Took a little hiatus and hopped on quit a few planes to ventured to Nashville, and over the pond- in London but now I’m back and ready to answer a frequented question, “what do we eat (while traveling)?”
Traveling is fantastic for mental and emotional health, I could actually write an entire post just on the benefits of travel, think I might. The exploration, the thrill of something new, the time to do as you please off the grid and the fantastic food, right?
Let’s paint the picture… in a perfect world we would arrive to the airport with plenty of time to breeze through security, boarding without delay and relaxing through a smooth-aired flight, land at our destination greeted with a fresh-delicious meal.
Sounds dreamy…the reality is though, traveling has it bumps and can be a bit stressful, which will impact your well being; up regulating stress hormones, slowing down digestion, dehydrating your cells and leaving you low on energy.
Couple these physiological responses sans ‘the comforts of home’ and we are left with sleeping schedules that are out of wack, hello jet lag, wonky meal times and unpredictable access to food, which leads to low energy and irregular bowels.
So what should you eat while traveling to promote regular digestion, ward off jet lag and feel energized?
1.THINK FIBER
Typically when you travel getting your hands on good quality fiber can be tricky maybe it’s advised you avoid eating the produce or you’re in a location with a affection-ado for meat and starches. In that case it best to come prepared. B.Y.O. fiber is one way to assure your give your
The Solution:: Carry on dried plums, raisins, apricots, apples, kale chips or a fiber rich greens powder.
2. DRINK THE WATER?
Drinking plenty of water is so necessary-cabin air in drying and this is a great way to minimize jet lag. Research the water quality at your destination. Hydration is a must, it will keep digestion regular and energy levels stable, so you are ready to take on Rome …or Africa.
The Solution: At the airport purchase a large water before boarding or bring your own empty water bottle and refill once past security. The first adventure after check-in might be seeking out the drinkable filtered water source. Bringing a mini travel water purifier and filtration system might be the call. Also herbal tea bags-like chamomile, lemon balm, rose hip- are an easy pack, they are especially convenient to have if you are avoiding caffeine, plus they come in handy if you are feeling under the weather.
3. BRING YOUR OWN ENTREE
Plane food typically isn’t the most appealing, those mini entrees are hardly satisfying and loaded with sodium, which can exacerbate that jet lag feeling.
The Solution: Pack a homemade in flight meal. Opting for a nourishing bowl of greens with chickpeas, celery, almonds, hard boiled egg and honey dijon dressing is the go. Of course snacks too, comforting snacks like trail mix with wasabi peas, unsalted cashews, almond butter packets or crunchy low-sodium sweet potato chips.
4. SAVOR
Exploring new places, the food, the sights, the drinks is a large part of traveling. Tasting the cuisine is the best part. Be sure to eat when your are hungry but also eating when you aren’t hungry, yes you heard me right. It’s OK to eat when you are not hungry, when you are traveling and when your home. We eat for reasons beyond nourishing ourselves so give yourself unrestricted permission to love on the new cuisine.
The Solution:: Take advantage of the foods of the culture, which means enjoying food for nourishment and/or for pleasure.
5. THE TOP SPOTS
If you are looking for a specific type of food or have to avoid center foods for medical reasons be sure to do your research you may need to purchase medical/allergy translation cards to communicate your needs in their native language.
The Solution::Research the natural food spots so you can make a trip to pick up some essentials and see what they have to offer. Ask is the hotel can accommodate your needs as well.
What is your approach to eat while traveling? Would love to hear in the comment section below. Safe travels my friends, working on yummy Fall Recipes so stay tuned.
with gratitude,
J
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