Most of us do a lot of traveling during the summer months, and whether it’s for work or those long-awaited vacations, travel can wreak utter havoc on our health. Air travel is dehydrating, and can leave us exhausted for days. Unfamiliar surroundings can make finding a healthy, organic meal difficult. Sitting for hours on our chosen form of transportation can cause soreness and swelling. All this stress on the body can increase the chances of getting sick, but can also cause fluid retention, breakouts, stomach problems, and other unfavorable effects. But there are some simple steps we can all follow that will help us leave the downside of traveling behind so we can enjoy our well-deserved vacations, and be super productive on our business trips.. With no regrettable after-effects!
Tips for healthy air travel:
- Make sure to drink lots of water before, during, and after air travel to combat fatigue, swelling, skin dryness, and jet leg. Aim for a large glass of water for every hour you are in the air.
- Don’t eat the food!! Plane food is utter garbage, and is laden with salt, which worsens dehydration, bloating, and fatigue that many people experience while flying. Instead, make sure to eat a healthy meal before you leave the house, or if you must, grab a salad at the airport. But avoid anything heavy, greasy, or salty before getting on that plane. And bring a healthy snack like raw, unsalted nuts, some fruit, or veggie sticks with you on the flight in case you get hungry!
- With their recycled air, planes are breeding grounds for germs. Make sure to strengthen your immune system by taking 1000 mg of vitamin C the morning of your flight and when you land. And make sure you eat lots of nutrient-rich, immune-boosting fruits and veggies before your flight!
- I know it can be fun, but stay away from alcohol before and during your flight. If your goal is to arrive looking fresh and great, alcohol will definitely not help, and it adds to the body’s dehydration. Getting off the plane hoarse, dry, and with circles under your eyes is anything but fabulous. If you’re a nervous flier, and need a little something to help you relax, take some valerian root to calm your nerves, or some natural melatonin to help you sleep. Benedryl, or any prescription sleep aids will just result in arriving groggy and out of it.
- Flying is no fun for your skin either. Make sure to wear a good, oil-free facial moisturizer with SPF to protect your skin from the super strong UV rays up there, and pack a revitalizing facial spray to perk up your face after the flight (I like L’Occitane Olive Tree Organic Toning Face Mist). Ladies, avoid caking on the makeup before your flight. If you must wear something, just a little mineral powder, some mascara, and a moisturizing lip balm should do the trick to get you there in style. Wearing more than runs you the risk of getting post-flight pimples, clogged pores, oily skin, and looking all melted when you land. I like to bring a little face wash with me to wash up after the flight, and if necessary, putting on a little more makeup at the airport when I land.
Tips for when you arrive:
- Try to do some stretching (or even hit the gym at your hotel if you feel up to it!) shortly after you arrive. This will do a lot to combat post-flight stiffness, swelling, not to mention fatigue.
- Do some research before you leave about some healthy food options near where you’ll be staying, and locate them when you get in. We often arrive at our destinations famished, and it’s really easy to make terrible food choices in the interest of convenience when we’re stressed and tired. But that’s exactly the time when a healthy, nutritious meal is most important!
- Once you’re all settled, purchase some healthy snacks, bottled water, and maybe some breakfast items to keep in your hotel room (that little fridge isn’t just for overpriced candy bars!). This will help keep you away from those hotel buffets and continental breakfasts that are responsible for so much of travel-related weight gain. Fruit, some whole grain crackers and hummus, nuts, and Larabars
are all great options to have around. If you’re going to be in a location where purchasing specific items you like will be difficult, just bring them from home!
- If your hotel room has a kitchen, try to incorporate some home (or hotel-) cooked meals into your travel schedule, especially if there aren’t a lot of healthy restaurant options around you. And even when eating out at the most dubious of restaurants, you can still make healthier choices! A soup or salad is always a good idea, and almost all restaurants will have at least one or two vegetarian options available, which are definitely preferable to the sketchy, high-fat meat dishes you’ll find at that greasy spoon or chain restaurant.
- Lastly, try to keep up some semblance of your normal routine while you’re traveling. Go to bed around the same time (accounting for time differences, of course), eat around the same time you are used to, and definitely maintain your exercise routine! This will keep you from getting sick, putting on travel weight, and throwing your body out of balance. Indulging in treats you wouldn’t normally eat, and getting a little lax with working out can be a fun part of de-stressing and letting go while on vacation, bit it’s important not to overdo it. Spending the three weeks after you get back undoing all damage you did to your body while traveling isn’t really worth that one week of blissful abandon, is it?
