Traveling.

In my eyes, this is one of the best things in life —

The real-life experiences… the sights and smells… the food and wine… the smile you have from ear to ear.

Reality, however, can be that travel can also be sometimes the worst —

Flight delays… overcrowded flights… sicknesses all around.

This last weekend marked three out of five weekend trips spanning February and March. Though I absolutely love having my calendar booked with such fun activities, my body is sensitive and usually very quickly gets out of whack when I depart from my daily routines at home : sleep, exercise, supplements…

So I’ve learned that if travel is going to be incorporated into my life, then I have to make sure a little bit of my life at home is incorporated into my travel.

Thus, I’ve developed rituals to help with the transition from home to a new place to back home.

Note : this post was created on the plane traveling from Seattle to San Francisco after waking up to the most massive flu / cold. Still not even sure what it was, but it was bad. Needless to say I forced my way through it, indulged in Napa wine and prolonged the cure. I can now happily say I’m back to zero but following these ahead of time and during your trip can immensely help keep the health level up! 

 

Travel Rituals for Wellness

FOR REST

Adequate shut-eye

I know this might not come easy for some, but I’m a heavy sleeper who can likely fall asleep as soon as I close my eyes. Because planes can often be full of crying babies, bright sun and carts as distractions, I’ve incorporated the following into my carry on bag:

Headphones

I love listening to dream pop on the plane, it soothes me. Check out this playlist here.

Eye mask

Don’t be embarrassed by taking appropriate measures to ensure you get some rest while in the clouds. Don’t have em eye mask? Sunnies work too.

Neck pillow

This is a must for me because I’m a big head nodder. Probably one of the worst experiences for the nodder and for those around them. I do it over and over (unless I have a neck pillow!)

FOR IMMUNITY

Airports and airplanes are straight up full of germs. Yes, I’m a germaphobe but this is the honest truth. Next time you fly, I recommend the following packed in your carry on bag:

Hand Sanitizer or Sanitizing Wipes

Sanitize your hands after any shop you might pop into and wipe down your seat. You never know who could have been sick before you, or sweating (ugh!).

H2O

I can’t stress this enough — but water is soo good and necessary during travel. I make it a point to always buy the larger smart water once we get through security. Trevor always makes fun of me but if you try and finish this on your flight you’ll be helping with any inflammation, bloating, puffing or digestive issues — which I have every time. Always carry a water canister so you can have it on you at all times.

Avoid Alcohol if you can

I know having a drink at the airport pre flight is like, one of those things that sounds right, but it doesn’t help with keeping your body at tip top shape. If you need a glass of wine, have one before you board or one during the flight to help with sleep. Try to avoid boozing hard until after… and on the plane, order hot tea to aid with bloating and digestion.

Essential Oils

I’ve grown obsessed with several scents to incorporate throughout the day. Grapefruit for around the neck and under your ears after washing your face to maintain a fresh, clean zest. Eucalyptus for your hands to inhale when you need a burst of soothing air. Peppermint for behind the neck as a pick me up. And lavender for your pillow before bed as a calming agent.

FOR DIGESTION

This is always the biggest set back for me with travel. The second I fall out of my routine, I have to work hard to make sure my stomach stays comfortable — which is always a struggle. Eating is my favorite thing to do on trips, but I have to make sure I’m incorporating the following to stay sane.

Probiotics

I take probiotics every day and make sure to pack them for wherever I go. I usually only need one a day due to the kind I take being above 40 billion in cultures, but when I travel I make sure to pack 2-3 per day.

Aloe Pills

In combination with the above, I make sure to have aloe pills on hand if I experience discomfort of not being able to properly digest my food.

Exercise

Movement is key when it comes to my body being able to digest. Yes, I’m an active person and enjoy working out daily, but when it comes to vacation, it’s not the thing I love to do the most — relaxing is nice on vacay — but for me, exercise on vacation is vital to maintain good digestion. Always pack your running shoes so you can walk or jog.

Greens

Enjoying good food and good wine is one of the best parts about travel, but for me, I have to be sure to incorporate greens. This isn’t too hard because I love salads and vegetables, but making sure it’s ordered in almost every meal is essential. Another time where my husband makes fun of me. Pizza… and salad!? Take advice from my friend Lauren — her site linked above. She is full of tips and tricks on how to add more green into your life!

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Ensuring I’m following the three areas of wellness above will make for me feeling 100% for a trip. That mixed with beautiful scenery, new cities to explore and a heck of a lot of photo opps :).

What are your tips for traveling? Did I miss any? Would love to hear them in the comments below!

Safe Travels!

// cb