How To Stay Healthy & Happy While Traveling
Travel is one of the most basic and valuable ways to allow yourself to grow. Going to new places will push your limits, open you up to things you never knew existed, and challenge your understanding of what ‘normal’ life looks like.
Travel adds a lot of experience & growth to life, however, it can also add extra stress & opens your body up to potential new germs. So, as you plan, be intentional about finding ways to bolster your immune system and take care of your mental health as well.
Incorporate the 6 healthy traveling tips below into your routine to help guard your body against germs and help manage the extra stress that comes with travel.
Incorporate Immunity Boosters In Your Travel Routine
Bolster your health by incorporating immunity boosters in your travel & daily routine. A study published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research found that about one-fifth of airplane passengers came down with a cold a week after travel, showcasing the importance to take steps to take care of your health.
Begin to take Vitamin D a few days before your travel, as it has been proven to support your immune cells. A lack of Vitamin D has been associated with increased susceptibility to infection, so by increasing your intake, you are giving yourself the tools to fight anything that comes into contact with your system. Another supplement to add to your routine is the elderberry. Elderberry contains powerful antioxidants to help your body stay healthy and protect your cells. According to an Australian study, elderberry supplements reduce cold duration and symptoms in air-travelers.
Manage Extra Travel Stress
Did you know that stress causes irritability, insomnia, and depression? Plus stress causes your heart to begin to race and weakens your immune system. So managing the stress of travel (and just general life stress) is one of the best ways to stay healthy both physically and mentally.
Meditation is a great tool to help manage stress. All you need for meditation is a place to sit and a moment to slow down. There are a few apps you can download onto your smartphone that helps meditation newbies explore different mediation styles. Insight Timer and Simple Habit have free memberships and offer a wide range of meditation and relaxation classes that you can personalize based on your needs.
Embrace Some Travel Yoga
Another way to take care of your mind-body during your travel is by doing some yoga. When you are seated during your travel, keep your low back and spine happy by doing some seated twists. Bring one hand to your opposite knee and open up your chest to the side. Feel the release through your spine and shoulders while you slow your breath.
Doing yoga while traveling will help lower blood pressure & improve your mood. Find ways to move your body organically while seated, to keep your body from getting stiff.
Pack Healthy Travel Snacks And Drink Water
When packing for your travel think about the snacks that are going to leave your body feeling good in the long run.
Be sure to pack snacks, so that when your energy dips, you have healthy options to fuel your body. Eating healthy snacks is important because it increases energy, improves concentration, and increases your nutrition intake. Look to find some healthy options instead of the typical packaged snacks filled with processed, unnatural ingredients.
Staying hydrated is one of the most powerful ways to keep your body ready for anything. By staying hydrated, you are preventing illness and flushing toxins from your system. Bring your own water bottle, to ensure you will have water with you at any point throughout your travel. Plus you will be saying no to single-use plastic. A win-win.
Invest In Your Self-Care
Investing in your self-care is a powerful way to keep your mind-body from getting run down through the inevitable chaos of travel. One of my favorite ways to show my mind-body care is by utilizing essential oils. Cinnamon Bark oil is a great way to stay in the spirit of the holidays while also helping maintain a healthy immune system (it is a natural immunity booster).
Another essential oil that I use year-round is Tea Tree oil. It is a natural decongestant and can be used as a topical treatment for cold sores. Both Cinnamon Bark and Tea Tree oil help stave off infections and can be used topically.
Remember Hand Sanitizer
Remember your hand sanitizer when you pack your bag for your travel. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) shares that washing your hands is the best way to stop the spread of infections and in situations where you cannot wash your hands with soap and water, hand sanitizer is a great substitute.
Smarter Travel also shares that ‘your hands are the most consistent point of contact with cold, flu, and other germs’. So by keeping your hands clean throughout your travel, you are keeping yourself clean from infection.
Ellie is a Laken Lane contributor. Explore more: https://www.helenafaye.com/
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