
Remember to:
Keep moving!
On the plane, get up every couple of hours to go for a walk and have a stretch. Once you arrive at your destination, go for a walk in the daylight to reset your body clock if you have crossed a time zone, no matter how tired you might feel.
Eating out
At buffet breakfasts, choose just one or two things that you will have and stick to it. For example, have some fresh fruit with yoghurt followed by eggs with roast tomatoes and mushrooms. (I always ask the staff if they could bring me some avocado too for some healthy fats).
If there is something you really love the look of, wait until the last day of your trip to indulge. Otherwise you will end up eating that muffin and chocolate croissant every day single day.
Stay away from fruit juices, just because it is there, doesn’t mean you have to drink it.
And ALWAYS order a side of steamed veggies (or salad) to go with all your other meals.
If you do a lot of travel, I would love to hear your tips on how you stay healthy!