Health Tips for Travel
As you guys are well aware I am a gypsy at heart and I love to travel. If I don’t get on an airplane or take a major road trip once a month I get squirrely. Traveling healthy is a skill I have developed over the years and I want to share my top tips with you.
I am in the midst of a quick ski-celebrate friends birthday-sister love trip out west. I didn’t think mountain time was in the cards for me this winter but I worked it out. Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah is one of my favorite places on earth! This is a critical mission of soul-health for me to get in at least 10 days on the mountain this year. (Check out my IG feed for videos and photos of the mountains!)
All this gets me thinking about traveling and food and how easy it can be to think you just have to throw out your commitment to health while traveling and wait to your return home to reset. For some, especially dealing with CFS or chronic illness, a day of traveling can take at least 1-2 days of recovery. Read below for my favorite healthy travel tips to keep you guys healthy and on track while flying for Spring Break and into the summer.
Between family back east, trips to Central and South America and traveling to speak, teach and my own trainings I can often be on a plane multiple times a month. Here is what I have learned along the way.
Food
Pro tip: bring your own.
What I bring:
1/4 lb deli meat, leftover roast chicken, or 4 hard boiled eggs
1 qt ziplock with cut up vegetables (most often carrots, celery, bell peppers and cherry tomatoes)
Snack bag of gluten free pretzels or rice crackers (skipping the in flight snack bags)
1-2 cups raw nut trail mix with dried fruit
Single serving packages of protein powder
Whole food protein bars like Rx or Epic
1 organic super dark chocolate bar
I sometimes have a thing for sweet treats when I travel so instead of fighting this I bring my own high quality organic super dark chocolate to satisfy my cravings.
I also have been known to bring a container of left over’s through security (Talenti plastic ice cream containers work great for this, recycle upon arrival, or use for takeout on your trip!). They may throw you weird looks but as long as it is not a “gel” (yogurt, apple sauce, humus, etc.) it’ll pass through security. I have brought chili, eggs and veggies, steak and broccoli, and even a burger topped with caramelized onions. The burger brought the most questions. I love an opportunity to educate!
Pro tip: If it is frozen, it’s not a gel. You can freeze liquids, broth and soups to bring with you. As long as it is in a solid state when you get to TSA security you are good to go.
I also often pack several single serving packages of protein powder I add to a water bottle after security. Test your brand before you go as some will not mix without a blender and you’ll end up with a lumpy mess. Sometimes I even bring my blender bottle with the metal-wire ball as my water bottle to double as my shaker.
I am not a big fan of processed protein bars in general but for long distance travel (cross continent or international) I always bring 3-5 RX bars or Epic bars. These are low to no sugar and while not exactly delicious they are sustainable to get me to the next location I can order a real meal at. This doubles as an emergency meal if you get stuck somewhere in a delay or overnight storm.
Hydration
We have all heard the air on planes is dry and I can’t emphasize this point enough. If you want to get to your destination feeling energized and ready to play, then drink plenty of water along the way.
My Routine: I bring my own 32-ounce water bottle (or shaker cup). I fill it at home and drink the whole thing before going through security. Then, every time I go to the bathroom between flights I fill it and drink one liter per 3 hours in flight. I fill it one more time as soon as I land and chug it down upon arrival and never have the travel fatigue brain fog that can come with long days on a dry airplane.
I also frequently bring electrolyte tablets to drop in as well. 1. They will help you drink more water 2. It will actually support your body to absorb more water and not pee it out so quickly. I know its never fun to have to get your whole row up out of their seat to go to the bathroom but DO NOT SKIMP on hydration. A big part of jet lag can be alleviated by staying hydrated.
Move Your Body
Again, the rumors are true, sitting for long periods of time while traveling stagnates the blood. In addition to this being a risk for more serious health conditions, it allows the toxins in your system to accumulate then when you finally get moving they dump into your system leaving you feeling tired, sluggish and more at risk to pick up viruses and germs along the way.
If you have time, between flights skip the people movers and escalators and walk the terminals while you wait. My flights are sometimes so far apart I can get quite a workout in just getting to my gate. I have a pedometer watch and I try to get at least 3 miles in a full travel day.
Final Food for Thought: Jet Lag
If Jet lag (or daylight savings time changes) is a significant problem for you it may be due to an under-active thyroid gland and/or adrenal imbalance. Our thyroid and adrenal health determine our ability to recover from stress and to reset our circadian body clock. In sleep studies researchers found that human beings naturally run on a 25-hour clock. What does this mean? It means our body resets its internal clock every day to adapt to the changing seasons. Flying across time zones can be much like a time warp through a season change and if your adrenal and thyroid glands are not healthy this may result is feeling like a train wreck after you fly.
International Circadian Rhythm Reset
For you around the world jet setters here are a few ways to work with your biorhythms.
When flying East (USA to EU/Asia*):
Your circadian rhythm will want you to sleep during the day and stay up late at night.
Your body will want to sleep from ~ 7am-2pm local time*. To shift to local time, stay up the whole day you land in the new time zone until a normal bed time (11pm local time). Usually this means being awake 24-36 hours. Then sleep and wake to an alarm at normal local wake time (7-8am).
This first morning will be hard to get going as it will feel like the middle of the night to your body. Take 2 tabs of an adrenal support supplement (one that boosts cortisol) upon waking and 2 more at 12 noon local time. Do this for at least the first 3 days in the new time zone, up to 5 days as needed.
When flying West (EU/Asia to USA*):
Typically, this adjustment is easier for us to make. Your circadian rhythm will want you to nap during the afternoon and stay up late, then you won't fall asleep easily at normal local sleep time. Your body will want to sleep from ~ 3pm-10pm local time*.
Again, do your best to stay up the whole day you land in the new time zone until a normal bedtime (11pm local time).
The first night take 1-3mg melatonin at 10pm local time to help induce normal sleep cycle. If you tolerate caffeine, drink 1-2 cups of coffee or caffeinated tea upon waking at normal local time (7-8am). Caffeine moves our circadian clock back 1-hour per morning. Again, take 1-3mg melatonin at 10pm local time each night until you feel 'back on track'.
*Based off an 8-hour time zone change to EU or 12-15+ hour time change to Asia.