Six Tips for a Healthy Summer!

‘Tis the season of lemonade, afternoons at the pool, and cookouts .  For many of us, it is also a season of traveling, as we trek across cities, states, or even countries to vacation.  I absolutely love traveling, but on more than one occasion, I have had health issues put a big damper on my trip.  It’s really not fun to travel with digestive problems, stress, fatigue or any other health issue.  Below are a few things I practice while traveling to ensure a healthy trip.  I hope they are helpful for you during this upcoming summer travel season!

1.  Keep moving!  Our bodies are not created to sit all the time.  There are some simple ways to keep moving while we are in the sky or on the road.

In the sky: Do some simple spinal twists: Take your right arm to your left knee and gently twist to the left.  On every inhale, lengthen your spine; on every exhale, twist a little further to the left. (repeat on the other side). Get out of your seat every once in awhile to stretch your legs.

On the road: Provided you are not driving, you can do some easy seated postures in the car.  Do some spinal twists.  You can also get a nice hip opener by bending your right leg, setting your ankle on your left knee and flexing your toes back toward your knee.  With every exhale, soften your hip and allow your right knee to fall closer to the seat of the car.  Make sure to take rest breaks to walk around, stretch the legs, etc.

Oh! And definitely pack your running/walking shoes, a sports bra, yoga clothes and other active wear.  It can be easy to forget these items.  Make it a priority to pack whatever will encourage you to move.

2.  Stay hydrated.  Planes are naturally dehydrating.  And, often we add coffee or alcoholic beverages to our diet while traveling.  Stay hydrated by sipping water throughout the day and snacking on foods with a high-water content, like celery, cucumbers, avocados, and grapes.  Consider ordering soup at your meals.

3.  Eat well.  If you’re like me, a big part of traveling is trying new things, namely food.  However, it can be difficult to find healthy choices on the road.  I recommend packing your own snacks so that you’re not stuck eating a bunch of processed food from the gas station or airport convenience store.  Yes, this requires some extra planning, but your body (and your wallet) will thank you.  Take snacks like granola, seeds, nuts, and avocados (you can slice an avocado in half and then scoop it out with a round cracker; one of my favorites!).

4.  Take time to be still.  As a natural introvert (meaning I get energy from alone time), I can often become over-extended on trips.  There are just so many people and things I want to see, which puts me in a position to become energy-fatigued pretty quickly.  So, I’ve learned to create alone time while traveling; this allows me to have more energy and love to give to other people.  Even if it means waking up 30 minutes earlier, or carving out 45 minutes (or whatever time you have) in the middle of your day to go for a walk.  Are you wondering if you are an introvert or extrovert?  I don’t want to put you in a box, but the Myers-Briggs assessment has been a helpful tool for me.  Check out their free assessment here.

5. Take care of your digestive health.  For those of us with sensitive digestive tracts, traveling can put our bodies through a lot.  Generally speaking, I prefer to obtain good bacteria from food (like cultured veggies, kefir, etc), but sometimes it’s not available on the road. So, I always carry probiotics that don’t require refrigeration, just in case. My belly (and my family and friends) appreciate it.  :)

6.  Let go of expectations.  Roll with the punches.  Traveling is an awesome time to practice flexibility and adaptability.  Sometimes things just don’t go our way when we travel.  Use this as an opportunity to let go of expectations and to enjoy the beauty of not being in control.

Happy and healthy travels to all of you!

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